Additive manufacturing of a component having a laminated stack of layers
A method of making a component comprises producing a layer of sheet material including an aperture over a movable support. An insulating material is deposited in a first portion of the aperture to form an insulating coating with one or more pockets. A conductive material is deposited in the one or more pockets. Heat and pressure are applied to the layer and the movable support is lowered by a thickness of the layer. The steps are repeated to form a laminated stack defining the component. In some embodiments, the laminated stack of sheet materials forms an induction machine.
1. A method of making a component, the method comprising:
(a) producing a layer of a sheet material including an aperture over a movable support, wherein the layer has a thickness and an outer periphery;
(b) depositing an insulating material in a first portion of the aperture, adjacent to the outline of the aperture, to form an insulating coating with one or more pockets;
(c) depositing a conductive material in the one or more pockets;
(d) applying heat and pressure to the layer;
(e) lowering the movable support by the thickness of the layer; and
(f) repeating steps (a)-(e) to form a laminated stack of layers that define the component.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein producing the layer of the sheet material comprises:
positioning the sheet material over the movable support;
laser cutting the sheet material to define the outer periphery of the layer;
removing the sheet material outside the outer periphery of the layer;
laser cutting the outline of the aperture in the layer; and
removing the sheet material within an outline of the aperture.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein removing the sheet material is accomplished using pressurized gas.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising laser welding the outer periphery of the layer.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the conductive material in the one or more pockets further comprises:
depositing the conductive material such that the conductive material in the one or more pockets is electrically connected to the conductive material in a pocket of at least one adjacent layer of the laminated stack of layers, and is electrically insulated from the sheet material by the insulating coating.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet material includes steel coated with a diffusion layer.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the diffusion layer includes at least one of: glass, iron oxide, PEEK, phenolic, polyamide, and silicone.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the diffusion layers of adjacent pieces of the sheet material are melted by the step of applying heat and pressure to each layer.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material is copper.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the insulating material is one of the group consisting of: ceramic insulators, polymeric insulators, and insulating oxides.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the insulating material includes using laser additive manufacturing to sinter the insulating material.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the conducting material includes using laser additive manufacturing to sinter the conducting material.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the conducting material includes using electron beam melting to melt the conducting material.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is part of an induction machine, and wherein the conductive material is a conductive winding surrounded by the insulating material.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the induction machine is one of an induction motor or an induction generator.