Methods and systems for additive manufacturing

• Main Authors: Matthews, William T, Kottman, Michael A, Blankenship, George D
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 25.01.2022
• Subjects: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY; ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OFTHREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVEAGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING,STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING; CASTING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; MACHINE TOOLS; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; TRANSPORTING; WELDING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM; WORKING METALLIC POWDER

An additive manufacturing system includes an electrode head comprising an array of electrodes for depositing material to form a three-dimensional attachment structure connecting first and second prefabricated metallic parts. The array includes a first plurality of electrodes formed from a first metallic material having a first ductility and a first hardness, and a second plurality of electrodes formed from a second metallic material having a second ductility and a second hardness, wherein the first ductility is greater than the second ductility and the second hardness is greater than the first hardness. A power source provides power for heating each electrode. A drive roll system drives each electrode. A controller is connected to the power source to control operations of the additive manufacturing system to form an interior portion of the attachment structure using the first plurality of electrodes, and control the operations of the additive manufacturing system to form an exterior portion of the attachment structure using the second plurality of electrodes, such that ductility of the interior portion of the attachment structure is greater than ductility of the exterior portion of the attachment structure.