IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,377,469
Granted Patent B2
US 12,377,469 · App. 17/189,959 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Recoater for additive manufacturing

Inventors: Ryan William Van Deest (Liberty Township, OH); David Scott Simmermon (Felicity, OH); Nicholas Ryan Dodds (Cincinnati, OH); Mohammed Mounir Shalaby (Mason, OH)
Assignee: General Electric Company
B22F12/67B22F10/50B22F10/85B29C64/214B29C64/393B33Y10/00B33Y30/00B33Y40/00B33Y50/02
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,377,469
App. No.
17/189,959
Granted
Aug 5, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A recoater for an additive manufacturing apparatus includes a recoater arm and retainer operably coupled with the recoater arm. The retainer includes a housing defining a cavity. A blade carrier supports one or more blades. An actuator is operably coupled with the housing and is configured to compressively retain an upper portion of the blade carrier within the cavity between a slide of the actuator and the housing.

Claims (44)

1. A recoater for an additive manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a recoater arm;

a retainer operably coupled with the recoater arm, the retainer including a housing defining a cavity;

a blade carrier supporting one or more blades;

a first actuator operably coupled with the housing and configured to compressively retain an upper portion of the blade carrier within the cavity between a first slide of the first actuator and the housing; and

a second actuator operably coupled with the housing and configured to selectively retain the blade carrier within the cavity, wherein the second actuator includes a second slide that is configured to be positioned within a channel defined by the upper portion of the blade carrier.

2. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is pneumatically translated between a released position and an extended position.

3. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a control assembly operably coupled with the first actuator and the second actuator and configured to move each of the first slide and the second slide between respective released and extended positions.

4. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first slide of the first actuator is positioned in the released position and the second slide of the second actuator is positioned in the extended position when power is removed from the control assembly.

5. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a positioning system operably coupled with the recoater and configured to move the recoater between a build envelope and a base, the base configured to retain the blade carrier in a predefined location when released from the retainer.

6. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:

a fixture configured to retain the blade carrier when the blade carrier is separated from the retainer in a position vertically above the base.

7. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a leveling jig operably coupled with a base and configured to define a retainer height relative to a leveling surface of the base, the leveling jig further configured to support the blade carrier with the first actuator in a released position.

8. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:

a verification sensor positioned externally of the build envelope and including an emitter unit and a receiver unit, the emitter unit configured to direct a beam towards the receiver unit, and wherein the one or more blades of the blade carrier are positioned between the emitter unit and the receiver unit.

9. A recoater for an additive manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a recoater arm;

a powder delivery system configured to move with the recoater arm and configured to dispose a material;

a retainer operably coupled with the recoater arm, the retainer including a housing defining a cavity;

a blade carrier supporting one or more blades;

a first actuator operably coupled with the housing and configured to compressively retain an upper portion of the blade carrier within the cavity between a first slide of the first actuator and the housing; and

a second actuator operably coupled with the housing and configured to selectively retain the blade carrier within the cavity, wherein the second actuator includes a second slide that is configured to be positioned within a channel defined by the upper portion of the blade carrier.

10. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first actuator is pneumatically translated between a released position and an extended position.

11. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:

a control assembly operably coupled with the first actuator and the second actuator and configured to move each of the first slide and the second slide between respective released and extended positions.

12. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first slide of the first actuator is positioned in the released position and the second slide of the second actuator is positioned in the extended position when power is removed from the control assembly.

13. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:

a positioning system operably coupled with the recoater and configured to move the recoater between a build envelope and a base, the base configured to retain the blade carrier in a predefined location when released from the retainer.

14. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:

a fixture configured to retain the blade carrier when the blade carrier is separated from the retainer in a position vertically above the base.

15. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:

a leveling jig operably coupled with a base and configured to define a retainer height relative to a leveling surface of the base, the leveling jig further configured to support the blade carrier with the first actuator in a released position.

16. The recoater for the additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:

a verification sensor positioned externally of the build envelope and including an emitter unit and a receiver unit, the emitter unit configured to direct a beam towards the receiver unit, and wherein the one or more blades of the blade carrier are positioned between the emitter unit and the receiver unit.

17. A recoater for an additive manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a recoater arm;

a retainer operably coupled with the recoater arm, the retainer including a housing defining a cavity;

a blade carrier supporting one or more blades; and

a first actuator operably coupled with the housing and configured to compressively retain an upper portion of the blade carrier within the cavity between a slide of the first actuator and the housing wherein the slide is configured to be positioned within a channel defined by the upper portion of the blade carrier;

a second actuator operably coupled with the housing and configured to selectively retain the blade carrier within the cavity, wherein the second actuator includes a second slide that is configured to be positioned within a channel defined by the upper portion of the blade carrier; and

