Slag removal apparatus and method

摘要

An apparatus (20, 21) and method (80) operable to: feed (82) a granulated feedstock (26) into a chamber (22); apply (84) a melting or sintering energy (28) in programmable scans (30) producing a material deposit (32) overlaid with slag (34) in the chamber (22); position (86) a slag removal device (40, 52) such that its cutting surface (35) is coincident with a top surface (33) of the material deposit; cut or break the slag free (88) from the material deposit with the slag removal device; separate (92) the removed slag from a reusable portion of the granulated feedstock in a separator (42); and feed (94) the reusable portion of the granulated feedstock to the top surface of the material deposit for repeating (96) the above operations.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
forming a solid layer of a material on a substrate by heating a granulated feedstock wherein a slag layer is formed on a top surface of the solid layer; removing the slag from the solid layer and a reusable portion of the feedstock from the substrate with a slag removal device mounted on a drive mechanism that moves the slag removal device relative to the top surface of the solid layer; adjusting a depth of removal of the slag relative to the top surface of the solid layer, wherein the slag removal device breaks or cuts the slag free from the solid layer, and breaks the slag into pieces larger than a maximum granule size of the feedstock; collecting the removed slag and the reusable portion of the feedstock into a separating device; and separating the removed slag from the reusable feedstock with the separating device.