BRACE STRUCTURES FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

• US 20170014907A1
• Filed: 07/15/2016
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Ng, Hou T., Patibandla, Nag B., Joshi, Ajey M., Swaminathan, Bharath, Kumar, Ashavani, Ng, Eric, Frey, Bernard, Krishnan, Kasiraman
• Granted Patent: US 10,625,338 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 10/40 Structures for supporting workpieces or articles during manufacture and removed afterwards
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/53 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/55 Two or more means for feeding material
• 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 64/205 Means for applying layers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• 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: C04B 2235/6026 Computer aided shaping, e.g. rapid prototyping
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/653 Processes involving a melting step
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

Additive manufacturing of an object includes dispensing a plurality of successive layers of powder over a top surface of a platform, fusing an object region in each of the plurality of successive layers to form the object, and fusing a brace region in a particular layer from the plurality of layers to form a brace structure to inhibit lateral motion of the powder. The brace structure is spaced apart from the particular object region by a gap of unfused powder.

Claims

1. A method for forming an object, the method comprising:

dispensing a plurality of successive layers of powder over a top surface of a platform;

fusing an object region in each of the plurality of successive layers to form the object; and

fusing a brace region in a particular layer from the plurality of layers to form a brace structure to inhibit lateral motion of the powder, wherein the brace region is spaced apart from the particular object region by a gap of unfused powder, and wherein the brace structure of the particular layer comprises a plurality of strands extending toward an outer perimeter of the particular layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the brace region of the particular layer extends from sufficiently near the particular object region to inhibit relative motion between the object and the unfused powder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of strands comprises fusing a mesh region of the particular layer, the mesh defining a plurality of separated cells of unfused powder in the particular layer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of separated cells form a checkerboard pattern, a radial web pattern or a rectangular pattern.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the particular layer is a first particular layer of the plurality of successive layers, and

the method further comprises fusing a brace region in a second particular layer of the plurality of successive layers, the brace region of the second particular layer separated from a particular object region of the second particular layer by a gap of unfused powder, and the brace region of the second particular layer extends toward an outer perimeter of the of the second particular layer.

6. A method for forming an object, the method comprising:

dispensing a plurality of successive layers of powder over a top surface of a platform, the plurality of successive layers of powder comprising a first layer and a second layer;

fusing an object region in each of the plurality of successive layers to form the object; and

fusing a first brace region for the first layer to form a first brace structure, wherein the brace region is spaced apart from the particular object region by a gap of unfused powder, and wherein the brace region of the first layer surrounds a first object region of the first layer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising fusing a second brace region for the second layer to form a second brace structure, wherein the second brace region of the second layer surrounds a second object region of the second layer and is spaced apart from the second object region by a second gap of unfused powder.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein fusing the second brace region comprises fusing the second brace region in the second layer such that the brace structure comprises a vertical brace member extending vertically through the second layer, the vertical brace member connecting the second brace structure to the first brace structure.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising fusing a brace region in each of the plurality of successive layers to form a brace structure in each of the plurality of successive layers, wherein fusing the brace region in each of the plurality of successive layers comprises fusing the first brace region and fusing the second brace region.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising, before fusing the first brace region and the second region:

computing a geometric overlap between a first portion of the object corresponding to the first object region and a second portion of the object corresponding to the second object region, and

determining the geometric overlap is less than a threshold overlap.

11. A method for forming an object, the method comprising:

dispensing a plurality of successive layers of powder over a top surface of a platform, the plurality of successive layers of powder comprising a first layer and a second layer;

fusing an object region in each of the plurality of successive layers to form the object; and

fusing a first brace region for the first layer to form a first brace structure, wherein the brace region is spaced apart from the particular object region by a gap of unfused powder, and wherein the brace structure includes a brace member and a keyed portion along the brace member, the keyed portion having a thickness greater than a thickness of the brace member.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the particular layer is an uppermost layer of the plurality of successive layers.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising after fusing the object region and fusing the brace region,

removing the brace structure and the object from the platform, and

removing the brace structure from the object by controlling an end effector having a lock portion engageable with the keyed portion.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein removing the brace structure from the object comprises sliding the brace structure relative to the object.

15. An additive manufacturing apparatus for forming a part, comprising:

a support;

a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layer of powder on the support;

an energy source to fuse selected portions of an outermost layer of powder; and

a controller coupled to the energy source and configured to cause the energy source to

fuse an object region in each of the plurality of successive layers to form the object, and

fuse a brace region in a particular layer from the plurality of layers to form a brace structure to inhibit lateral motion of the powder,

wherein the brace region of the particular layer is spaced apart from the particular object region by a gap of unfused powder, and at least one of i) comprises a plurality of strands extending toward an outer perimeter of the particular layer, ii) the brace region is in a first layer and surrounds a first object region of the first layer, or iii) the brace structure includes a brace member and a keyed portion along the brace member, the keyed portion having a thickness greater than a thickness of the brace member.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured such that the brace region of the particular layer extends from sufficiently near the particular object region to inhibit relative motion between the object and the unfused powder.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured such that the plurality of strands comprise a mesh region of the particular layer, the mesh defining a plurality of separated cells of unfused powder in the particular layer.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to cause the energy source to fuse a second brace region for the second layer to form a second brace structure, wherein the second brace region of the second layer surrounds a second object region of the second layer and is spaced apart from the second object region by a second gap of unfused powder.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a robot having an end effector having a lock portion, and wherein the controller is configured cause the end effector to remove the brace structure from the object by engaging the lock portion to the keyed portion of the brace structure.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to determine at least one of

the perimeter of the object region of each of the plurality of successive layers beneath the particular layer, as projected on the top surface, or

the perimeter of the object region of each of the plurality of successive layers above the particular layer, as projected on the top surface.