Additive manufacturing of parts comprising electrophoretic and electrolytic deposits

Abstract

Described herein are methods and systems for additive manufacturing of parts comprising electrolytic deposits and electrophoretic deposits. Such methods and methods provide various new ways for integrating different materials into composite parts. Specifically, an additive manufacturing system comprises an electrode array with individually-addressable electrodes. Each individually-addressable electrode is coupled to a separate deposition control circuit, which selectively connects this electrode to a power supply. When forming a composite part, the electrode array can control the location of each electrolytic deposit (by controlling the current flow through each individually-addressable electrode) and each electrophoretic deposit (by controlling the electric field distribution). An electrolyte solution or an electrophoretic suspension is provided between the electrode array and deposition electrode to form corresponding deposits. In addition to the electrode-array provided control, alternating the electrolytic and electrophoretic deposition operations can be used to locate the corresponding deposits within a composite part.