Systems and methods providing dynamic bead spacing and weave fill in additive manufacturing

A method of filling a build layer of an additively manufactured part, the method comprising:

• accessing a planned build pattern of multiple planned build patterns, stored as digital data, via a computer control means, wherein the multiple planned build patterns correspond to multiple build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part being additively manufactured;
• depositing a beaded weave pattern of metal material in a deposition travel direction along a length dimension of a build layer of the multiple build layers, via a metal deposition apparatus, under control of the computer control means in accordance with a planned path of the planned build pattern as a width of the build layer varies along the length dimension;
• feeding a consumable wire electrode of the metal material toward the 3D part via a wire feeder of the metal deposition apparatus as part of the depositing;
• providing energy to melt at least the consumable wire electrode, via a power source of the metal deposition apparatus operatively connected to the wire feeder, during the depositing of the beaded weave pattern by forming an arc between the consumable wire electrode and the 3D part;
• and
• dynamically adjusting a wire feed speed and at least one of a weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave dwell of the beaded weave pattern, under control of the computer control means in accordance with the planned build pattern, as the width varies along the length dimension, resulting in a dynamically varying bead width of the beaded weave pattern.

An additive manufacturing system, the system comprising:

• a computer control means configured to access multiple planned build patterns, stored as digital data, corresponding to multiple build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part to be additively manufactured;
• and
• a metal deposition apparatus configured to deposit metal material to form at least a portion of a build layer of the multiple build layers of the 3D part, wherein the metal deposition apparatus includes:
• a wire feeder configured to feed a filler wire of the metal material toward the 3D part,
• a power source, and
• a laser operatively connected to the power source,
• wherein the power source and the laser are configured to provide energy in the form of a laser beam to melt at least the filler wire during deposition of a beaded weave pattern,
• wherein the metal material is deposited as the beaded weave pattern, in accordance with a planned path of a planned build pattern of the multiple planned build patterns, under control of the computer control means, where the planned build pattern corresponds to the build layer, and
• wherein a wire feed speed and at least one of a weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave dwell of the beaded weave pattern are dynamically adjusted during deposition of the beaded weave pattern, under control of the computer control means in accordance with the planned build pattern, as a width of the build layer varies along a length dimension of the build layer, resulting in a dynamically varying bead width of the beaded weave pattern.

An additive manufacturing system, the system comprising:

• a computer control means configured to access multiple planned build patterns, stored as digital data, corresponding to multiple build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part to be additively manufactured;
• and
• a metal deposition apparatus configured to deposit metal material to form at least a portion of a build layer of the multiple build layers of the 3D part, wherein the metal deposition apparatus includes:
• a wire feeder configured to feed a filler wire of the metal material toward the 3D part,
• a power source, and
• a non-consumable electrode operatively connected to the power source,
• wherein the power source and the non-consumable electrode are configured to provide energy to melt at least the filler wire during a deposition of a beaded weave pattern by forming an arc between the non-consumable electrode and the 3D part,
• wherein the metal material is deposited as the beaded weave pattern, in accordance with a planned path of a planned build pattern of the multiple planned build patterns, under control of the computer control means, where the planned build pattern corresponds to the build layer, and
• wherein a wire feed speed and at least one of a weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave dwell of the beaded weave pattern are dynamically adjusted during deposition of the beaded weave pattern, under control of the computer control means in accordance with the planned build pattern, as a width of the build layer varies along a length dimension of the build layer, resulting in a dynamically varying bead width of the beaded weave pattern.

An additive manufacturing system, the system comprising:

• a computer control means configured to access multiple planned build patterns, stored as digital data, corresponding to multiple build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part to be additively manufactured;
• and
• a metal deposition apparatus configured to deposit metal material to form at least a portion of a build layer of the multiple build layers of the 3D part, wherein the metal deposition apparatus includes:
• a first wire feeder configured to feed a filler wire of the metal material toward the 3D part,
• a power source, and
• a second wire feeder operatively connected to the power source and configured to feed a consumable wire electrode of the metal material toward the 3D part,
• wherein the power source is configured to provide energy to melt at least the consumable wire electrode and the filler wire during deposition of a beaded weave pattern by forming an arc between the consumable wire electrode and the 3D part,
• wherein the metal material is deposited as the beaded weave pattern, in accordance with a planned path of a planned build pattern of the multiple planned build patterns, under control of the computer control means, where the planned build pattern corresponds to the build layer, and
• wherein a wire feed speed and at least one of a weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave dwell of the beaded weave pattern are dynamically adjusted during deposition of the beaded weave pattern, under control of the computer control means in accordance with the planned build pattern, as a width of the build layer varies along a length dimension of the build layer, resulting in a dynamically varying bead width of the beaded weave pattern.

