Material supply for magnetohydrodynamic metal manufacturing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A manufacturing system, the system comprising:
- a nozzle includinga housing defining a fluid chamber, the fluid chamber having an inlet region and a discharge region,one or more magnets disposed relative to the housing with a magnetic field of the magnet directed through the housing, andelectrodes defining at least a portion of a firing chamber within the fluid chamber between the inlet region and the discharge region, the electrodes arranged relative to the magnet such that electric current flowing between the electrodes intersects the magnetic field in the firing chamber to eject liquid metal from the discharge region; and
a robotic system coupled to the nozzle and movable to position the discharge region along a controlled pattern; and
a feeder system engageable with a metal wire, the feeder system actuatable to direct the metal wire into the fluid chamber, via the inlet region, as liquid metal is ejected from the discharge region along the controlled pattern to form an object; and
a sensor directed toward the inlet region, the sensor configured to detect an interface between the metal wire and the liquid metal along a predetermined axial distance on each side of the inlet region, and the sensor in electrical communication with the feeder system to change a rate of movement of the metal wire into the inlet region based on a signal received from the sensor.
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Abstract
Devices, systems, and methods are directed to applying magnetohydrodynamic forces to liquid metal to eject liquid metal from a nozzle along a controlled pattern, such as a controlled three-dimensional pattern as part of additive manufacturing of an object. A feeder system can provide a continuous or substantially continuous supply of a solid metal to the nozzle to facilitate a correspondingly continuous or substantially continuous process for ejecting liquid metal as part of a commercially viable manufacturing process.
44 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A manufacturing system, the system comprising:
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a nozzle including a housing defining a fluid chamber, the fluid chamber having an inlet region and a discharge region, one or more magnets disposed relative to the housing with a magnetic field of the magnet directed through the housing, and electrodes defining at least a portion of a firing chamber within the fluid chamber between the inlet region and the discharge region, the electrodes arranged relative to the magnet such that electric current flowing between the electrodes intersects the magnetic field in the firing chamber to eject liquid metal from the discharge region; and a robotic system coupled to the nozzle and movable to position the discharge region along a controlled pattern; and a feeder system engageable with a metal wire, the feeder system actuatable to direct the metal wire into the fluid chamber, via the inlet region, as liquid metal is ejected from the discharge region along the controlled pattern to form an object; and a sensor directed toward the inlet region, the sensor configured to detect an interface between the metal wire and the liquid metal along a predetermined axial distance on each side of the inlet region, and the sensor in electrical communication with the feeder system to change a rate of movement of the metal wire into the inlet region based on a signal received from the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification