Apparatus and method for forming an article
A method for forming an article of manufacture using additive manufacturing, includes: a processor executing program instructions to: (a) rotate an object continuously about a horizontal axis using a first rotational stage, wherein the object is partially submerged in a bath of energy curable liquid formulation during the rotation; (b) control a rate of rotation of the object to achieve a desired radial thickness of a sub layer of uncured liquid formulation at a desired rotational location on the object; (c) direct an energy source to provide an energy dose onto the object at a desired rotational location, wherein the energy dose is configured to cure and solidify the sub layer; and repeat (a), (b) and (c) until a desired radial thickness of a cured liquid formulation layer is a achieved.
1. A method for forming an article of manufacture using additive manufacturing, comprising:
rotating an object continuously about a horizontal axis using a first rotational stage, wherein the object is partially submerged in a bath of energy curable liquid formulation during the rotation;
controlling a rate of rotation of the object to achieve a desired radial thickness of a sub layer of uncured liquid formulation at a desired rotational location on the object;
directing an energy source to provide an energy dose onto the object at a desired rotational location, wherein the energy dose is configured to cure and solidify the sub layer; and
repeating the rotating, the controlling, and the directing until a desired radial thickness of a cured liquid formulation layer is achieved.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the article as a bulk-type bushing.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cured liquid formulation layer is a nonconductive layer, further comprising forming a conductive layer over at least part of the nonconductive layer.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising forming the article as a condenser bushing.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising a transfer mechanism removing the object from the bath after achieving the desired radial thickness of the cured liquid formation; rotating the object about the horizontal axis; and applying the conductive layer over the at least part of the nonconductive layer.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the conductive layer is added rotationally downstream of the provision of the energy dose during continuous rotation by the first rotational stage.
7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising repeating the rotating, the controlling, and the directing until a desired radial thickness of a second nonconductive layer is achieved.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising repeating the forming, the rotating, the controlling, and the directing until a desired number of alternating nonconductive and conductive layers have been achieved.
9. The method of claim 3 , further comprising varying a length along the horizontal axis of selected conductive layers.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating a linear stage to maintain a desired degree of submersion of the object in the bath.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising varying a length along the horizontal axis to which the energy dose is applied.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising varying an output of the energy source to achieve a shape of the article that is not a body of revolution.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an overhang on the article.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeating the rotating, the controlling, and the directing to form a weather shed on the article.
15. A method for forming a bushing using additive manufacturing, comprising:
rotating an object about an axis of rotation using a first rotational stage, applying a photocurable nonconductive liquid formulation sub layer to the object;
directing an energy source to provide an energy dose onto the object at a desired rotational location, wherein the energy dose is configured to cure and solidify the sub layer;
repeating the rotating, the applying, and the directing until a desired radial thickness of a nonconductive cured liquid formulation layer is achieved;
forming a conductive layer over at least part of the nonconductive cured liquid formulation layer; and
repeating the rotating, the applying, the directing, and the forming until a desired number of alternating nonconductive and conductive layers have been achieved,
wherein the bushing is a condenser bushing.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising varying a length along the axis of rotation of selected conductive layers.
17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising varying a length along the axis of rotation along which the energy dose is applied.
18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising varying an output of the energy source to achieve a shape of the bushing that is not a body of revolution.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by an apparatus comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium readable by a processor and storing program instructions for execution by the processor to perform the method.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the cured liquid formulation layer is a nonconductive layer, the method further comprising adding a conductive layer over at least part of the nonconductive layer.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
directing a transfer mechanism to remove the object from the bath after achieving the desired radial thickness of the cured liquid formation;
rotating the object about the horizontal axis; and
applying the conductive layer over the at least part of the nonconductive layer.
22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising adding the conductive layer rotationally downstream of the provision of the energy dose during the continuous rotation by the first rotational stage.
23. The method of claim 20 , further comprising repeating the rotating, the controlling, and the directing until a desired radial thickness of a second nonconductive layer is achieved.
24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising repeating the forming, the rotating, the controlling, and the directing until a desired number of alternating nonconductive and conductive layers have been achieved.
25. A method for forming a bushing using additive manufacturing, comprising:
rotating an object about an axis of rotation using a first rotational stage,
controlling rotation of the object to apply a photocurable nonconductive liquid formulation sub layer to the object to achieve a desired radial thickness of the sub layer;
directing an energy source to provide an energy dose onto the object at a desired rotational location, wherein the energy dose is configured to cure and solidify the sub layer; and
repeat the rotating, the applying, and the directing until a desired radial thickness of a cured liquid formulation layer is achieved,
wherein the bushing is a bulk-type bushing.
26. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the article as a bushing:
wherein the object is a conductor of the bushing; and
wherein the curable liquid formulation is a photocurable nonconductive formulation that, when cured by the energy dose, is disposed about the conductor and operative to insulate the conductor.
27. The method of claim 26 , further comprising a conductive layer about the nonconductive formation.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the conductive layer comprises a photocurable conductive formulation.
29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the nonconductive formulation is disposed in a form of at least one nonconductive layer cylindrically surrounding the conductor.
30. The method of claim 29 , further comprising disposing a plurality of alternating nonconductive layers and conductive layers around each other, wherein the bushing is a condenser bushing.