Howmedica Osteonics Corporation

The University of Liverpool

The Boeing Company

United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Ipg Photonics Corporation

The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge

Laser Fusion Technologies Ltd.

William O'Neill

Eric Jones

Christopher John Sutcliffe

Robin Stamp

Martin Sparkes

Diego Punin

Patrick Jerome Kiley

Andrew Timothy Payne

Lewis Mullen

Steven B Fairchild

Joseph Leo Dallarosa

David Squires

Rocco Lupoi

Andrew Cockburn

Matthew Bray

Andrew Payne

Jonathon Parkins

Martin R Sparkes

Daniel P Gortat

Systems and methods additively manufacturing an object by applying heat to a first plurality of metallic particles in a powder bed using a first heat source, wherein the first heat source is one of multiple heat sources configured into an array, and the first heat source generates a first melt pool. Heat is simultaneously applied to a second plurality of metallic particles in the powder bed using a second heat source of the multiple heat sources in the array to generate a second melt pool. The first plurality of metallic particles are separated from the second plurality of metallic particles by a distance, wherein the distance and an amount of heat from each heat source is controlled to generate a combined melt pool that is larger in size and encompasses the first and second melt pools. The combined melt pool is allowed to solidify to form the object.

Laser array for laser powder bed fusion processing of metal alloys

The present invention disclosed a method of producing a three-dimensional porous tissue in-growth structure. The method includes the steps of depositing a first layer of metal powder and scanning the first layer of metal powder with a laser beam to form a portion of a plurality of predetermined unit cells. Depositing at least one additional layer of metal powder onto a previous layer and repeating the step of scanning a laser beam for at least one of the additional layers in order to continuing forming the predetermined unit cells. The method further includes continuing the depositing and scanning steps to form a medical implant.

Laser-produced porous surface

A component is fabricated in an additive manufacturing process. Only a portion of a first layer of a first material is at least partially melted to define a first component layer of the component. Only a portion of the second layer of a second material is at least partially melted to define a second component layer of the component in which the entirety of the second component layer is formed simultaneously, and the second component layer is attached to the first component layer.

Fabrication of components using shaped energy beam profiles

A method for reducing outgassing from a metal surface comprises applying energy from an energy source to the metal surface sufficient to melt the metal surface; and allowing the metal surface to re-solidify, wherein the re-solidified metal surface comprises larger grains and fewer grain boundaries, reducing outgassing sites for a trapped gas. Applying energy from an energy source is performed in a raster scan pattern. Adjacent passes in the raster scan pattern overlap sufficiently to melt the entire metal surface. The energy source is a laser, such as a CW Yb fiber laser. A spot size and applied energy of the laser energy source applied to the metal surface is sufficient to melt the entire metal surface (appropriate for the absorption and reflection characteristics of the treated material). The application of energy from an energy source releases at least some of a gas trapped in the metal. The trapped gas is atomic hydrogen. The metal surface comprises an electrode of a high power system device. The metal surface is in one of a high-vacuum environment and a vacuum electronic device. The metal surface comprises at least one of steel, stainless steel, nickel, and copper.

Laser surface melting for outgassing reduction

Systems and methods for multiple beam additive manufacturing use multiple beams of light (e.g., laser light) simultaneously to expose layers of powder material in selected regions until the powder material fuses to form voxels, which form build layers of a three-dimensional structure. The light may be generated from selected light sources and coupled into an array of optical fibers having output ends arranged in an optical head such that the multiple beams are directed by the optical head to different locations on each of the powder layers. The multiple beams may provide distributed exposures forming a distributed exposure pattern including beam spots that are spaced sufficiently to separate the fused regions formed by each exposure. The multiple beams may be moved using various techniques (e.g., by moving the optical head) and according to various scan patterns such that a plurality of multiple beam distributed exposures form each build layer.

Multiple beam additive manufacturing

A process and apparatus are disclosed for the deposition of a layer of a first material onto a substrate of a second material. Powder particles of the first material are entrained into a carrier gas flow to form a powder beam directed to impinge on the substrate. This defines a powder beam footprint region at the substrate. The powder beam and the substrate are moved relative to each other to move the powder beam footprint relative to the substrate, thereby to deposit the layer of the first material. A laser is operated to cause direct, local heating of at least one of a forward substrate region and a powder beam footprint region. The laser beam direction is defined with reference to a plane coincident with or tangential to a surface of the substrate at the center of the laser beam footprint in terms of an elevation angle from the plane to the laser beam direction and in terms of an acute azimuthal angle from the movement direction to the laser beam direction. The elevation angle is 80&#xb0; or less and the azimuthal angle is &#xb1;60&#xb0; or less. In the apparatus, there are provided at least three laser sources arrayed around the powder beam footprint, the angular spacing between the laser sources being 120&#xb0; or less.

Deposition of coatings on substrates

A method of fabricating a porous or partially porous three-dimensional metal article for use as a tissue ingrowth surface on a prosthesis. The porous article is formed using direct laser remelting in a cross section of a layer of metallic powder on a build platform without fusing thereto. The power, speed, spot size and beam overlap of the scanning laser is coordinated so that a predetermined porosity of the metallic powder can be achieved. Laser factors also vary depending from the thickness of the powder layer, type of metallic powder and size and size distribution of the powder particles. Successive depositing and remelting of individual layers are repeated until the article is fully formed by a layer-by-layer fashion. In an additional embodiment, a first layer of metallic powder may be deposited on a solid base or core and fused thereto.

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, United Kingdom

William O'Neill