Recycling powdered material for additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024208143-A1
Application number	US-202418419847-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 23, 2024
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Jun 27, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for collecting a powdered material after a print job in powder bed fusion additive manufacturing may involve a build platform supporting a powder bed capable of tilting, inverting, and shaking to separate the powder bed substantially from the build platform in a hopper. The powdered material may be collected in a hopper for reuse in later print jobs. The powder collecting process may be automated to increase efficiency of powder bed fusion additive manufacturing.

First claim

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a powder dispensing assembly capable of dispensing a plurality of layers of a powdered material; a build platform configured to hold a powder bed formed by the layers of the powdered material, wherein the build platform can perform at least one of a rotation, a tilt, and an inversion; and a hopper capable of collecting a substantial portion of the powdered material of the powder bed.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of storage chambers configured to store a plurality of powdered materials with each of the powdered materials sealed in a respective inert atmosphere inside a respective one of the storage chambers.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
a mechanical sweeper; a vacuum; and a gas jet.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an area of the build platform configured to hold the powder bed is greater than 0.25 square meters.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the build platform is further capable of causing vibrations or jittering moves.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hopper has one or more sloped walls and is located below the build platform.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hopper comprises an auger or a conveyer capable of transporting the powdered material to a storage chamber.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the powder dispensing assembly is capable of a vertical motion.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a processor; and a memory storing a plurality of instructions, wherein executions of the instructions by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising: controlling the powder dispensing assembly to dispense the powdered material onto the build platform; controlling the build platform to separate the powder bed substantially from the build platform; and controlling the hopper to collect the substantial portion of the powdered material for reuse or for storage.

10 . An apparatus, comprising:
a powder dispensing assembly capable of dispensing a plurality of layers of a powdered material; a build platform having an area greater than 0.25 square meters and configured to hold a powder bed that can be processed to form a printed object weighing at least 10 kilograms, wherein the build platform can perform at least one of a rotation, a tilt, and an inversion; and a hopper capable of collecting a substantial portion of the powdered material of the powder bed.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising at least one of:
a mechanical sweeper; a vacuum; and a gas jet.

Assignees

• Seurat Tech Inc

Inventors

• Demuth James A
• Toomre Erik
• Leard Francis L
• Kamshad Kourosh
• Fees Heiner
• Berdichevsky Eugene

Classifications

• B22F10/39

  Traceability, e.g. incorporating identifier into a workpiece or article · CPC title

• Y02P80/40

  Minimising material used in manufacturing processes · CPC title

• G02B27/108

  for sampling a portion of a beam or combining a small beam in a larger one, e.g. wherein the area ratio or power ratio of the divided beams significantly differs from unity, without spectral selectivity · CPC title

• B29C64/286

  Optical filters, e.g. masks · CPC title

• Y02P10/25

  Process efficiency · CPC title