Apparatus and methods for fabricating components
An additive manufacturing method for fabricating a component having a surface substantially free of imperfections may include providing a mold having a configuration corresponding to the component, and depositing a material on at least one surface of the mold to fabricate the component having the surface substantially free of imperfections.
1. An additive manufacturing system for fabricating a component, comprising:
a programmable computer numeric control (CNC) machine having a nozzle configured to extrude a flowable material and a roller configured to compress the flowable material, the roller being rotatable about the nozzle; and
a mold defining at least one surface for receiving a plurality of beads of the flowable material.
2. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the CNC machine is configured to deposit the flowable material in a pattern based on a digital representation.
3. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is moveable along a first axis, a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and a third axis orthogonal to the first and second axes, and wherein the roller is configured to rotate in a plane defined by the first and second axes.
4. The additive manufacturing system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one surface includes a plurality of curves, and wherein the nozzle is configured for movement relative to the at least one surface such that a centerline of the nozzle remains perpendicular to a tangent plane for each curve of the plurality of curves.
5. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the mold includes at least one cooling channel or heating element configured to control a rate of cooling of the flowable material.
6. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the flowable material includes a thermoplastic material.
7. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one surface has a concave or convex configuration.
8. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one surface is provided with a coating or is polished to resist adhesion of the flowable material to the at least one surface.
9. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , further including a worktable configured to support the mold.
10. An additive manufacturing system for fabricating a component, comprising:
a programmable computer numeric control (CNC) machine configured to extrude a flowable material in the form of a plurality of molten beads, the programmable CNC machine including:
a nozzle configured to deposit the flowable material;
a roller configured to compress the flowable material deposited by the nozzle, the roller being rotatable about the nozzle; and
a mold having at least one curved surface for receiving the plurality of molten beads of the flowable material.
11. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein the computer numeric control (CNC) machine is configured to deposit the flowable material in a pattern based on a digital representation.
12. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein the nozzle is moveable along a first axis, a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and a third axis orthogonal to the first and second axes, and wherein the roller is configured to rotate in a plane defined by the first and second axes.
13. The additive manufacturing system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one surface includes a plurality of curves, and wherein the nozzle is configured for movement relative to the at least one surface such that a centerline of the nozzle remains perpendicular to a tangent plane for each curve of the plurality of curves.
14. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein the mold includes at least one heating element configured to control a rate of cooling of the flowable material.
15. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein the flowable material includes a thermoplastic material.
16. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one surface has a concave or convex configuration.
17. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one surface is provided with a coating or is polished to resist adhesion of the flowable material to the at least one surface.
18. The additive manufacturing system of claim 10 , further including a worktable configured to support the mold.
19. An additive manufacturing system for fabricating a component, comprising:
a programmable computer numeric control (CNC) machine configured to extrude a flowable material, the programmable CNC machine including:
a nozzle configured to deposit a flowable material;
a roller configured to compress the flowable material deposited by the nozzle, the roller being rotatable about the nozzle;
a worktable; and
a mold having at least one surface for receiving a plurality of beads of the flowable material, the at least one surface having a polished surface or coating to resist adhesion of the flowable material to the at least one surface.
20. The additive manufacturing system of claim 19 , wherein the nozzle is moveable along a first axis, a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and a third axis orthogonal to the first and second axes, and wherein the roller is configured to rotate in a plane defined by the first and second axes.