Support structures for additive manufacturing techniques
A support structure for an additive manufacturing system includes a support body with a support body material and an interface disposed on the support body with an interface material. The interface material has a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature that is higher than the ductile-to-brittle temperature of the support body material for selectively fracturing the interface material to separate an additively manufactured article from the support body.
1. A method of separating an additively manufactured article from a support structure, the method comprising:
heating an interface layer coupling an article constructed by layer wise addition of layers on the interface layer; and
cooling the interface layer such that the interface layer fractures, wherein cooling the interface layer includes cooling the interface layer to a temperature that is below a ductile-to brittle transition temperature of a material forming the interface layer.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein cooling the interface layer includes cooling the interface layer to a temperature that is (a) above a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature of a material included in the support structure, and (b) above a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature of a material included in the article.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein heating the interface layer includes resistively heating the interface layer to a temperature that is above a blue brittleness temperature of a material forming the interface layer.
4. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising depositing the interface layer on the support structure.
5. A method as recited in claim 4 , wherein depositing the interface layer on the support structure includes depositing an inclusion with the interface layer.
6. A method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the depositing the interface layer on the support structure includes depositing an embrittlement component.
7. A method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the embrittlement component includes at least one of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous.
8. A method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the embrittlement component includes iron-nitride disposed at grain boundaries of a nitrogen-rich carbon steel material.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising constructing the additively manufactured article layerwise on the interface layer.
10. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein heating the interface layer comprises disposing a precipitate at grain boundaries within a crystalline structure of the interface layer.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein cooling the interface layer includes cooling the interface layer using an air quench or a nitrogen bath quench.
12. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising separating the additively manufactured article from the support structure.
13. A method of separating an additively manufactured article from a support structure, comprising:
depositing the interface layer on the support structure;
constructing the additively manufactured article layerwise on the interface layer;
heating an interface layer coupling an article constructed by layer wise addition of layers on the interface layer;
cooling the interface layer such that the interface layer fractures, wherein cooling the interface layer includes cooling the interface layer to a temperature that is below a ductile-to brittle transition temperature of a material forming the interface layer; and
separating the additively manufactured article from the support structure.
14. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein cooling the interface layer includes cooling the interface layer to a temperature that is (a) above a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature of a material included in the support structure, and (b) above a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature of a material included in the article.
15. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein heating the interface layer includes resistively heating the interface layer to a temperature that is above a blue brittleness temperature of a material forming the interface layer.