Wire-feed friction stir additive manufacturing systems, devices, and methods
AssigneeBlue Origin Manufacturing, LLC
InventorWeidong Song
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A friction stir additive manufacturing system is provided. In one aspect, the system includes a spindle configured to rotate about a central axis, and a housing configured to receive at least a portion of the spindle, the housing configured to remain stationary relative to the spindle. The housing includes a wire inlet extending between an exterior surface of the housing and an interior surface of the housing, and a track extending from the wire inlet and partially around a circumference of an interior surface of the housing. The system also includes a feeding system configured to receive a wire from a roller and feed the wire through the wire inlet and into the track of the housing.
Claims20
A friction stir additive manufacturing system comprising:
- a spindle configured to rotate about a central axis;
- a housing configured to receive at least a portion of the spindle, the housing configured to remain stationary relative to the spindle, the housing comprising:
- a wire inlet extending between an exterior surface of the housing and an interior surface of the housing, and
- a track extending from the wire inlet and partially around a circumference of the interior surface of the housing;
- and
- a feeding system configured to receive a wire from a roller and feed the wire through the wire inlet and into the track of the housing.
A friction stir additive manufacturing system comprising:
- a spindle configured to rotate about a central axis;
- a housing configured to receive at least a portion of the spindle, the housing configured to remain stationary relative to the spindle, the housing comprising:
- a wire inlet extending through a side wall of the housing and offset from the central axis of the spindle, and
- a track extending from the wire inlet and formed in an interior surface of the housing;
- and
- a feeding system configured to feed a wire through the wire inlet and into the track of the housing.
A method comprising:
- feeding a wire through a wire inlet extending through a sidewall of a housing of a friction stir additive manufacturing device and into a track formed in an interior surface of the housing;
- rotating a spindle positioned within the housing about a central axis to soften the wire as it is fed into a gap between the interior surface of the housing and an exterior surface of the spindle;
- and
- depositing softened material on to a substrate as it exits a deposition end of the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.