Recoater system for additive manufacturing
AssigneeVulcanForms Inc.
InventorMatthew Sweetland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed embodiments relate to recoater systems for use with additive manufacturing systems. A recoater assembly may be adjustable along multiple degrees of freedom relative to a build surface, which may allow for adjustment of a spacing between the recoater assembly and the build surface and/or an orientation of the recoater assembly relative to an orientation of the build surface. In some embodiments, the recoater assembly may be supported by four support columns extending above the build surface, and attachments between the recoater assembly and the support columns may be independently adjustable to adjust the recoater relative to the build surface.
Claims20
An additive manufacturing system comprising:
- a build chamber comprising a build surface;
- a recoater positioned within the build chamber, the recoater including a first recoater blade;
- and
- a recoater blade exchange system comprising:
- a blade exchange chamber removably attachable to an exterior of the build chamber via a joint, and
- a valve positioned between the blade exchange chamber and the build chamber,
- wherein the recoater is movable within the build chamber to a blade exchange position such that the first recoater blade is aligned with the blade exchange chamber when the recoater is in the blade exchange position.
A method of exchanging a recoater blade, the method comprising:
- moving a recoater comprising a first recoater blade positioned within a build chamber to a first blade exchange position to align the recoater with a first blade exchange chamber;
- opening a first valve to expose the first blade exchange chamber to the build chamber;
- and
- removing the first recoater blade from the recoater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.