Localized Pre-Heating for Additive Manufacturing Energy Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing additive manufacturing apparatuses are inefficient and wasteful in pre-heating the powder bed, requiring expensive laser devices and excessive energy for melting and fusing build materials.

Innovation Solution

The use of energy emitters that pre-heat specific target areas of the build material to a temperature just below the threshold for melting, allowing for the use of lower output fusing beam emitters and precise control over microstructural formation, with the energy emitters capable of steering emissions to direct heat only where needed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If expensive laser devices are used to melt and fuse build material, then the additive manufacturing process can be performed, but the cost and energy consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadditive manufacturing process capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary heating of the powder bed to a temperature close to the melting point before the laser arrives. This pre-heating action reduces the energy burden on the expensive laser device, allowing it to operate at lower power levels and reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining reliable melting and fusing capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The heating system applies thermal energy locally to specific regions of the powder bed that will be processed by the laser, rather than uniformly heating the entire build chamber. This localized pre-heating approach minimizes waste heat and concentrates energy where it is most needed, reducing overall energy consumption while ensuring reliable material processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If the entire powder bed is pre-heated, then the build material temperature increases, but excessive waste heat is generated and energy is wasted on areas not requiring processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebuild material temperatureVSAvoidwaste heat

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system selectively applies thermal energy only to those regions of the powder bed that are scheduled for laser processing, rather than uniformly heating the entire powder bed. This localized approach raises the temperature of build material where needed while avoiding unnecessary heating of surrounding areas, thereby minimizing waste heat generation and energy loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The powder bed is divided into processed regions and unprocessed regions, with heating applied only to the processed regions. This segmentation allows the system to maintain temperature control precision while reducing overall energy consumption by excluding unprocessed areas from the heating zone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Power

If high output fusing beam emitters are used, then melting and fusing can be achieved, but the cost and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefusing beam powerVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary heating of the powder bed to a temperature close to the melting point before the laser arrives. This pre-heating action reduces the energy burden on the fusing beam emitter, allowing it to operate at lower power levels and reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining reliable melting and fusing capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach reduces energy consumption, lowers costs by enabling the use of less powerful fusing beam emitters, and improves microstructural control by applying heat precisely, resulting in a more economical and efficient additive manufacturing process.

Implementation Method 1

an energy emitter configured to steer one or more emissions across a build platform to raise a temperature of a build material on the build platform from an initial temperature to a first temperature

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal heating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

a fusing beam emitter configured to generate one or more laser beams to raise the temperature of the build material on the build platform from the first temperature to a second temperature

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser heating: Laser

Implementation Method 3

laser powder bed fusion systems for raising the temperature of individual layers of build material to result in melting and/or fusing of the build material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS20240408821A1Additive manufacturing apparatuses including energy emitters for localized heating

Publication Date: 2024.12.12 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO

AI summary

A printing assembly for an additive manufacturing apparatus includes an energy emitter configured to steer one or more emissions across a build platform to raise a temperature of a build material on the build platform from an initial temperature to a first temperature, the first temperature being less than a threshold temperature set by material dependent metallurgical properties, and a fusing beam emitter configured to generate one or more laser beams to raise the temperature of the build material on the build platform from the first temperature to a second temperature, the second temperature being greater than the threshold temperature.