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Rapid manufacturing system for metal, metal matrix composite materials and ceramics

  • US 6,459,069 B1
  • Filed: 09/29/2000
  • Issued: 10/01/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A product building apparatus comprising a frame, a laser beam source mounted on the frame, a beam expander and a mirror mounted on the frame, and a feedstock delivery module support mounted on the frame, a rotary stage mounted on the feedstock delivery module support and a rotary arm mounted on the rotary stage, plural feedstocks feeder mounted on the rotary arm and a laser beam focusing lens mounted on the rotary arm, plural feedstock storing spools mounted on the rotary arm and plural flat wire feedstocks stored on the spools, a feedstock nozzle connected to the rotary arm for receiving feedstock from one of the spools and feeders and for extending feedstock from a tip of the nozzle, the tip of the nozzle being aligned with a laser beam projected from the laser source to the mirror and through the support, rotating arm and rotary stage and lens, a stage positioned beneath the nozzle for receiving feedstock in a predetermined pattern according to relative movement of the stage and the feedstock delivery module in an X-Y direction for receiving the feedstock extending from the nozzle tip and for fusing the feedstock to a substrate or to a previously fused layer of the feedstock for constructing a model by depositing and fusing successive layers of the feedstock.

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