Electron beam additive manufacturing system and control components
A layer manufacturing apparatus comprising: (a) a main chamber; (b) one or more energy emission devices; (c) one or more work piece supports; (d) a plurality of material delivery devices; wherein the plurality of material delivery devices are connected to one or more spools that are located external of the main chamber.
1 . A layer manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a) a main chamber;
b) one or more energy emission devices within the main chamber and configured to emit one or more electron beams;
c) one or more work piece supports located within the main chamber;
d) a plurality of material delivery devices located within the main chamber, wherein each of the plurality of material delivery devices includes a wire guide tube and a wire guide which are configured to feed a raw material into the one or more electron beams, and wherein the plurality of material delivery devices are movable relative to one another; and
wherein the plurality of material delivery devices are connected to one or more spools that are located external of the main chamber.
2 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of material delivery devices deliver the raw material to one or more of the one or more energy emission devices, a melt pool, or both at a different angle relative to another of the plurality of material delivery devices.
3 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of material delivery devices is on a leading side of the one or more energy emission devices and another of the plurality of material delivery devices is on a trailing side of the one or more energy emission devices.
4 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the each of the plurality of material delivery devices are movable relative to the one or more energy emission devices and the one or more work piece supports.
5 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of material delivery devices are rotatable about one or more of the one or more energy emission devices, angle adjustable relative to the one or more energy emission devices, or both.
6 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more spools are located within an adjacent chamber, and the main chamber and the adjacent chamber are both maintained in vacuum and the one or more spools can be removed from the adjacent chamber without breaking vacuum in the main chamber.
7 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more work piece supports are rotatable.
8 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the layer manufacturing apparatus includes a rotation device which includes the one or more work piece supports and is configured to rotate the one or more work piece supports inside the main chamber.
9 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more work piece supports include at least two work piece supports and the rotation device includes a rotation frame extending between the at least two work piece supports; and the rotation frame rotates with the at least two work piece supports.
10 . A layer manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a) a main chamber;
b) one or more energy emission devices within the main chamber and configured to emit one of more electron beams;
c) one or more work piece supports which are located within the main chamber and rotatable;
d) a plurality of material delivery devices located within the main chamber, wherein each of the plurality of material delivery devices includes a wire quide tube and a wire quide which are configured to feed a raw material into the one or more electron beams, and wherein the plurality of material delivery devices are movable relative to one another; and
wherein the plurality of material delivery devices are connected to one or more spools that are located external of the main chamber.
11 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of material delivery devices deliver the raw material to one or more of the one or more energy emission devices, a melt pool, or both at a different angle relative to another of the plurality of material delivery devices.
12 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein one of the plurality of material delivery devices is on a leading side of the one or more energy emission devices and another of the plurality of material delivery devices is on a trailing side of the one or more energy emission devices.
13 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the each of the plurality of material delivery devices are movable relative to the one or more energy emission devices and the one or more work piece supports.
14 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of material delivery devices are rotatable about one or more of the one or more energy emission devices, angle adjustable relative to the one or more energy emission devices, or both.
15 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the one or more spools are located within an adjacent chamber, and the main chamber and the adjacent chamber are both maintained in vacuum and the one or more spools can be removed from the adjacent chamber without breaking vacuum in the main chamber.
16 . A layer manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a) a main chamber;
b) one or more energy emission devices within the main chamber and which emits one or more electron beams;
c) one or more work piece supports which are located within the main chamber and rotatable;
d) a plurality of material delivery devices located within the main chamber, wherein each of the plurality of material delivery devices includes a wire guide tube and a wire guide which are configured to feed a raw material into the one or more electron beams, and wherein the plurality of material delivery devices are movable relative to one another;
wherein the plurality of material delivery devices are connected to one or more spools that are located external of the main chamber;
wherein the each of the plurality of material delivery devices are movable relative to the one or more energy emission devices the one or more work piece supports;
wherein one of the plurality of material delivery devices is on a leading side of the one or more energy emission devices and another of the plurality of material delivery devices is on a trailing side of the one or more energy emission devices; and
wherein each of the plurality of material delivery devices deliver the raw material to one or more of the one or more energy emission devices, a melt pool, or both at a different angle relative to another of the plurality of material delivery devices.
17 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of material delivery devices are rotatable about one or more of the one or more energy emission devices, angle adjustable relative to the one or more energy emission devices, or both.
18 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the layer manufacturing apparatus includes a rotation device which includes the one or more work piece supports and is configured to rotate the one or more work piece supports inside the main chamber.
19 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more work piece supports include at least two work piece supports and the rotation device includes a rotation frame extending between the at least two work piece supports; and the rotation frame rotates with the at least two work piece supports.
20 . The layer manufacturing apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the one or more spools are located within an adjacent chamber, and the main chamber and the adjacent chamber are both maintained in vacuum and the one or more spools can be removed from the adjacent chamber without breaking vacuum in the main chamber.