a control assembly operably coupled with the first actuator and the second actuator and configured to move each of the first slide and the second slide between respective released and extended positions.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 2, 2021
From: VAN DEEST, RYAN WILLIAM; SIMMERMON, DAVID SCOTT; DODDS, NICHOLAS RYAN; SHALABY, MOHAMMED MOUNIR
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 055461/0356 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220281011A1 · Sep 8, 2022
References Cited (163)
US 2722867A · Dackor et al. · 1955 [cited by applicant]
US 3567120A · Suda et al. · 1971 [cited by applicant]
US 4863538A · Deckard · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 5059021A · Spence et al. · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5123734A · Spence et al. · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5174931A · Almquist et al. · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5415384A · Obrist et al. · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5460758A · Langer et al. · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5702574A · Foster et al. · 1997 [cited by applicant]
US 5810344A · Nishimoto · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5879753A · Zajchowski et al. · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 5902537A · Almquist et al. · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 5913555A · Richter et al. · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 5943235A · Earl et al. · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 6161826A · Forrer · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6401000B1 · Suzuki et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6435596B1 · Phillips · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6449529B1 · Oleksy · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6492651B2 · Kerekes · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6532656B1 · Wilkins et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6607689B1 · Farnworth · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6641128B2 · Fries · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6895350B2 · Suzuki et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 6908288B2 · Jackson et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 6986654B2 · Imiolek et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 6993818B2 · Smith et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7009137B2 · Guo · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7034246B2 · Muylaert et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7261550B2 · Herzog · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7357629B2 · Weiskopf et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7449658B2 · Mielke · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7520495B2 · Stark · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7520740B2 · Walstrom et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7585450B2 · Wahlstrom et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7587818B2 · Gorman et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7665717B2 · Lenzini · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7674107B2 · Perret et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7690909B2 · Wahlstrom · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7713454B2 · Larsson · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7790096B2 · Merot et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7850885B2 · Philippi et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 8021138B2 · Green · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8056606B2 · Hasz · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8083513B2 · Montero-Escuder et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8105527B2 · Wahlstrom · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8153183B2 · Skubic et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8366432B2 · Perret et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8801502B2 · Ng et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8875392B2 · Richter · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8920063B1 · Easley · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8996156B2 · Melzer-Jokisch et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9034236B2 · Xu et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9073156B2 · Clark et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9114478B2 · Scott et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9216484B2 · Bishop et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9254535B2 · Buller et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9283593B2 · Bruck et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9289861B2 · Czerner · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9302359B2 · Hediger · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9346127B2 · Buller et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9435211B2 · Xu · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9452474B2 · Xu · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9555522B2 · Evans et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9884393B2 · Roberts et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9919474B2 · Napadensky · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9943933B2 · Zu et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10035223B2 · Ladewig et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10086481B2 · Krol et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10646924B2 · Spears et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 11312072B2 · Deforge et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20020104973A1 · Kerekes · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20030214571A1 · Ishikawa et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20040094728A1 · Herzog et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20040170765A1 · Ederer et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20040191064A1 · Guo · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050001356A1 · Tochimoto et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20060219163A1 · Merot et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20070003416A1 · Bewlay et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070075461A1 · Hunter et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20090206522A1 · Hein et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100028158A1 · Richter · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110223349A1 · Scott · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110278773A1 · Bokodi et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120076578A1 · Schron, Sr. et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120085875A1 · Hoyt et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130101746A1 · Keremes et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140023426A1 · Schron, Sr. et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140077422A1 · Minick · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140163717A1 · Das et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140259668A1 · Henderson et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140346969A1 · Scott · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140377117A1 · Herrmann et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150079306A1 · Schoeneborn et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150165556A1 · Jones et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150209889A1 · Peters et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150224607A1 · Bruck et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150298259A1 · Colin et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150336271A1 · Spicer et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150367415A1 · Buller et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160023403A1 · Ramos et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160069184A1 · Ribic et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160074965A1 · Jakimov et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160121399A1 · Buller et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160159011A1 · Marchione et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160167172A1 · Goncharov et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160305777A1 · Racine et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160318257A1 · Brooks et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170009584A1 · Cui et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170056975A1 · Carter et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170106482A1 · Roberts et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170143145A1 · Peynet · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170165922A1 · Hakkaku · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180038385A1 · Welch · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180056393A1 · Herzog et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180079033A1 · Krueger et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180111319A1 · Brezoczky et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180200964A1 · Rockstroh et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180207875A1 · Menchik · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180236504A1 · Pourcher et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180236556A1 · Garay et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180238172A1 · Garay et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180238173A1 · Garay et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180243866A1 · Srinivasan et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190022790A1 · Hofmann · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190118301A1 · Winiarski et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190152140A1 · Childers · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190275586A1 · Dering et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190329497A1 · Deak · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200376761A1 · Sweetland · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 206573076U · 2017 [cited by applicant]
DE 19649865C1 · 1998 [cited by applicant]
DE 29907262U1 · 1999 [cited by applicant]
DE 102004018770A1 · 2005 [cited by applicant]
DE 102011102543A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
DE 102010001414B4 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
DE 102012011217A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
EP 1637274A1 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
EP 2191922A1 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
EP 2202016A1 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
EP 2202016B1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
EP 3205483A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
EP 3473440A1 · 2019 [cited by examiner]
EP 3536484A1 · 2019 [cited by examiner]
EP 3568247A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
FR 3058354A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
GB 2181374A · 1987 [cited by applicant]
GB 2449862A · 2008 [cited by examiner]
GB 2453945A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2014199149A1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2015103476A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2015118180A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2015141779A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2016176432A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2017074373A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2017143145A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2018132204A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2018145912A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
Gu et al., Influences of Energy Density on Porosity and Microstructure of Selective Laser Melted 17-4PH Stainless Steel. 24th International SFF Symposium—An Additive Manufacturing Conference, Aug. 16, 2013, pp. 474-489. [cited by applicant]
Jones et al., Remanufacture of turbine blades by laser cladding, machining and in-process scanning in a single machine, Proceedings from 23 [cited by applicant]
Liu et al., Effects of melt-pool geometry on crystal growth and microstructure development in laser surface-melted superalloy single crystals, Mathematical modeling of single-crystal growth in a melt pool (Part 1), Scie… [cited by applicant]
Mitee-Bite Products, LLC, Workholding Specialists, Aug. 2017 Catalog, 52 Pages. [cited by applicant]
Peng et al., Influence of Energy Density on Energy Demand and Porosity of 316L Stainless Steel Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting, International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology, vo… [cited by applicant]
Wong et al., A Review of Additive Manufacturing, International Scholarly Research Network, Mechanical Engineering, Article ID 208760, vol. 2012, May 2012, 11 Pages. [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 12,521,940