Additive manufactured components including sacrifical caps and methods of forming same

An additive manufactured component, the component comprising:

• a body portion including a first surface;
• a feature formed in the body portion, the feature including an aperture formed through the first surface of the body portion;
• and
• a sacrificial cap formed integral with at least a portion of the first surface of the body portion, the sacrificial cap including:
• a conduit in fluid communication with the feature, the conduit including:
• a first opening in direct fluid communication with the aperture of the feature, and
• a second opening formed opposite the first opening and exposed on a surface of the sacrificial cap, the second opening in fluid communication with the first opening via the conduit, and
• wherein the sacrificial cap including the conduit is configured to be removed from the body portion to expose the first surface and the aperture of the feature;
• and further wherein:
• the body portion includes a first material density, and
• the sacrificial cap includes a second material density, the second material density less than the first material density.

An additive manufactured component, the component comprising:

• a body portion;
• a plurality of channels formed in the body portion, each of the plurality of channels including:
• a first aperture formed through a first surface of the body portion;
• and
• a second aperture formed through one of the first surface or a second surface of the body portion;
• and
• a sacrificial cap formed integral with at least a portion of the first surface of the body portion, the sacrificial cap including:
• a plurality of conduits, each of the plurality of conduits including a first opening in fluid communication with a corresponding channel of the plurality of channels, and
• a manifold in fluid communication with each of the plurality of channels, the manifold including:
• at least one second opening in fluid communication with the first opening of each of the plurality of conduits via the manifold, the at least one second opening exposed on a surface of the sacrificial cap,
• wherein the sacrificial cap is configured to be removed from the body portion to expose the first surface and the aperture of each of the plurality of channels, further including a recess formed on the first surface of the body portion.

A method of forming a component using an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:

• building a body portion of the component directly on a build plate, the body portion including:
• a feature formed in the body portion, the feature including an aperture formed through a surface of the body portion;
• building a sacrificial cap directly on and integral with the surface of the body portion of the component, the sacrificial cap including a conduit in fluid communication with the feature;
• performing at least one post-build process on the component including the body portion and the sacrificial cap;
• and
• removing the sacrificial cap from the body portion of the component to expose the surface of the body portion and the aperture of the feature.