Additive manufacturing system and method

US11577461B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Christian Thomas Wakelam · Munich, DE
• Rene du Cauze de Nazelle · Garching bei München, DE
• Christian Aalburg · Bad Abbach, DE
• Florian Hoefler · Ismaning, DE
• Jonathan Ong · Garching an der Alz, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 25, 2021
• Grant date: Feb 14, 2023
• Expiry date: May 25, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P10/25
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An additive manufacturing (AM) system includes a housing defining a chamber and a build platform disposed in a lower portion of the chamber. The AM system includes an upper gas inlet disposed in a side-wall and in an upper portion of the chamber and configured to supply an upper gas flow parallel to the build platform. The AM system includes a lower gas inlet in the lower portion of the chamber, wherein the lower gas inlet includes one or more pairs of dividing walls extending from the side-wall toward the build platform and configured to guide the lower gas flow at one or more flow angles with respect to the build platform. The AM system includes at least one gas delivery mechanisms to regulate flow characteristics of the upper and lower gas flows, and includes a gas outlet to discharge the upper and lower gas flows from the chamber.