Granted Patent B2

US 12,533,848 · App. 18/250,855 · Granted Jan 27, 2026

Inventor: Jacob Mayer (Cincinnati, OH)

Assignee: General Electric Company

B29C64/259B29C64/165B29C64/307B33Y10/00B33Y30/00B33Y40/00

Abstract

Claims (36)

1 . An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article having successive layers of a powder material, which layers correspond to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional article, the apparatus comprising:

a process chamber comprising a process chamber floor; and

a build box management system comprising:

an intake conveyor that receives a build box at a location upstream of the process chamber; and

an elevated conveyor that engages the build box at a location above a bottom of the build box and carries the build box from the intake conveyor below the process chamber toward an opening in the process chamber floor.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an outfeed conveyor that receives the build box from the elevated conveyor.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein one or both of the intake conveyor and the outfeed conveyor engage the bottom of the build box.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the intake conveyor and the outfeed conveyor are roller conveyors and the elevated conveyor is a chain conveyor.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a lift platform assembly that raises the build box, the lift platform assembly located at the elevated conveyor.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the lift platform assembly comprises:

an outer lift platform having an opening therethrough; and

an inner lift platform located in the opening of the outer lift platform;

wherein the inner lift platform can move relative to the outer lift platform.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

a first actuator that moves the outer lift platform toward the process chamber floor; and

a second actuator that moves the inner lift platform toward the process chamber floor.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first actuator is biased in a direction toward the process chamber floor.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second actuator is driven toward and away from the process chamber floor.

10 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the outer lift platform comprises at least one ball transfer unit that facilitates side-to-side and/or front-to-back movement of a build box located thereon.

11 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the inner lift platform comprises at least one clamping device that clamps onto a clamping feature of the build box.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a build head that deposits a layer of binder material in a predetermined pattern on a layer of powder material that has been distributed on a build platform located within the opening of the process chamber floor.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a depowder apparatus comprising one or more tools configured to remove the powder material from a part.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a conveyance apparatus that delivers a build box to the depowder apparatus.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a lid management system comprising:

an actuator comprising a movable arm that moves linearly between retracted and extended positions; and

a machine lid connected to the movable arm, the machine lid sized and configured to sealingly engage a perimeter of the opening of the process chamber floor with the movable arm in the extended position.

16 . A method of handling a build box into an apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article having successive layers of a powder material, which layers correspond to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional article, the method comprising:

placing a build box on an intake conveyor located upstream of a process chamber, the intake conveyor automatically delivering the build box to an elevated conveyor that engages the build box at a location above a bottom of the build box; and

raising the build box toward an opening in the process chamber floor using a lift platform assembly.

17 . The method of claim 16 further comprising transferring the build box from the elevated conveyor to an outfeed conveyor.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein one or both of the intake conveyor and the outfeed conveyor engaging the bottom of the build box.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the intake conveyor and the outfeed conveyor are roller conveyors and the elevated conveyor is a chain conveyor.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the lift platform assembly comprises:

an outer lift platform having an opening therethrough; and

an inner lift platform located in the opening;

wherein the inner lift platform can move relative to the outer lift platform.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (285)