Solid freeform fabrication system and method

A solid freeform fabrication system employing layered deposition of feedstock material on a mold to produce a net or near net shape work piece, comprising:

• a mold support;
• a feed means operable to feed feedstock material to a feed point adjacent to the mold;
• an energy beam producing means operable to direct an energy beam to said feed point, thereby forming a molten puddle of feedstock material;
• a movement means coupled to said mold support and operable to move said feed point relative to the mold;
• a controller coupled to control movement of said movement means to advance said molten puddle of presently fed feedstock and rapidly solidify previously fed feedstock, and to sequentially advance said feed point within a predetermined geometric volume containing at least a portion of the mold, thereby sequentially fusing the feedstock, by action of said advancing molten puddle, into the near net shape work piece built-up upon the mold.

A solid freeform fabrication system employing layered deposition of feedstock on a mold to produce a net or near net shape work piece, comprising:

• a mold support;
• a boron nitride mold coupled to said mold support;
• a feed means operable to feed titanium alloy wire feedstock to a feed point adjacent to the mold;
• an electron beam gun operable to focus an electron beam to said feed point, thereby forming a molten puddle of said feedstock;
• a power supply coupled to said electron gun, and electrically coupled to said feedstock at said feed point;
• a movement means coupled to said mold support, and operable to move said feed point within a three dimension coordinate space relative to said mold;
• a controller coupled to control movement of said movement means to advance said molten puddle of presently fed feedstock and rapidly solidify previously fed feedstock, and to sequentially advance said feed point within a predetermined geometric volume containing at least a portion of said mold, thereby sequentially fusing the feedstock, by action of said advancing molten puddle, into the near net shape work piece built-up upon said mold, and wherein said controller is operable to control said feed means to pays out said wire feedstock in coordination with said movement means;
• a housing for enclosing said mold support, said feed means, said electron gun, and said movement means, and
• a vacuum pump coupled to substantially evacuate said housing during fabrication of the work piece.