Metal powder fusion manufacturing with improved quality
US11833587B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 12, 2021 |
| Grant date | Dec 5, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 8, 2042 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P10/25
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional article is provided for a system including a powder handling module containing stored metal powder. The stored metal powder includes used metal powder that was previously part of the metal powder loaded into a print engine during a previous fabrication process. The method includes (1) loading a volume of the metal powder into an agitation device, (2) operating the agitation device until an avalanche angle of the metal powder is modified to within a specified range to provide a volume of usable metal powder, (3) loading the usable metal powder into a three-dimensional print engine, and (4) operating the print engine to fabricate a the three-dimensional article. This process improves coating quality within the print engine. Improving coating quality improves dimensional accuracy of the three-dimensional article along with reducing defects resulting from coating artifacts.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.