APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN ARTICLE BY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing an article by additive manufacturing comprising a first container and a second container from which powder may be selectively dispensed to form an article, wherein the first container and the second container contain the same type of powder and wherein the containers respectively contain powder that has been recycled to different extents.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing an article by additive manufacturing comprising a first container and a second container from which metal powder may be selectively dispensed to form an article, wherein the first container and the second container contain the same type of metal powder and wherein the containers respectively contain metal powder that has been recycled to different extents.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first container contains non-recycled metal powder and the second container contains metal powder that has been recycled one or more times.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first container and the second container contain recycled metal powder.

4. (canceled)

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to dispense metal powder from the first container and/or metal powder from the second container onto a build platform.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus is arranged to dispense metal powder from the first container and/or metal powder from the second container directly onto the build platform.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus is arranged to dispense metal powder from the first container and/or metal powder from the second container onto the build platform via a third container.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the third container is configured to enable mixing of the first metal powder and the second metal powder.

9. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein metal powder from the first container and/or metal powder from the second container is dispensed onto the build platform via respective delivery platforms.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a control unit operable to control the ratio of metal powder dispensed from the first container and from the second container.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the ratio of metal powder dispensed from the first container and from the second container is varied in dependence on predicted stress in a region of the article.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured to enable the ratio of metal powder from the first and second containers to be varied for each layer of the article.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein metal powder in the first container and metal powder in the second container comprises a metal alloy.

16. A method of producing an article by additive manufacturing which comprises the step of selectively dispensing a first metal powder and/or a second metal powder to produce the article, wherein the first metal powder and the second metal powder have been recycled to different extents and are of the same type of metal powder.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein the first metal powder comprises non-recycled metal powder and the second metal powder comprises powder that has been recycled one or more times.

18. A method according to claim 13, wherein the first metal powder and the second metal powder comprise recycled powders.

19. A method according to any of claim 13, wherein mixing of the first metal powder and the second metal powder occurs once the metal powders have been dispensed onto a build platform.

20. A method according to claim 13, wherein mixing of the first metal powder and the second metal powder occurs prior to dispensing the metal powders onto the build platform.

21. A method according to claim 13, wherein the method comprises the step of performing a stress analysis to predict stress in regions of the article and varying the ratio of the first metal powder to the second metal powder in dependence on the predicted stress in that region.

22. A method according to claim 18, wherein the ratio of the first metal powder to the second powder is varied in dependence on the predicted stress in that region and on either a predicted or analysed condition of the recycled metal powder.

23. A method according to claim 13, wherein the ratio of the first metal powder to the second powder in one layer is the same or different to the ratio of the first metal powder to the second metal powder in a previous layer.

24. (canceled)

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood one or more embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a first example of an apparatus for additive manufacturing an article in accordance with the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a second example of an apparatus for additive manufacturing an article in accordance with the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a third example of an apparatus for additive manufacturing an article in accordance with the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows the apparatus of the third example which additionally comprises a system for blending powder.

[0033] FIG. 5 shows a more detailed example of an apparatus for additive manufacturing an article.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 1 and in one exemplary embodiment of the invention there is provided an apparatus 10 for producing an article by additive manufacturing.

[0035] The apparatus 10 comprises a first container 11 and a second container 12 which are configured to hold and dispense powder. The containers 11, 12 are funnel shaped at their respective lower ends and an electronic valve 13, configured to control the flow of powder from the respective containers 11, 12, is provided in the funnel portion of each container 11, 12. The electronic valve 13 is controlled by a control unit (not shown) which is in communication with both the electronic valve 13 and a personal computer or similar device.

[0036] In this example the first container 11 and the second container 12 both contain titanium powder. More specifically, the first container 11 contains titanium powder that has not been recycled (powder A), whereas the second container 12 contains titanium powder that has been recycled at least once (powder B), i.e. the first and second containers 11, 12 contain the same type of powder, the only difference being the extent to which the respective powders have been recycled.

[0037] A third container 14 is arranged below the first and second containers 11, 12. The third container 14 has an open upper end for receiving titanium powder from the first and/or second containers 11, 12 and a funnel-shaped lower end through which powder is dispensed via an electronic valve 13. In this example the third container 14 is moveable to a position below the first container 11 and/or to a position below the second container 12 so that titanium powder can be selectively dispensed from the first container 11 and/or from the second container 12 into the third container 14 as required.

[0038] A build platform 15 located below the third container 14 is configured to move in the y-direction. Arranged above the build platform is a wiper in the form of a blade. The wiper is moveable from a first position in which the wiper is held clear of the powder to a second position in which the wiper engages the powder. The wiper is also operable for spreading powder across the build platform 15 to form a layer of powder having a substantially uniform thickness. In particular, the wiper is operable to move from one side of the build platform 15 to the other once the wiper has been brought into engagement with the powder on the build platform 15.

[0039] The apparatus 10 also comprises a heat source for selectively melting powder particles within a given layer into a pre-determined shape. In this example the heat source is a laser beam, but it will be appreciated that electron beam, microwave or plasma heat sources could alternatively be used.

