METHOD OF MAKING MULTI-PART ARTICLE
A method is disclosed for making an article with an additive manufacturing machine that includes a build platform ( 14 ) and an additive material dispensing nozzle ( 18 ) for controlled application of the additive material with respect to a location of the build platform. The method includes attaching a first part ( 24 a ) to the build platform. The first part includes a first mating surface that includes a protruding portion ( 34 ) and a recessed portion ( 32 ). A digital model of a second part that includes a second mating surface comprising recessed and protruding portions ( 39, 38 ) complementary to the first mating surface is inputted to the additive manufacturing machine. The nozzle dispenses and hardens an incremental quantity of a polymer material to the first mating surface according to the digital model, and successively-dispensed incremental quantities of polymer material are applied and hardened according to the digital model to produce the article including first and second parts.
1 . A method of making an article with an additive manufacturing machine that comprises a build platform and an additive material dispensing nozzle for controlled application of the additive material with respect to a location of the build platform, the method comprising:
attaching a first part to the build platform, the first part including a first mating surface that comprises a recessed portion and a protruding portion;
inputting a digital model of a second part that includes a second mating surface comprising protruding and recessed portions complementary to the protruding and recessed portions of the first mating surface;
dispensing and hardening an incremental quantity of a polymer material from the additive material dispensing nozzle to the first mating surface according to the digital model;
successively dispensing and hardening incremental quantities of polymer material according to the digital model to form the multi-part article; and
removing the article comprising first and second parts from the build platform.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion of the first part comprises a cavity.
3 . The method of claims 1 , further comprising filling the first mating surface recessed portion with polymer material.
4 . The method of claims 1 , further comprising at least partially pre-filling the first part recessed portion with polymer material before dispensing the incremental portion of polymer material with the additive material dispensing nozzle.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising scanning a partially filled first part recessed portion, and incrementally dispensing and hardening polymer material from the additive material dispensing nozzle to fill the first part recessed portion.
6 . The method of claims 1 , further comprising applying energy to polymer material in the recessed area of the first mating surface.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the applied energy is selected from ultrasonic energy, physical tamping, or heat energy.
8 . The method of claims 1 , wherein the first part recessed portion is partially filled with polymer material.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising incrementally dispensing and hardening polymer material from the additive material dispensing nozzle to form a reinforced structure in the first part recessed portion.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising disposing an insert in the first part recessed portion.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the first mating surface before dispensing the polymer material.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying an adhesion promoter to the first mating surface before dispensing the polymer material.
13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a release agent to the first mating surface before dispensing the polymer material.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the complementary protruding and recessed portions of the first and second parts cooperate to promote retention between the first and second parts.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the recessed portion of the first part includes a surface feature that forms an interference with hardened polymer material in the first part recessed portion.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first mating surface and the second mating surface each includes a plurality of complementary recessed and protruding portions.
17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating the first part from the second part.
18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising disposing a third part adjacent to the first part and securing the third part to the first part with hardened polymer material.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the third part includes a third mating surface comprising protruding and recessed portions, wherein the recessed portions of the first and third parts cooperate to form a cavity.