# US 10,864,578 B2 · Device for controlling additive manufacturing machinery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,578 B2 - Document ID: US10864578B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/885,214 - Filed: 2018-01-31 - Published: 2018-06-07 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-29 - Assignees: Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Christian Barr; Wesley Everhart - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864578B2 ## CPC - B22F 3/003: {Apparatus, e.g. furnaces (in general F27B)} - B22F 10/00: Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder (apparatus or devices therefor B22F12/00) - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] - B22F 10/36: of energy beam parameters - B22F 12/38: {Housings, e.g. machine housings} - B22F 12/41: characterised by the type, e.g. laser or electron beam - B22F 12/52: Hoppers - 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 - 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 A computing device for controlling the operation of an additive manufacturing machine comprises a memory element and a processing element. The memory element is configured to store a three-dimensional model of a part to be manufactured, wherein the three-dimensional model defines a plurality of cross sections of the part. The processing element is in communication with the memory element. The processing element is configured to receive the three-dimensional model, determine a plurality of paths, each path including a plurality of parallel lines, determine a radiation beam power for each line, such that the radiation beam power varies non-linearly according to a length of the line, and determine a radiation beam scan speed for each line, such that the radiation beam scan speed is a function of a temperature of a material used to manufacture the part, the length of the line, and the radiation beam power for the line. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computing device for controlling the operation of an additive manufacturing machine, the computing device comprising: a memory element configured to store a three-dimensional model of a part to be manufactured, the three-dimensional model defining a plurality of cross sections of the part; and a processing element in electronic communication with the memory element, the processing element configured to receive the three-dimensional model, determine a plurality of paths, one path across a surface of each cross section, each path including a plurality of parallel lines, receive an ambient processing temperature for a material used to manufacture the part, determine a material processing temperature for each point along each line of each path, determine an energy balance for each point along each line of each path necessary to maintain the material processing temperature, and determine a plurality of process settings to control scanning of a radiation beam along the path of each cross section, the process settings including a plurality of radiation beam powers, one radiation beam power for each line of each path, such that the radiation beam power varies non-linearly according to a length of the line for each line, and a plurality of radiation beam scan speeds, one radiation beam scan speed for each line of each path, such that the radiation beam scan speed is a function of the material processing temperature, the length of the line, and a radiation beam power for the line. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the radiation beam power to scan one line determined by the processing element is constant for the entire length of the line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the radiation beam scan speed to scan one line determined by the processing element is constant for the entire length of the line. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the material processing temperature is a temperature of the material for each point as the radiation beam strikes the point. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the material processing temperature is a maximum temperature of the material for each point. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the material processing temperature is a temperature of the material for each point at a time period after the material reaches a maximum temperature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the energy balance includes a relationship between energy required from the radiation beam to maintain the material processing temperature and a loss of energy in the material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processing element is further configured to generate electronic signals and/or data for a radiation beam power source and radiation beam deflector circuitry such that levels and/or values of the electronic signals and/or data vary according to the process settings. ### Claim 9 An electron beam melt machine comprising: an electron beam generator configured to generate an electron beam utilized to melt and fuse raw material to manufacture a part; and a computing device for controlling the operation of the electron beam melt machine, the computing device comprising a memory element configured to store a three-dimensional model of the part, the three-dimensional model defining a plurality of cross sections of the part, and a processing element in electronic communication with the memory element, the processing element configured to receive the three-dimensional model, determine a plurality of paths, one path across a surface of each cross section, each path including a plurality of parallel lines, receive an ambient processing temperature for a material used to manufacture the part, determine a material processing temperature for each point along each line of each path, determine an energy balance for each point along each line of each path necessary to maintain the material processing temperature, and determine a plurality of process settings to control scanning of an electron beam along the path of each cross section, the process settings including a plurality of electron beam powers, one electron beam power for each line of each path, such that the electron beam power varies non-linearly according to a length of the line for each line but is constant for the entire length of each line, and a plurality of radiation beam scan speeds, one radiation beam scan speed for each line of each path, such that the radiation beam scan speed is a function of the material processing temperature, the length of the line, and a radiation beam power for the line. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electron beam melt machine of claim 9, wherein the energy balance includes a relationship between energy required from the electron beam to maintain the material processing temperature and a loss of energy in the material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The electron beam melt machine of claim 9, wherein the material processing temperature is a temperature of the material for each point as the radiation beam strikes the point. ### Claim 12 A method for controlling the operation of an electron beam melt machine, the method comprising the steps of: receiving the three-dimensional model, determining a plurality of paths, one path across a surface of each cross section, each path including a plurality of parallel lines, receiving an ambient processing temperature for a material used to manufacture the part, determining a material processing temperature for each point along each line of each path, determining an energy balance for each point along each line of each path necessary to maintain the material processing temperature, determining a plurality of process settings to control scanning of an electron beam along the path of each cross section, the process settings including a plurality of electron beam powers, one electron beam power for each line of each path, such that the electron beam power varies non-linearly according to a length of the line for each line but is constant for the entire length of each line, and a plurality of radiation beam scan speeds, one radiation beam scan speed for each line of each path, such that the radiation beam scan speed is a function of the material processing temperature, the length of the line, and a radiation beam power for the line. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the energy balance includes a relationship between energy required from the electron beam to maintain the material processing temperature and a loss of energy in the material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising generating electronic signals and/or data for an electron beam power source and electron beam deflector circuitry such that levels and/or values of the electronic signals and/or data vary according to the process settings.