CPC C23C 16/50 (2013.01) [B22F 7/02 (2013.01); B22F 7/04 (2013.01); B22F 7/06 (2013.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/50 (2021.01); B22F 10/62 (2021.01); B22F 12/49 (2021.01); B22F 12/67 (2021.01); B22F 12/70 (2021.01); B23K 15/0086 (2013.01); B23K 26/082 (2015.10); B23K 26/342 (2015.10); B28B 1/001 (2013.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.08); B29C 64/165 (2017.08); B29C 64/20 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); C23C 16/04 (2013.01); C23C 16/52 (2013.01); B22F 3/24 (2013.01); B22F 10/36 (2021.01); B22F 10/64 (2021.01); B22F 12/224 (2021.01); B22F 2003/242 (2013.01); B22F 2999/00 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. A method for fabricating an object, comprising:
(a) spreading a layer of build material over a build surface in a build chamber with a recoater mechanism movable in a first dimension;
(b) fusing at least a portion of the layer of build material in the build chamber to form at least one fused region;
(c) spreading a subsequent layer of build material with the recoater mechanism over the build surface;
(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until the object is formed; and
(e) at least one step of depositing a second material by chemical vapor deposition during forming the object, wherein at step (e) a vapor is released, and depositing the second material includes containing the vapor and releasing the vapor adjacent to the build surface, wherein the depositing the second material is performed using a chemical vapor deposition unit attached to the recoater mechanism and movable in a second dimension different from the first dimension, wherein the chemical vapor deposition unit is movable independently of a movable fusing mechanism used to form the at least one fused region, wherein the chemical vapor deposition unit comprises an enclosure within the build chamber and a gas nozzle housed within the enclosure, wherein the vapor is released at no more than 2 cm from the build surface, and wherein releasing the vapor adjacent to the build surface comprises depositing the second material from the gas nozzle extending in a downward direction toward the build surface from an actuator and away from a gas inlet in the downward direction.
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