A method of filling a build layer of an additively manufactured part, the method comprising:

• accessing a planned build pattern of multiple planned build patterns, stored as digital data, via a computer control means, wherein the multiple planned build patterns correspond to multiple build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part being additively manufactured;
• depositing a beaded weave pattern of metal material in a deposition travel direction along a length dimension of a build layer of the multiple build layers, via a metal deposition apparatus, under control of the computer control means in accordance with a planned path of the planned build pattern as a width of the build layer varies along the length dimension;
• feeding a filler wire of the metal material toward the 3D part via a wire feeder of the metal deposition apparatus as part of the depositing;
• providing energy to melt at least the filler wire during the depositing of the beaded weave pattern, via a power source of the metal deposition apparatus operatively connected to a laser of the metal deposition apparatus, by forming a laser beam between the laser and the 3D part;
• and
• dynamically adjusting a wire feed speed and at least one of a weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave dwell of the beaded weave pattern, under control of the computer control means in accordance with the planned build pattern, as the width varies along the length dimension, resulting in a dynamically varying bead width of the beaded weave pattern.

A method of filling a build layer of an additively manufactured part, the method comprising:

• accessing a planned build pattern of multiple planned build patterns, stored as digital data, via a computer control means, wherein the multiple planned build patterns correspond to multiple build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part being additively manufactured;
• depositing a beaded weave pattern of metal material in a deposition travel direction along a length dimension of a build layer of the multiple build layers, via a metal deposition apparatus, under control of the computer control means in accordance with a planned path of the planned build pattern as a width of the build layer varies along the length dimension;
• feeding a filler wire of the metal material toward the 3D part via a wire feeder of the metal deposition apparatus as part of the depositing;
• providing energy to melt at least the filler wire during the depositing of the beaded weave pattern, via a power source of the metal deposition apparatus operatively connected to a non-consumable electrode of the metal deposition apparatus, by forming an arc between the non-consumable electrode and the 3D part;
• and
• dynamically adjusting a wire feed speed and at least one of a weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave dwell of the beaded weave pattern, under control of the computer control means in accordance with the planned build pattern, as the width varies along the length dimension, resulting in a dynamically varying bead width of the beaded weave pattern.

A method of filling a build layer of an additively manufactured part, the method comprising:

• accessing a planned build pattern of multiple planned build patterns, stored as digital data, via a computer control means, wherein the multiple planned build patterns correspond to multiple build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part being additively manufactured;
• depositing a beaded weave pattern of metal material in a deposition travel direction along a length dimension of a build layer of the multiple build layers, via a metal deposition apparatus, under control of the computer control means in accordance with a planned path of the planned build pattern as a width of the build layer varies along the length dimension;
• feeding a filler wire of the metal material toward the 3D part via a first wire feeder of the metal deposition apparatus as part of the depositing;
• feeding a consumable wire electrode of the metal material toward the 3D part via a second wire feeder of the metal deposition apparatus as part of the depositing;
• providing energy to melt at least the consumable wire electrode and the filler wire during the depositing of the beaded weave pattern, via a power source of the metal deposition apparatus operatively connected to the second wire feeder, by forming an arc between the consumable wire electrode and the 3D part;
• and
• dynamically adjusting a wire feed speed and at least one of a weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave dwell of the beaded weave pattern, under control of the computer control means in accordance with the planned build pattern, as the width varies along the length dimension, resulting in a dynamically varying bead width of the beaded weave pattern.

A method of filling a build layer of an additively manufactured part, the method comprising:

• accessing a planned build pattern of multiple planned build patterns, stored as digital data, via a computer control means, wherein the multiple planned build patterns correspond to multiple build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part being additively manufactured;
• depositing a beaded weave pattern of metal material in a deposition travel direction along a length dimension of a build layer of the multiple build layers, via a metal deposition apparatus, under control of the computer control means in accordance with a planned path of the planned build pattern as a width of the build layer varies along the length dimension;
• maintaining a constant metal deposition rate of the metal material, during the depositing of the beaded weave pattern, under control of the computer control means;
• and
• dynamically adjusting a wire feed speed and at least one of a weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave dwell of the beaded weave pattern, under control of the computer control means in accordance with the planned build pattern, as the width varies along the length dimension, resulting in a dynamically varying bead width of the beaded weave pattern.