# US 12,109,613 B2 · Additive manufacturing systems and associated methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,613 B2 - Document ID: US12109613B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/518,665 - Filed: 2021-11-04 - Published: 2022-10-06 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-01 - Assignees: Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC - Applicants: Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC - Inventors: Yuefeng Luo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109613B2 ## CPC - B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] - B22F 12/37: Rotatable - B22F 12/38: {Housings, e.g. machine housings} - B22F 12/41: characterised by the type, e.g. laser or electron beam - B22F 12/44: characterised by the configuration of the radiation means - B22F 12/67: Blades - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Additive manufacturing systems and methods are provided. An additive manufacturing system includes a build volume; a powder disposed in the build volume, the powder occupying at least a portion of the build volume and having an outer boundary; a beam generator configured to generate a beam to irradiate the powder; and a ram defining a passthrough configured to transmit the beam to an irradiation location disposed within the outer boundary of the powder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An additive manufacturing system comprising: a build volume; a powder disposed in the build volume, the powder occupying at least a portion of the build volume and having an outer boundary; a beam generator configured to generate a beam to irradiate the powder; a ram insertable into the powder, the ram defining a ram tip and a passthrough that transmits the beam to an irradiation location disposed within the outer boundary of the powder to irradiate powder spaced apart from the outer boundary of the powder; and a removable cover that covers the ram tip while the ram is inserted into the powder, the removable cover being removed from the ram tip after the ram is inserted into the powder to allow transmission of the beam to the irradiation location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the build volume has at least four mechanical degrees of freedom. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the build volume is rotatable about at least one rotation axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the build volume comprises: a base; and a plurality of sidewalls extending from the base, wherein at least one of the plurality of sidewalls is moveable relative to the base. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a location of the beam is moveable with respect to the passthrough. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ram is moveable within the build volume, and wherein the irradiation location remains within the outer boundary of the powder during an entire manufacturing operation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ram defines a front blade and a rear blade in a direction of motion, and wherein the rear blade is spaced apart from the powder as the ram moves laterally within the build volume in the direction of motion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a guide coupled to the ram at a first side of the ram and a second side of the ram opposite the first side, the guide configured to apply a compression force against the powder as the ram moves relative to the build volume. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the ramped surface extends continuously around the circumference of the ram. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the ramped surface is angularly offset from a horizontal plane by an angle that is at least 10°. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the passthrough contains an inert gas or operates in a vacuum state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the removable cover is coupled to a rod, the rod extending from the ram tip to a location outside of the powder while the ram is inserted into the powder. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein one or more pre-installed features are receivable in the build volume prior to initiating a manufacturing operation. ### Claim 14 A method of additive manufacturing, the method comprising: providing a powder in a build volume of an additive manufacturing system, the powder having an outer boundary, and the additive manufacturing system comprising a beam generator configured to generate an irradiating beam that transmits through a passthrough of a ram to irradiate the powder; inserting the ram into the powder; and removing a removable cover that covers a ram tip of the ram while the ram is inserted into the powder, the removable cover being removable from the ram such that the irradiating beam is transmitted through an opening in the ram tip to irradiate the powder at an irradiation location disposed within an outer boundary of the powder. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: generating the irradiating beam such that the irradiating beam is transmitted to the ram tip; and moving the ram such that the ram tip moves within the powder to create an additively manufactured component. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: adjusting one or more blades of the ram; and changing a direction of travel of the ram, wherein adjusting the one or more blades maintains a clearance between the ram tip and the powder when the ram changes direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the ram moves a distance beyond the additively manufactured component after completing a layer of the additively manufactured component and before starting a new layer of the additively manufactured component. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising rotating the build volume about at least one rotation axis. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the ram has a guide coupled to the ram at a first side of the ram and a second side of the ram opposite the first side, the guide configured to apply a compression force against the powder as the ram moves relative to the build volume. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: uncovering the ram tip at a time corresponding with the ram tip being located at the irradiation location.