Method and apparatus for fabrication of articles by molten and semi-molten deposition
AssigneeA & A Mfg. Co., Inc.
InventorsThomas R. Kruer, James Blackwood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for depositing metals and metal-like substances in two and three dimensional form without a substrate in a safe, rapid and economical fashion using gas shielded arc welding equipment and programmable robotic motion. The method and apparatus includes the use and application of robotic controls, temperature and position feedback, single and multiple material feeds, and semi liquid deposition thereby creating near net shape parts particularly well suited to rapid prototyping and lower volume production.
Claims29
An additive manufacturing apparatus to fabricate metal objects by depositing metal materials in three dimensions comprising:
- a build table;
- a deposition head configured to deposit the metal objects on a top surface of the build table;
- a multi-axis robotic system configured to support the deposition head;
- the deposition head supported by the multi-axis robotic system actuator to deposit one or more metal materials in layers;
- the multi-axis robotic system further configured for movement in a first plane, at least one axis controlled for independent movement in a first axis perpendicular to the first plane;
- wherein the build table is controlled for independent movement in the first axis perpendicular to the first plane independent of the multi-axis robotic system such that temperature of the metal objects are controlled during fabrication while building layers using quenchant fluid to heat or cool the metal objects as each new layer is deposited.
An additive manufacturing apparatus to fabricate metal objects by depositing metal materials in three dimensions comprising:
- a build table;
- a plurality of deposition heads configured to deposit the metal objects on a top surface of said build table, wherein each of the deposition heads includes a tool bracket;
- a multi-axis robotic system configured to support the deposition head comprising a master bracket configured to support the tool bracket of one of the plurality of deposition heads, the multi-axis robotic system further configured for movement in a first plane;
- at least one axis controlled for independent movement in a first axis perpendicular to said first plane;
- wherein said build table is controlled for independent movement in said first axis perpendicular to said first plane independent of said multi-axis robotic system such that temperature of said metal objects are controlled during fabrication while building layers using quenchant fluid to heat or cool the metal objects as each new layer is deposited.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.