METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING USING HIGH ENERGY SOURCE AND HOT-WIRE

摘要

A method and system to manufacture workpieces employing a high intensity energy source to create a puddle and at least one resistively heated wire which is heated to at or near its melting temperature and deposited into the puddle as droplets.

主权项

1. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a high energy device which irradiates a surface of a work piece with a high energy discharge to create a molten puddle on a surface of said work piece; a power supply which supplies a heating signal to a wire where said heating signal comprises a plurality of current pulses and where each of said current pulses creates a molten droplet on a distal end of said wire which is deposited into said puddle; and a substrate onto which said molten droplet is deposited so as to create said work piece; wherein each of said current pulses reaches a peak current level after said distal end of said wire contacts said puddle, wherein said heating signal has no current in between said plurality of said current pulses; wherein said distal end of said wire is not in contact with said puddle between subsequent peak current levels of said current pulses; wherein said power supply controls said heating current such that no arc is created between said wire and said work piece during said current pulses; and wherein said substrate comprises an electrically conductive material to allow said heating signal to pass through said substrate and is of a composition which does not permit said work piece to be bonded to a working surface of said substrate during said deposition of said molten droplet.