# US 10,871,766 B2 · Device for controlling additive manufacturing machinery

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- Number: US 10,871,766 B2
- Document ID: US10871766B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/426,568
- Filed: 2019-05-30
- Published: 2019-09-19
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- 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/US10871766B2

## CPC

- B23K 26/127: {in an enclosure}
- 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 10/80: Data acquisition or data processing
- B22F 12/00: Apparatus or devices specially adapted for additive manufacturing; Auxiliary means for additive manufacturing; Combinations of additive manufacturing apparatus or devices with other processing apparatus or devices
- B22F 12/41: characterised by the type, e.g. laser or electron beam
- B23K 15/0006: {specially adapted for particular articles or work}
- B23K 15/002: {Devices involving relative movement between electron beam and workpiece}
- B23K 15/0026: {Auxiliary equipment}
- B23K 15/0086: {welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. build-up welding}
- B23K 15/0093: {characterised by the properties of the materials to be welded}
- B23K 15/02: Control circuits therefor
- B23K 15/06: within a vacuum chamber (B23K15/04 takes precedence)
- B23K 26/034: {Observing the temperature of the workpiece}
- B23K 26/082: Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
- B23K 26/1224: {in vacuum}
- B23K 26/342: Build-up welding
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- G05B 19/4099: Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
- G05B 19/416: characterised by control of velocity, acceleration or deceleration (G05B19/19 takes precedence)
- H01J 37/3026: {Patterning strategy}
- H01J 37/305: for casting, melting, evaporating, or etching
- B22F 10/366: Scanning parameters, e.g. hatch distance or scanning strategy
- B22F 12/30: Platforms or substrates
- B22F 12/49: Scanners
- B22F 12/52: Hoppers
- B22F 2203/11: temperature, temperature profile
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- B23K 2103/00: Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- G05B 2219/49007: Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface
- G05B 2219/49023: 3-D printing, layer of powder, add drops of binder in layer, new powder
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- Y02P 70/10: Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working
- 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
- 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
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- 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 a processing temperature for a material used to manufacture the part,
determine 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,
determine 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 for each line is a function of the processing temperature of the material used to manufacture the part, the length of the line, and the radiation beam power for the line,
generate a first signal to be received by a first component that controls power delivered by the radiation beam, control the power delivered to the radiation beam based on the first signal, the first signal including an electrical characteristic or data that varies according to each determined radiation beam power, and
generate a second signal to be received by a second component that controls a motion of the radiation beam, control the motion of the radiation beam based on the second signal, the second signal including an electrical characteristic or data that varies according to each determined radiation beam scan speed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computing device of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the material establishes a relationship between the radiation beam scan speed and the radiation beam power for a plurality of lengths of the line and the processing element determines the radiation beam scan speed for each line from the relationship using the length of the line and the radiation beam power as independent variables.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processing element is further configured to communicate the radiation beam power and the radiation beam scan speed for each line of the path for each cross section to the additive manufacturing machine.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processing element is further configured to
receive information regarding the material to be used to manufacture the part, and
determine the temperature for the material as the radiation beam strikes it and melts it, wherein the temperature varies according to a type of the material.

### Claim 5 (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 6 (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 7 (depends on 1)

The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processing element determines the radiation beam power to scan each of the lines, such that the power increases logarithmically with an increase in the length of the line.

### Claim 8

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,
determine 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,
determine a plurality of electron beam scan speeds, one electron beam scan speed for each line of each path, such that the electron beam scan speed for each line is a function of a processing temperature of a material used to manufacture the part, the length of the line, and the electron beam power for the line,
generate a first signal to be received by a first component that controls power delivered by the radiation beam, control the power delivered to the radiation beam based on the first signal, the first signal including an electrical characteristic or data that varies according to each determined radiation beam power, and
generate a second signal to be received by a second component that controls a motion of the radiation beam, control the motion of the radiation beam based on the second signal, the second signal including an electrical characteristic or data that varies according to each determined radiation beam scan speed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The electron beam melt machine of claim 8, wherein the temperature of the material establishes a relationship between the radiation beam scan speed and the radiation beam power for a plurality of lengths of the line and the processing element determines the radiation beam scan speed for each line from the relationship using the length of the line and the radiation beam power as independent variables.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The electron beam melt machine of claim 8, wherein the processing element is further configured to communicate the electron beam power and the electron beam scan speed for each line of the path for each cross section to the electron beam melt machine.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The computing device of claim 8, wherein the processing element is further configured to
receive information regarding the material to be used to manufacture the part, and
determine the temperature for the material as the electron beam strikes it and melts it, wherein the temperature varies according to a type of the material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The electron beam melt machine of claim 8, wherein the electron beam power and the electron beam scan speed to scan one line determined by the processing element are each constant for the entire length of the line.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The electron beam melt machine of claim 8, wherein the processing element determines the electron beam power to scan each of the lines, such that the power increases logarithmically with an increase in the length of the line.

### Claim 14

A method for controlling the operation of an electron beam melt machine, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a three-dimensional model including data defining a plurality of cross sections of a part to be manufactured;
determining a plurality of paths, one path across a surface of each cross section, each path including a plurality of parallel lines;
determining a plurality of electron beam powers, one electron beam power for each line of each path, such that the electron beam power varies from line to line non-linearly according to a length of the line;
determining a plurality of electron beam scan speeds, one electron beam scan speed for each line of each path, such that the electron beam scan speed is a function of a temperature of a material used to manufacture the part, the length of the line, and the electron beam power for the line;
generating a first signal to be received by a first component that controls power delivered by the radiation beam, controlling the power delivered to the radiation beam based on the first signal, the first signal including an electrical characteristic or data that varies according to each determined radiation beam power; and
generating a second signal to be received by a second component that controls a motion of the radiation beam, controlling the motion of the radiation beam based on the second signal, the second signal including an electrical characteristic or data that varies according to each determined radiation beam scan speed.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the temperature of the material establishes a relationship between the radiation beam scan speed and the radiation beam power for a plurality of lengths of the line and the method further comprises determining the radiation beam scan speed for each line from the relationship using the length of the line and the radiation beam power as independent variables.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating the electron beam power and the electron beam scan speed for each line of the path for each cross section to the electron beam melt machine.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising
receiving information regarding the material to be used to manufacture the part, and
determining the temperature for the material as the electron beam strikes it and melts it, wherein the temperature varies according to a type of the material.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the power for the electron beam to scan one line determined by the processing element is constant for the entire length of the line.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the scan speed for the electron beam to scan one line determined by the processing element is constant for the entire length of the line.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the processing element determines the power for the electron beam to scan each of the lines, such that the power increases logarithmically with an increase in the length of the line.