Additive manufacturing apparatus and method

• US 10,315,408 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2015
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Barnhart, David Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Del Sole, Joseph S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luk, Emmanuel S
• Application Number:
  US14/698,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20160318253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/73 of powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/17 to heat the build chamber or platform
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/37 Rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0086 welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/342 Build-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/001 Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/772 Articles characterised by their shape and not otherwise provided for closed loop B29L2031/709; ring-like B29L2031/7096; corrugated B29L2016/00, flat B29L2007/00; hollow B29L2022/00; screw-threaded B29L2001/00; toothed B29L2031/775; corrugated tubes B29L2023/18
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes: a build enclosure having an upper platform defining a planar worksurface and an inner side wall extending downwardly from the upper platform, the inner side wall defining a build chamber; an actuator in sealing engagement with the inner side wall and configured to move vertically along the inner side wall; and a build platform releasably secured to the actuator.

Claims

1. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a build enclosure having an upper platform defining a planar worksurface and an inner side wall extending downwardly from the upper platform, the inner side wall defining a build chamber;

an actuator in sealing engagement with the inner side wall;

a build platform releasably secured to the actuator; and

at least one lifting pin mounted to the build enclosure and positioned so as to separate the build platform and the actuator in response to movement of the actuator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a shaker.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a vacuum chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a table defining a planar worksurface, wherein the build enclosure is received in an opening of the table and secured to the table such that the planar worksurface of the build enclosure is substantially coplanar with the planar worksurface of the table.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein resilient spacers are positioned between the upper platform and the table.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a seal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the seal extends around a perimeter of the actuator.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the seal includes a chamfered inner surface configured for mating engagement with a chamfered outer surface of the build platform.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heater.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a vacuum chamber.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the build platform includes a magnet.

12. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a build enclosure having an upper platform defining a planar worksurface and an inner side wall extending downwardly from the upper platform, the inner side wall defining a build chamber;

an actuator in sealing engagement with the inner side wall;

a build platform releasably secured to the actuator; and

a platform lift carried by the actuator and configured to selectively separate the build platform and the actuator, thereby creating an opening between the build platform and the actuator, wherein the platform lift includes;

a sliding sleeve moveable between upper and lower positions relative to the actuator; and

at least one pin connected to the sliding sleeve and extending upwardly through an opening in the actuator.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the actuator includes a seal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the seal extends around a perimeter of the actuator.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the seal includes a chamfered inner surface configured for mating engagement with a chamfered outer surface of the build platform.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a heater.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the actuator includes a vacuum chamber.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the build platform includes a magnet.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a shaker.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a vacuum chamber.