METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING OVERHANGING MATERIAL BY PULSED, VOXEL-WISE BUILDUP

摘要

A method for manufacturing material voxel-by-voxel using directed-energy deposition is given. Using the method, unsupported structures, via voxel-wise directed-energy deposition, with steep overhangs is described and demonstrated. Methods for forming arbitrarily-complex structures and shaped voxels and surfaces are also given. A method for forming materials with internally-varying properties is also given. The method utilizes a pulsed or modulated, rather than continuous-wave energy source, thus allowing rapid solidification of voxels, rather than contours, hatches or tracks. Tuning of pulsing or modulation, material flow, and deposition-path parameters allows the buildup of unsupported material using standard directed-energy deposition processing heads and 3-axis stages, for example. The methods are demonstrated using a modified-directed-energy-deposition processes and is applicable to powder-bed for the buildup of three-dimensional components, repair and the addition of features to existing components.

主权项

1. A method of forming an overhang on a target, the method comprising:
directing a material flow and a pulsed or modulated energy source at a surface of a target to form a melt pool; and translating the material flow and energy source relative to the target along an overhang vector to produced overlapping voxels along the overhang vector and form an overhang on the target.