ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20160318253A1
• Filed: 04/28/2015
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: BARNHART, David Richard
• Granted Patent: US 10,315,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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; and

a build platform releasably secured to the actuator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the build enclosure further includes an outer side wall connected to the inner side wall, the outer side wall and inner side wall defining an opening therebetween.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a heater disposed in the opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a seal extending around a perimeter of the actuator, the seal positioned in sealing engagement with the inner side wall.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the seal includes a chamfered inner surface configured for mating engagement with a chamfered outer surface of the build platform.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a vacuum chamber defined by an outer wall of the actuator and communicating with the build chamber.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a securing means for releasably securing the build platform to the actuator.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the securing means includes an upper magnet carried by the build platform and a lower magnet carried by the actuator, wherein when the upper and lower magnets are aligned so as to generate a magnetic attraction force therebetween.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the securing means comprise one or more keyhole slots formed in the build platform and corresponding lifting pins having enlarged heads carried by the actuator.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising 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.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising 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.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, 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 plate and extending upwardly through an opening in the actuator.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a shaker operably connected to the build enclosure.

14. 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.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein resilient spacers are positioned between the upper platform and the table so as to provide a flexible connection.

16. A method of making a part, comprising the steps of:

securing a build platform to an actuator which is disposed in a build chamber,

depositing a powder onto the build platform;

directing a beam from a directed energy source to fuse the powder;

moving the actuator vertically downward within the build chamber by a layer increment of powder;

repeating in a cycle the steps of depositing, directing, and moving to build up the part in a layer-by-layer fashion until the part is complete;

lifting the build platform away from the actuator to create an opening therebetween; and

evacuating the powder from the build chamber through the opening.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of securing the build enclosure to a table having a planar worksurface such that the planar worksurface of the build enclosure is substantially coplanar with the planar worksurface of the table.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of securing the build enclosure to the table further includes the step of positioning resilient spacers between the build enclosure and the table to isolate the build enclosure from the table.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of using a platform lift to separate the build platform from the actuator, the platform lift being carried by the actuator and including:

a sliding sleeve; and

at least one pin connected to the sliding plate and extending upwardly through an opening in the actuator, wherein movement of the sliding plate causes the at least one pin to push the build platform away from the actuator.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising using a lock mechanism couple together the build platform and the build chamber prior to using the platform lift.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the build platform is secured to the actuator using magnets.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein a vacuum chamber is defined by an outer wall of the actuator, the method further comprising using a vacuum pump to evacuate the powder through the opening and the vacuum pump.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of using a shaker to vibrate the build enclosure and aid in the evacuation of powder from the build chamber.