Back to results
US 9,457,521 B2Granted
Method, apparatus and material mixture for direct digital manufacturing of fiber reinforced parts
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsScott Robert Johnston, Jonathan Blake Vance, James William Fonda, Brett Ian Lyons
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A part is manufactured by introducing magnetic particles into a matrix material, and orienting the particles by coupling them with an electromagnetic field. The matrix material is solidified in patterned layers while the particles remain oriented by the field.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a part, comprising:
- introducing magnetic particles into a powder matrix material, the powder matrix material present in an amount between approximately 50% and 90% by weight, the magnetic particles comprising an elongate synthetic fiber core coated with a magnetic material;
- positioning an array of electromagnets proximate the powder matrix material, including aligning the array of electromagnets relative to each other, the array of electromagnets providing an electromagnetic field;
- orienting the magnetic particles in the powder matrix material in a unidirectional alignment by coupling the particles with the electromagnetic field provided by the array of electromagnets;
- altering the electromagnetic field to move the magnetic particles toward a layer of the part;
- and
- curing the powder matrix material with a directed energy beam while the magnetic particles are oriented.
3 more elements
A method of manufacturing a fiber reinforced composite part, comprising:
- suspending magnetic reinforcing fibers in a liquid resin, the magnetic reinforcing fibers comprising a fiber core coated with a magnetic material, the liquid resin present in an amount between approximately 50% and 90% by weight;
- generating an electromagnetic field;
- using the electromagnetic field to orient the fibers within the liquid resin in a unidirectional alignment;
- altering the electromagnetic field to move the magnetic reinforcing fibers to create a layer in the composite part;
- and
- moving an energy beam and the electromagnetic field over the liquid resin to cure the resin in a pattern within the layer so as to form a continuous conductive layer of the composite part.
3 more elements
A direct digital manufacturing method for producing a part, comprising:
- using an energy field to align elongate reinforcing fibers in a matrix material, wherein elongate reinforcing fibers exhibiting magnetic properties and the matrix material are present in an amount between approximately 50% and 90% by weight;
- using the energy field to orient the reinforcing fibers within the liquid resin in a unidirectional alignment;
- altering the energy field to move the reinforcing fibers to create a layer in the composite part;
- moving a digitally controlled energy beam and the energy field over the mixture to cure the matrix material so as to form a continuous conductive layer of the part;
- and
- using the digitally controlled energy beam to selectively solidify portions of the matrix material, layer-by-layer, based on a digital definition of the part.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.