Apparatus and method for depositing material during additive manufacturing

Abstract

To provide an apparatus and a method for manufacturing a component via additive manufacturing techniques or processes, such as three-dimensional printing manufacturing techniques or processes.SOLUTION: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes: an extruder configured to receive a material; a work surface extending to define a plane receiving one or more layers of the material; an applicator assembly fixed downstream of the additive manufacturing apparatus; a nozzle coupled to the applicator assembly, and configured to receive the material from an extruder and deposit the material on the work surface; and an actuator configured to displace the work surface in a direction of movement. The direction of movement forms an acute angle with the plane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses and methods for fabricating components. In some embodiments, aspects of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses and methods for fabricating components (e.g., automotive parts, medical devices, machine parts, consumer products, etc.) via additive manufacturing techniques or processes such as, for example, three-dimensional (3D) printing manufacturing techniques or processes.

Background Art

[0002] Additive manufacturing techniques and processes involve the layering of one or more materials to fabricate net shape or near-net shape (NNS) objects, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing methods that remove material. "Additive manufacturing" is an industry standard term (ASTM F2792), but additive manufacturing encompasses manufacturing and prototyping techniques with various names, including, for example, freeform fabrication, 3D printing, rapid prototyping / tooling, etc. Additive manufacturing techniques can be used to fabricate simple or complex components from a wide variety of materials. For example, additive manufacturing can enable the fabrication of self-standing objects based on computer-aided design (CAD) models.

[0003] A particular form of additive manufacturing is commonly known as 3D printing. One of the 3D printing processes generally called fused deposition modeling (FDM) or fused layer modeling (FLM) involves melting thin layers of a thermoplastic material and applying this material in layers to fabricate a final part. This is accomplished by passing a continuous thin filament of the thermoplastic material through a heated nozzle or by passing the thermoplastic material through an extruder with an associated nozzle, which melts the thermoplastic material and applies it to the structure being printed to create the structure. The heated material is applied in layers to the existing structure and melts and fuses with the existing material to result in a solid finished part.

[0004] Large parts can be manufactured during additive manufacturing using two different methods. In the first method, the material is deposited via a nozzle directed downward onto a worktable for printing the first layer. Subsequent layers are deposited on top of the contour defined by the first layer to produce the final solid part. In this first method, the nozzle is moved within a horizontal plane to trace the shape of each layer. The worktable can move downward away from the nozzle after each layer is completed to provide a gap for the next layer to be deposited by the nozzle.

[0005] A second method of manufacturing large parts during additive manufacturing is to utilize a nozzle that moves in both the horizontal plane and the vertical plane. In this configuration, the nozzle can move downward towards a stationary worktable, move around the worktable to trace the geometry of the printed layer, and move upward away from the worktable to provide a gap for the next layer.

[0006] Both of these methods use a general approach that is different from conventional net-shape 3D printing. In net-shape 3D printing, a flowable thermoplastic material is added in thin horizontal layers, and each new layer is fused to the material already deposited to build up the final part shape layer by layer. If the layers are thin and dimensionally accurate enough, the resulting final net-shape part shape is obtained, which has the advantage of not requiring additional machining or trimming. The drawback is that since the layers are thin, many layers are required to build the part, so this process requires a significant amount of time to execute, especially for large parts. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the time required to execute this process, which can also reduce the manufacturing cost.

[0007] One technique, generally referred to as near net shape, involves depositing material in relatively thick layers (compared to net shape 3D printing), which results in a final part that is slightly larger than the desired final net shape, and then the part is machined to the final size and shape. The advantage is that this technique can be substantially faster than thin layer techniques. However, a mechanism or machine for performing trimming or machining operations to obtain the final size and shape is required.

[0008] In a 3D printing technique that requires trimming and includes a worktable that moves downward, the part can be printed on one machine and trimmed on another machine. The requirement that vertical movement be achieved by moving the worktable (which may be large) vertically can make trimming in a movable worktable technique unrealistic for machining operations.

[0009] During a manufacturing operation using another technique with a fixed worktable and a movable nozzle, both printing and trimming can be performed on the same machine by providing a mechanism for moving the print head and the trimming head independently of each other on the same worktable. The part is printed by the printing mechanism while the trimming mechanism is away from the worktable. When printing is complete, the printing mechanism moves away from the worktable. When the printing mechanism moves away from the worktable, then the trimming mechanism is used to machine and trim the printed part to the final size and shape. In this technique, the worktable can be fixed and the printing mechanism and the trimming mechanism move on the worktable.

[0010] One way to configure the machine to operate in this manner is to place the workbench centrally near the floor and arrange two walls on both sides of the workbench. The upper ends of the walls support a linear track with two gantry structures that move along the track across the space between the walls. One gantry is equipped with a printing mechanism and the other gantry is equipped with a trimming mechanism. With this configuration, the printing gantry can be used to print parts up to the size of the workbench at most, and then the parts can be machined or trimmed with the trimming gantry to form solid finished products.

[0011] In the implementation of the above-described process, several major inconveniences occurred. Both of the above printing methods using either a fixed workbench or a movable workbench share a common limitation. In each of the above two printing methods, the maximum height of the parts that can be printed is determined by the maximum number of layers that can be printed, which is limited by the height of the machine. In other words, in both methods, the height of the parts is limited by the height of the computer numerical control (CNC) machine. To manufacture long parts, a tall machine is required, which is not realistic due to the limitations of the general machine structure and the building ceiling height.

[0012] Furthermore, the printing method may be limited in the types of parts that can be printed based on the need to use a flat horizontal plane on the workbench and based on the orientation of the nozzles, such as nozzles that extend vertically. Therefore, the existing methods may not be able to form parts with a closed hollow interior and / or may not be able to form parts with inclined walls without depositing additional material for a support structure (which is removed after the part is formed). However, the use of a support structure increases the material cost and requires an extra step of removing the support, thus complicating the process of manufacturing the part. Additionally, if the support is removed inappropriately, the part may be damaged. Summary of the Invention Means for Solving the Problems

[0013] Aspects of the present disclosure relate particularly to methods and apparatus for fabricating components by additive manufacturing, such as 3D printing technology. Each aspect disclosed herein can include one or more of the features described in relation to any of the other disclosed aspects. Exemplary aspects of the present disclosure include a method of fabricating a long component without increasing the height of the machine. One or more aspects of the present disclosure include a vertically oriented worktable on wheels or a sliding mechanism located on a stationary horizontal workbench. A conveyor belt that can be independently moved by a servo motor and a gearbox can be located on at least a portion of the stationary horizontal workbench. The vertically oriented worktable is located towards the end of the conveyor belt and the stationary horizontal workbench. At the front edge of the horizontal workbench, there can be a cooling plate, such as a liquid-cooled cooling plate, that can cover the conveyor roller. The printing mechanism can operate at a position spaced from the front edge of the cooling plate. The printing mechanism can be configured to print such that each vertical layer is deposited substantially in the same plane as the front edge of the cooling plate, and each time a new layer is printed, the vertical worktable can move away from the front edge of the cooling plate. With this configuration, the printing mechanism can operate away from the front edge of the workbench, and a compression roller (further described below) is positioned in contact with the front edge of the cooling plate. As this process continues, the first layer moves from the trailing edge of the cooling plate onto a conveyor belt attached to the vertical worktable. In an exemplary form of the present disclosure, one or more conveyor belts can be attached to the bottom of the displaceable vertical worktable such that they can be displaced (e.g., slid) across the length of the horizontal workbench. In this way, the length of the horizontal workbench can be used to print the component.

[0014] The completed solid part can then be separated from the vertical workbench and, once the part is fully printed, can be placed on one or more conveyor belts. The vertical workbench can then be disconnected from the one or more conveyor belts and moved in front of the trim area, where the trim gantry can be used to machine the part to the desired final size and shape. In some embodiments, the vertical workbench can be completely removed from the machine and the part can then be machined to its final size and shape. Once machining or trimming is complete, the one or more conveyor belts can be retracted under the stationary horizontal workbench, allowing the completed part to be conveyed from the front or rear of the machine. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus for fabricating components by additive manufacturing can include a programmable CNC machine. The CNC machine can include a first workbench oriented along the x-y plane and a second workbench oriented along the y-z plane. At least one conveyor belt can be operatively coupled to the first workbench and the printing gantry can be mounted on the first workbench. The printing gantry can be displaceable along the x-axis of the CNC machine. The CNC machine can also include an applicator having a nozzle configured to feed a bead of flowable material to the second workbench.

[0015] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus for fabricating components via additive manufacturing can include a programmable CNC machine. The CNC machine can include a first workbench oriented along the x-y plane and a second workbench oriented along a plane extending orthogonally to the x-y plane of the first workbench. The printing gantry can be positioned at a first end of the CNC machine, and the printing gantry can be displaceable along the X-axis of the CNC machine. The applicator can be attached to the printing gantry, and the applicator can include a nozzle for feeding beads of a flowable material onto the second workbench. The trimming gantry can be positioned at a second end of the CNC machine, i.e., on the opposite side of the first end, and the trimming gantry can be displaceable along the X-axis of the CNC machine. At least one conveyor belt can extend along the first workbench.

[0016] Also, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an additive manufacturing method. An exemplary method can include applying an adhesive material to the surface of a vertically oriented workbench and depositing a plurality of pellets onto the adhesive material. The method can also include depositing a first layer of a flowable material onto at least a portion of the plurality of pellets from a nozzle of a printing gantry and depositing a second layer of the flowable material onto the first layer of the flowable material from the nozzle of the printing gantry. The method can also include moving the vertical workbench along the X-axis each time a layer of the flowable material is deposited.

[0017] In one aspect, an additive manufacturing apparatus includes an extruder configured to receive a material, a work surface extending to define a plane for receiving one or more layers of the material, an applicator assembly fixed downstream of the additive manufacturing apparatus, and a nozzle coupled to the applicator assembly, the nozzle being configured to receive the material from the extruder and deposit the material onto the work surface, and an actuator configured to displace the work surface in a direction of movement, the direction of movement forming an acute angle with the plane.

[0018] In another aspect, the additive manufacturing apparatus comprises a working surface extending at an acute angle with respect to the horizontal direction, an applicator assembly, and a nozzle connected to the applicator assembly, the nozzle defining a longitudinal axis extending perpendicular to the working surface, and a roller configured to compress the material deposited on the working surface by the nozzle.

[0019] In yet another aspect, the additive manufacturing method includes receiving a material in an extruder, heating the material in the extruder, and depositing the heated material with a nozzle on an inclined surface to form a first material layer, the inclined surface forming an acute angle with the horizontal direction. The method can include translating the inclined surface horizontally away from the nozzle and depositing the heated material with a nozzle on the inclined surface to form a second material layer.

[0020] As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such as a process, method, article, or apparatus. The term “exemplary” is used in the sense of “example” rather than “ideal.” As used herein, the term “long” will refer to a component having one dimension that is larger than other dimensions, including long, high, wide, etc. As used herein, the terms “approximately” and “about” are generally understood to encompass ±10% of the stated amount or value.

[0021] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and do not limit the disclosure as claimed.

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary aspects of the disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023]

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] The present disclosure particularly shows a method and an apparatus for manufacturing parts using additive manufacturing techniques such as, for example, 3D printing. Specifically, the methods and apparatuses described herein include a method for manufacturing long parts without increasing the height of the machine. For example, a vertical workbench and a vertically oriented applicator assembly are used to print a long solid 3D part along the horizontal axis of the machine, so that there is no need to increase the height of the machine. In some aspects of the present disclosure, an applicator assembly that feeds a flowable material (e.g., a thermoplastic material) can be configured to feed the material in a vertical orientation, a horizontal orientation, or an inclined orientation by changing the orientation of the deposition head from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation and / or to an inclined orientation between the vertical orientation and the horizontal orientation. At that time, the deposition head can print, for example, a flowable material on a suitable surface (e.g., a bead board) vertically, horizontally, or at an angle, as described in detail below.

[0025] Also, the methods and apparatuses described herein can include a method for manufacturing hollow, fully enclosed parts without the need to form a support structure or infill. For example, an inclined workbench and an inclined applicator assembly can be used together to deposit multiple layers of material on a surface that is angled with respect to the horizontal direction. The deposited layers can be arranged in a plane or a series of planes that form a non-zero angle with both the vertical and horizontal directions. For example, each layer can form an angle of about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees with the horizontal direction.

[0026] The applicator assembly can fix the nozzle at an angle with respect to this horizontal plane such that the nozzle is inclined with respect to both the vertical and horizontal directions during part or all of the printing process. For the sake of brevity and clarity, the methods and apparatuses are described in relation to the fabrication of parts from thermoplastic materials. However, the disclosed apparatuses and methods can be used with any material suitable for additive manufacturing, specifically, any material that is heated to supply a flowable material to a nozzle or other opening for deposition.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, an additive manufacturing apparatus 1, such as a CNC machine, according to an aspect of the present disclosure is shown. A control device (not shown) moves the application nozzle 51 along a first horizontal, i.e., longitudinal movement line (x-axis), a second horizontal, i.e., transverse movement line (y-axis), and a vertical movement line (z-axis) according to a program that is input to or incorporated into the control device to execute an additive manufacturing process for forming a desired component. In some embodiments, the program can be input to or incorporated into a computer to form a long 3D printed part and to control the apparatus 1 to perform each function and method described herein. The additive manufacturing apparatus 1 can be configured to print a 3D part from a digital representation of the 3D part (e.g., AMF and STL format files) that is programmed or incorporated into the control device or to make it in other ways.

[0028] For example, in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, 3D parts can be printed in a layer-by-layer fashion from a digital representation of the 3D part by extruding a flowable material. The flowable material can be extruded through an extrusion tip or nozzle 51 that the printing head or applicator assembly 43 of the system has. The flowable material can be deposited on a substrate as a series of beads or layers in the x-y plane when the apparatus 1 is configured for horizontal printing. In some embodiments, the x-y plane can be used to print long parts without increasing the height of the machine. The extruded flowable material can fuse with the previously deposited material and can solidify upon a temperature drop. Thereafter, the position of the printing head with respect to the substrate can be incrementally advanced along the z-axis (perpendicular to the x-y plane), and this process can be repeated to form a D part similar to the digital representation. As will be described below, by using a vertical worktable and a suitable mounting plate, the apparatus 1 can instead be configured for vertical printing (material deposition in the y-z plane). In some aspects, the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 can be configured to deposit material in a plane other than the x-y plane and other than the x-z plane or the y-z plane. This can enable the manufacture of hollow parts without forming a support structure, as will be described below.

[0029] The additive manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a bed 20, a pair of laterally spaced side walls 21 and 22, a printing gantry 23, a trimming gantry 36 supported on the opposing side walls 21 and 22, a carriage 24 attached to the printing gantry 23, a carrier 25 attached to the carriage 24, an extruder 61, and an applicator assembly 43 attached to the carrier 25 at a downstream portion of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 (e.g., a downstream portion of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 (e.g., a portion of the apparatus 1 downstream of the extruder with respect to the flow of material to a nozzle 51 or other structure for depositing material)). A horizontal workbench 27 having a support surface is disposed on the bed 20 between the side walls 21 and 22. The support surface can be disposed in a horizontally extending plane (e.g., an x-y plane) and can be fixed or displaceable along the x-axis and / or the y-axis. For example, in a displaceable form, the horizontal workbench 27 can be displaceable along a set of rails attached to the bed 20. The displacement of the horizontal workbench 27 can be achieved using one or more servo motors and one or more rails 39 and 40. In an exemplary configuration, the rails 39 and 40 are attached on the bed 20 and can be operatively coupled to the horizontal workbench 27, and the horizontal workbench 27 can be translated along the X-axis.

[0030] The printing gantry 23 and the trimming gantry 36 are arranged along the Y-axis and supported on the side walls 21 and 22. In FIG. 1, the printing gantry 23 and the trimming gantry 36 are shown mounted on a set of guide rails 28 and 29, and the guide rails 28 and 29 are respectively positioned along the upper surfaces of the side walls 21 and 22. The printing gantry 23 and / or the trimming gantry 36 can be fixedly mounted or displaceably mounted. In some embodiments, the printing gantry 23 and the trimming gantry 36 can be arranged to be displaceable along the X-axis. The printing gantry 23 and the trimming gantry 36 can be made displaceable by a set of servo motors (not shown) mounted on the printing gantry 23 and the trimming gantry 36. Each of the gantries 23 and 36 can be operatively coupled to a track provided on the side walls 21 and 22 of the bed 20, for example, the guide rails 28 and 29. In an exemplary displaceable configuration, one or more servo motors can control the movement of the printing gantry 23 or the trimming gantry 36, or the movement of both gantries 23 and 36.

[0031] The carriage 24 can be supported on the printing gantry 23. The carriage 24 can be mounted on one or more guide rails, such as guide rails 31, 32, 33 on the printing gantry 23, and can be provided with a support member 30 displaceable along the guide rails. The carriage 24 can be mounted on the printing gantry 23 and can be displaced along the Y-axis on one or more guide rails 31, 32, and 33 by a servo motor operatively coupled to the support member 30. The carrier 25 can be mounted on one or more vertically arranged guide rails 35 supported on the carriage 24 for displacement of the carrier 25 relative to the carriage 24 along the Z-axis. The carrier 25 can be mounted on the carriage 24O and can be displaced along the Z-axis by a servo motor (not shown) operatively coupled to the carrier 25. The vertical workbench 37 can be attached to the conveyor belts 38 and 48. As shown in FIG. 1, the vertical workbench 37 can be located on the horizontal workbench 27 and can be displaced along the X-axis (e.g., by sliding along rails 39 and 40) by one or more servo motors (not shown) operatively coupled to rails, such as guide rails 39 and 40 provided on the upper part of the bed 20 and connected to the vertical workbench 37. In some embodiments, the guide rails 39 and 40 can be located adjacent to or along the side surface of the bed 20. In an exemplary displaceable configuration, one or more servo motors can control the movement of the conveyor belts 38 and 48, and the conveyor belts 38 and 48 operate to rotate in the same direction to advance the vertical workbench 37 along the X-axis.

[0032] As best shown in FIG. 2, a positive displacement gear pump 74 is attached to the carrier 25, which can be driven by a servo motor 75 via a gear box 76. The gear pump 74 can receive molten plastic from the extruder 61 shown in FIG. 1. Compression devices such as bead shaping rollers 59 for compressing the material can be attached to the carrier bracket 47. The compression roller 59 can be movably attached to the carrier bracket 47, for example, rotatably or pivotally attached. The roller 59 can be attached such that the central portion of the roller 59 is aligned with the nozzle 51. In some embodiments, the roller 59 can be oriented tangentially to the nozzle 51. The roller 59 can be attached to the nozzle 51, and one or more beads of the material discharged from the nozzle 51, for example, a flowable material such as a thermoplastic resin, are smoothed, flattened, leveled, and / or compressed by the roller 59. One or more servo motors 60 can be configured to move the carrier bracket 47, for example, rotationally displace it, via a configuration of pulleys or sprockets 56 and a drive chain or belt 65, or by some other suitable means.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 3, an additive manufacturing apparatus 1 (which can form a machine for manufacturing long parts without increasing the height of the machine and / or a machine for depositing material at one or more predetermined angles) can include a vertical workbench 37 operatively coupled to rails 39 and 40. The rails 39 and 40 (rail 39 is not shown in FIG. 3) can be located on the fixed horizontal workbench 27 as shown in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the vertical workbench 37 can be operatively coupled to one or more independently actuated servo motors and gear boxes configured to translate the vertical workbench 37 parallel along the X-axis and along the rails 39 and 40.

[0034] The additive manufacturing apparatus 1 can include one or more applicator assembly mounting plates 80 configured to fix the applicator assembly 43 to the carrier 25. The applicator mounting plate 80 can include a bent portion or a series of bent portions such that the applicator assembly 43 extends in a direction offset by approximately 90 degrees from the vertical direction along the z-axis. Accordingly, the nozzle 51 can extend in the horizontal direction (FIG. 2) due to the bent portion formed in the plate 80.

[0035] The conveyor belts 38 and 48 can be fixed to the bottom of the vertical workbench 37. The conveyor belts 38 and 48 can be operatively coupled to the vertical workbench 37 to advance a 3D printed part that is partially or entirely formed along the X-axis. In an exemplary displaceable vertical workbench 37, the conveyor belts 38 and 48 can be used to manufacture a long 3D printed part without increasing the height of the apparatus 1 by rotating the desired printed part along the surfaces of the conveyor belts 38, 48 attached to the horizontal workbench 27 during operation of the apparatus 1. During operation of the apparatus 1, the printed part having a long dimension can be manufactured along the long axis of the conveyor belts 38, 48, and the conveyor belts 38, 48 are adapted to move the part when additional fluid material is added for further printing.

[0036] The conveyor belts 38 and 48 can be made of stainless steel or other suitable materials and can include a suitable coating. In an exemplary form, the bottom surfaces of the conveyor belts 38 and 48 can be coated with polytetrafluoroethylene coating, non-stick coating, TEFLON® (a registered trademark owned by Chemours), or other suitable materials. The exemplary coating can be a friction-reducing coating and can facilitate the sliding of the conveyor belts 38 and 48 across the horizontal workbench 27.

[0037] On the longitudinal surface of the vertical workbench 37, a substrate 45 and a bead board 46 that form a plane are fixed. First, the substrate 45 can be fixed to the vertical workbench 37. Then, the bead board 46 can be fixed to the surface of the substrate 45. The substrate 45 and / or the bead board 46 can be firmly attached to each other or fixed to the vertical workbench 37 using a combination of bolts, fasteners, tee nuts, screws, adhesives, or any other suitable fixing devices, as shown in FIG. 3. In some embodiments, the substrate 45 can be formed from plywood, or other suitable materials, or a combination of materials. In one embodiment, the bead board 46 can be part of the substructure of, for example, medium density fiberboard (MDF), or high-grade plywood, or any other suitable material.

[0038] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4, the bead board 46 can be at least partially coated with an adhesive or bonding layer, such as an adhesive or other suitable material, and have one side into which thermoplastic bead pellets are injected. The board 46 is called a "bead" board, but it should be understood that the beads are formed by one or more configurations of thermoplastic pellets, and the material placed on the board 46, such as a thermoplastic material, can have a shape other than beads or pellets. For example, the bead board 46 can include a plurality of regular or irregular shapes, such as particles, spheres, fibers, straight tracks, curved tracks, or any combination thereof, alone or together with beads or pellets. These materials can be thermoplastic or another form of material compatible with the material deposited through the nozzle 51. The application of the adhesive and the thermoplastic beads or pellets is performed before the printing of the part is started (i.e., before the first layer of thermoplastic material is placed on the bead board 46). The adhesive injected with the thermoplastic pellets can result in a fragile bond between the printed part and the bead board 46, and the adhesive bond can be broken by applying sufficient force when the printing is completed or when the trimming is completed, so that the completed printed part is separated from the substructure, for example, the printed part is separated from the bead board 46 of the vertical workbench 37.

[0039] In one or more exemplary configurations, the surface of the bead board 46 can be coated with an adhesive layer or a bonding layer. The bonding layer can include an adhesive, a liquid, a liquid adhesive, or a curable liquid. The bonding layer can include polyvinyl acetate adhesive (or some other suitable adhesive) and can be applied to the surface of the bead board 46 prior to the beads or pellets being introduced onto the board 46 initially. For example, the adhesive material or adhesive can be applied to the bead board 46 by a brush, a roller, or one or more spray nozzles. The pellets can be made of some suitable material as shown in the deposited form in FIGS. 4 and 6. For example, in one or more embodiments, the pellets can be made of a thermoplastic material. The pellets can be deposited onto the adhesive material such that at least a portion of each pellet is within or on the adhesive material when the adhesive material cures or otherwise solidifies, and the pellets are adapted to be fixed to the adhesive material (and to the bead board 46). The pellets can be deposited in some suitable uniform or non-uniform pattern.

[0040] When the adhesive cures, the individual beads or pellets can be joined to the surface of the bead board 46. Any loose pellets can be removed by some suitable method. For example, loose or otherwise unfixed thermoplastic pellets can be removed by suction with a commercial vacuum cleaner or some other suitable device. The resulting prepared pellet bed can extend along the path of a first layer of a printability material, such as a thermoplastic material, as shown in FIG. 4. In an exemplary form, the prepared pellet bed including the thermoplastic beads of the bead board 46 can be used, as described above, to disengage the finally formed article, i.e., the 3D printed part, from the vertical work table 37.

[0041] During operation of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1, when a first layer of molten thermoplastic material is deposited onto a layer of bonding pellets of the bead board 46, one or more beads of the hot deposited material can fuse to the pellets, and the printed layer of material is securely held in place. The adhesive layer, i.e., the adhesive, may remain at least slightly flexible and soft after curing and can become even more flexible when heated by the application of molten thermoplastic material. Accordingly, the individual pellets can move freely by an amount sufficient to prevent the generation of stress between the initial thermoplastic beads and the adhesive layer. In other words, when a first layer of heated molten thermoplastic material is applied onto the prepared pellet bed, the adhesive layer softens, and as a result, the pellets can move and create a weak attachment to the bead board 46. Correspondingly, the tendency for the final printed part to deform can be significantly reduced. After the printed structure has cooled, a force can be applied to the printed part to break the adhesive bond between the printed part and the bead board 46, and the final printed part can be separated from the bead board 46 of the underlying structure, e.g., the vertical worktable 37, without damaging the part.

[0042] The process described above can create a suitable surface for printing a desired article or 3D printed part. This surface can reduce the amount of stress induced in the part when the part or article cools and solidifies (e.g., due to the presence of the pellets and / or the adhesive) in at least some embodiments.

[0043] During operation of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1, molten beads 44 of a flowable material (e.g., molten thermoplastic plastic) can be placed under pressure from a source provided on a carrier 25 having an extruder 61. The beads 44 can pass through a positive displacement gear pump 74 using a servo motor 75 and a gear box 76. The pump 74 can send the heated and flowable material, shown with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, vertically oriented to an applicator 43 and through a nozzle 51. The vertically oriented applicator 43 can be fixedly or removably connected to the nozzle 51 and be in fluid communication with the nozzle 51.

[0044] As shown in the enlarged view in FIG. 4, when the molten bead 44 exits the applicator 43 through the nozzle 51 (as shown in FIG. 2), the molten bead 44 can be applied to a vertically extending bead board 46 attached to the vertical workbench 37. The roller 59 can compress the molten bead 44 when the bead of the thermoplastic material is deposited on the surface of the bead board 46. The bead 44 can rest on the cooling plate 42. For example, the front edge of the cooling plate 42 can be located in substantially the same plane as the front edge of the molten bead 44 (for example, the cooling plate 42 can be within a distance of 0.5 cm or less from the front surface of at least a part of the bead 44). The cooling plate 42 can be used to cool the molten bead 44 so that the bead 44 does not adhere to or join with the vertical workbench 37 and / or the horizontal support surfaces of the conveyor belts 38 and 48. The cooling plate 42 can be used to cool the bottom surface of the molded product during the operation of the machine 1. The cooling plate 42 can cool the molded part until the part is sufficiently solidified, and when a part of the part contacts one or both of the conveyor belts 38 and 48, the part is rigid and does not sag and / or is not dragged on the workbench 27. Also, the cooling plate 42 can be used so that the molded part is properly suspended above the workbench 27 by at least the thickness of the conveyor belts 38 and 48.

[0045] The cooling plate 42 can be used to create a flat and straight corner where printing will be performed. Also, the cooling plate 42 can be used to cover the conveyor belt roller 41 to prevent unwanted non-cooled thermoplastic material from the molten bead 44 from entering the machine associated with or around the conveyor belt roller 41. During the operation of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1, the conveyor belt roller 41 can be configured to move, i.e., advance, one or both of the conveyor belts 38 and 48.

[0046] In an exemplary configuration of the cooling plate 42, active cooling (e.g., by supplying a coolant to the cooling plate 42) can enable the printing of a fluid material, such as a thermoplastic material, at a temperature that would otherwise be too high for the conveyor belts 38 and 48 to withstand, and can enable high printing speeds. After the first layer of thermoplastic material is applied, before the next layer is deposited, the vertical worktable 37 and the conveyor belt 38 can move away from the applicator assembly 43, and the applicator assembly 43 can be vertically oriented by a distance equal to the thickness of the first layer of the molten bead 44. This process can be repeated for each additional layer of the molten bead 44 deposited by the vertically oriented applicator assembly 43 via the nozzle 51 using one or more servo motors and gearboxes. This process can continue until a desired printed object or part of the same length as the entire length of the horizontal worktable 27 (see FIG. 1) is completed. In some embodiments, the part can be longer than the horizontal worktable 27. For example, the conveyor belts 38 and 48 can move the formed part at least partially out of the horizontal worktable 27 so that printing can continue.

[0047] The completed printed object or part can be separated from the vertical worktable 37. The printed part can be separated from the vertical worktable 37 in one or more processes. For example, one or more screws 49, bolts / fasteners 52, and / or t-nuts 50 can be disposed on the surfaces of the vertical worktable 37, the substrate 45, and / or the bead board 46 to securely attach the bead board 46 to the vertical worktable 37 and the substrate 45 as shown in FIG. 4. As shown, the screw 49 or bolt / fastener 52 can be disposed so as not to be covered by the printed part and can be disposed to attach the bead board 46 to the substrate 45. The screws 49, fasteners 52, and t-nuts 50 can be sized to be close enough to the desired printed part so as not to interfere with the trimming operation.

[0048] The substrate 45 and the bead board 46 can be made from a thick (e.g., 1 / 14 inch or 0.18 cm thick) wood-based material (e.g., plywood, MDF, etc.). The holes in the vertical workbench 37 can be used to attach the substrate 45 to the vertical workbench 37 using the tee nuts 50. Also, the bead board 46 can be attached to the substrate 45 using screws 49, e.g., drywall screws. The positions of the screws 49 can vary, but in some embodiments, the screws 49 can be located as close as possible to where the components are printed, but the screws 49 cannot be located so close as to contact the trimming fixture of the trimming gantry 36 during the trimming operation. Further, the screws 49 can be located sufficiently far from the intended positions of the printed components such that the screws 49 can be removed without removing the printed components from the bead board 46. This can enable the bead board 46 to be separated from the substrate 45 with the printed components still attached after printing.

[0049] In some embodiments, the substrate 45 can be removably attached to the vertical workbench 37 and / or removably attached to the bead board 46. One of ordinary skill in the art can understand that other suitable means can be used to fixedly or removably secure the vertical workbench 37 to the substrate 45 and to secure the bead board 46 to the substrate 45. In some embodiments, the bolts / fasteners 52 can be threaded into the tee nuts 50 or bolts / fasteners 52 of the substrate 45 and removed from the back side of the vertical workbench 37.

[0050] In some embodiments, the vertical workbench 37 can be detached from the conveyor belts 38 and 48 to remove the in-process solid parts from the CNC machine 1. The conveyor belts 38 and 48 can be attached to the edge of the vertical workbench 37, such as the lower rear edge of the vertical workbench 37. The conveyor belts 38 and 48 can extend from the lower rear edge to the end of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1, and the conveyor belts 38 and 48 can be wound around the conveyor belt rollers. Next, the conveyor belts 38 and 48 can extend under the entire length of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 from one end to the other end of the apparatus 1, and the conveyor belts 38 and 48 can be wound around the second conveyor belt rollers. Next, the conveyor belts 38 and 48 can extend along the upper surface of the horizontal workbench 27 to the lower front edge of the vertical workbench 37 and be attached to the vertical workbench 37. In other words, the conveyor belts 38 and 48 can be attached to the opposite ends of the vertical workbench 37 and wound around the horizontal workbench 27.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 3, the cross plate 53 can be displaced by one or more servo motors and / or gearboxes. The vertical workbench 37 and the conveyor belts 38 and 48 can be attached to the cross plate 53 and be displaceable along the cross plate 53. Alternatively, the vertical workbench 37 and the conveyor belts 38 and 48 can instead be attached to the trimming gantry 36 and be displaceable along the z-axis of the trimming gantry 36. The in-process solid parts can be removed from the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 by moving either along the z-axis of the cross plate 53 or the trimming gantry 36. As a result, this can move the conveyor belts 38 and 48 to transfer the in-process solid parts out of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1, for example, out from the left and right sides of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1.

[0052] When separated from the vertical worktable 37, the weight of the in-process part can hold the part in place for trimming by the trimming gantry 36. The finished part can be removed from the additive manufacturing apparatus 1, for example, using an overhead crane or hoist attached to the lower part of the printing gantry 23 and / or the trimming gantry 36.

[0053] In some embodiments, the cross plate 53 can be used to attach the conveyor belts 38, 48 to the vertical worktable 37. The cross plate 53 can be fixed, for example, bolted, to one or more drive mechanisms that can be disposed on each side of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1. The vertical worktable 37 can be removed from the cross plate 53 with the ends of the conveyor belts 38 and 48 attached to the cross plate 53. The conveyor belts 38 and 48 can be detachably fixed to the cross plate 53, and the cross plate 53 can be removed by unbolting it from the machine (e.g., the drive mechanisms on both sides of the apparatus 1). Removing the cross plate 53 can improve access to the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 if necessary.

[0054] During operation of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1, when the final printed part is placed on the conveyor belts 38 and 48, the vertical workbench 37 can have bolts removed from or be removed from the conveyor belts 38 and 48. Thereafter, by operating the conveyor belt rollers 41 to move the conveyor belts 38 and 48 forward to move the final part away from the printing gantry 23 and in the direction towards the trimming gantry 36, the printed part or article can be moved to the front of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 below or in the vicinity of the trimming gantry 36 (FIG. 1) behind the trimming area. Thereafter, the trimming gantry 36 (FIG. 1) can be operated to machine or trim the part to the desired final size and shape. During operation of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1, in some embodiments, the vertical workbench 37 can be completely removed from the CNC machine 1, and the trimming gantry 36 can be used to machine or trim the part to the desired final size and shape. When the machining or trimming of the part is complete, the trimmed final part can be conveyed by the conveyor belts 38 and 48 from the front or rear end of the horizontal workbench 27, or lifted from or removed in some other way from the CNC machine 1.

[0055] Referring now to FIG. 5, the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 can operate in an additional method of layer-by-layer printing in which the printing is performed at an angle, as opposed to horizontal printing (depositing material from a vertically extending nozzle) and vertical printing (depositing material from a horizontally extending nozzle). In some aspects, this printing can be performed at an angle of from about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees relative to the horizontal direction. Inclined printing can include depositing a plurality of layers on top of one another, and one or more (or all) of these layers extend in a plane that forms a non-zero angle relative to the horizontal direction and a non-zero angle relative to the vertical direction. Specifically, the inclined printing can be performed such that the material is deposited at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to the horizontal direction.

[0056] As described above with reference to FIG. 3, the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 can be configured to perform inclined printing by first removing the 90-degree applicator mounting plate 80. Once removed, the mounting plate 80 can be replaced with an inclined (e.g., from about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees) mounting plate 81. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the mounting plate 81 is a 45-degree mounting plate 81 that changes the angle of the nozzle 51 downward so that the nozzle 51 presents a longitudinal axis 71 that forms an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction. In other configurations, the longitudinal axis 71 of the nozzle 51 can extend through the opening of the nozzle 51 so as to form an angle of about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees, about 20 degrees to about 70 degrees, about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees, or about 40 degrees to about 50 degrees when measured with respect to the horizontal direction.

[0057] In addition to connecting the inclined mounting plate 81, configuring the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 for inclined printing can include removing the vertical workbench 37 (FIG. 3), if present, from the base plate 53. When the vertical workbench 37 is detached from the base plate 53, the base plate 53 can be configured to receive an inclined plate, such as the table plate 83. For example, the table plate 83 can be connected to the base plate 53 with fasteners such as bolts. In the configurations shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the inclined table plate 83 can be fixed to the base plate 53 together with the inclined block 82 that is bolted or otherwise fastened to the front surface of the base plate 53. In some embodiments, the table plate 83 and the substrate 45, once connected to the cross plate 53, can form a desired angle with respect to a horizontal axis (e.g., the x-axis as described above, or a direction parallel to the x-axis such as direction 72). In some embodiments, the angle that the table plate 83 and / or the substrate 45 forms with the horizontal axis can correspond to the angle of the nozzle 51. For example, the table plate 83 and / or the substrate 45 can form a 90-degree angle with the axis defined by the nozzle 51, and the axis 71 of the nozzle 51 extends orthogonally to the inclined plane 70 defined by the substrate 46. For example, when the nozzle 51 forms a 30-degree angle with the horizontal axis, the substrate 46 can form an angle of approximately 60 degrees with the horizontal axis.

