Back to results
US 12,679,765 B2Granted
Systems and methods for additively manufacturing high strength and stiffness fiber-reinforced inorganic glass composite structures
AssigneeLawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
InventorsJames Lewicki, Maxwell Glen Tsurumoto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a feedstock for performing additive manufacturing through a heated extrusion print nozzle heated to a working printing temperature. The feedstock may have a glass matrix meltable at the working printing temperature and a reinforcing fiber component. The fiber reinforcing component is disposed within the glass matrix, and selected to be at least one of thermally stable or thermally oxidatively stable at the working printing temperature being used to melt the glass matrix.
Claims14
A feedstock for performing additive manufacturing through a heated extrusion print nozzle heated to a working printing temperature, the feedstock comprising:
- a glass matrix flowable through the heated extrusion print nozzle, and meltable at the working printing temperature to enable leaving the heated extrusion print nozzle as a flowable bead onto a build plate;
- and
- a reinforcing fiber component disposed within the glass matrix, selected to be at least one of thermally stable or thermally oxidatively stable at the working printing temperature being used to melt the glass matrix;
- and
- wherein the reinforcing fiber component is of a volume fraction such that during an extrusion operation the reinforcing fiber component is constrained within the glass matrix and preferentially aligns in a direction of extrusion while forming a structure on a build plate;
- and
- wherein the reinforcing fiber component comprises at least one of a tape of one or more continuous reinforcing fibers, a tow of one or more continuous reinforcing fibers, a braid of continuous reinforcing fibers, or a combination of two or more of continuous tape, tow, and braid reinforcing fibers.
4 more elements
A system for additive manufacturing, comprising:
- at least one of a computer or electronic controller;
- a memory in communication with the computer/electronic controller for storing code in accordance with a 3D part design file needed to build a part in a layer-by-layer fashion;
- a reservoir;
- a feedstock including:
- a quantity of a flowable glass matrix in one of a powdered form, a slurry or a paste, contained in the reservoir;
- and
- a reinforcing fiber component at least one of mixed in with, or entrained in, the quantity of flowable glass matrix;
- the reinforcing fiber component comprising at least one of a tape of continuous reinforcing fiber or fibers, a tow of continuous reinforcing fibers or fiber, a braid of continuous reinforcing fibers, or a combination of two or more of tape, tow and braid continuous reinforcing fibers;
- a print nozzle;
- a heater configured to heat the print nozzle and the feedstock, such that the feedstock is heated to a working temperature sufficient to melt the glass matrix and form a melted feedstock mixture, and wherein the reinforcing fiber component is thermally stable at the working temperature;
- the print nozzle configured to receive the melted feedstock mixture of flowable glass matrix with the reinforcing fiber component and to extrude a bead of melted feedstock onto at least one of a substrate or build plate in accordance with the code;
- a nozzle diameter and taper of the print nozzle is such that the reinforcing fiber component aligns in the extruded bead from the print nozzle in a direction of extrusion;
- a motion control subsystem configured to move at least one of the print nozzle, the substrate or the build plate as needed to lay a plurality of the beads of melted feedstock down to form each layer of the part in a layer-by-layer fashion.
10 more elements
A system for additive manufacturing, comprising:
- at least one of a computer or electronic controller;
- a memory in communication with the computer/electronic controller for storing code in accordance with a 3D part design file needed to build a part in a layer-by-layer fashion;
- a feedstock including a consolidated filament of glass and a fiber reinforcing component;
- the fiber reinforcing component comprising at least one of a tape of continuous reinforcing fiber or fibers, a tow of continuous reinforcing fibers or fiber,
- a braid of continuous reinforcing fibers, or a combination of two or more of tape, tow and braid continuous reinforcing fibers;
- a support component for supporting the feedstock in a manner such that the feedstock can be withdrawn from the support component;
- a print nozzle;
- a heater for heating the print nozzle and the feedstock, such that the feedstock is heated to a working temperature sufficient to melt the consolidated filament of glass as the feedstock passes through the print nozzle to form a flowable glass matrix bead, and wherein the fiber reinforcing component is stable at the working temperature;
- the print nozzle configured to receive the flowable glass matrix bead with the fiber reinforcing component mixed therein and to extrude the flowable glass matrix bead of melted feedstock onto at least one of a substrate or build plate in accordance with the code;
- a motion control subsystem for moving at least one of the print nozzle, the substrate or the build plate as needed to form each layer of the part in a layer-by-layer fashion;
- and
- a light source to at least partially cure the flowable glass matrix bead as the flowable glass matrix bead is deposited on the at least one of a substrate or build plate.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.