Systems and Methods for Additive Manufacturing to Produce Carbon-Carbon Parts with Improved Properties and Reduced Manufacturing Times

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024278507-A1
Application number	US-202318111447-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 17, 2023
Priority date	Feb 17, 2023
Publication date	Aug 22, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an additive manufacturing (AM) system for making a part. The system may have a build plate on which to form the part, and a print nozzle component configured to be supported above the build plate. The print nozzle may have a first and second axially extending passageways. The first axially extending passageway enables a first resin-infused feedstock material supplied from a first source of resin-infused feedstock material to be extruded onto the build plate. The second axially extending passageway enables a second resin-infused feedstock material supplied from a second source of resin-infused feedstock material to be extruded onto the build plate concurrently with, or alternately with, extrusion of the first resin-infused feedstock material, to form the part. The first and second resin-infused print feedstock materials differ in composition from one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An additive manufacturing (AM) system for making a part, the system comprising:
a build plate on which to form the part; a print nozzle component configured to be supported above the build plate, the print nozzle component having:
a first axially extending passageway for extruding a first resin-infused feedstock material supplied from a first source of resin-infused feedstock material onto the build plate;
a second axially extending passageway for extruding a second resin-infused feedstock material supplied from a second source of resin-infused feedstock material onto the build plate concurrently with, or alternately with, extrusion of the first resin-infused feedstock material, to form the part; and
the first and second resin-infused print feedstock materials differing in composition from one another.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first resin-infused feedstock material comprises a resin-infused continuous fiber.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second resin-infused feedstock material comprises at least one of resin-infused chopped fibers or resin-infused milled fibers.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first resin-infused feedstock material comprises a resin-infused continuous fiber; and the second resin-infused feedstock material comprises at least one of resin-infused chopped fibers or resin-infused milled fibers.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second passageways are laterally spaced from one another within the print nozzle component.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second passageways are coaxially arranged relative to one another within the print nozzle component.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the print nozzle component comprises a first print nozzle and a laterally spaced apart second print nozzle, wherein the first and second print nozzles are coupled to one another and configured to enable synchronized movement; and wherein the first print nozzle includes the first axially extending passageway and the second print nozzle includes the second axially extending passageway.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one of a computer or electronic controller; and motion control subsystem responsive to the at least one of a computer or electronic controller, and configured to produce relative movement between the print nozzle component and the build plate within an X/Y plane.

9 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a first motion control subsystem operably associated with the first print nozzle for providing elevational movement of the first print nozzle relative to the build plate; and a second motion control subsystem operably associated with the second print nozzle for providing elevation movement of the second print nozzle relative to the build plate, independent of elevational movement of the first nozzle.

10 . The system of claim 7 , further including a linear movement component for moving the first and second print nozzles towards or away from one another to vary a spacing between the first and second axial passageways.

11 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a blade configured to be moved to cut the first resin-infused continuous fiber as the first resin-infused continuous fiber leaves the print nozzle component.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a movement component configured to cause movement of the blade.

13 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an ultraviolet (UV) light configured to at least partially cure at least one of the first resin-infused feedstock material or the second resin-infused feedstock material, in situ, while forming a layer of the part on the build plate.

14 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first ultraviolet (UV) light configured to at least partially cure the first resin-infused feedstock material, in situ, while printing a layer of the part; and a second UV light configured to at least partially cure the second resin-infused feedstock material, in situ, while printing the layer of the part.

15 . An additive manufacturing (AM) system for making a part, the system comprising:
at least one of a computer or electronic controller; a build plate on which to form the part in a layer-by-layer fashion; a print nozzle component configured to be supported above the build plate, the print nozzle component having:
a first axially extending passageway for extruding a first resin-infused feedstock material having a continuous fiber, supplied from a first source of resin-infused feedstock material, onto the build plate; and
a second axially extending passageway for extruding a second resin-infused feedstock material having at least one of chopped fibers or milled fibers, and supplied from a second source of resin-infused feedstock material onto the build plate concurrently with, or alternately with, extrusion of the first resin-infused feedstock material, to form the part; and
a motion control subsystem in communication with the at least one of a computer or electronic controller, and configured to produce relative movement, in response to signals from the at least one of a computer or electronic controller, within an X/Y plane between the build plate and the print nozzle.

16 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising at least one ultraviolet (UV) light for at least partially curing one or the other of the first and second feedstock materials, in situ, while printing a given layer of the part.

17 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising a blade configured for movement to cut the continuous fiber of the first feedstock material as the first feedstock material is being laid down from the print nozzle component.

18 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising an additional motion control subsystem configured to cause relative elevational movement along a Z axis plane between the print nozzle component and the build plate while extruding at least one of the first or second resin-infused feedstock materials.

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the print nozzle component includes:
a first print nozzle which includes the first axially extending passageway; and a second print nozzle positioned laterally adjacent the first print nozzle; and a movement producing component configured to change a lateral spacing between the first and second print nozzles while a layer is being printed using the first and second resin-infused materials extruded from the first and second print nozzles.

20 . A method for additively manufacturing (AM) a part in a layer-by-layer process, the method comprising:
providing a build plate on which to form the part; supporting a print nozzle component above the build plate; using a first axially extending passageway within the print nozzle to extrude a first resin-infused feedstock material supplied from a first source of resin-infused feedstock material onto the build plate, wherein the first resin-infused feedstock material includes a continuous fiber, to help form a layer of the part; concurrently or alternately, using a second axially extending passageway within the print nozzle to extrude a second resin-infused feedstock material supplied from a second source of resin-infused feedstock material onto the build plate to also help form the layer of the part, wherein the second resin-infused feedstock material includes at least one of chopped fibers or milled fibers; and and wherein the continuous fiber and the at least one of the chopped fib

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Lewicki James
• Loey Nicholas Hanson

Classifications

• B29C64/40 Primary

  Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof · CPC title

• B29C64/135

  the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources · CPC title

• B29C64/245

  Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) · CPC title

• B29C64/209

  Heads; Nozzles · CPC title

• B29C64/106

  using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material · CPC title