General Electric Company

Concept Laser Gmbh

MacKenzie Ryan Redding

Justin Mamrak

Zachary David Fieldman

Thomas Graham Spears

Fabian Zeulner

Andrew J Martin

Mark Kevin Meyer

Christian Dicken

Rachel Wyn Levine

Bertram Gaerber

Michelle Lynn Sloderbeck

David Ploetz

Christopher Hall

Laura Banks

Tim Murphy

Christopher C Chapman

Emily Bautista

Christian Xavier Stevenson

Scott Alan Gold

Michael Thomas Gansler

Frank Schödel

Andrew David Simpson

Jordan Maxine Shoemaker

Brandon Holford

Jeffrey Vaught

An additive manufacturing apparatus is provided and may include at least one build unit; a build platform; and at least one collector positioned on the apparatus such that the at least one collector contacts an outer surface of a build wall as the build wall is formed during a build. Methods are also provided for manufacturing at least one object.

Apparatus and method for angular and rotational additive manufacturing

The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and apparatuses () for monitoring the flow of a powder (). A powder distribution system () may include an inlet () for receiving powder () from a powder reservoir (). The powder reservoir () may include an outlet () to supply powder () received from the inlet (). The apparatus () may further include a powder flow sensor () configured to monitor a quantity of powder supplied by the outlet (), and wherein the quantity of powder supplied by the outlet () is controlled, at least in part by a monitored output of the powder flow sensor ().

Closed loop gated recoater monitoring system

An additive manufacturing machine includes an energy beam system configured to emit an energy beam utilized in an additive manufacturing process, and first and second optical elements utilized by, or defining a portion of, the energy beam system and/or an imaging system of the additive manufacturing machine. The imaging system monitors one or more operating parameters of the additive manufacturing process. A light source is configured to emit an assessment beam that follows an optical path incident upon the first and second optical elements. One or more light sensors detect a reflected beam that is either internally reflected by the first optical element or reflectively propagated between the first and second optical elements. A control system determines, based at least in part on assessment data comprising data from the one or more light sensors, whether at least one of the first and second optical elements exhibits an optical anomaly.

Detecting optical anomalies on optical elements used in an additive manufacturing machine

The present disclosure generally relates to additive manufacturing systems and methods on a large-scale format. One aspect involves a build unit that can be moved around in three dimensions by a positioning system, building separate portions of a large object. The build unit has an energy directing device that directs, e.g., laser or e-beam irradiation onto a powder layer. In the case of laser irradiation, the build volume may have a gasflow device that provides laminar gas flow to a laminar flow zone above the layer of powder. This allows for efficient removal of the smoke, condensates, and other impurities produced by irradiating the powder (the 'gas plume') without excessively disturbing the powder layer. The build unit may also have a recoater that allows it to selectively deposit particular quantities of powder in specific locations over a work surface to build large, high quality, high precision objects.

Additive manufacturing using a dynamically grown build envelope

An additive manufacturing machine () includes a plurality of subsystems, such as a condensate evacuation subsystem () for removing byproducts of the additive manufacturing products near a powder bed, a closed loop subsystem () for cleaning contaminants from sensitive machine components (), and/or an electronics cooling subsystem () for cooling an electronics compartment (). Each subsystem () may include a dedicated gas circulation loop () that is operably coupled to a gas circulation device () for urging a clean flow of gas () to each of the subsystems () to perform a particular function.

Gas flow systems for an additive manufacturing machine

Additive manufacturing apparatus, along with methods of forming an object therewith, are provided. The additive manufacturing apparatus may include at least one build unit; a build platform (such as a rotating build platform); and a pair of collectors positioned on the apparatus such that a first collector contacts an outer surface of an object as it is formed on the build platform and a second collector contacts an inner surface of the object as it is formed on the build platform.

