IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,673,211
Granted Patent B2
US 11,673,211 · App. 16/243,117 · Granted Jun 13, 2023

Temperature control system for additive manufacturing and method for same

Inventors: Yong Wu (Shanghai, CN); Yingna Wu (Shanghai, CN); Zirong Zhai (Shanghai, CN); Hai Chang (Shanghai, CN); Yifeng Wang (Shanghai, CN); Yimin Zhan (Shanghai, CN); Dalong Zhong (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: General Electric Company
B23K26/342B21C51/00B21J1/06B21J5/02B21J7/22B22F10/25B22F10/36B22F10/50B22F12/90B23K26/0093B23K26/034B23K26/0626B33Y10/00B33Y30/00B33Y40/00B33Y50/02B22F10/364B22F12/10B22F12/45B22F2003/175B22F2999/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,673,211
App. No.
16/243,117
Granted
Jun 13, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a temperature control system for additive manufacturing and method for same. The temperature control system comprises: a cladding device configured to fuse a material and form a cladding layer, the cladding device comprising a first energy source; a micro-forging device coupled to the cladding device for forging the cladding layer; a detecting device; a control module; and an adjusting module coupled to at least one of the first energy source and the micro-forging device.

Claims (18)

1. A temperature control system for additive manufacturing, the system comprising:

a cladding device configured to fuse a material and form a cladding layer, the cladding device comprising a first energy source configured to direct an energy beam toward the material for fusing at least a portion of the material to form the cladding layer;

a micro-forging device coupled to the cladding device for forging the cladding layer;

a detecting device configured to detect a first internal effect parameter of the cladding layer at a forging position where the cladding layer is forged by the micro-forging device, wherein the first internal effect parameter includes at least one of a stress or a strain of the cladding layer;

a control module configured to receive the first internal effect parameter detected by the detecting device, and calculate a first calculated temperature at the forging position based on the first internal effect parameter; and

an adjusting module coupled to at least one of the first energy source and the micro-forging device and configured to receive the first calculated temperature and to adjust the at least one of the first energy source and the micro-forging device to make the first calculated temperature at the forging position fall within a desired temperature range if the first calculated temperature does not fall within the desired temperature range.

2. The temperature control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises a storage unit stored therein a first internal-effect-parameter versus temperature curve of the material, and the control module is configured to calculate the first calculated temperature at the forging position based on the first internal effect parameter and the first internal-effect-parameter versus temperature curve.

3. The temperature control system according to claim 2 , wherein the detecting device is configured to detect a second internal effect parameter of the cladding layer at the forging position, wherein the control module is configured to calculate a second calculated temperature at the forging position based on the second internal effect parameter and a second internal-effect-parameter versus temperature curve stored by the storage unit, if the first calculated temperature at the forging position falls within the desired temperature range and to update the first internal-effect-parameter versus temperature curve and/or the second internal-effect-parameter versus temperature curve based on an adaptive algorithm, if the second calculated temperature does not fall in the desired temperature range.

4. The temperature control system according to claim 1 , wherein the cladding device is coupled to the micro-forging device to move in synchronization.

5. The temperature control system according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-forging device comprises a forging hammer configured to forge the cladding layer through vibration, and the detecting device comprises a distance sensor configured to detect an amplitude of the micro-forging device that is forging the cladding layer and determine the strain of the cladding layer at the forging position based on the amplitude.

6. The temperature control system according to claim 5 , wherein the control module comprises a storage unit stored therein a strain versus temperature curve of the material, and the control module is configured to calculate the first calculated temperature at the forging position based on the strain and the strain versus temperature curve.

7. The temperature control system according to claim 6 , wherein the detecting device is configured to detect the stress of the cladding layer at the forging position, wherein, the control module is configured to calculate a second calculated temperature at the forging position based on the stress and a stress versus temperature curve stored by the storage unit, if the first calculated temperature at the forging position falls within the desired temperature range and to update the strain versus temperature curve and/or the stress versus temperature curve based on an adaptive algorithm, if the second calculated temperature does not fall in the desired temperature range.

8. The temperature control system according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting device comprises a stress detecting module configured to detect an axial load of a main axis of the cladding device applied by the micro-forging device and determine the stress of the cladding layer at the forging position based on the axial load.

9. The temperature control system according to claim 8 , wherein the control module comprises a storage unit stored therein a stress versus temperature curve of the material, and the control module is configured to calculate the first calculated temperature at the forging position based on the stress and the stress versus temperature curve.

10. The temperature control system according to claim 1 , wherein, the adjusting module is configured to increase an energy output of the first energy source if the first calculated temperature at the forging position is lower than a minimum value of the desired temperature range.

11. The temperature control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a second energy source selected from a laser energy source, an electron beam energy source, a plasma energy source, an infrared energy source, an electromagnetic induction energy source and a resistance energy source, wherein, the adjusting module is configured to increase an energy output of the second energy source if the first calculated temperature at the forging position is lower than a minimum value of the desired temperature range.

12. The temperature control system according to claim 1 , wherein, the adjusting module is configured to decrease an energy output of the first energy source when the first calculated temperature at the forging position is larger than a maximum value of the desired temperature range.

13. The temperature control system according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-forging device is movable relative to the cladding device to adjust a distance between the micro-forging device and a molten pool which the material is fused; and the adjusting module is configured to move the micro-forging device to an adjusted forging position directionally away from the molten pool until the first calculated temperature at the adjusted forging position falls within the desired temperature range if the first calculated temperature at the forging position is larger than a maximum value of the desired temperature range.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2019
From: WU, YONG; WU, YINGNA; ZHAI, ZIRONG; CHANG, HAI; WANG, YIFENG; ZHAN, YIMIN; ZHONG, DALONG
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 047937/0463 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201810030753.5 · Jan 12, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190217417A1 · Jul 18, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,623,289