Powder delivery for additive manufacturing

• US 10,603,892 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2019
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Ng, Hou T., Zehavi, Raanan, Patibandla, Nag B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Minskey, Jacob T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsui, Melody
• Application Number:
  US16/440,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20190308406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 19/04 the particulate material being projected, poured or allowed to flow onto the surface of the work B05C19/02 takes precedence; involving spraying or electrostatic projection B05B B05C19/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/34 of powder characteristics, e.g. density, oxidation or flowability
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/13 to preheat the material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/224 for motion along a direction within the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/52 Hoppers
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/55 Two or more means for feeding material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/57 Metering means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2207/01 Composition gradients
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2207/13 Size gradients
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/004 Filling molds with powder feeding material to presses in general B30B15/302
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 31/02 Dispensing from vessels, e.g. hoppers into a mould cavity B29C31/04; large containers characterised by discharge means B65D88/28, B65D88/54
• 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 64/20 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/205 Means for applying layers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/241 for rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/321 Feeding
• 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 dispensing system positionable over a platen to deliver a powder, an actuator to move the dispensing system along a scan axis, and an energy source to fuse a portion of the powder. The dispensing system has a hopper to hold the powder and a dispenser. The dispenser includes a channel extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end. The proximal end of the channel of the dispenser is configured to receive the powder from the powder source. A powder conveyor is positioned within the channel to move the powder from the proximal end along a length of the channel, and a plurality of apertures are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the channel. The dispenser is configured such that flow of powder through each aperture is independently controllable.

Claims

1. An additive manufacturing apparatus for forming an object, the additive manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a platen to support the object being formed;

a dispensing system positionable over a top surface of the platen, the dispensing system including

a hopper to hold powder to be dispensed, and

a dispenser to receive powder from the hopper, the dispenser having a plurality of apertures arranged along a longitudinal axis and a rotatable conveyor to move the powder along the longitudinal axis, the dispenser configured such that flow of powder through each aperture is independently controllable, the conveyor configured such that rotation of the conveyor in a first direction urges the powder in a first direction and rotation of the conveyor in an opposite second direction urges the powder in an opposite second direction;

a motor to drive the conveyor;

a controller coupled to the motor, the controller configured to cause the conveyor to alternate between rotation in the first direction and the second direction during dispensing of the powder to form the object;

an actuator to move the dispensing system along a scan axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and

an energy source to apply energy to the powder dispensed on the top surface of the platen to form a fused portion of the powder.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes a channel positioned below the hopper, and the plurality of apertures are arranged along a length of the channel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the conveyor is positioned in the channel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotatable conveyor for the powder is rotatable about the longitudinal axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveyor comprises a rotatable screw.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dispenser comprises a plurality of independently rotatable rings disposed along the longitudinal axis, each ring comprising at least one ring opening that is movable into and out of alignment with a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each ring comprises a plurality of positions spaced angularly around the ring, each position having one or more openings and having a distinct combination of a number of openings and opening size.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the dispenser includes a cap plate through which the plurality of apertures are formed, and the cap plate is exterior to the plurality of rings.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the dispenser include a cap plate through which the plurality of apertures are formed, and the plurality of rings surround the cap plate.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to cause the conveyor to, prior to the dispensing, rotate in the first direction until powder extends along substantially all of the channel.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a conduit in which the plurality of apertures arranged along the longitudinal axis are formed.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the hopper is coupled to a first end of the conduit.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein an opposite second end of the conduit is closed.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein an end of the conduit is closed and the controller is configured to cause the conveyor to, while the conduit is filled with powder, push the powder toward the end to compact the powder without bulk movement of the powder.