High-strength light-weight lattice-cored additive manufactured compressor components

A method of making a light-weight, high-strength compressor component for a scroll compressor for a heating or cooling system that circulates a working fluid comprising a refrigerant, the method comprising:

• applying energy in a predetermined pattern to a metal powder precursor to create a fused solid structure via an additive manufacturing process, wherein the fused solid structure defines a compressor component having a metallic lattice structure comprising a plurality of cells and a surface layer comprising a metal disposed over and entirely enclosing the metallic lattice structure to define an interior sealed region, wherein the surface layer seals the component from the working fluid comprising the refrigerant, wherein the compressor component has a tensile strength of greater than or equal to about 32,000 psi (about 220 MPa), wherein the plurality of cells comprises a first cell having a first maximum average dimension and a second cell having a second maximum dimension, wherein the first maximum average dimension and the second maximum average dimension are distinct from one another to provide a lattice structure having a varying cell density, wherein the body portion comprises:
• (i) a first region having a first deflection level and a second region having a second deflection level distinct from the first deflection level and/or (ii) a first region having a first stiffness and a second region having a second stiffness distinct from the first stiffness.

A compressor for a heating or cooling system, the compressor comprising:

• a compression mechanism configured to increase pressure of a working fluid comprising a refrigerant circulating in the heating or cooling system;
• and
• at least one light-weight, high-strength compressor component comprising a body portion having at least one sealed interior region that comprises a metallic lattice structure comprising a plurality of cells formed via additive manufacturing and a surface layer comprising a metal disposed over and entirely enclosing the metallic lattice structure to seal the component from the working fluid comprising the refrigerant, wherein the compressor component has a tensile strength of greater than or equal to about 32,000 psi (about 220 MPa) configured to withstand distortion and deflection due to operating pressures of the working fluid processed in the compression mechanism, wherein the body portion comprises a first region having a first deflection level and a second region having a second deflection level distinct from the first deflection level and wherein the plurality of cells comprises a first cell having a first maximum average dimension and a second cell having a second maximum dimension, wherein the first maximum average dimension and the second maximum average dimension are distinct from one another to provide a lattice structure having a varying cell density.