Apparatus and methods for production additive manufacturing

• US 10,357,827 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Shaw, Mark, Barnhart, David Richard, Redden, Ronald, Anderson, Theodore, Morris, Gregory Muster
• Primary Examiner(s): Dye, Robert C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krasnow, Nicholas R
• Application Number:
  US14/812,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20170028472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 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 12/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/226 for rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/38 Housings, e.g. machine housings
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/52 Hoppers
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/57 Metering means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/70 Gas flow means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/80 Plants, production lines or modules
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/003 Apparatus, e.g. furnaces in general F27B
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/1007 Atmosphere B22F3/1021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/21 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/342 Build-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/003 Cooling means
• 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: B29C 64/176 Sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/25 Housings, e.g. machine housings
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/321 Feeding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/364 Conditioning of environment
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/251 : Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 : Processes of additive manufacturing
• 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 module comprising a build chamber, and a least one of but less than all of the following elements: (a) a directed energy source; (b) a powder supply; (c) a powder recovery container; and (d) a powder applicator; and a workstation comprising the remainder of elements (a)-(d) not included in the build module.

Claims

1. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a build module comprising;

a build chamber;

a powder recovery chamber; and

a build-module worksurface including a build chamber opening communicating with the build chamber; and

at least one of but less than all of the following elements;

(a) a directed energy source;

(b) a powder supply; and

(c) a powder applicator; and

a workstation comprising;

the remainder of elements (a)-(c) not included in the build module; and

an enclosure sized to enclose the build module, the directed energy source, the powder supply, and the powder applicator; and

a transport mechanism comprising a conveyor or a turntable disposed partially within the enclosure and defining a transport-mechanism worksurface configured to receive the build module therein, the transport-mechanism worksurface being coplanar with the build-module worksurface so as to define a virtual workplane, and the transport mechanism being configured to move the build module in to and out of the workstation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the build module includes:

a peripheral wall extending past the build-module worksurface opposite the build chamber to define a workspace; and

a window transparent to radiant energy that spans across the peripheral wall to close off the workspace.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the enclosure comprises one or more seals configured to allow the build module to pass therethrough.

4. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of workstations and build modules according to claim 1; and

an electronic central controller operably connected to each of the workstations.

5. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of workstations and build modules according to claim 1; and

a central shielding gas supply coupled to each of the workstations.

6. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of workstations and build modules according to claim 1; and

a central cooling fluid supply coupled to each of the workstations.

7. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of workstations and build modules according to claim 1; and

a central ventilation system coupled to each of the workstations.

8. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a workstation comprising;

a directed energy source;

an enclosure sized to enclose a build module;

a powder supply contained within the enclosure;

a build module, comprising;

a first build chamber;

a powder recovery chamber;

a build-module worksurface including a build chamber opening communicating with the first build chamber; and

a peripheral wall extending past the build-module worksurface opposite the first build chamber to define a workspace; and

a transport mechanism operable to move the build module into and out of the workstation, the transport mechanism comprising a turntable or a conveyor disposed partially within the enclosure and defining a transport-mechanism worksurface configured to receive the build module therein, the transport-mechanism worksurface being coplanar with the build-module worksurface so as to define a virtual workplane;

wherein the powder supply is configured to drop powder onto the transport-mechanism worksurface; and

wherein the workstation further comprises a moveable powder applicator disposed in the workspace and contacting the transport-mechanism worksurface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each module includes a window transparent to radiant energy that spans across the peripheral wall to close off the workspace.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the enclosure comprises one or more seals configured to allow the build module to pass therethrough.