METHODS FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES INCORPORATING ACTIVE DEPOSITION
First Claim
1. An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising:
- a nozzle configured to accommodate the extrusion of a constituent material through the nozzle and deposit the constituent material onto a surface in accordance with an additive manufacturing process to build up an object to be fabricated; and
at least one subassembly configured to manipulate the material properties of at least some portion of the constituent material such that different portions of the deposited constituent material can be made to possess different material properties;
wherein the at least one subassembly is configured to begin the manipulation of the material properties of the at least some portion of the constituent material prior to, or concurrently with, its deposition onto a surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention implement additive manufacturing processes whereby the constituent material of an object to be fabricated is manipulated prior to, or during, the respective deposition process such that different portions of the deposited constituent material can be made to possess different material properties. In one embodiment, an additive manufacturing apparatus includes: a nozzle configured to accommodate the extrusion of a constituent material through it and deposit the constituent material onto a surface in accordance with an additive manufacturing process to build up an object to be fabricated; and a subassembly configured to manipulate the material properties of some portion of the constituent material such that different portions of the deposited constituent material can be made to possess different material properties; where the subassembly is configured to begin said manipulation prior to, or concurrently with, its deposition onto a surface.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising:
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a nozzle configured to accommodate the extrusion of a constituent material through the nozzle and deposit the constituent material onto a surface in accordance with an additive manufacturing process to build up an object to be fabricated; and at least one subassembly configured to manipulate the material properties of at least some portion of the constituent material such that different portions of the deposited constituent material can be made to possess different material properties; wherein the at least one subassembly is configured to begin the manipulation of the material properties of the at least some portion of the constituent material prior to, or concurrently with, its deposition onto a surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of fabricating an object comprising:
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progressively depositing constituent material onto a surface to form the shape of the object to be fabricated in accordance with an additive manufacturing process; and manipulating the material properties of at least some portion of the constituent material that is deposited onto a surface such that at least some portion of the deposited constituent material possesses different material properties than at least some other portion of the deposited constituent material; wherein manipulating the material properties of the at least some portion of the constituent material begins prior to, or concurrently with, its deposition onto a surface. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification