System and method for additive manufacturing with toolpath bridges and resultant structure

US11534977B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• UT-BATTELLE, LLC · US

Inventors

• Seokpum Kim · Oak Ridge, US
• Vlastimil Kune · Knoxville, US
• Ahmed A. Hassen · Knoxville, US
• John M. Lindahl · Halls, US
• Brian K. Post · Knoxville, US
• Alex C. Roschli · Knoxville, US
• Phillip C. Chesser · Knoxville, US
• Michael C. Borish · Knoxville, US
• Gregory D. Dreifus · Cambridge, US
• Lonnie J. Love · Knoxville, US
• Craig A. Blue · Knoxville, US
• Bentley T. Beard, II · Knoxville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 23, 2020
• Grant date: Dec 27, 2022
• Expiry date: Apr 21, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B2219/49023
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system and method for improving additive manufacturing, including additive manufacturing toolpaths, is provided. The system and method includes a toolpath generator that obtains initial toolpaths of an object, identifies isolated paths in the toolpaths, and adds bridge connections between neighboring isolated paths in each layer to improve the toolpaths. The bridge connections facilitate the continuous and non-stop deposition of each layer according to improved toolpaths during additive manufacture, which can reduce total deposition time and improve the resultant additive manufacture.