METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR VACUUM POWDER PLACEMENT IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

• Main Authors: DIAL, Laura, Cerully, VINCIQUERRA, Anthony, Joseph, OPPENHEIMER, Scott, Michael
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 01.11.2023
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A method (110) for fabricating a component (30) of with an additive manufacturing system (10) include entraining (114) a first portion of first material particles (26) in an airflow generated by a vacuum source (32) and engaging the first portion of the first material particles (26) against an air permeable screen (40). The first portion of the first material particles (26) is deposited onto a build platform (22). The method (110) also includes entraining (120) a second portion of second material particles (28) in the airflow and engaging the second portion of the second material particles (28) against the air permeable screen (40). The second portion of the second material particles (28) is deposited onto the build platform (22). An energy source (12) transfers heat (124) to at least a portion of at least one of the first portion of the first material particles (26) or the second portion of the second material particles (28) to facilitate consolidating the material particles (26, 28) to fabricate the component (30).