Nathaniel Joseph Wood

Title: Nathaniel Joseph Wood: Innovator in Powder Bed Fusion Technology

Introduction

Nathaniel Joseph Wood is a prominent inventor based in Columbus, OH. He has made significant contributions to the field of manufacturing, particularly in the area of powder bed fusion technology. With a total of 3 patents, his work focuses on improving the internal temperature control during the manufacturing process.

Latest Patents

One of Nathaniel's latest patents involves Model Predictive Control (MPC) for controlling internal temperature distributions within parts being manufactured via the powder bed fusion process. This patent provides estimation algorithms, methods, and systems that estimate the internal temperatures inside a part being built using powder bed fusion (PBF). Closed-loop state estimation is applied to monitor temperature fields within parts during the PBF build process. The patent presents a simplified linear time-invariant (LTI) model of PBF thermal physics, emphasizing stability, controllability, and observability. In some aspects, MPC is utilized as an expanded application of Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) methods to control the PBF process. It forecasts the PBF build process behavior N time steps into the future and identifies inputs that drive the temperature of a corresponding node in a mesh of n nodes towards a predetermined target temperature.

Another significant patent focuses on adaptive Finite Element Method (FEM) meshing for estimating internal temperature distributions within parts being manufactured via the powder bed fusion process. This patent also provides estimation algorithms, methods, and systems that estimate internal temperatures using a FEM-based thermal model of PBF heat transfer. Closed-loop state estimation is again applied to monitor temperature fields within parts during the PBF build process. The PBF laser is very small, which necessitates high mesh density in the FEM elements nearby the laser. As the PBF laser moves, a region of high mesh density moves along with it, predetermined for each time step according to a predefined schedule of laser movements.

Career Highlights

Nathaniel Joseph Wood is associated with the Ohio State Innovation Foundation, where he continues to innovate and develop new technologies in the field of manufacturing. His work has been instrumental in advancing the capabilities of powder bed fusion processes.

Collaborations

Nathaniel collaborates with David John Hoelzle, contributing to the development of cutting-edge technologies in their field.

Conclusion

Nathaniel Joseph Wood is a key figure in the advancement