Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Adam McFarland

Andrew Thomas Cunningham

Paul J Wolcott

Malini Dusey

Patrick J Eding

Steven Lewis Corzyk

Dale Miller

A method for removing excess powder from a part for a vehicle during an additive manufacturing process, comprises defining parameters for a part, defining parameters for a removal tool comprising a plurality of links to create a chain-like structure, simultaneously creating the part and the removal tool via additive manufacturing, wherein the part defines an interior passageway and the removal tool is created within the interior passageway and, upon completion of the creation of the part and the removal tool, the removal tool is surrounded by excess powder in the interior passageway, and wherein each link of the plurality of links are created with a gap between adjacent links of the plurality of links, and removing the removal tool from the interior passageway, forcing at least some of the excess powder out of the interior passageway.

Systems and methods for creating a powder removal tool via additive manufacturing

Systems and methods for manufacturing a product include a mixing station for preparing a solution containing a base material and a performance modifier. The base material is configured to deliver performance characteristics of the product that are preselected and the performance modifier is configured to enhance the performance characteristics. An encapsulation station produces particles of the performance modifier in a coating of the base material as an encapsulate powder. An additive manufacturing cell includes an energy source and is used to build the product from the encapsulate powder by an application of energy from the energy source.

Systems for polymer powder performance improvements in additive manufacturing using encapsulation

Growing community of inventors

Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Adam McFarland