ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM HAVING COMPACTION NOSE
A head is disclosed for use with an additive manufacturing system. The head may include a nozzle through which material is discharged from the additive manufacturing system. The head may also include a nose located at a tip end of the nozzle, and a spring configured to bias the nose away from the nozzle.
1 . A head for an additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a nozzle through which material is discharged from the additive manufacturing system;
a nose located at a tip end of the nozzle; and
a spring configured to bias the nose away from the nozzle.
2 . The head of claim 1 , wherein the nose annularly surrounds the tip end of the nozzle.
3 . The head of claim 2 , wherein the nose is ring-like and flat at an axial end surface.
4 . The head of claim 2 , wherein the nose is frustoconical.
5 . The head of claim 1 , wherein an end surface of the nose is coated with a substance that inhibits the material from sticking to the nose.
6 . The head of claim 5 , wherein the substance includes at least one of release wax, petroleum jelly, and a Teflon coating.
7 . The head of claim 1 , wherein a material forming the nose is softer than a material forming the tip end of the nozzle.
8 . The head of claim 1 , further including a matrix reservoir located at a side of the nozzle opposite the nose.
9 . The head of claim 1 , further including at least one cure enhancer connected to the nozzle and oriented to expose the material to cure energy during discharge.
10 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a moveable support;
a nozzle operatively connected to the moveable support and configured to discharge material;
a cure enhancer located adjacent the nozzle and configured to expose the material to cure energy during discharge;
a nose located at a tip end of the nozzle and being moveable relative to the nozzle to compact the material after discharge; and
a controller in communication with the moveable support and the cure enhancer, the controller being configured to selectively activate the moveable support and the cure enhancer based on specifications for a structure to be manufactured.
11 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein the cure enhancer is located to expose the material to cure energy after the material has been compacted by the nose.
12 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , further including a spring configured to bias the nose away from the nozzle.
13 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein the nose annularly surrounds a tip end of the nozzle.
14 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 13 , wherein the nose is ring-like and flat at an axial end surface.
15 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 13 , wherein the nose is frustoconical.
16 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein an end surface of the nose is coated with a substance that inhibits the material from sticking to the nose.
17 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 16 , wherein the substance includes at least one of release wax, petroleum jelly, and a Teflon coating.
18 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein a material forming the nose is softer than a material forming the nozzle.
19 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , further including a matrix reservoir located at a side of the nozzle opposite the nose.
20 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , further including a resurfacer configured to restore an outer profile of the nose.