LIQUID METAL EJECTOR DUAL SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHODS THEREOF

• Main Authors: Herrmann, Douglas K, Praharaj, Seemit, LeFevre, Jason M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.05.2023
• 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; CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MEASURING; MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUIDLEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; POWDER METALLURGY; TESTING; TRANSPORTING; WORKING METALLIC POWDER

A metal ejecting apparatus is disclosed. The metal ejecting apparatus includes a nozzle orifice in connection with the inner cavity and configured to eject one or more droplets of a liquid metal may include the metal printing material, and a first sensor pair in contact with an internal surface of a lower portion of the inner cavity. Each sensor pair is electrically connected to a printing material feed system where the printing material feed system is configured to receive an electrical signal indicative of an electrical connection from each sensor pair when the metal printing material bridges the electrical connection between each sensor in each sensor pair. A method of controlling level in a metal jetting apparatus is also disclosed.