IP Library Patent Application 17665980
Patent Application
App. No. 17/665,980

APPARATUS FOR MULTI-SCALE DIRECTED ENERGY DEPOSITION WITH INTEGRAL NON-ABRASIVE REDUCTION OF WAVINESS

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
17/665,980
Abstract

Aspects are provided for additively manufacturing a component with reduced surface roughness based on direct energy deposition (DED). A DED apparatus for additively manufacturing a component includes a material supply, one or more deposition heads coupled to the material supply to deposit feedstock from the material supply, and an energy source configured to heat the feedstock as the feedstock is being deposited by the one or more deposition heads. The energy source is configured to reheat one or more portions of a surface of the component to reduce surface roughness as the component is being additively manufactured. The one or more deposition heads may also comprise a plurality of deposition heads which are sized to deposit the feedstock from the material supply at different resolutions to form a surface of the component with reduced surface roughness as the component is being additively manufactured. Thus, structural integrity may be improved.

Claims (44)

1 . A directed energy deposition (DED) apparatus for additively manufacturing a component, the apparatus comprising:

a material supply;

one or more deposition heads coupled to the material supply that deposit feedstock from the material supply; and

an energy source that heats the feedstock being deposited by the one or more deposition heads and reheats a portion of a surface of the component during the additive manufacturing.

2 . The DED apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feedstock comprises at least a powder or a wire.

3 . The DED apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more deposition heads comprise a plurality of deposition heads which are sized to deposit the feedstock from the material supply at different resolutions.

4 . The DED apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein a first deposition head of the plurality of deposition heads is sized to deposit the feedstock at a finer resolution than a second deposition head of the plurality of deposition heads;

wherein the first deposition head is configured to deposit the feedstock in a first area of the component; and

wherein the second deposition head is configured to deposit the feedstock in a second area of the component.

5 . The DED apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first area comprises a critical area of the component, and wherein the second area comprises a non-critical area of the component.

6 . The DED apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein the feedstock comprises a fine powder, and

wherein at least one of the plurality of deposition heads is configured to disperse the fine powder to fill one or more areas of the surface between subsequent layers of the component.

7 . The DED apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the energy source further laser shock peens the surface of the component.

8 . The DED apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an electrolytic bath in which the surface of the component is electroformed after the component is additively manufactured.

9 . The DED apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feedstock comprises a powder, the one or more deposition heads apply a binder to the powder on the surface of the component, and the energy source sinters the bound powder.

10 . The DED apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feedstock comprises a wire, the one or more deposition heads deposit the wire on one or more areas of the surface, and the energy source applies ultrasonic energy to the deposited wire.

11 . A directed energy deposition (DED) apparatus for additively manufacturing a component, comprising:

a material supply;

a plurality of deposition heads coupled to the material supply to deposit feedstock from the material supply; and

an energy source configured to heat the feedstock as the feedstock is being deposited by at least one of the plurality of deposition heads;

wherein the plurality of deposition heads are sized to deposit the feedstock from the material supply at different resolutions.

12 . The DED apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the feedstock comprises at least a powder or a wire.

13 . The DED apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the energy source is configured to reheat one or more portions of the surface of the component as the component is being additively manufactured.

14 . The DED apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein a first deposition head of the plurality of deposition heads is sized to deposit the feedstock at a finer resolution than a second deposition head of the plurality of deposition heads;

wherein the first deposition head is configured to deposit the feedstock in a first area of the component; and

wherein the second deposition head is configured to deposit the feedstock in a second area of the component.

15 . A method of additively manufacturing a component based on direct energy deposition (DED), the method comprising:

depositing feedstock from a material supply using a plurality of deposition heads, wherein the plurality of deposition heads are sized to deposit the feedstock from the material supply at different resolutions;

heating the feedstock using an energy source as the feedstock is deposited to form the component; and

reheating one or more portions of a surface of the component.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

laser shock peening the surface of the component.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

dispersing the feedstock to fill one or more areas of the surface between subsequent layers of the component, wherein the feedstock comprises a fine powder.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

electroforming the surface of the component after the component is additively manufactured.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

applying a binder to the feedstock and subsequently sintering the surface of the component, wherein the feedstock comprises a powder.

20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

applying an ultrasonic wire-based repair process to one or more areas of the surface, wherein the feedstock comprises a wire.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 3, 2025
From: ROCHEFORT MANAGEMENT LLC
To: ACQUIOM AGENCY SERVICES LLC
Reel/Frame 073006/0590 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2025
From: DIVERGENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CZV, INC.
To: ROCHEFORT MANAGEMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 070074/0290 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2025
From: WESTERN ALLIANCE BANK
To: DIVERGENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 070048/0543 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2024
From: DIVERGENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: WESTERN ALLIANCE BANK
Reel/Frame 067569/0171 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2024
From: KENWORTHY, MICHAEL THOMAS
To: DIVERGENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 066283/0608 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2022
From: DIVERGENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: WESTERN ALLIANCE BANK
Reel/Frame 062152/0613 →