Rapid manufacturing system for metal, metal matrix composite materials and ceramics
OwnerJoshua E. Rabinovichinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A product building system uses a stage movable in X-Y-Z directions for holding and moving a product. A fixed laser is focused on a spot on the products. Strips of materials are fed tangent to a forming direction from two sources on a rotating platform. The laser continuously or periodically welds and fuses a strip on the product. Relative motion bends the strip to the desired product shape. The laser cuts a strip and welds a new strip to form alternating layers. Side by side strips are butt-welded. Cores are formed differently from outer surfaces,using the continuous feeding, welding, fusing, bending, welding and fusing process. A mill on the rotating platform brings a mill end tool into contact with the layers to smooth lateral and upper surfaces.
Claims16
A product building method comprising storing on plural storers plural thin feedstocks which have preselected profiles, feeding a solid feedstock from one of the storers and joining the fed feedstock to a substrate or to a previous layer by means of adhesion or welding with a laser energy source, while keeping the feedstock cross-section in substantially original shape.
A 3-D product building method comprising storing plural thin feedstocks of metal and of nonmetal materials which have preselected profiles, feeding one of the feedstocks through a feedstock dispensing nozzle to a desired location, fusing the feedstock with a laser beam of a size and power density for producing a limited local heat input sufficient for a spot or continuous welding of the feedstock to a previous fused layer, while keeping the feedstock cross section in substantially original shape, and producing accuracy and dimensional stability, and a surface quality of the 3D model results.
A method for generating shaped products, comprising feeding a first strip of first material toward a desired position on the product and laying the first material on the product while simultaneously energizing and fixing the material in place with laser, bending the strip of material by moving the strip of material repeatedly or continuously while feeding the material and energizing and fixing the strip of material to new locations on the product, cutting the first strip of material, feeding a second strip of a second material to the product, energizing and fixing the second strip of material on the product, bending the second strip by moving the second strip of material and further bending, energizing and fixing the second strip of material in further locations on the product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.