Apparatus and methods for improvement of surface geometries of internal channels of additively manufactured components
AssigneeRaytheon Technologies Corporation
InventorsBrian A. Fisher, David W. Morganson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cutting system for removing an excess material along a length of a channel constructed using an additive manufacturing process is disclosed. In various embodiments, the cutting system includes a cutter head; a cutter blade attached to the cutter head; a drive cable configured to rotate the cutter head; and a cutter base attached to the cutter head and having a cutter base outer surface configured to contact an internal surface within the channel to guide the cutter blade against the excess material.
Claims17
A cutting system for removing an excess material along a length of a channel constructed using an additive manufacturing process, comprising:
- a cutter head;
- a cutter blade attached to the cutter head;
- a cutter base connected to the cutter head and having a cutter base outer surface configured to contact an internal surface within the channel to guide the cutter blade against the excess material;
- a drive cable rotatably connected to and configured to rotate the cutter head and the cutter base,
- wherein the cutter base outer surface has a substantially cylindrical shape and the cutter blade extends radially outward of the cutter base outer surface;
- and
- a fulcrum having a central hollow portion configured to receive the drive cable along a length of the fulcrum.
A cutting system for smoothing a down-facing surface of a channel constructed using an additive manufacturing process, comprising:
- a cutter head;
- a cutter blade attached to the cutter head;
- a cutter base connected to the cutter head and having a cutter base outer surface configured to contact an up-facing surface within the channel to guide the cutter blade against the down-facing surface;
- a drive cable rotatably connected to and configured to rotate the cutter head and the cutter base, wherein the cutter base outer surface has a substantially cylindrical shape and the cutter blade extends radially outward of the cutter base outer surface;
- and
- a fulcrum having a central hollow portion configured to receive the drive cable along a length of the fulcrum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.