Granted Patent B2

US 12,383,975 · App. 18/365,079 · Granted Aug 12, 2025

Inventor: Weidong Song (Woodinville, WA)

Assignee: Blue Origin Manufacturing, LLC

B23K20/1215B23K20/1255B23K20/128B23K20/129B33Y10/00B33Y80/00B23K2103/12

Abstract

Claims (38)

1. A method of additive manufacturing a nozzle for a rocket engine comprising:

forming an initial part by moving a friction stir tool configured to deposit a filler material in a predetermined formation;

machining a curved surface of the initial part;

machining the machined curved surface to form a plurality of grooves extending into the machined curved surface, the plurality of grooves sized and shaped to each receive a tube;

placing a tube into each of the plurality of grooves;

moving the friction stir tool across the machined curved surface and depositing additional filler material configured to secure the tubes within the plurality of grooves; and

machining the additional filler material deposited over the tubes to form the nozzle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filler material is copper.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubes are configured to transport a liquid.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filler material is a first material and the tubes are formed of a second material different than the first material.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filler material is a first material and the tubes are formed of a second material that is the same as or substantially the same as the first material.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the friction stir tool comprises a spindle having a channel extending along a central axis of the spindle and configured to hold the filler material, and wherein forming the initial part comprises rotating the spindle of the friction stir tool to deposit the filler material held in the channel in the predetermined formation.

7. A method of additive manufacturing a nozzle for a rocket engine comprising:

forming an initial part by depositing layers of material using a friction stir tool, a new layer added to a surface of a previously deposited layer;

machining a plurality of grooves extending into a curved surface of the initial part, the plurality of grooves sized to each receive a wire;

positioning a wire into each of the plurality of grooves;

securing the wires within the plurality of grooves with additional material deposited over the wires;

machining the additional material to form the nozzle; and

removing the wires from the nozzle to form integrated passages.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the initial part is formed using friction stir additive manufacturing.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the material is copper.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the wires comprise hollow wires.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the wires comprise solid wires.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the wires comprise solid aluminum wires.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the wires are removed from the nozzle using a chemical or thermal process.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the material is a first material and the wires are formed of a second material different than the first material.

15. The method of claim 7 , wherein the material is a first material and the wires are formed of a second material that is the same as or substantially the same as the first material.

16. A method of additive manufacturing a nozzle for a rocket engine comprising:

forming an initial part by depositing layers of material using a friction stir tool, a new layer added to a surface of a previously deposited layer;

machining a plurality of grooves extending into a curved surface of the initial part, the plurality of grooves sized to each receive a wire;

positioning a hollow wire into each of the plurality of grooves;

securing the hollow wires within the plurality of grooves with additional material deposited over the hollow wires; and

machining the additional material to form the nozzle.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the initial part is formed using friction stir additive manufacturing.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the material is copper.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the hollow wires are configured to transport a liquid.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the material is a first material and the hollow wires are formed of a second material different than the first material.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the material is a first material and the hollow wires are formed of a second material that is the same as or substantially the same as the first material.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (400)

Cited By (5)

US 12,528,138 US 12,558,739 US 12,630,313 US 12,643,687 US 12,661,713