[0058] In the configurations shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the bead board 46 is attached to the substrate 45, and the substrate 45 is bolted to the table plate 83 to connect the bead board 46 to the cross plate 53. The bead board 46, when fixed in this way, can be presented at an angle α. Alternatively, the bead board 46 can be inclined at an angle α by directly connecting the bead board 46 to the cross plate 53 or the table plate 83.

[0059] The angle α can be defined by the plane 70 and a horizontal direction such as a moving direction 72 along which the component can be separated from the applicator assembly 43. In some embodiments, the angle α can be an acute angle, specifically, it can be an angle of about 45 degrees. The angle α can be from about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees, from about 20 degrees to about 70 degrees, from about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees, or from about 40 degrees to about 50 degrees. As shown in FIG. 6, the angle α can be measured upward from a horizontal axis such as the moving direction 72 toward the upper part of the plane 70.

[0060] Therefore, printing can be performed in an orientation different from the vertical direction extending vertically for use with a nozzle 51 whose deposition surface (e.g., a workbench) extends horizontally, and in an orientation different from the horizontal direction extending horizontally for use with a nozzle 51 whose deposition surface extends vertically. As shown in FIG. 6, the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 can alternatively define a working surface extending on an inclined plane 70. For example, this working surface can be configured to receive a bead 44 of material from the nozzle 51. This surface can be, for example, the front surface of a bead board 46 extending on the inclined plane 70. As will be appreciated, due to the presence of thermoplastic beads or pellets, a part of the front surface of the bead board 46 can extend at different heights (e.g., above or below the plane 70). Therefore, the use of the term "plane" is not limited to a flat surface, and the surface can have regular or irregular protrusions, depressions, etc.

[0061] The actuator (e.g., a servo motor as described above) can be configured to translate the bead board 46 or displace it in another way in a moving direction 72 corresponding to the horizontal direction. This horizontal direction can be aligned with the above-mentioned X-axis or parallel to the above-mentioned X-axis.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 6, the molten bead 44 can be deposited by the applicator assembly 43 with the nozzle 51 by applying the bead 44 to the bead board 46. When the bead 44 is deposited on the board 46, the board 46 can be attached to the inclined substrate 45 on the table plate 83 and the angle block 82. The bead forming roller 59 can be configured to compress the bead 44 following the nozzle 51 while the bead 44 is supported on the board 46. As shown in FIG. 6, the bead 44 can rest on a liquid-cooled cooling plate 42 including a horizontally extending flat surface. The cooling plate 42 is in the same plane or substantially the same plane as the front edge of the bead 44 and can be adjacent to the lower edge of the substrate 46. Accordingly, the bead 44 can also be cooled by the cooling plate 42 while being supported on the surface of the board 46.

[0063] Once the bead 44 is deposited on the substrate 46 (e.g., when forming part or all of a layer of a component), the bead 44 can be pulled rearward by the bead board 46. For example, the bead board 46 with the bead 44 to which one or more thermoplastic materials are attached can be drawn in the moving direction 72 away from the applicator assembly 43. This can be achieved with an actuator (e.g., one or more of the above-described servo motors) that moves the deposited material to the conveyor belts 38 and 48, as shown in FIG. 7. The conveyor belts 38 and 48 can convey the components rearward away from the applicator assembly 43 layer by layer during printing. As shown in FIG. 7, the one or more layers deposited by the nozzle 51 can contact the cooling plate 42, and the cooling plate 42 can increase the rate at which each inclined layer of the material is cooled.

[0064] When the apparatus 1 is configured for vertical layer printing using a vertically extending nozzle 51, the apparatus 1 can be configured to deposit material so as to form a wall having a maximum angle of about 45 degrees. Thus, it may be difficult to fabricate parts having a specific shape, such as parts forming a hollow closed box shape, without the aid of an artificial structure or other support. To facilitate printing of such structures, the apparatus 1 can be configured for inclined printing, for example at 45 degrees. Such inclined printing can enable the fabrication of parts such as boxes or other hollow closed shapes that can be printed without the addition of any artificial structure, including supports placed under the part, including supports deposited by the additive manufacturing apparatus 1. Thus, the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 can print a closed structure without depositing material for forming a support.

[0065] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the part can be deposited as a plurality of individual layers formed by beads 44 to form a hollow box 84. The box 84 can be printed with a hollow interior and a plurality of inclined layers by using the inclined printing configuration of the additive manufacturing apparatus 1. Specifically, each layer of the box 84 can be deposited at an angle of about 45 degrees by using inclined surfaces such as the bead board 46 and the inclined nozzle 51. In the side view of FIG. 7, the box 84 can be a relatively small hollow box where the final layer is printed at the corners of the box. FIG. 7 shows an exemplary part in the form of a small rectangular box, but as will be understood, the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 and the board 46 can deposit material to form parts of significantly larger sizes and different shapes. As can be seen from FIGS. 6 and 7, the part can be transported onto the cooling plate 42 for cooling and onto the conveyor belts 38 and 48 during the printing process, regardless of the specific size and shape of the part.

[0066] FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of the hollow box 84 extending into the box 84 and including the center of the box 84, the hollow interior being formed when printing at an angle such as 45 degrees (or alternatively any suitable angle as described above). The box 84 of FIG. 7 is shown as including 29 layers of material, while FIG. 8A shows the box 84 formed of 15 layers. As will be appreciated, a part formed by tilt printing in the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 can include more or fewer layers compared to either of the exemplary parts shown in FIGS. 7 and 8A.

