# US 10,766,246 B2 · Additive manufacturing

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- Number: US 10,766,246 B2
- Document ID: US10766246B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/518,477
- Filed: 2014-12-15
- Published: 2017-09-28
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-15
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Krzysztof Nauka; Sivapackia Ganapathiappan; Lihua Zhao; Howard S. Tom; Yan Zhao; Hou T. Ng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766246B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/153: using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
- B29C 64/165: using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
- B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B29C 70/68: by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers {, e.g. foam blocks (mould constructions therefor B29C33/12; joining preformed parts by moulding B29C65/70)}
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B22F 2998/00: Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
- B29K 2077/00: Use of {PA, i.e.} polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- 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
- 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
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

In one example, a non-transitory processor readable medium with instructions thereon that when executed cause an additive manufacturing machine to partially or completely bury a part in layers of molten build material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An additive manufacturing process, comprising:
forming a first layer of powdered build material;
dispensing a coalescing agent on to powdered build material in the first layer in a pattern corresponding to a first object slice;
dispensing a coalescence modifier agent on to powdered build material in the first layer surrounding build material patterned with coalescing agent;
solidifying build material in the first layer patterned with coalescing agent to form the first object slice; then
melting some or all of the first object slice;
after melting some or all of the first object slice, pressing a part into melted first object slice wherein some of the melted first object slice is displaced by the part;
forming a second layer of powdered build material on the first object slice and covering the part;
dispensing a coalescing agent on to powdered build material in the second layer in a pattern corresponding to a second object slice;
dispensing a coalescence modifier agent on to powdered build material in the second layer surrounding build material patterned with coalescing agent; and
solidifying build material in the second layer patterned with coalescing agent to form the second object slice covering the part.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the solidifying includes:
exposing build material patterned with coalescing agent to light to melt the patterned build material; and
cooling the melted build material or allowing the melted to build material to cool.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the solidifying includes exposing build material patterned with coalescing agent to light to sinter the patterned build material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein:
forming a first layer of powdered build material includes forming multiple first layers successively one over another;
dispensing a coalescing agent on to powdered build material in the first layer in a pattern corresponding to a first object slice includes dispensing a coalescing agent on to powdered build material in each of the successive first layers in a pattern corresponding to an object slice;
dispensing a coalescence modifier agent on to powdered build material in the first layer surrounding build material patterned with coalescing agent includes dispensing a coalescence modifier agent on to powdered build material in each of the successive first layers surrounding build material patterned with coalescing agent;
solidifying build material in the first layer patterned with coalescing agent to form the first object slice includes solidifying build material in each of the successive first layers patterned with coalescing agent to form each of multiple first object slices;
melting some or all of the first object slice includes melting some or all of the multiple first object slices; and
pressing a part into melted first object slice includes pressing the part into melted multiple first object slices.

### Claim 5

A tangible non-transitory processor readable medium having instructions thereon that when executed cause an additive manufacturing machine to:
form a first layer of powdered build material;
dispense a coalescing agent on to powdered build material in the first layer in a pattern corresponding to a first object slice;
dispense a coalescence modifier agent on to powdered build material in the first layer surrounding build material patterned with coalescing agent;
solidify build material in the first layer patterned with coalescing agent to form the first object slice; then
melt some or all of the first object slice;
after melting some or all of the first object slice, press a part into melted first object slice wherein some of the melted first object slice is displaced by the part;
form a second layer of powdered build material on the first object slice and covering the part;
dispense a coalescing agent on to powdered build material in the second layer in a pattern corresponding to a second object slice;
dispense a coalescence modifier agent on to powdered build material in the second layer surrounding build material patterned with coalescing agent; and
solidify build material in the second layer patterned with coalescing agent to form the second object slice covering the part.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The medium of claim 5, wherein the instructions to solidify include instructions to:
expose build material patterned with coalescing agent to light to melt the patterned build material; and
cool the melted build material or allow the melted to build material to cool.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The medium of claim 5, wherein the instructions to solidify include instructions to expose build material patterned with coalescing agent to light to sinter the patterned build material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

An additive manufacturing machine controller that includes the processor readable medium of claim 5.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

A computer program product that includes the processor readable medium of claim 5.

### Claim 10

An additive manufacturing machine, comprising:
a first device to layer powdered build material;
a second device to dispense a coalescing agent on to powdered build material;
a third device to dispense a coalescence modifier agent on to powdered build material;
a light source to apply light energy to build material;
a fourth device to place parts;
a heater; and
a controller to execute instructions to:
cause the first device to form a first layer of powdered build material;
cause the second device to dispense a coalescing agent on to powdered build material in the first layer in a pattern corresponding to a first object slice;
cause the third device to dispense a coalescence modifier agent on to powdered build material in the first layer surrounding build material patterned with coalescing agent;
cause the light source to apply light energy to build material in the first layer patterned with coalescing agent to form the first object slice; then
cause the heater to melt some or all of the first object slice;
after melting some or all of the first object slice, cause the fourth device to press a part into melted first object slice wherein some of the melted first object slice is displaced by the part;
cause the first device to form a second layer of powdered build material on the first object slice and covering the part;
cause the second device to dispense a coalescing agent on to powdered build material in the second layer in a pattern corresponding to a second object slice;
cause the third device to dispense a coalescence modifier agent on to powdered build material in the second layer surrounding build material patterned with coalescing agent; and
cause the light source to apply light energy to build material in the second layer patterned with coalescing agent to form the second object slice covering the part.