# US 10,478,893 B1 · Additive manufacturing using a selective recoater

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- Number: US 10,478,893 B1
- Document ID: US10478893B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/406,461
- Filed: 2017-01-13
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-13
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: MacKenzie Ryan Redding; Zachary David Fieldman; Justin Mamrak
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478893B1

## CPC

- B23K 15/002: {Devices involving relative movement between electron beam and workpiece}
- B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
- B22F 10/32: of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber
- B22F 12/67: Blades
- B23K 15/0086: {welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. build-up welding}
- B23K 26/0876: {in at least two axial directions}
- B23K 26/1437: {for flow-rate control}
- B23K 26/342: Build-up welding
- B23K 37/0235: {the guide member forming part of a portal}
- B29C 64/205: Means for applying layers
- B29C 64/329: using hoppers
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B22F 10/322: of the gas flow, e.g. rate or direction
- B22F 10/40: Structures for supporting workpieces or articles during manufacture and removed afterwards
- B22F 12/44: characterised by the configuration of the radiation means
- B22F 12/49: Scanners
- B22F 12/52: Hoppers
- B22F 12/70: Gas flow means
- B22F 12/90: Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to additive manufacturing systems and methods on a large-scale format. One aspect involves a build unit that can be moved around in three dimensions by a positioning system, building separate portions of a large object. The build unit has an energy directing device that directs, e.g., laser or e-beam irradiation onto a powder layer. In the case of laser irradiation, the build volume may have a gasflow device that provides laminar gas flow to a laminar flow zone above the layer of powder. This allows for efficient removal of the smoke, condensates, and other impurities produced by irradiating the powder (the “gas plume”) without excessively disturbing the powder layer. The build unit may also have a recoater that allows it to selectively deposit particular quantities of powder in specific locations over a work surface to build large, high quality, high precision objects.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a build unit comprising a powder dispenser, a first gas zone positioned immediately over a work surface, a second gas zone contained by an enclosure, a recoater blade, and an irradiation emission directing device, the powder dispenser comprising a powder storage area and at least a first and second gate, the first gate operable by a first actuator that allows opening and closing the first gate, the second gate operable by a second actuator that allows opening and closing the second gate, and each gate adapted to control the dispensation of powder from the powder storage area onto a work surface, the at least first and second gate arranged along the width of the powder dispenser, wherein the build unit moves in an x and y direction over a build envelope.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recoater blade is adapted to provide a layer of powder over a work surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the irradiation emission directing device is adapted to direct an e-beam.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the irradiation emission directing device is adapted to direct a laser beam.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the gasflow device is adapted to provide a substantially laminar flow of gas over the layer of powder.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each actuator is electric or pneumatic.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the powder dispenser and each gate are made out of cobalt-chrome.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the powder dispenser comprises at least ten gates.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the powder dispenser comprises at least twenty gates.

### Claim 10 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the irradiation emission directing device directs the laser beam from a fiber-optic cable.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the irradiation emission directing device directs an irradiation emission beam through the first gas zone.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the irradiation emission directing device directs an irradiation emission beam through the first gas zone and the second gas zone.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the irradiation emission directing device has a largest xy cross sectional area that is smaller than a smallest xy cross sectional area of an object built within the build envelope.