Control methods for additive manufacturing system
AssigneeContinuous Composites Inc.
InventorsKenneth Lyle Tyler, Blake L. Alfson, Josiah D. Coad, Kaleb Forrest Beebout
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for controlling an additive manufacturing system. The method may include causing a head to discharge composite material along a first trajectory, and activating a cure enhancer to at least partially cure composite material discharging from the head along the first trajectory. The method may also include selectively deactivating the cure enhancer as the head nears a corner location, moving the head to a second trajectory after the head reaches the corner location, and reactivating the cure enhancer after moving the head to the second trajectory.
Claims16
A method for controlling an additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- causing a head to discharge composite material along a first trajectory;
- activating a cure enhancer to at least partially cure composite material discharging from the head along the first trajectory;
- selectively deactivating the cure enhancer as the head nears a corner location;
- moving the head to a second trajectory after the head reaches the corner location;
- and
- reactivating the cure enhancer after moving the head to the second trajectory;
- wherein:
- causing the head to discharge composite material includes causing the head to move at a first travel speed;
- the method further includes stepping up a travel speed of the head to a second travel speed higher than the first travel speed as the head is moving to the second trajectory;
- stepping up the travel speed includes momentarily stepping up the travel speed;
- and
- the method further includes dropping the travel speed of the head to a third travel speed slower than the first travel speed after the head reaches the second trajectory.
A method for controlling an additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- causing a head to discharge composite material along a first trajectory toward a corner location;
- causing the head to discharge a minimum length of composite material after the head has passed the corner location during movement along the first trajectory;
- and
- moving the head and the minimum length of the composite material to a second trajectory;
- wherein:
- causing the head to discharge the composite material along the first trajectory includes causing the head to move at a first travel speed;
- and
- the method further includes:
- momentarily stepping up a travel speed of the head to a second travel speed higher than the first travel speed after the head has been moved to the second trajectory;
- dropping the travel speed of the head to a third travel speed slower than the first travel speed after momentarily stepping up the travel speed;
- and
- ramping up the travel speed of the head from the third travel speed to the first travel speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.