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US 12,679,022 B2Granted
Near net shape additive manufacturing apparatus
AssigneeThermwood Corporation
InventorsKenneth J. Susnjara, Brian S. Smiddy, John Fuquay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a first vertically-extending support leg, a second vertically-extending support leg, and a gantry supported on the first and second support legs. The additive manufacturing apparatus also includes a work table movably supported beneath the gantry, a print head supported on the gantry, and a trim head supported on the gantry with the print head.
Claims20
An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- a gantry including a rail;
- a print carriage slidably connected to the gantry via a support member;
- a trim carriage slidably connected to the gantry via a support member;
- a print head that is connected to the print carriage and that, in operation, is configured to output a molten material;
- a print nozzle connected to the print head to receive the molten material, wherein the print nozzle is configurable to deposit the molten material on a surface;
- a trim head that is mounted on the trim carriage and that, in operation, is configured to remove material;
- and
- a servomotor to move the print head, print nozzle, print carriage, trim carriage, and trim head via the support member along the rail as a unit along a first direction.
5 more elements
An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- an extruder including an opening, a screw, and a barrel, the extruder configured to receive thermoplastic material through the opening, and wherein the screw is configured to move the molten thermoplastic material through the barrel;
- a gear pump fluidly connected to the extruder, wherein the pump is configured to receive the molten thermoplastic material;
- an applicator head connected to the gear pump, wherein the applicator head includes a nozzle;
- a first servomotor configured to cause the gear pump to pump the molten thermoplastic material to the nozzle;
- a second servomotor configured to cause (i) the nozzle to deposit the molten thermoplastic material while being positioned at a first angle which is perpendicular to a surface and (ii) configured to cause the nozzle to deposit the molten thermoplastic material while being positioned at a second angle which is different from the first angle;
- and
- a transition joint configured to orient the nozzle at the second angle.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.