Deposition of solid-metal voxels
OwnerKeng Hsu, Anagh Deshpandeinventors
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Abstract
Various embodiments include an acoustic-energy deposition system that includes at least one Directed Acoustic Energy Deposition (DAED) tool configured to apply acoustic energy to feedstock material in at least one of three vibrational modes and apply intermittent material-tool contact to allow continuous deposition; and a drive system to move the DAED tool in at least one of three-coordinate positions. In various examples, the acoustic-energy deposition and repair system further includes at least one in-situ metrology tool mounted proximal to the DAED tool to measure a grain size of deposited material. Other methods, devices, apparatuses, and systems are disclosed.
Claims36
An acoustic-energy deposition system to deposit material from a feedstock material, the system comprising:
- at least one Directed Acoustic Energy Deposition (DAED) tool configured to apply acoustic energy to soften the feedstock material, the applied acoustic energy selected from at least one of three vibrational modes, the DAED configured to apply intermittent material-tool contact to form continuous depositions;
- and
- a drive system to move the DAED tool in at least one of three-coordinate positions.
A system to deposit material from a feedstock material while operating in a three-dimensional tool path, the system comprising:
- a print head that is movable in one or more dimension and to feed a solid-metal wire to form subsequently each layer of a three-dimensional structure, the metal voxel being formed from the solid-metal wire, the print head being configured to apply intermittent material-tool contact to form at least one form of deposition type selected from continuous depositions and step-and-print depositions.
A Directed Acoustic Energy Deposition (DAED) tool configured to apply ultrasonic acoustic-energy to deform and deposit a feedstock material;
- the DAED tool comprising:
- an acoustic-energy coupling tool to deform, substantially athermally, the feedstock material based on a selected vibrational mode of the acoustic-energy coupling tool while the acoustic-energy coupling tool is at least partially in contact with the feedstock material, the DAED tool being configured to apply intermittent material-tool contact to form at least one form of deposition type selected from continuous depositions and step-and-print depositions;
- and
- a transducer configured to produce the ultrasonic acoustic-energy to be applied to the acoustic-energy coupling tool.
At least one Directed Acoustic Energy Deposition (DAED) tool configured to deform and deposit a feedstock material;
- each of the at least one DAED tool comprising:
- an acoustic-energy coupling tool to deform, substantially athermally, the feedstock material based on a selected vibrational mode of the acoustic-energy coupling tool while the acoustic-energy coupling tool is at least partially in contact with the feedstock material;
- a transducer configured to produce an ultrasonic acoustic-energy signal to be applied to the acoustic-energy coupling tool;
- a coupling horn disposed between the transducer and the acoustic-energy coupling tool to couple and amplify the ultrasonic acoustic-energy signal produced by the transducer;
- and
- a feed-forward control to apply one or more changes to the at least one DAED tool, the one or more changes selected from changes in at least one of energy density, an amplitude of the ultrasonic acoustic-energy signal, and a frequency of the applied acoustic signal to effect a plastic change in the feedstock material, the DAED tool being configured to apply intermittent material-tool contact to form at least one form of deposition type selected from continuous depositions and step-and-print depositions.
A method for deforming and depositing a feedstock material, the method comprising:
- selecting the feedstock material;
- inserting the feedstock material into a Directed Acoustic Energy Deposition (DAED) tool;
- selecting at least one parameter to control the DAED tool from parameters including selecting an energy density;
- selecting an amplitude of vibration, selecting a vibrational mode, and selecting a velocity of the DAED tool;
- introducing intermittent material-tool contact to apply intermittent material-tool contact to form at least one form of deposition type selected from continuous depositions and step-and-print depositions;
- and
- deforming and depositing the feedstock material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.