The Boeing Company

Ciro J Grijalva, Iii

Samuel F Harrison

Nick Shabdeh Evans

Hayden S Osborn

Ryan G Ziegler

Faraón Torres

Faraòn Torres

A system for additively manufacturing a composite part comprises a delivery guide, movable relative to a surface. The delivery guide is configured to deposit at least a segment of a continuous flexible line along a print path. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and a thermosetting-resin component. The thermosetting-resin component comprises a first part and a second part. The non-resin component comprises a first element and a second element. The system further comprises a first resin-part applicator, configured to apply the first part to the first element, and a second resin-part applicator, configured to apply the second part to the second element. The system also comprises a feed mechanism, configured to pull the first element through the first resin-part applicator, to pull the second element through the second resin-part applicator, and to push the continuous flexible line out of the delivery guide.

Systems for additively manufacturing composite parts

A system for additively manufacturing a composite part is disclosed. The system comprises a delivery guide, movable relative to a surface. The delivery guide is configured to deposit at least a segment of a continuous flexible line along a print path. The print path is stationary relative to the surface. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and a thermosetting-epoxy-resin component that is partially cured. The system also comprises a feed mechanism, configured to push the continuous flexible line through the delivery guide. The system further comprises a cooling system, configured to maintain the thermosetting-epoxy-resin component of the continuous flexible line below a threshold temperature prior to depositing the segment of the continuous flexible along the print path via the delivery guide.

A system for additively manufacturing a composite part () comprises a delivery guide, movable relative to a surface. The delivery guide is configured to deposit at least a segment of a continuous flexible line along a print path. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and a thermosetting resin component that comprises a first part and a second part of a thermosetting resin. The print path is stationary relative to the surface. The delivery guide comprises a first inlet configured to receive the non-resin component, and a second inlet configured to receive at least the first part of the thermosetting resin. The delivery guide is further configured to apply the first part and the second part of the thermosetting resin to the non-resin component. The systemfurther comprises a feed mechanism, configured to push the continuous flexible line out of the delivery guide.

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part comprises depositing a segment of a continuous flexible line along a print path. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and further comprises a photopolymer-resin component that is uncured. The method further comprises delivering a predetermined or actively determined amount of curing energy at least to a portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line at a controlled rate while advancing the continuous flexible line toward the print path and after the segment of the continuous flexible line is deposited along the print path to at least partially cure at least the portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line.

Method for additively manufacturing composite parts

A system for additively manufacturing a composite part comprises a delivery assembly, a feed mechanism, and a source of curing energy. The delivery assembly comprises a delivery guide movable relative to a surface and is configured to deposit a continuous flexible line along a print path. The delivery assembly further comprises a first inlet, configured to receive a non-resin component, and a second inlet, configured to receive a photopolymer resin. The delivery assembly applies the photopolymer resin to the non-resin component. The feed mechanism pushes the continuous flexible line out of the delivery guide. The source of the curing energy delivers the curing energy to a portion of the continuous flexible line after it exits the delivery guide.

A system for additively manufacturing a composite part comprises a delivery guide and a surface, at least one of which is movable relative to another. The delivery guide is configured to deposit at least a segment of a continuous flexible line along a print path. The print path is stationary relative to the surface. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and a photopolymer-resin component that is partially cured. The system further comprises a feed mechanism configured to push the continuous flexible line through the delivery guide. The system further comprises a source of a curing energy. The source is configured to deliver the curing energy at least to a portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line after the segment of the continuous flexible line exits the delivery guide.

A system comprises a delivery guide movable relative to a surface. The delivery guide is configured to deposit a continuous flexible line along a print path that is stationary relative to the surface. The system further comprises a vessel, configured to hold a volume of a liquid photopolymer resin and to apply a quantity of the liquid photopolymer resin to the non-resin component to create the continuous flexible line. The system further comprises a feed mechanism, configured to pull the non-resin component through the vessel and to push the continuous flexible line out of the delivery guide. The system further comprises a source of curing energy. The source is configured to deliver the curing energy at least to a portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line after the segment of the continuous flexible line exits the delivery guide.

