Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC

Joseph T McKeown

Manyalibo Joseph Matthews

Gabriel Mark Guss

William Smith

John Roehling

The present disclosure relates to an additive manufacturing system for forming a part using a powder material. In one embodiment the system makes use of a primary heat generating subsystem to generate a fusing beam for heating and fusing at least one of select portions of a powder layer, or an entire area of a powder layer, deposited on a build plate. The system also incorporates a beam steering subsystem for steering the fusing beam over the powder layer. A supplemental heating subsystem is used to generate a wide area beam to heat a portion of the powder layer either prior to fusing, along with the fusing operation, or subsequent to fusing of the powder with the fusing beam. The wide area beam has an intensity which is insufficient to fuse the powder, and alters a microstructure of the powder layer as the powder layer is at least one of fused or as it cools, to thus relieve stress in the part.

System and method for performing laser powder bed fusion using controlled, supplemental in situ surface heating to control microstructure and residual stresses in formed part

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Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Joseph T McKeown