Powder hopper for additive manufacturing system
A hopper for dispensing powder material for an additive manufacturing system includes a gate that is movable along a first direction to open and close a discharge slot and which is pivotable about a pivot axis transverse to the first direction. The first direction can be a horizontal direction and the pivot axis can be parallel to a vertical direction. The gate can have a portion that contacts the hopper, e.g., at a surface including the discharge slot, and is elastically deformed with movement from the open to the closed position.
1 . A method for additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
holding powder material within a hopper body;
moving a gate relative to the hopper body along a first direction;
pivoting the gate about a pivot axis that is transverse to the first direction;
dispensing the powder material from the hopper body; and
fusing one or more portions of one or more layers of the powder material with one or more laser energy pixels to form one or more parts on a build surface.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein dispensing the powder material from the hopper body includes dispensing the powder material in a vertical direction, and wherein the first direction is along a horizontal direction.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pivot axis is perpendicular to the first direction.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gate includes first and second ends, the hopper body further comprising first and second actuators coupled between the hopper body and the first and second ends, respectively, of the gate.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising moving the first and second ends of the gate using the first and second actuators along the first direction.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising using the first and second actuators to move the first and second ends relative to each other to pivot the gate about the pivot axis.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising engaging the first and second actuators at first and second locations on the gate that are spaced apart, and moving the gate along the first direction and pivoting the gate about the pivot axis using the first and second actuators.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising providing a coupling between at least one of the first and second actuators and the gate, and permitting rotations of a portion of the gate relative to at least one of the first and second actuators about the pivot axis.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the gate in a second direction to close a discharge slot of the hopper body, wherein moving the gate in the first direction opens the discharge slot.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a living hinge defines the pivot axis.
11 . A part manufactured using the method of claim 1 .
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the powder material is a metal powder material.
13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving a leading end of the gate in a catch.
14 . A method for additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
holding powder material within a hopper body;
moving a gate relative to the hopper body along a first direction;
pivoting the gate about a pivot axis that is transverse to the first direction; and
dispensing the powder material from the hopper body, wherein dispensing the powder material from the hopper body includes dispensing the powder material in a vertical direction, and wherein the first direction is transverse to the vertical direction and the pivot axis is parallel to the vertical direction.
15 . A method for additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
holding powder material in a hopper body;
dispensing the powder material through a discharge slot;
moving a gate relative to the hopper body along a first direction between open and closed positions to open and close the discharge slot, respectively;
contacting a portion of the gate with the hopper body, and elastically deforming the portion of the gate in the closed position; and
fusing one or more portions of one or more layers of the powder material with one or more laser energy pixels to form one or more parts on a build surface.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising contacting a bottom surface of the hopper body where the discharge slot is located, and wherein elastically deforming the portion of the gate includes elastically deforming the portion of the gate downwardly with contact with the bottom surface.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing a bottom surface of the hopper body where the discharge slot is located at a slope downwardly and away from the gate in the open position.
18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing a surface of the hopper body where the discharge slot is located such that a leading edge of the gate contacts the surface and is deformed elastically when the gate moves from the open position to the closed position.
19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising moving the gate out of contact with the hopper body in the open position.
20 . A part manufactured using the method of claim 15 .
21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the powder material is a metal powder material.
22 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising receiving a leading end of the gate in a catch.
23 . The method of claim 15 , wherein moving the gate towards the closed position elastically deforms the portion of the gate.
24 . A method for additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
holding powder material within a hopper body;
moving a gate relative to the hopper body along a first direction;
pivoting the gate about a pivot axis that is transverse to the first direction;
dispensing the powder material from the hopper body; and
fusing one or more portions of one or more layers of the powder material with one or more laser energy pixels to form one or more parts on a build surface, wherein dispensing the powder material from the hopper body includes dispensing the powder material in a vertical direction, and wherein the first direction is transverse to the vertical direction and the pivot axis is parallel to the vertical direction.
25 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising using first and second actuators to move first and second ends of the gate relative to each other to pivot the gate about the pivot axis and moving the gate along the first direction and pivoting the gate about the pivot axis using the first and second actuators.
26 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising providing a coupling between at least one of the first and second actuators and the gate, and permitting rotations of a portion of the gate relative to at least one of the first and second actuators about the pivot axis.
27 . A method for additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
holding powder material in a hopper body;
dispensing the powder material through a discharge slot;
moving a gate relative to the hopper body along a first direction between open and closed positions to open and close the discharge slot, respectively;
contacting a portion of the gate with the hopper body;
elastically deforming the portion of the gate as the gate moves from the open position to the closed position; and
fusing one or more portions of one or more layers of the powder material with one or more laser energy pixels to form one or more parts on a build surface.
28 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising contacting a bottom surface of the hopper body where the discharge slot is located, and wherein elastically deforming the portion of the gate includes elastically deforming the portion of the gate downwardly with contact with the bottom surface.
29 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising providing a surface of the hopper body where the discharge slot is located such that a leading edge of the gate contacts the surface and is deformed elastically when the gate moves from the open position to the closed position.