[0067] FIG. 8B shows eight layers, i.e., approximately half, of the box 84 as shown in FIG. 8A. Specifically, FIG. 8B shows the box 84 of FIG. 8A in a state where it is sliced diagonally. Also, FIG. 8B schematically shows a technique of depositing material with multiple layers of material to form a part having a hollow interior such as a box. For example, during the fabrication of the box 84, the additive manufacturing apparatus 1 can first form a single straight layer 85 extending across a portion of the width of a table or other work surface such as the bead board 46. Next, the apparatus 1 can deposit a second layer 86 and a plurality of subsequent layers 87. The layers 86 and 87 can extend across the increasing width of the bead board 46 and can be deposited on top of the previous layer via the nozzle 51, and the newly deposited layer 86 or 87 is adapted to be supported by the previously deposited layer. In some embodiments, the newly deposited layer 86 or 87 can cover approximately 50% of the previously deposited layer as viewed from the nozzle 51.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 8B, one or more of layers 86 and / or 87 can be deposited by starting the placement of material at the corner of box 84 as identified by "START". When the next corner is reached, the second layer 86 or layer 87 can be deposited by rotating applicator assembly 43 and nozzle 51 approximately 90 degrees. When this rotation is performed, applicator assembly 43 and nozzle 51 can move vertically (e.g., parallel to plane 70) upward at an angle of 45 degrees until the next corner is reached, after which applicator assembly 43 and nozzle 51 can be rotated 90 degrees again to return across the width to the table while forming the second long side of box 84 opposite the first long side extending from the starting position "START". Applicator assembly 43 and nozzle 51 can then perform a third 90-degree rotation to print the material while moving downward at an angle of 45 degrees (e.g., parallel to plane 70) to the position where the process started as identified by "END" in FIG. 8B.

[0069] The above process can be repeated for each layer to generate a rectangular closed shape at a 45-degree angle. Specifically, the first half of box 84 can be formed by depositing material while creating a rectangular layer 87 that gradually grows in length partway, after which each layer creates a rectangle with a small width and length that gradually gets smaller to finish the part, i.e., box 84. This can complete the printed small closed hollow box 84, but can also be used to form different shapes and larger parts with a hollow interior (e.g., completely hollow with no filler). Box 84 is shown with multiple rectangular layers, but as understood, one or more layers of the part can be formed with curves and can be of different shapes. As a further example, a hollow sphere can be formed by depositing material with additive manufacturing apparatus 1 configured for inclined printing. As understood, inclined printing including printing at an angle of approximately 45 degrees can be used to create other closed structures including structures having no support material and / or a hollow interior as described above.

[0070] The principles of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to exemplary embodiments for particular applications, but it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. Those having ordinary skill in the art and having access to the teachings presented herein will recognize that additional modifications, applications, embodiments, and equivalent substitutions all fall within the scope of the embodiments described herein. Accordingly, the embodiments described herein are illustrative and exemplary and not restrictive.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0071] 1 Additive manufacturing apparatus 20 Bed 21 Side wall 22 Side wall 23 Printing gantry 24 Carriage 25 Carrier 27 Horizontal workbench 28 Guide rail 29 Guide rail 30 Support member 31 Guide rail 32 Guide rail 33 Guide rail 35 Guide rail 36 Trimming gantry 37 Vertical workbench 38 Conveyor belt 39 Rail 40 Rail 43 Coater assembly 48 Conveyor belt 61 Extruder

Claims

**Claim 1** An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising: an extruder configured to receive a material; a working surface extending to define a plane for receiving one or more layers of the material; a stationary cooling plate having a horizontal surface configured to support a portion of one or more layers of the material, the cooling plate being positioned adjacent to an edge of the working surface; an applicator assembly fixed downstream of the additive manufacturing apparatus; a nozzle connected to the applicator assembly, the nozzle being configured to receive the material from the extruder and deposit the material partially on the working surface and partially on the horizontal surface of the cooling plate, the nozzle extending to define a longitudinal axis that forms a first angle with respect to a horizontal axis; an actuator configured to displace the working surface in a direction of movement away from the horizontal surface while the cooling plate remains stationary, the direction of movement forming a second angle with the plane, the first angle and the second angle being different angles; An additive manufacturing apparatus having the above components. **Claim 2** The extruder extends along an axis orthogonal to the horizontal surface of the cooling plate, and the nozzle is coupled to the extruder via a mounting plate such that the longitudinal axis of the nozzle is orthogonal to the plane of the working surface. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1. **Claim 3** The cooling plate is actively cooled. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1. **Claim 4** The additive manufacturing apparatus is configured to position the working surface adjacent to a front edge of the cooling plate. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1. **Claim 5** Each of the first angle and the second angle is independently an angle of about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1. **Claim 6** The second angle is measured upward from the direction of movement towards the upper part of the working surface. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1. **Claim 7** An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising: a working surface extending at an acute angle to the horizontal direction; a stationary cooling plate having a horizontal surface positioned adjacent to an edge of the working surface; an applicator assembly; A nozzle connected to the applicator assembly, the nozzle defining a longitudinal axis extending perpendicular to the working surface, the nozzle configured to deposit material partially on the working surface and partially on a horizontal plane of the cooling plate, the nozzle extending to define a longitudinal direction axis forming a first angle with respect to a horizontal axis; A roller configured to compress the material deposited on the working surface by the nozzle; An actuator configured to displace the working surface in a direction of movement away from the horizontal plane while the cooling plate remains stationary, the direction of movement forming a second angle with the working surface, the first angle and the second angle being different angles; An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising the above.

8. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second angle is about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees when measured upward toward the upper part of the working surface.

9. The additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the additive manufacturing apparatus includes an actuator configured to move the working surface horizontally.

10. An additive manufacturing method, comprising: Receiving a material in an extruder; Heating the material in the extruder; Depositing the heated material partially on an inclined surface extending to define a plane and partially on a horizontal plane of a stationary working surface positioned adjacent to an edge of the inclined surface by a nozzle to form a first material layer, the nozzle extending to define a longitudinal direction axis forming a first angle with respect to a horizontal axis; Translating the inclined surface horizontally and away from the nozzle while the stationary working surface remains stationary, the direction of movement forming a second angle with the plane of the inclined surface; Depositing the heated material partially on the inclined surface and partially on the horizontal plane by the nozzle to form a second material layer; and having The method, wherein the first angle and the second angle are different angles.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising compressing the first material layer with a compression device.

12. The first material layer and the second material layer together form part of a component, the component having a hollow interior that is completely enclosed by the deposited material, the method of claim 10. **Claim 13** The method of claim 12, wherein at the center of the hollow interior there is no deposited material. **Claim 14** The method of claim 10, wherein the first angle and the second angle sum to 90 degrees. **Claim 15** The method of claim 10, wherein the inclined surface comprises an adhesive.

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