A system for additively manufacturing a composite part comprises a delivery guide, movable relative to a surface. The delivery guide is configured to deposit at least a segment of a continuous flexible line along a print path. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and a thermosetting-resin component. The thermosetting-resin component comprises a first part and a second part. The system further comprises a first resin-part applicator, configured to apply a first quantity of the first part to the non-resin component, and a second resin-part applicator, configured to apply a second quantity of the second part to the first quantity of the first part of a thermosetting resin, applied to the non-resin component. The system also comprises a feed mechanism, configured to pull the non-resin component through the first resin-part applicator and the second resin-part applicator, and to push the continuous flexible line out of the delivery guide.

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part comprises applying a liquid photopolymer resin to a non-resin component to create a continuous flexible line by pulling the non-resin component through a vessel, containing a volume of the liquid photopolymer resin. The continuous flexible line comprises the non-resin component and a photopolymer-resin component that comprises at least some of the liquid photopolymer resin applied to the non-resin component. The method further comprises routing the continuous flexible line into a delivery guide, pushing the continuous flexible line out of the delivery guide, depositing, via the delivery guide, a segment of the continuous flexible line along a print path, and delivering curing energy at least to a portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line.

Methods for additively manufacturing composite parts

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part is disclosed. The method comprises pushing a continuous flexible line through a delivery guide. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and a thermosetting-epoxy-resin component that is partially cured. The method also comprises depositing, via the delivery guide, a segment of the continuous flexible line along a print path. The method further comprises maintaining the thermosetting-epoxy-resin component of at least the continuous flexible line being pushed through the delivery guide below a threshold temperature prior to depositing the segment of the continuous flexible line along the print path.

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part is disclosed. The method comprises depositing a segment of a continuous flexible line along a print path. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and a thermosetting resin component that is not fully cured. The method further comprises, while advancing the continuous flexible line toward the print path, delivering a predetermined or actively determined amount of curing energy at least to a portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line at a controlled rate after the segment of the continuous flexible line is deposited along the print path to at least partially cure at least the portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line.

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part is disclosed. The method comprises depositing, via a delivery guide, a segment of a continuous flexible line along a print path. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and a thermosetting-epoxy-resin component that is partially cured. The method also comprises maintaining the thermosetting-epoxy-resin component of at least the continuous flexible line being advanced toward the print path via the delivery guide below a threshold temperature. The method further comprises delivering a predetermined or actively determined amount of curing energy to the segment of the continuous flexible line at a controlled rate while advancing the continuous flexible line toward the print path to at least partially cure the segment of the continuous flexible line.

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part comprises applying a first quantity of a first part of a thermosetting resin to a first element of a non-resin component by pulling the first element through a first resin-part applicator and applying a second quantity of a second part of the thermosetting resin to a second element of the non-resin component by pulling the second element through a second resin-part applicator. The method also comprises combining the first element with the first quantity of first part and the second element with the second quantity of second part, to create a continuous flexible line. The method additionally comprises routing the continuous flexible line into a delivery guide and depositing, via the delivery guide, a segment of the continuous flexible line along a print path.

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part comprises applying a thermosetting resin to a non-resin component to create a continuous flexible line by pulling a non-resin component through a first resin-part applicator, in which a first quantity of a first part of the thermosetting resin is applied to the non-resin component, and by pulling a non-resin component through a second resin-part applicator, in which a second quantity of a second part of the thermosetting resin is applied to at least a portion of the first quantity of the first part of the thermosetting resin, applied to the non-resin component. The method further comprises routing the continuous flexible line into a delivery guide and depositing, via the delivery guide, a segment of the continuous flexible line along a print path.

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part comprises applying a photopolymer resin to a non-resin component while pushing a continuous flexible line through a delivery assembly. The continuous flexible line comprises the non-resin component and a photopolymer-resin component that comprises at least some of the photopolymer resin applied to the non-resin component. The method also comprises depositing, via the delivery assembly, a segment of the continuous flexible line along a print path. The method further comprises delivering curing energy to at least a portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line deposited along the print path.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Ciro J Grijalva, Iii