Bae Systems, Inc.

Jagjit Sidhu

Andrew David Wescott

Jennifer Laura McDonald

Mark Alfred Potter

Amir Rezai

Nigel Bruce Aldridge

David Andrew Cocksedge

Henry Jameson White

Benjamin Richard Moreland

Sandeep S P Raja

Sandeep Sunil Pravin Raja

Jennifer Laura Mcdonald

Apparatus and a method for forming a metallic component by additive layer manufacturing are provided. The method includes the steps of using a heat source such as a laser to melt the surface of a work piece and form a weld pool; adding wire or powdered metallic material to the weld pool and moving the heat source relative to the work piece so as to progressively form a new layer of metallic material on the work piece; applying forced cooling to the formed layer; stress relieving the cooled layer by applying a peening step, for example with a pulsed laser, and repeating the above steps as required to form the component layer by layer.

Additive layer manufacturing

A structure to be monitored for damage and a method of monitoring the structure for damage are provided. The structure has a coating thereon, the coating defining a surface having characteristics which vary in a predetermined manner with damage to the structure. The surface has a series of conductive tracks applied thereto and in intimate contact therewith such that the said predetermined variation of the surface characteristics will vary the resistance of the series of conductive tracks in a predetermined manner in order to determine both location and extent of damage.

Monitoring a structure for damage

Apparatus and a method for forming a metallic component by additive layer manufacturing are provided. The method includes the steps of mounting a work piece () to ALM manufacturing apparatus including measuring means in the form of load cells () to measure stresses tending to distort the work piece, using a laser heat source () to apply heat to a surface () of the work piece () sufficient to melt it; adding metallic material to the melted surface () and moving the heat source () relative to the work piece () whereby progressively to form a layer () of metallic material on it; repeating the above steps as required, whereby progressively to form the component and, while doing so, measuring stresses tending to distort the component with the load cells () and, if they are above a predetermined threshold, stress relieving the work piece with means such as a pulsed laser () while still mounted to the apparatus to reduce distortion to a predetermined level, and again repeating above steps as required to complete the component. A computer () may be included to control the whole process.

A selective layer melting or other additive layer fabrication method in which powdered material is fused by heating it with a pulsed laser, the pulses being modulated while the laser is traversing the substrate so as to control the thickness and/or width of the layer being formed. Initial layers of the fabrication structure may be formed more thickly than subsequent layers, e.g. by means of a CW laser, to reduce distortion. This aspect of the invention may be employed independently of the use of a pulsed laser to form the subsequent layers.

Additive layer fabrication method

A method and apparatus are disclosed for the formation of optical fiber structures. An exemplary fiber laying head houses a source of optical fiber material to which an adhesive coating is applied prior to laying the adhesive-coated optical fiber material onto a substrate. The fiber laying head can also house a radiation source that generates a radiation beam to cure the adhesive in the adhesive-coated optical fiber material to form a bond between the adhesive-coated optical fiber material and the substrate.

Optical fibre fixed on substrates

A method of fabricating structural elements on the surface of a component is provided. The structural elements are configured to modify flow of a fluid passing over the surface. Conveniently, the fabrication is performed using a Direct Write technique. A three dimensional element is formed by depositing material on the surface, and subsequently curing the deposited material.

Methods of fabricating structural elements

A Direct Write method of forming components on a substrate by deposition of ink by thermally curing the ink in situ, which method overcomes the need for curing by placing the substrate in an oven. The curing is performed in an exemplary embodiment using an induction coil () through which an oscillating current is passed. The coil () is placed above the region in which Direct Write ink has been deposited. The oscillating current induces eddy currents in the ink to cause heating of the ink and thus fix the ink by curing, sintering etc.

Direct write and additive manufacturing processes

A process and apparatus for monitoring the cleaning of a surface (,) by laser irradiation includes illuminating the surface (,) to be cleaned, being cleaned or having been cleaned by ultra-violet irradiation provided either by the cleaning laser or by a further source (,) sufficient to excite into fluorescence contaminants (,) on the surface (,) which fluoresce under ultra-violet irradiation.

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Bristol, United Kingdom

Jagjit Sidhu