Method and apparatus for fabricating a composite object
AssigneeLaing O'Rourke Australia Pty Limited
InventorJames Bruce Gardiner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for fabricating a composite object with a computer-controlled apparatus, and the apparatus therefor. The comprises a reservoir containing liquid, curable first material, means to selectively solidify the first material and means to selectively deposit a second material. The method involves the steps of selectively depositing portions of the second material, and selectively solidifying portions of the first material, such that the solidified portions of the first material and the deposited portions of the second material form the composite object.
Claims25
A method for fabricating a composite object comprising two structures using a computer-controlled apparatus, the apparatus comprising a deposition head in communication with a supply of first material, a reservoir containing a substantially liquid, curable second material, and an activation head for solidifying the second material, the activation head and deposition head being movable relative to the reservoir and selectively operable independent of each other, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving, by the apparatus, computer instructions relating to the composite object geometry;
- moving and selectively operating the deposition head to deposit portions of the first material in respective specific locations, whereby the deposited portions of the first material join to each other to form a first structure corresponding with a first portion of the composite object geometry;
- and
- moving the activation head relative to the reservoir, and selectively operating the activation head to solidify portions of the second material contained in the reservoir in respective specific locations, whereby the solidified portions of the second material join to each other to form a second structure corresponding with a second portion of the composite object geometry;
- wherein the steps of selectively operating the deposition head and selectively operating the activation head are executed independently of each other, and
- wherein the first structure and the second structure are progressively fabricated until the first structure and second structure are joined, thereby forming the composite object.
A computer-controlled apparatus for fabricating a composite object, the apparatus comprising:
- a deposition head in communication with a supply of first material and adapted to expel the first material therefrom;
- a reservoir containing a substantially liquid, curable second material;
- an activation head for solidifying the second material contained in the reservoir, the activation head being movable relative to the reservoir;
- and
- a controller configured to move and operate the activation head and the deposition head responsive to computer instructions relating to the composite object geometry;
- wherein the deposition head is movable relative to the reservoir, and the deposition head and the activation head are operable independent of each other;
- and
- wherein the controller moves and selectively operates the deposition head to deposit portions of the first material in respective specific locations corresponding with a first portion of the composite object geometry, wherein the portions of the first material join to each other to form a first structure, and
- the controller moves and selectively operates the activation head to solidify portions of the second material contained in the reservoir in respective specific locations corresponding with a second portion of the composite object geometry, wherein the portions of the second material join to each other to form a second structure, and
- wherein the first structure and the second structure are progressively fabricated until the structures join and form the composite object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.