METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A RE-COATER BLADE ALIGNMENT

• US 20190329497A1
• Filed: 04/26/2018
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Deak, Stephen Michael
• Granted Patent: US 11,084,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/12 by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/14 by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/31 Calibration of process steps or apparatus settings, e.g. before or during manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/45 Two or more
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/67 Blades
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/003 Apparatus, e.g. furnaces in general F27B
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/214 Doctor blades
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/272 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

A method and an optical measurement apparatus for a re-coater blade alignment are disclosed. The method includes adjusting an optical measurement apparatus over a surface of a material to align the optical measurement apparatus with a reference plane of the material. Further, the method includes positioning a re-coater assembly, the optical measurement apparatus, and the material such that the re-coater assembly is between the optical measurement apparatus and the material, and so a re-coater blade of the re-coater assembly is positioned proximate to the material. The method further includes adjusting the re-coater assembly via a plurality of second aligning elements to align the re-coater blade in parallel with the optical measurement apparatus.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

adjusting an optical measurement apparatus over a surface of a material to align the optical measurement apparatus with a reference plane of the material;

positioning a re-coater assembly, the optical measurement apparatus, and the material such that the re-coater assembly is between the optical measurement apparatus and the material, and so a re-coater blade of the re-coater assembly is positioned proximate to the material; and

adjusting the re-coater assembly to align the re-coater blade in parallel with the optical measurement apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the optical measurement apparatus further comprises detachably coupling the optical measurement apparatus to a rapid prototyping and manufacturing machine.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising movably coupling the re-coater assembly to the rapid prototyping and manufacturing machine for moving the re-coater blade relative to one of a longitudinal direction or a lateral direction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the optical measurement apparatus comprises:

transmitting a plurality of first energy from a plurality of energy devices to the surface of the material, wherein the plurality of energy devices is positioned at a plurality of first locations along a length of the optical measurement apparatus;

receiving a plurality of reflected first energy from the surface of the material;

measuring a plurality of first radial distances between the surface of the material and the optical measurement apparatus based on the plurality of reflected first energy to determine a first reference plane of the optical measurement apparatus; and

calibrating the optical measurement apparatus via a plurality of first aligning elements of the optical measurement apparatus until a plurality of measured first radial distances are equal, thereby aligning the first reference plane with the reference plane of the material.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein positioning the re-coater assembly, the optical measurement apparatus, and the material comprises vertically aligning the plurality of energy devices with a plurality of target elements of the re-coater assembly, wherein the plurality of target elements is positioned at a plurality of second locations along a length of the re-coater assembly.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting the re-coater assembly comprises;

transmitting a plurality of second energy from the plurality of energy devices to the plurality of target elements;

receiving a plurality of reflected second energy from the plurality of target elements;

measuring a plurality of second radial distances between the optical measurement apparatus and the re-coater assembly based on the plurality of reflected second energy to determine a second reference plane of the re-coater assembly; and

calibrating the re-coater assembly via a plurality of second aligning elements until a plurality of measured second radial distances are equal, thereby aligning the second reference plane with the first reference plane.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein calibrating the re-coater assembly comprises at least one of:

moving one or both sides of the re-coater blade relative to a radial direction; and

rotating the re-coater blade relative to one of a longitudinal direction or a lateral direction.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the re-coater blade away from the surface of the material relative to a radial direction by an offset distance to define a gap between the re-coater blade and the material.

9. A method comprising:

transmitting a plurality of first energy from a plurality of energy devices to a surface of a material, wherein the plurality of energy devices is positioned at a plurality of first locations along a length of an optical measurement apparatus;

receiving a plurality of reflected first energy from the surface of the material;

measuring a plurality of first radial distances between the surface of the material and the optical measurement apparatus based on the plurality of reflected first energy to determine a first reference plane of the optical measurement apparatus;

calibrating the optical measurement apparatus until a plurality of measured first radial distances are equal, thereby aligning the first reference plane with a reference plane of the material;

positioning a re-coater assembly, the optical measurement apparatus, and the material such that the re-coater assembly is between the optical measurement apparatus and the material, and so a re-coater blade of the re-coater assembly is positioned proximate to the material;

transmitting a plurality of second energy from the plurality of energy devices to a plurality of target elements of the re-coater assembly, wherein the plurality of target elements is positioned at a plurality of second locations along a length of the re-coater assembly;

receiving a plurality of reflected second energy from the plurality of target elements;

measuring a plurality of second radial distances between the re-coater assembly and the optical measurement apparatus based on the plurality of reflected second energy to determine a second reference plane of the re-coater assembly; and

calibrating the re-coater assembly until a plurality of measured second radial distances are equal, thereby aligning the second reference plane with the first reference plane.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein calibrating the optical measurement apparatus comprises moving the optical measurement apparatus via a plurality of first aligning elements of the optical measurement apparatus.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein calibrating the optical measurement apparatus comprises detachably coupling the optical measurement apparatus to a rapid prototyping and manufacturing machine.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising movably coupling the re-coater assembly to the rapid prototyping and manufacturing machine for moving the re-coater blade relative to one of a longitudinal direction or a lateral direction.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein positioning the re-coater assembly, the optical measurement apparatus, and the material comprises vertically aligning the plurality of energy devices with the plurality of target elements.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein calibrating the re-coater assembly comprises at least one of:

moving one or both sides of the re-coater blade relative to a radial direction via a plurality of second aligning elements of the re-coater assembly; and

rotating the re-coater blade relative to one of a longitudinal direction or a lateral direction via the plurality of second aligning elements of the re-coater assembly.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising moving the re-coater blade away from the surface of the material relative to a radial direction by an offset distance to define a gap between the re-coater blade and the material.

16. A rapid prototyping and manufacturing machine comprising:

an optical measurement apparatus detectably coupled to the rapid prototyping and manufacturing machine, wherein the optical measurement apparatus comprises;

a measurement arm;

a plurality of first aligning elements coupled to the measurement arm; and

a plurality of energy devices coupled to the measurement alias and positioned at a plurality of first locations along a length of the optical measurement apparatus; and

a re-coater assembly movably coupled to the rapid prototyping and manufacturing machine, and positioned between the optical measurement apparatus and a material, wherein the re-coater assembly comprises;

a re-coater arm;

a plurality of second aligning elements coupled to the re-coater arm;

a re-coater blade coupled to the re-coater arm and positioned proximate to the material; and

a plurality of target elements coupled to the re-coater blade and positioned at a plurality of second locations along a length of the re-coater assembly, wherein at least some of the plurality of second aligning elements is configured to align the re-coater assembly in parallel with the optical measurement apparatus.

17. The rapid prototyping and manufacturing machine of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of pre-defined templates, wherein at least some of the plurality of pre-defined templates is configured to align the optical measurement apparatus in parallel with a surface of the material.

18. The rapid prototyping and manufacturing machine of claim 16, wherein at least some of the plurality of first aligning elements is configured to align the optical measurement apparatus in parallel with a surface of the material.

19. The rapid prototyping and manufacturing machine of claim 16, wherein the plurality of energy devices is vertically aligned with the plurality of target elements.

20. The rapid prototyping and manufacturing machine of claim 16, wherein the material comprises at least one of a resin, a paste or a powder.