UNIT FOR CLEANING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PLATES

• Main Authors: POURCHER, Benoît, WALRAND, Gilles, PIALOT, Frédéric, EFFERNELLI, Albin, TORRES-CASTELLANO, Miguel
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 06.06.2018
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; CASTING; CLEANING; CLEANING IN GENERAL; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING METALLIC POWDER; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

An installation is provided for cleaning a plate used in an additive manufacturing process performed using a powder. The installation includes an entry lock, an exit lock, a dry cleaner, a wet cleaner, and a conveyor system. The entry lock is structured to accept into the installation a plate that is to be cleaned. The exit lock is structured to allow the plate to be extracted from the installation after cleaning. The dry cleaner is structured to clean the plate using vibrations and shocks in a first confinement enclosure. The wet cleaner is structured to clean the plate using at least one liquid in a second confinement enclosure. The conveyor system is structured to transport the plate between the dry cleaner, the wet cleaner, and the exit lock.