US 12,257,659 B2
Waste collection and abatement during hybrid additive and subtractive manufacturing
Stephen T. Connor, San Francisco, CA (US); Fabio Zurcher, San Francisco, CA (US); Brad Eaton, San Francisco, CA (US); and Matthew McKay, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to MANTLE INC., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by MANTLE INC., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/489,673.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/085,079, filed on Sep. 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0097190 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
Int. Cl. B23Q 11/00 (2006.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B23Q 17/24 (2006.01); B29C 64/35 (2017.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01)
CPC B23Q 11/0046 (2013.01) [B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B23Q 17/2433 (2013.01); B29C 64/35 (2017.08); B23C 2230/08 (2013.01); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12); G05B 2219/37588 (2013.01); Y10T 29/5176 (2015.01); Y10T 409/304088 (2015.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An assembly for controlling waste material during hybrid subtractive and additive manufacturing, the assembly comprising:
a machining tool held in a tool holder;
a shroud disposed around the machining tool;
a first port that is formed in a wall of the shroud, wherein negative pressure within the shroud is caused by applying pressure through the first port via a conduit, and wherein swarf is evacuated through the shroud into the conduit;
one or more air ports that are connected to a source of pressurized air by one or more throttling valves;
a controller that controls a rate of evacuation; and
a camera connected to the controller to detect a buildup of the swarf,
wherein the controller, based on detection of the buildup of the swarf by the camera, is configured to adjust flow of the pressurized air through the one or more air ports by automatic adjustment of the one or more throttling valves, and wherein the automatic adjustment of the one or more throttling valves is in accordance to a build program that runs on the controller.