Apparatus and methods for sealing powder holes in additively manufactured parts
AssigneeDivergent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsEahab Nagi EL NAGA, Ross Harrison Byers, Keith Allen Fleming, Steven Blair Massey, JR., Narender Shankar Lakshman, Antonio Bernerd Martinez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for sealing powder holes in additively manufactured parts are presented herein. Powder holes are co-printed to facilitate post processing sealing. Embodiments include co-printed caps, friction welded caps, rivets, silicone plugs, co-printed tangs, multiple micro holes, layup, and spin forming. By using one or more of the above techniques, powder holes can be sealed on additively manufactured parts.
Claims40
An apparatus comprising:
- an exterior structure comprising an inner surface and an external surface;
- an internal lattice structure coupled to the inner surface and configured to mechanically support the exterior structure;
- and
- an aperture within the exterior structure, the aperture exposing a portion of the internal lattice structure.
A method for additive manufacturing comprising:
- providing an exterior structure comprising an inner surface, an external surface, and an aperture;
- providing an internal lattice structure;
- and
- coupling the internal lattice structure to the inner surface to provide support to the exterior structure.
A method of manufacturing a transport structure comprising:
- building a support lattice;
- building a panel region coupled to the support lattice;
- removing powder from a portion of the panel region by using an aperture in the panel region;
- and
- adhering an overlay structure over the aperture to seal the panel region.
An additively manufactured (AM) component comprising:
- a surface region;
- an interior channel, formed within the AM component and coupled to the surface region;
- and
- a removable cap, co-printed with the AM component and covering the interior channel at the surface region.
An additively manufactured (AM) component comprising:
- a surface structure;
- a powder hole located in the surface structure and coupled to an interior channel, the interior channel having a channel axis formed within the AM component;
- and
- at least one segment extending outward from a circumference of the powder hole.
The AM component of claim 31, wherein the outward flange is configured to close the powder hole by spin forming.
A method of removing residual powder from an AM component, the method comprising:
- co-printing at least one AM powder hole in a surface of the AM component;
- removing the residual powder from the AM component;
- and
- sealing the at least one AM powder hole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.