Multi-Laser Powder Bed Fusion With Non-Linear Stitching Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive manufacturing systems using multiple energy beams face challenges in aligning and transitioning beams accurately, leading to potential misalignment and distressed mechanical properties, especially when dealing with complex geometries and non-linear edges, which can result in voids and excessive stitching transitions.
Innovation Solution
The use of non-linear stitching paths and contour paths in additive manufacturing systems, where a first energy beam consolidates a build plane region using a first contour path that includes a stitching portion extending into a second build plane region, helps mitigate misalignment issues and ensures smooth transitions between adjacent regions, even with complex geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple energy beams are used to consolidate larger build areas, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to misalignment and stitching transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies non-linear stitching paths with curved trajectories instead of straight lines to transition between build plane regions. This curvature allows the energy beam to smoothly follow the outer edge geometry and gradually merge adjacent regions, eliminating sharp transitions and misalignment artifacts while maintaining consolidation quality across multi-laser build areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary consolidation of the outer edge region before fully merging adjacent build plane regions. By pre-consolidating the boundary area and using stitching paths that extend into adjacent regions, the system prepares the transition zone in advance, ensuring smooth integration and eliminating voids that would otherwise form at region boundaries.
2Device complexity
If straight stitching paths are used to transition between build plane regions, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to misalignment and void formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces straight stitching paths with non-linear curved paths that follow the outer edge geometry. This curvature enables smooth transitions between build plane regions consolidated by different energy beams, eliminating sharp angles and misalignment artifacts while maintaining consistent consolidation quality without significantly increasing system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If energy beams are directed along linear contour paths, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates for complex geometries with non-linear edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements non-linear contour paths that follow the actual curved outer edges of complex geometries. These curved paths accurately reproduce non-linear edge features while maintaining ease of operation through automated path generation, eliminating the approximation errors that would result from using straight-line segments to represent curved edges.
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 improves mechanical properties by ensuring consistent consolidation across larger build areas, enabling the production of complex geometries without undesired overshooting or excessive stitching transitions, thus enhancing the quality and efficiency of multi-laser builds.
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 such as powder material
Implementation Method 2
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 such as powder material
Data Source
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AI summary
A method (300) of additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object (114) by one or more energy beams (134). The method (300) includes selectively directing a first energy beam (134a) across a powder bed (134) along a plurality of first hatching paths (151a) and a first contour path (190) that defines a first outer contour portion (192) and a first stitching portion (194), wherein the first outer contour portion (192) at least partially defines a first edge portion (153a) of an outer edge (153) of the three-dimensional object (114), and wherein the first edge portion (153a) is non-linear. The method (300) further includes selectively directing a second energy beam (134b) across the powder bed (134) along a plurality of second hatching paths (151b) and a second contour path (210) that at least partially defines a second edge portion (153b) of the outer edge (153) of the three-dimensional object (114), wherein the second edge portion (153b) is adjacent the first edge portion (153a), and wherein the first stitching portion (194) extends into the plurality of second hatching paths (153b) along a non-linear stitching path (200).