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US 12,601,034 B2Granted
System and method for manufacturing a part
AssigneeGrid Logic Incorporated
InventorsMatthew J. Holcomb, Ira J. Holcomb, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a manufacturing system and method for manufacturing a part. A negative powder forms a holder suitable to hold particles of a positive powder in proximity to one another. A connection scheme such as heating, the use of pressure and/or a binder, when employed, connects the particles to one another to form the part.
Claims21
A manufacturing system comprising:
- a support structure;
- and
- a deposition system that includes:
- a first powder hopper for holding a first powder having first particles of a first material;
- a second powder hopper for a second powder having second particles of a second material
- a print head having a first nozzle for directing the first powder from the first powder hopper onto a substrate to form a first volume, and a second nozzle for directing the second powder from the second hopper to form a second volume, the first and second powders being simultaneously deposited with the second volume in contact with the first volume with an interface between the first volume and the second volume, the second particles forming at least part of a holder suitable to hold first particles in proximity to one another, the print head having a lower surface that is sufficiently near the substrate for powder to flow out of the first nozzle and out of the second nozzle and stop flowing out of the first nozzle and out of the second nozzle when there is no more room below the print head;
- a print head actuator;
- a computer connected to the print head actuator, including:
- a processor;
- a computer readable medium connected to the processor;
- a set of instructions on the computer readable medium, the set of instructions executable by the processor to cause movement of the print head actuator for the print head actuator to move the print head relative to the support structure, causing the powder to resume flow out of the first nozzle and out of the second nozzle;
- a heating system which, when energized, connects the first particles to one another to form a part, wherein the first material is a positive material and the second material is a negative material so that the positive material preferentially connects the first particles to one another relative to the negative material connecting the second particles to one another, the positive material forming the part with an edge of the part defined by the interface.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.