Bae Systems, Inc.

Mark Alfred Potter

Matthew Nicholas Stevens

Jagjit Sidhu

Andrew David Wescott

Richard Ian Lees

Tim Evans

Solar car port double

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for selectively sintering particulate material, the method comprising: providing a layer () of particulate material; providing an amount of a radiation absorbent material over a selected surface portion of the layer () of particulate material; providing an amount of a material that comprises a plurality of elongate elements () over at least part of the selected surface portion of the layer () of particulate material; and providing radiation () across the selected surface portion of the layer () of particulate material so as to sinter a portion of the material of the layer () including causing the plurality of elongate elements () to become embedded in the sintered portion of material.

Sintering particulate material

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for selectively sintering particulate material, the method comprising: providing a layer () of particulate material; providing an amount of a radiation absorbent material over a selected surface portion of the layer () of particulate material; providing an amount of a material that comprises a plurality of electrically conductive elements () over at least part of the selected surface portion of the layer () of particulate material; and providing radiation () across the selected surface portion of the layer of particulate material so as to sinter a portion of the material of the layer () including causing the plurality of electrically conductive elements () to become embedded in the sintered portion of material.

Forming a three dimensional object

A method and apparatus for producing an object () comprising providing a digital model () of the object () that is to be produced; using the digital model, identifying one or more parts () of the object () that satisfy certain criteria; for each identified part (), adjusting, in the digital model (), the thickness of that part () to satisfy further criteria, thereby producing an updated model; performing a first production process to produce the part or parts () of the object () that do not satisfy the criteria, thereby producing an initial object (); performing an Additive Manufacturing process to add, to the initial object (), the one or more identified parts (), thereby producing the object (). The initial object () and identified parts () are made of the same material. The first production process is different to the Additive Manufacturing process.

Object production using an additive manufacturing process

Methods and apparatus for producing and assessing at least part of an object (), the methods comprise: performing, using Additive Manufacturing apparatus (), an Additive Manufacturing process to produce a test specimen () and at least part of an object (); performing, using micro-tomography apparatus (), on the test specimen (), a micro-tomography process to create a digital model () of the internal structure of the test specimen (); determining whether or not the model () satisfies one or more criteria; and, if the model () satisfies the criteria, determining that the at least part of the object () produced by performing the Additive Manufacturing process is acceptable, or, if the model () does not satisfy the criteria, determining that the at least part of the object () produced by performing the Additive Manufacturing process is not acceptable.

Object production using an additive manufacturing process and quality assessment of the object

Disclosed is a conduit () comprising a conduit wall defining a flow channel through which a fluid may flow and a plurality of further channels () through at least part of the conduit wall. Each further channel () comprises a first end () and a second end (). The first ends () of the further channels () are spaced apart along a length of the conduit () and comprise openings in fluid communication with the flow channel of the conduit (). The second ends () of the further channels () are located proximate to one another (e.g. substantially collocated) such that the distance between the second ends () of any two further channels () is smaller than the distance between the first ends () of those two further channels (). Pressure sensors () may be coupled to the second ends () of the further channels, which may be closed.

Conduit

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.

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Preston, United Kingdom

Mark Alfred Potter