Mobile Build Volume Powder Bed Printing With Laminar Gasflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional additive manufacturing systems face challenges in scaling up to larger formats, leading to issues with uniform layer-wise powder distribution, effective gas plume management, and control of laser energy density, resulting in defects and inferior surface finishes on large parts.
Innovation Solution
A mobile build volume system with a positioning system that allows movement in three dimensions, a recoater blade, and a laminar gasflow zone to provide consistent gas flow, combined with a selective recoater and a mobile scan area to maintain a low oxygen environment and precise powder deposition, enabling the creation of large-scale additively manufactured objects with improved surface quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If conventional additive manufacturing systems are scaled up to larger formats, then the build volume increases, but uniform layer-wise powder distribution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a mobile build volume that can be repositioned and adjusted dynamically during the additive manufacturing process. This allows the build platform to move to different positions relative to the laser source and powder delivery system, enabling consistent powder distribution across large build areas by maintaining optimal positioning throughout the manufacturing cycle
Solution Approach 2:
The build volume is divided into multiple segments or zones that can be independently controlled and positioned. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for powder distribution and laser processing, maintaining manufacturing precision across the entire large-scale build volume through coordinated operation of multiple segments
2Volume of stationary object
If conventional additive manufacturing systems are scaled up to larger formats, then the build volume increases, but gas plume management deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes gas plume from the build environment using dedicated gas flow systems and extraction mechanisms. By actively removing harmful gas plume generated during laser processing, the system maintains a clean manufacturing environment across large build volumes, preventing defects and maintaining surface quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs pneumatic gas flow systems to control and manage gas plume throughout the build volume. Directed gas flows are used to evacuate vapor and particulate matter generated during laser processing, effectively managing harmful byproducts across the entire large-scale manufacturing environment
3Volume of stationary object
If conventional additive manufacturing systems are scaled up to larger formats, then the build volume increases, but laser energy density control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile build volume system dynamically adjusts positioning to maintain optimal laser energy density across large build areas. By moving the build platform to different positions and angles, the system ensures consistent energy distribution and processing quality throughout the entire volume, preventing defects associated with poor energy control
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor laser energy density and build platform positioning in real-time. This feedback enables automatic adjustments to maintain precise energy control across the large build volume, ensuring consistent manufacturing quality by detecting and correcting deviations from optimal processing conditions
4Volume of stationary object
If conventional additive manufacturing systems are scaled up to larger formats, then the build volume increases, but surface finish quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile build volume enables dynamic positioning and repositioning during manufacturing to maintain optimal laser processing conditions across the entire surface. This dynamic control ensures consistent surface finish quality on large parts by preventing the degradation that occurs with static, oversized build systems
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes processing parameters including build platform position, laser power, and scanning speed to optimize surface finish quality across large build volumes. By adjusting these parameters dynamically during manufacturing, the system maintains high surface quality standards even as build volume increases
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
The system enables the production of large-scale objects with enhanced surface finish and reduced defects by maintaining consistent powder distribution and gas flow, allowing for precise control of the build environment and energy density, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
a laser beam to sinter or melt a powder material
Implementation Method 2
The physical processes associated with laser sintering or melting include heat transfer to a powder material
Implementation Method 3
spread evenly over a powder bed using a recoater arm travelling in direction to maintain the powder at a level
Implementation Method 4
a laminar gasflow zone to provide consistent gas flow, combined with a selective recoater and a mobile scan area to maintain a low oxygen environment
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to additive manufacturing systems and methods on a large-scale format. One aspect involves a build unit that can be moved around in three dimensions by a positioning system, building separate portions of a large object. The build unit has an energy directing device that directs, e.g., laser or e-beam irradiation onto a powder layer. In the case of laser irradiation, the build volume may have a gasflow device that provides laminar gas flow to a laminar flow zone above the layer of powder. This allows for efficient removal of the smoke, condensates, and other impurities produced by irradiating the powder (the “gas plume”) without excessively disturbing the powder layer. The build unit may also have a recoater that allows it to selectively deposit particular quantities of powder in specific locations over a work surface to build large, high quality, high precision objects.