Manufacturing in microgravity and varying external force environments

An additive manufacturing device operable in a microgravity environment to create a part, the additive manufacturing device comprising:

• an enclosure, the enclosure having an enclosed volume, the enclosure comprising an access door positioned on a front enclosure wall with control electronics to control access through the access door until the access door is released for opening by the control electronics, the enclosure configured to prevent electromagnetic interference;
• an environmental control unit positioned within the enclosed volume and regulating an enclosed volume environment to prevent at least one of outgassing and contamination of the environment within the enclosure during creation of the part and control opening of the door based on contaminant concentration level thresholds as determined by at least one of a measurement of temperature, humidity, air quality and air circulation by at least one sensor in communication with the environmental control unit wherein the environmental control unit is in communication with the control electronics of the access door to prohibit access through the access door until contaminants within the microgravity environment of the enclosed volume, as determined by the at least one sensor, have been secured by the environmental control unit, wherein regulating the enclosed volume environment further comprises the at least one sensor and a contaminant analysis unit configured to detect when at least one contaminant is present, wherein the environmental control unit comprises a grate and at least one filter, separate from the grate, and wherein the contaminants comprise at least one the errant piece of feedstock which is secured at the grate and at least one toxic gas which is secured at the at least one filter within the environmental control unit;
• a removable feedstock source comprising an ABS plastic filament, removably connected at a feedstock source receptacle within the enclosure;
• a removable ABS plastic filament extruder component, positionable in two axes, configured to receive the feedstock from the feedstock source, the extruder heating the received feedstock to a feedstock melting point and depositing the heated feedstock according to part creation instructions, the extruder comprising a release, operable by a hand for removably detaching the extruder from the additive manufacturing device;
• a build platform assembly positioned for movement within the build volume at least one of along a third axis parallel to an axis of the filament extruder component and orthogonal to the axis of the filament extruder component, the build platform assembly comprising:
• a build platform;
• and
• a plurality of alignment mechanisms contacting a build platform underside, configured to level the build platform, the plurality of alignment mechanisms adjusting the orientation of the build platform during part creation;
• and
• a traverse system configured to position the extruder and the build platform according to the part creation instructions, the traverse system comprising a plurality of linear actuators configured to manipulate the build platform assembly and the extruder, each of the linear actuators comprising:
• a linear actuator motor;
• a screw-driven linear rail operably connected to the motor;
• and
• a carriage connected for movement to the linear rail;
• wherein the enclosure contains the extruder, the traverse system and the build platform assembly;
• and
• wherein each of the linear actuators is connected to a common surface of the additive manufacturing device.

A method of additively manufacturing a part in a microgravity environment utilizing an additive manufacturing device comprising a feedstock source comprising feedstock;

• a material deposition component, the material deposition component configured to receive the feedstock from the feedstock source, the material deposition component heating the received feedstock to a feedstock melting point and depositing the heated feedstock according to part creation instructions;
• a material deposition positioning system configured to position the material deposition component in one of two axes according to the part creation instructions and to position the part according to the part creation instruction;
• a build volume provided within an enclosure that has a door where access through the door is controlled by controlled electronics, the part being created within the build volume according to the part creation instructions;
• and an environmental control unit positioned to regulate an environment within the enclosure to prevent at least one of outgas sing and contamination of the environment during creation of the part and to control opening of the door based on contaminant concentration level thresholds within the microgravity environment until contaminants are captured by the environmental control unit, as determined by at least one of a measurement by at least one sensor of temperature, humidity, air quality and air circulation, wherein regulating the enclosed volume environment further comprises the at least one sensor and a contaminant analysis unit configured to detect when at least one contaminant is present, wherein the environmental control unit comprises a grate and a least one filter, separate from the grate, and wherein the contaminants comprise at least one the errant piece of feedstock which is secured at the grate and at least one toxic gas which is secured at the at least one filter within the environmental control unit, the method comprising:
• (a) receiving the part creation instructions from a remote source;
• (b) providing at least a portion of the part creation instructions to the additive manufacturing device;
• (c) producing a part via the material deposition component and the material deposition positioning system according to the part creation instructions;
• (d) detecting when at least one contaminant is within the enclosure during part creation;
• (e) capturing the at least one contaminant with at least one of the grate and the at least one filter;
• (f) maintaining the produced part within the enclosure by prohibiting the door to open based on at least one of whether a run time is complete, an anticipated wait time had elapsed, and a contaminant concentration level threshold as determined by a measurement of at least one of temperature, humidity, air quality and air circulation within the enclosure;
• and
• (g) releasing the door to allow access within the enclosure based on a contaminant concentration level threshold as determined by a measurement of at least one of temperature, humidity, air quality and air circulation within the enclosure as measured by the at least one sensor.

An additive manufacturing device operable in a microgravity environment to create a part, the additive manufacturing device comprising:

• a feedstock source comprising feedstock;
• a material bonding component, the material bonding component configured to receive portions of the feedstock from the feedstock source, the material bonding component heating each of the portions of the received feedstock to a feedstock melting point and positioning the heated each of the portions of the feedstock according to part creation instructions;
• a material bonding component positioning system configured to position the material bonding component in one of two axes according to the part creation instructions and to position the part according to the part creation instructions;
• a build volume, the part being created within the build volume according to the part creation instructions;
• and
• an environmental control unit to regulate an environment at the build volume to prevent contamination of the environment by errant pieces of feedstock during creation of the part with at least one of a grate and to prohibit access to the build volume until the errant pieces of feedstock have been secured by the environmental control unit wherein the errant pieces are secured at a grate within the environmental control unit;
• wherein the environmental control unit further comprises at least one sensor and a contaminant analysis unit configured to detect when at least one errant piece is present in the environment at the build volume.