System and process for wire-based omni-directional plasma arc directed energy deposition of metals
AssigneeAugustine Technologies LLC
InventorRussell V. HUGHES
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Abstract
A method for forming a three dimensional (3D) metal part using a plasma arc system having a plasma arc welding torch and wire positioning mechanisms which are configured to separately guide metal wires in non-vertical directions, the method includes steps of: controlling the wire positioning mechanisms to guide the metal wires to positions within a plasma arc created by the plasma arc welding torch to form a common metal melt pool; and moving the plasma arc welding torch in X and Y directions within a plane while simultaneously, independently adjusting heights of the metal wires, as guided by the wire positioning mechanisms, relative to the metal melt pool so as to create a 3D metal bead having uniform height and width on a substrate.
Claims20
A method for forming a three dimensional (3D) metal part using a plasma arc system having a plasma arc welding torch and wire positioning mechanisms which are configured to separately guide metal wires in non-vertical directions, the method comprising steps of:
- controlling the wire positioning mechanisms to guide the metal wires to positions within a plasma arc created by the plasma arc welding torch to form a common metal melt pool;
- and
- moving the plasma arc welding torch in X and Y directions within a plane while simultaneously, independently adjusting heights of the metal wires, as guided by the wire positioning mechanisms, relative to the metal melt pool so as to create a 3D metal bead having uniform height and width on a substrate.
A wire-based, plasma arc, three dimensional (3D) printing system, comprising:
- a plasma arc welding torch;
- wire positioning mechanisms which are configured to separately guide metal wires to positions within a plasma arc created by the plasma arc welding torch for forming a metal melt pool;
- and
- height adjusting mechanisms configured to independently adjust heights of the metal wires as guided by the wire positioning mechanisms relative to the metal melt pool during motions of said plasma arc welding torch so as to create a 3D metal bead having uniform height and width.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.