[0040] Prior to commencing the additive manufacturing process a 3D model of the article to be produced is generated using computer aided design (CAD) software on a personal computer or similar device. The CAD model is then subjected to finite element analysis (FEA) which is a computerised method for predicting how a product reacts under various physical conditions such as stress. Accordingly, FEA enables a user to predict regions of strain and stress in the product and possible areas where the product could fail during use. The CAD files are then converted into .STL files which can be understood by the additive manufacturing apparatus 10. The 3D model generated by the CAD software is then sliced electronically to obtain a series of 2D layers, which each define a planer cross section through the model of the article. Numerical stress values obtained from the FEA analysis are then reviewed and analysed for each of the layers in order to identify the highest numerical stress value, i.e. the worst case scenario, for each layer. Using this information, reference data relating to the degradation behavior of titanium powder and the application requirements of the article being produced, a user or an algorithm is able to determine an appropriate mix ratio of powder A and powder B for each layer. The mix ratio for each layer is stored on the personal computer or similar device.

[0041] In a first step of the additive manufacturing process, the computer outputs a signal to the control unit to open the electronic valve 13 of the first container 11 to enable powder A to flow from the first container 11 into the third container 14. The third container 14 then moves to a position below the second 12 container and the electronic valve 13 associated with the second container 14 is opened to enable powder B to flow into the third container 14. The respective valves 13 of the first and second containers 11, 12 are opened for a pre-determined period of time in order to obtain the desired mix ratio of powder A to powder B. As discussed above, the ratio of powder A to powder B is varied in dependence on the predicted stress in a region of the article, also taking into account the degradation behavior of powder B. It therefore follows that the powder blend will contain a greater proportion of powder A when the predicted stress in a certain region of the article is high, whereas the powder blend will contain a greater proportion of powder B in regions when the predicted stress in a region of the article is low. It will be appreciated that in certain instances the powder may contain 100% of powder A or 100% of powder B depending on the predicted stress in a particular region and the application requirements of the article being built.

[0042] Dispensing powder A and powder B into the third container 14 promotes mixing of the respective powders before they are dispensed onto the build platform 15. To dispense the powder blend the control unit outputs a signal to open the electronic valve 13 associated with the third container 14 which enables the powder to be dispensed onto the build platform 15 at a pre-determined rate. As the powder blend is being dispensed, the third container 14 moves back and forth so that a layer of the blended powder is formed on the build platform 15.

[0043] To ensure that the layer of blended powder has a substantially uniform thickness, the wiper is brought into engagement with the powder and is then moved back and forth so that powder is spread across the build platform 15 until the desired layer thickness is obtained. The wiper is then retracted and held out of contact with the powder. In forming the layer of blended powder it will be appreciated that a proportion of the blended powder will be wiped from the surface of the build platform. This powder is collected in collection chambers located either side of the build platform so that this unfused powder can be re-used.

[0044] Selected regions of powder corresponding with the desired shape of the article are then irradiated with a laser beam which causes particles in the layer to fuse and form a solid mass on cooling. Another layer of powder is then dispensed from the third container 14 and the above described process of forming a layer with uniform layer thickness and irradiating selected regions with a laser beam is repeated until the article is formed. It is will be appreciated that the ratio of powder A to powder B in each subsequent layer may be the same or different to the previous layer and that the ratio will depend on the predicted stress in that particular region of the article as determined by the FEA analysis.

[0045] In a second example of the invention there is provided an apparatus 20 that is similar to the apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1, except that it does not comprise the third container 14. Accordingly, rather than dispensing powder from the first container 11 and/or from the second container 12 into the third container 14, powder is dispensed from the first container 21 and/or from the second container 22 directly onto the build platform 25 via electronic valves 23. The dispensed powder is then mixed as it is spread across the surface of the build platform 25 using the wiper. This has the benefit that powder from the first and second containers 21, 22 can be dispensed in certain regions on the build platform 25 or underlying layer so that those regions possess a higher concentration of powder A or powder B after the powder has been spread across the surface of the build platform 25.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a more detailed example of an apparatus 20 for producing an article by additive manufacturing. The apparatus 20 comprises a laser beam 26 for irradiating selected regions of powder on the build platform 25, a first container 21 for containing powder A, a second container 22 for containing powder B, a wiper 27 which is operable to form a layer of metal powder on the build platform 25 and a building screw 28 for lowering the build platform during the build.

[0047] In a third example of the invention, and as shown in FIG. 3, there is provided an apparatus 30 that is similar to the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, except that the third container 14 is not moveable to a positon below the first container 11 and/or the second container 12. Instead, the third container 34 is held in a fixed position above the build platform 35 and is connected to the first container 31 and second container 32 via chutes 36. In use, powder from the first container 31 and/or powder from the second container 32 is dispensed into the third container 34 via the respective electronic valves 33 and chutes 36. This powder blend is then dispensed onto the build platform 35 and formed into a layer in the same manner as described hereinabove. In another example of the invention, and as best shown in FIG. 4, the third container 34 is provided with a system 37 which is configured to promote the mixing of powder A and powder B prior to the blend being dispensed onto the build plate.

[0048] The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.