公开(公告)号：US20200254691A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-13

申请号：US16761754

申请日：2018-11-06

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Justin Mamrak ,  MacKenzie Ryan Redding ,  Jordan Maxine Shoemaker ,  Michael Thomas Gansler

IPC: B29C64/357 ,  B22F3/105 ,  B29C64/165 ,  B29C64/35 ,  B33Y30/00

Abstract: An additive manufacturing machine (910) includes a build unit (920) comprising a powder dispenser (906) including a hopper (1004) for receiving a volume of additive powder (1006). A powder supply system (1000) includes a powder supply source (1010) for providing additive powder (1006) into the hopper (1004) during a refill process. A powder reclamation system (1002) includes a vacuum pump (1030) coupled to a vacuum duct (1034, 1036) defining a suction inlet (1040) positioned for collecting misdirected additive powder (1006) dispensed during the refill process. A return duct (1038) includes a filter mechanism (1050) may filter and return the collected additive powder (1006) back to the powder supply source (1010) for reuse.

公开(公告)号：US20200254522A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-13

申请号：US16761722

申请日：2018-11-02

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： MacKenzie Ryan Redding ,  Justin Mamrak

IPC: B22F3/105 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatuses (200) for additive manufacturing with improved powder (702) distribution capabilities. One aspect involves a mobile build unit (700) that can be moved around in two to three dimensions by a positioning system, to build separate portions of an object, such as a large object. The mobile build unit (700) may be used with an energy directing device (712) that directs irradiation onto a powder (702) layer. In the case of laser irradiation, the mobile build unit (700) may be used with a gasflow device (713A, 713B) that provides laminar gas flow to a laminar flow zone (714) above the layer of powder (703). The mobile build unit (700) of the present disclosure also has a recoater (705) concentrically surrounding a mobile build area, the re-coater (705) allowing the mobile build unit (700) to selectively deposit particular quantities of powder (702) in specific locations over a work surface in order to build large, high quality, high precision objects.

公开(公告)号：US20190134891A1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-09

申请号：US15807434

申请日：2017-11-08

Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY

Inventor： Justin Mamrak ,  MacKenzie Ryan Redding ,  Zachary David Fieldman

IPC: B29C64/153 ,  B22F3/105 ,  B29C64/273 ,  B23K26/144 ,  B29C64/386 ,  B29C64/245

Abstract: A method of fabricating an object by additive manufacturing is provided. The method includes measuring a build surface for building the object, determining which areas of the build surface are depressed, and initiating a build of the object at one of the depressed areas of the build surface. The initial building includes the steps of depositing a given layer of powder at the one depressed area of the build surface, fusing the given layer of powder at the one depressed area, and depositing a subsequent layer of powder at the one depressed area. The steps are repeating until the build surface is at a layer that is unified across the build surface.