Chamber Systems For Additive Manufacturing

摘要

A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include creating, by a 3D printer contained within an enclosure, a part having a weight greater than or equal to 2,000 kilograms. A gas management system may maintain gaseous oxygen within the enclosure atmospheric level. In some embodiments, a wheeled vehicle may transport the part from inside the enclosure, through an airlock, as the airlock operates to buffer between a gaseous environment within the enclosure and a gaseous environment outside the enclosure, and to a location exterior to both the enclosure and the airlock.

主权项

1. A method of additive manufacture, the method comprising:
creating, by a first machine contained within a first enclosure, a first part via a first process comprising additive manufacture using a patterned energy beam, wherein the first part has a weight greater than or equal to 2,000 kilograms; maintaining, by a first gas management system during the creating, gaseous oxygen within the first enclosure below atmospheric levels; transporting the first part from inside the first enclosure, through an airlock as the airlock operates to buffer between a gaseous environment within the first enclosure and a gaseous environment outside the first enclosure, and to a location exterior to both the first enclosure and the airlock; and continuously supporting the weight of the first part during the transporting.