Device and method for cleaning an orifice in a metal drop ejecting three-dimensional (3D) metal object

• Main Authors: Balthasar, Brian M, Sheflin, Joseph C, Knausdorf, Peter, Sukhotskiy, Viktor, Liu, Chu-Heng
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 12.12.2023
• 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; CLEANING; CLEANING IN GENERAL; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; WORKING METALLIC POWDER

A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with an orifice cleaning system that removes metal drops that have adhered to a plate, an orifice in the plate, and a nozzle ejecting melted metal drops through the orifice during object forming operations. The orifice cleaning system includes an orifice cleaning tool that consists essentially of a soft carbon material, such as graphite. The orifice cleaning tool is configured with a handle that is gripped by an articulated arm to move the orifice cleaning tool against the plate, the orifice, and a portion of the nozzle at the orifice.