US 11,851,763 B2
Chemical vapor deposition during additive manufacturing
Scott Alan Gold, Waynesville, OH (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Jun. 23, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/631,955.
Prior Publication US 2018/0369912 A1, Dec. 27, 2018
Int. Cl. B22F 7/04 (2006.01); C23C 16/50 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01); C23C 16/04 (2006.01); C23C 16/52 (2006.01); B23K 15/00 (2006.01); B23K 26/342 (2014.01); B23K 26/082 (2014.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B22F 7/06 (2006.01); B29C 64/165 (2017.01); B29C 64/20 (2017.01); B22F 7/02 (2006.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 12/49 (2021.01); B22F 12/67 (2021.01); B22F 12/70 (2021.01); B22F 10/50 (2021.01); B22F 10/62 (2021.01); B22F 3/24 (2006.01); B22F 12/00 (2021.01); B22F 10/36 (2021.01); B22F 10/64 (2021.01)
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
OG exemplary drawing
 
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.