Depowdering For Additive Manufacturing

A method of making an additively manufactured workpiece, the method comprising:

• (a) additively layering powder in a programmed workpiece pattern on a bed within an additive manufacturing station, the powder comprising at least one of:
• metallic particles or ceramic particles;
• (b) moving the additively manufactured workpiece to a depowdering station after the layering;
• (c) holding the additively manufactured workpiece adjacent to the at least one nozzle with an automatically controlled gripper within the depowdering station;
• (d) flowing gas from at least one nozzle which is stationarily mounted in the depowdering station, the flowing gas being directed at the additively manufactured workpiece;
• and
• (e) depowdering the additively manufactured workpiece in the depowdering station by the gas.

A method of making an additively manufactured workpiece, the method comprising:

• (a) robotically gripping the additively manufactured workpiece;
• (b) robotically moving the additively manufactured workpiece while the additively manufactured workpiece is gripped;
• and
• (c) removing powder from the additively manufactured workpiece while the additively manufactured workpiece is robotically gripped.

A method of making an additively manufactured workpiece, the method comprising:

• (a) moving the additively manufactured workpiece within an enclosure while the additively manufactured workpiece has excess metal or ceramic powder thereon;
• (b) energizing a gas compressor to flow gas from an enclosure-mounted outlet;
• and
• (c) removing the excess powder from the additively manufactured workpiece during steps (a) and (b).

A method of making an additively manufactured workpiece, the method comprising:

• (a) moving an additively manufactured workpiece within an enclosure while the additively manufactured workpiece has excess metal or ceramic powder thereon;
• (b) removing the excess powder from the additively manufactured workpiece;
• (c) automatically sensing an excess powder condition of the additively manufactured workpiece;
• (d) sending a signal from a sensor to a programmable controller in response to the sensing step;
• and
• (e) the controller automatically determining if the excess powder condition is acceptable.

Programmable software, stored in non-transient memory, the software comprising:

• (a) first instructions configured to move a robotic arm to a position aligned with a workpiece;
• (b) second instructions configured to cause a gripper coupled to the robotic arm to grip the workpiece;
• (c) third instructions configured to energize a compressor to blow a gas to a nozzle;
• and
• (d) fourth instructions configured to move the robotic arm while the gas is emitted from the nozzle at the workpiece.