Powder deposition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021122114-A1
Application number	US-201917252708-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 28, 2019
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Apr 29, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A powder deposition head (100) for an additive manufacturing apparatus is described. The powder deposition head (100) comprises a hopper (110) arranged to receive a powder therein. The powder deposition head (100) comprises a nozzle (120), having a passageway (122) therethrough defining an axis A and in fluid communication with the hopper (110). The powder deposition head (100) comprises a first actuator (130) arranged to, in use, vibrate the powder in the hopper (110) and thereby control, at least in part, movement of the powder in the hopper (110) towards the nozzle (120). The powder deposition head (100) comprises a second actuator (140) coupled to the nozzle (120) and arranged to, in use, vibrate the nozzle (120), at least in part, along the axis A and thereby control, at least in part, movement of the powder from the hopper (110) through the passageway (122). In this way, the powder deposition head (100) deposits, in use, the powder at a relatively more constant (i.e. uniform) deposition rate.

First claim

1 . A powder deposition head for an additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:
a hopper arranged to receive a powder therein; a nozzle, having a passageway therethrough defining an axis and in fluid communication with the hopper; a first actuator arranged to, in use, vibrate the powder in the hopper and thereby control, at least in part, movement of the powder in the hopper towards the nozzle; and a second actuator coupled to the nozzle and arranged to, in use, vibrate the nozzle, at least in part, along the axis and thereby control, at least in part, movement of the powder from the hopper through the passageway.

2 . The powder deposition head according to claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is coupled to the hopper.

3 . The powder deposition head according to claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is within the hopper.

4 . The powder deposition head according to claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is arranged to vibrate, at least in part, transverse to the axis.

5 . The powder deposition head according to claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is arranged to vibrate in a frequency range from 20 Hz to 10 GHz.

6 . The powder deposition head according to claim 5 , wherein the first actuator is arranged to vibrate in a frequency range from 20 kHz to 10 GHz.

7 . The powder deposition head according to claim 5 , wherein the first actuator is arranged to vibrate in a frequency range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, preferably from 100 Hz to 10 kHz.

8 . The powder deposition head according to claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is arranged to vibrate with an amplitude in a range from 0.1 μm to 500 μm.

9 . The powder deposition head according previous claim 1 , wherein the hopper is arranged to receive the powder therein in an amount from 1 g to 100 g.

10 . The powder deposition head according to claim 1 , wherein the passageway has an diameter in a range from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm.

11 . The powder deposition head according to claim 1 , comprising a powder reservoir in fluid communication with the hopper and vibrationally isolated therefrom, wherein the powder reservoir is arranged to replenish the powder in the hopper.

12 . The powder deposition head according to claim 11 , wherein the powder reservoir comprises a syringe arranged to replenish the powder in the hopper.

13 . The powder deposition head according to claim 1 , comprising an actuatable member, coupled to the first actuator, arranged to extend towards and/or at least partially into the passageway.

14 . An additive manufacturing apparatus, preferably a selective laser melting apparatus, comprising the powder deposition head according to claim 1 .

15 . A method of controlling powder deposition using a powder deposition head according to claim 1 for additive manufacturing, comprising preferably selective laser melting, the method comprising:
vibrating the powder in the hopper and thereby controlling, at least in part, movement of the powder in the hopper towards the nozzle; and
vibrating the nozzle, at least in part, along the axis and thereby controlling, at least in part, movement of the powder from the hopper through the passageway.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the powder comprises particles having a size in a range from 5 μm to 200 μm.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the particles have an irregular shape.

18 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the powder has a bulk density in a range from 50 kg/m 3 to 5000 kg/m 3 .

Assignees

• Univ Manchester

Inventors

• Li Lin
• Wei Chao
• Zhang Xiaoji
• Chueh Yuan-Hui

Classifications

• B22F10/40

  Structures for supporting workpieces or articles during manufacture and removed afterwards · CPC title

• B22F10/60

  Treatment of workpieces or articles after build-up · CPC title

• B22F10/38

  to achieve specific product aspects, e.g. surface smoothness, density, porosity or hollow structures · CPC title

• B22F10/366

  Scanning parameters, e.g. hatch distance or scanning strategy · CPC title

• B22F10/36

  of energy beam parameters · CPC title