# US 10,478,897 B2 · Sheet metal system and manufacturing process joining incremental forming and direct metal deposition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,897 B2 - Document ID: US10478897B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/398,164 - Filed: 2017-01-04 - Published: 2018-07-05 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-04 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Yiran Tong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478897B2 ## CPC - B22F 7/04: with one or more layers not made from powder, e.g. made from solid metal - B21D 31/005: {Incremental shaping or bending, e.g. stepwise moving a shaping tool along the surface of the workpiece (B21D22/14 takes precedence)} - B22F 5/10: of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups - B22F 7/08: with one or more parts not made from powder {(B22F7/062 takes precedence)} - B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B22F 2007/042: {characterised by the layer forming method} - B23K 2101/006: {Vehicles} - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - 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 - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - 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 - 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 - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition, includes a plate. A groove is created in the plate. A direct metal deposition tool is positioned within the groove. A material is deposited by the direct metal deposition tool onto a surface within the groove creating a rib. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition, including: a retractable and extendable incremental forming tool supported together with a direct metal deposition tool by a tool holding head; a plate; a groove created in the plate, in a first stage to a first groove depth; the direct metal deposition tool temporarily positioned within the groove; a material deposited by the direct metal deposition tool onto a surface within the groove creating a rib defining a first height rib extending through the first groove depth, the rib directly connected for an entire length of the first height rib to a vertical wall defined by the groove, the first height rib oriented transverse to the vertical wall; the groove when modified in a second stage has a second groove depth greater than the first groove depth; and an additional amount of the material deposited onto the first height rib after the second stage creates a second height rib extending through the second groove depth. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition of claim 1, wherein the rib extends across an entire width of the groove transverse to a longitudinal axis of the groove. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition of claim 1, wherein the material is deposited by the direct metal deposition tool onto an additional surface of the plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition of claim 1, further including a movable machine portion movable toward and away from a table, the movable machine portion having: a tool holding head whose movement is controlled by a computer operated machine; and a retractable and extendable incremental forming tool supported by the tool holding head, the incremental forming tool adapted to depress the plate to create the groove. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition of claim 4, wherein the direct metal deposition tool is supported by the tool holding head. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition of claim 1, wherein the direct metal deposition tool defines a 3D printer head. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition of claim 1, wherein a final height of the rib includes multiple layers of material individually and sequentially deposited by the direct metal deposition tool. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition of claim 7, wherein the rib having the final height is repeated at multiple locations in the groove. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition of claim 1, wherein the groove includes opposed groove walls integrally connected to and transversely extending from a groove bottom wall, the groove bottom wall having a convex shaped outer surface in a longitudinal direction of the groove. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition of claim 1, wherein the groove includes: a semi-spherical geometry having a semi-spherical shaped wall; and multiple ones of the ribs including intersecting first and second ribs integrally connected to the semi-spherical shaped wall and to a central connector. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition of claim 1, wherein the groove is formed by the incremental forming tool as a depression below a planar surface defined by a first plate portion and a second plate portion defining the first groove depth, the incremental forming tool further depressed into the groove to deepen the groove thereby creating the second groove depth greater than the first groove depth. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The sheet metal system having incremental forming and direct metal deposition of claim 11, wherein the groove at the first groove depth includes a first groove edge and an opposed second groove edge, and the groove at the second groove depth includes a third groove edge and an opposed fourth groove edge, and wherein the incremental forming tool creates an extended height rib connecting the third groove edge to the fourth groove edge.