Multi-Beam Powder Bed Fusion With Non-Linear Stitching Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing additive manufacturing systems using multiple energy beams face challenges in aligning and transitioning these beams accurately, leading to potential misalignment and defects in the consolidated material, especially when dealing with complex geometries and non-linear edges.
Innovation Solution
The use of non-linear stitching paths within the additive manufacturing system allows for improved alignment and transition of multiple energy beams, specifically by extending a first contour path's stitching portion into a second build plane region along a non-linear path, which helps mitigate misalignment issues and enhance material properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple energy beams are used to increase processing speed, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to alignment and transition issues between beams
Solution Approach 1:
A transition region is introduced as an intermediary zone between build plane regions consolidated by different energy beams. This transition region allows for smooth handoff between beams, accommodating alignment tolerances and preventing defects at beam boundaries while maintaining high processing speeds through parallel consolidation of multiple regions
Solution Approach 2:
Beam parameters such as power, spot size, and travel speed are dynamically adjusted in the transition region between build plane regions. This parameter modulation ensures seamless transitions between energy beams, maintaining manufacturing precision while enabling high-speed parallel processing of multiple regions
2Productivity
If multiple energy beams are used to consolidate multiple build plane regions, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to potential misalignment and defects
Solution Approach 1:
The transition region serves as a mediator between regions consolidated by different energy beams, providing a buffer zone that accommodates alignment variations. This intermediary area ensures consistent consolidation quality across beam boundaries while maintaining high consolidation rates through parallel processing
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-plans and pre-positiones the transition regions between build plane regions before consolidation begins. This preliminary arrangement of transition zones ensures that alignment issues are preemptively addressed, maintaining high consolidation quality while enabling rapid parallel processing of multiple regions
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 voids and distressed mechanical properties associated with misalignment, enables efficient stitching in components with complex geometries, and improves the overall quality of additively manufactured three-dimensional objects by ensuring smooth transitions between adjacent build plane regions.
Implementation Method 1
one or more energy beams are directed onto a powder bed to consolidate (e.g., melt, fuse, and/or sinter) sequential layers of build material
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object by one or more energy beams include selectively directing a first energy beam across a powder bed along a plurality of first hatching paths and a first contour path that defines a first outer contour portion and a first stitching portion, wherein the first outer contour portion at least partially defines a first edge portion of an outer edge of the three-dimensional object, and wherein the first edge portion is non-linear, and selectively directing a second energy beam across the powder bed along a plurality of second hatching paths and a second contour path that at least partially defines a second edge portion of the outer edge of the three-dimensional object, wherein the second edge portion is adjacent the first edge portion, and wherein the first stitching portion extends into the plurality of second hatching paths along a non-linear stitching path.