Apparatus and method for additive manufacturing

An additive manufacturing machine includes an energy beam system situated in a fixed position relative to a reference plane coinciding with an expected location of a build plane, an energy beam system with an irradiation device configured to generate an energy beam and to direct the energy beam upon the build plane, and a position measurement system configured to determine a position of the build plane. A position measurement assembly includes one or more position sensors, and one or more mounting brackets configured to attach the one or more position sensors to an energy beam system of an additive manufacturing machine. The position measurement assembly is configured to determine a position of a build plane with the energy beam system situated in a fixed position relative to a reference plane coinciding with an expected location of the build plane.

Build plane measurement systems and related methods

An additive manufacturing machine may include an energy beam system configured to emit an energy beam utilized in an additive manufacturing process, and one or more optical elements utilized by, or defining a portion of, the energy beam system and/or an imaging system of the additive manufacturing machine. The imaging system may be configured to monitor one or more operating parameters of the additive manufacturing process. The additive manufacturing machine may include a light source configured to emit an assessment beam that follows an optical path incident upon the one or more optical elements, and one or more light sensors configured to detect a reflected beam comprising at least a portion of the assessment beam reflected and/or transmitted by at least one of the one or more optical elements. The additive manufacturing machine may include a control system configured to determine, based at least in part on assessment data comprising data from the one or more light sensors, whether the one or more optical elements exhibit an optical anomaly.

A method, apparatus, and program for additive manufacturing. The additive manufacturing method may include solidifying at least a portion of a first layer () of build material () within a first scan region (A). At least one of a build unit () and a build platform () may be moved to solidify at least a portion of the first layer () of build material () within a second scan region (B). A second layer () of build material () may be provided over at least a portion of the first scan region (A) and the second scan region (B). A second layer () of build material () may be solidified within at least a portion of the third scan region (C), the third scan region (C) may at least partially overlap and may be offset with relation to the first scan region (A).

Scan field variation for additive manufacturing

The present disclosure generally relates to powder packing for additive manufacturing (AM) methods and systems. Conventional powder packing methods are manual and non-standardized, and they result in operator fatigue and potentially product inconsistencies. Powder packing according to the present disclosure improves standardization and reduces turnaround time, with the potential to lower the cost of AM.

Powder packing methods and apparatus

An additive manufacturing machine () includes a build platform () extending within a horizontal plane (H) and a gantry () positioned above the build platform () and defining a build area (). A build unit () includes a powder dispenser () for discharging a layer of additive powder () and an energy source () for selectively directing energy toward the layer of additive powder () to fuse portions of the layer of additive powder (). The gantry () movably supports the build unit () within the build area and a powder supply system () is positioned below the gantry () and extends between a powder supply source () and the powder dispenser ().

Powder refill system for an additive manufacturing machine

An additive manufacturing machine () includes a build unit () that is supported by an overhead gantry (). The build unit () includes a powder dispenser () including a vibration mechanism () and a scan unit () including a powder fusing device () for fusing or binding portions of a layer of additive powder. A vibration isolation device (), such as a passive rubber damper () or an active vibration canceling mechanism (), is positioned between the powder dispenser () and the scan unit () to prevent vibrations in the powder dispenser () from causing operational issues with the scan unit () and inaccuracies in the additive manufacturing process.

Vibration isolation device for an additive manufacturing machine

An additive manufacturing apparatus is provided. The additive manufacturing apparatus may include a stabilizing system; a build platform on the stabilizing system; and a build unit positioned over the build platform, wherein the build unit comprises a powder dispenser and a recoater blade. Methods are also provided for making an object from powder.

Additive manufacturing apparatus having a stabilized build platform and methods of its use

A method of monitoring an additive manufacturing process in which one or more energy beams are used to selectively fuse a powder to form a workpiece, in the presence of one or more plumes generated by interaction of the one or more energy beams with the powder. The method includes using at least one sensor to generate at least one signal representative of a trajectory of one or more of the plumes.

Growing community of inventors

Mason, OH, United States of America

MacKenzie Ryan Redding