Powder removal system for powder based manufacturing methods
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsClay Thomas GRIFFIS, Archie L. SWANNER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present application provides a powder removal system for removing powder from an additive manufacturing component with a number of component voids therein. The powder removal system may include a build plate with a number of build plate conduits that aligns with the component voids, a powder removal plate with a number of powder removal plate conduits that aligns with the build plate conduit, and a pressurized fluid system in communication with the powder removal plate conduits.
Claims20
A powder removal system for removing powder from an additive manufacturing component with a plurality of component voids therein, comprising:
- a build plate;
- the build plate comprising a plurality of build plate conduits that aligns with the plurality of component voids;
- a powder removal plate;
- the powder removal plate comprising a plurality of powder removal plate conduits that aligns with the plurality of build plate conduits;
- and
- a pressurized fluid system in communication with the plurality of powder removal plate conduits.
A method of removing residual powder from an additive manufacturing component with a plurality of component voids therein, comprising:
- positioning a build plate with a plurality of build plate conduits on a powder removal plate with a plurality of powder removal plate conduits such the plurality of build plate conduits aligns with the plurality of powder removal plate conduits;
- manufacturing the component on the build plate such the plurality of component voids aligns with the plurality of build plate conduits;
- flowing a pressurized fluid through the plurality of powder removal plate conduits and the plurality of build plate conduits and into the plurality of component voids;
- and
- forcing the residual powder out of the plurality of component voids.
An additive manufacturing system for manufacturing a component with a plurality of component voids therein, comprising:
- a source of powder;
- a printer for manufacturing the component from the source of powder;
- a build plate for building the component thereon;
- the build plate comprising a plurality of build plate conduits that aligns with the plurality of component voids;
- a powder removal plate;
- the powder removal plate comprising a plurality of powder removal plate conduits that aligns with the plurality of build plate conduits;
- and
- a pressurized fluid system in communication with the plurality of powder removal plate conduits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.