Rapid manufacturing system for metal, metal matrix composite materials and ceramics
First Claim
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.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A product building system uses a stage movable in X-Y-Z directions for holding and moving a product. A fixed laser is focused on a spot on the products. Strips of materials are fed tangent to a forming direction from two sources on a rotating platform. The laser continuously or periodically welds and fuses a strip on the product. Relative motion bends the strip to the desired product shape. The laser cuts a strip and welds a new strip to form alternating layers. Side by side strips are butt-welded. Cores are formed differently from outer surfaces,using the continuous feeding, welding, fusing, bending, welding and fusing process. A mill on the rotating platform brings a mill end tool into contact with the layers to smooth lateral and upper surfaces.
-
Citations
19 Claims
- 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.
- 9. A product building apparatus, comprising a stage on which a product is built, a laser system for directing a laser beam on the product, an inert gas nozzle spaced from the stage for flooding with inert gas an impingement of the laser beam on the product, plural material storers spaced from the stage, a support spaced from the stage for supporting the gas nozzle, the material storers being positioned on the support, plural feeders mounted on the support and connected to the plural material storers for feeding the material to the product at an impingement of the laser beam on the product, a rotator connected to the support for rotating the material storers and feeds with respect to the product, and movers connected to the stage or to the support for relatively moving the stage or the support and laser system back and forth, side to side and up and down in X-Y-Z directions.
-
19. 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 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 spool and feeder 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 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 a 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.
Specification