Apparatus and method for thermal compensation during additive manufacturing

1. A method for additive manufacturing using an additive manufacturing apparatus including an extruder, a gear pump, and a nozzle, the method comprising:

heating the extruder to an operating temperature;

melting a thermoplastic material in the extruder;

receiving the melted thermoplastic material with the gear pump downstream of the extruder; and

allowing the extruder to expand relative to the nozzle due to an expansion of the extruder as a result of the heat, wherein, while the extruder is allowed to expand, the gear pump is secured to a fixed position on a carrier that carries the extruder and the gear pump.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additive manufacturing apparatus includes a support member on which the gear pump is fixed, and wherein a position of the gear pump is maintained constant with respect to the support member.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein raising the temperature of the extruder causes the extruder to expand in a direction away from the nozzle.

4. The method of claim 3 , further including:

raising a temperature of the nozzle; and

allowing the nozzle to expand relative to the gear pump and away from the extruder.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the extruder includes generating heat by the extruder to melt the thermoplastic material, the heat causing the extruder to expand and, due at least in part to this expansion, move with respect to a guide member of the additive manufacturing apparatus.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the guide member is a rail secured to a carriage, the carriage being secured to and moveable with a gantry of the additive manufacturing apparatus.

7. The method of claim 5 , further including translating a transition housing that is configured to be connected to the extruder with respect to the guide member, by rotating a lead screw of a linear motion assembly.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein, while the extruder is allowed to expand, a lead screw of a linear motion assembly, for positioning the nozzle, is allowed to expand.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the extruder is allowed to expand in an upward direction away from the nozzle, and wherein the lead screw is allowed to expand in the upward direction.

10. An additive manufacturing method, comprising:

heating a thermoplastic material within an extruder of an additive manufacturing apparatus;

receiving the thermoplastic material with a gear pump downstream of the extruder;

providing the thermoplastic material to a nozzle of the additive manufacturing apparatus via the gear pump;

moving the nozzle of the additive manufacturing apparatus to deposit the thermoplastic material; and

allowing a portion of a vertical motion assembly to expand in a vertical direction such that the portion of the vertical motion assembly moves away from the nozzle, wherein, while the vertical motion assembly is allowed to expand, the gear pump is secured to a fixed position on a carrier that carries the extruder and the gear pump.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the additive manufacturing apparatus includes a support member on which the gear pump is fixed, and wherein a position of the gear pump is maintained constant with respect to the support member while the thermoplastic material is provided to the nozzle.

12. The method of claim 10 , further including raising a temperature of the extruder, by heating the thermoplastic material, causing the extruder to expand away from the nozzle.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the vertical direction is an upward direction, the method further including:

raising a temperature of the nozzle by providing the thermoplastic material to the nozzle; and

allowing the nozzle to expand relative to the gear pump and move in a downward direction.

14. The method of claim 10 , further including heating the extruder and causing the extruder to expand such that the extruder moves according to this expansion with respect to a guide member of the vertical motion assembly.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the guide member is a rail secured to a carriage, the carriage being secured to and moveable with a horizontally-moveable gantry of the additive manufacturing apparatus.

16. The method of claim 14 , further including translating a transition housing that is configured to be connected to the extruder with respect to the guide member, by rotating a lead screw of the vertical motion assembly.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein, while the extruder is allowed to expand, a lead screw of the vertical motion assembly, for positioning the nozzle, is allowed to expand.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the extruder is allowed to expand in an upward direction away from the nozzle, and wherein the lead screw is allowed to expand in the upward direction.