US 12,263,643 B2
Methods of configuring gas flow in additive-manufacturing machines
Eric M. Chapman, Lake Tapps, WA (US); Cory C. Cunningham, Auburn, WA (US); Troy A. Haworth, Snohomish, WA (US); Dana Alexander Henshaw, Seattle, WA (US); Matthew Thomas Hollinger, Issaquah, WA (US); Ashley Marie Jones, Seattle, WA (US); Kevin Michael Mejia, Sammamish, WA (US); Christopher Perez, Bothell, WA (US); and Russell William Waymire, Gig Harbor, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Oct. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/497,934.
Application 18/497,934 is a division of application No. 17/492,031, filed on Oct. 1, 2021, granted, now 11,845,201.
Prior Publication US 2024/0059017 A1, Feb. 22, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B29C 64/386 (2017.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B29C 64/371 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/386 (2017.08) [B29C 64/153 (2017.08); B29C 64/371 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/00 (2014.12)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of configuring an additive-manufacturing machine that comprises a chamber, a platform, movable inside the chamber and comprising a build-plane surface, and a laser, having a laser focal plane within the chamber, the method comprising steps of:
flowing a gas within the chamber in accordance with a first set of process parameters at a predetermined point in the laser focal plane;
identifying a value of a flow characteristic of the gas at a predetermined point in the laser focal plane while flowing the gas within the chamber in accordance with the first set of process parameters;
simulating the step of flowing the gas within the chamber based on the value of the flow characteristic of the gas at the predetermined point in the laser focal plane so that a value of a simulated-flow characteristic of the gas at a predetermined point away from the laser focal plane is identified;
comparing the value of the simulated-flow characteristic of the gas at the predetermined point away from the laser focal plane to a desired value of the simulated-flow characteristic; and
flowing the gas within the chamber in accordance with a second set of process parameters, different from the first set of process parameters, when a difference between the value of the simulated-flow characteristic of the gas at the predetermined point away from the laser focal plane and the desired value of the simulated-flow characteristic is outside of a predetermined range
wherein:
the step of identifying the value of the flow characteristic of the gas at the predetermined point in the laser focal plane is performed using a flow-characterization system, comprising pressure probes and a reference plate that comprises a datum surface and reference-plate openings, passing through the datum surface;
the datum surface is coplanar with the laser focal plane during the step of identifying the value of the flow characteristic of the gas;
each of the pressure probes is received by a respective one of the reference-plate openings and is configured to monitor static pressure at the datum surface of the reference plate; and
the flow-characterization system further comprises an extensible pressure probe, protruding above the datum surface of the reference plate; and
the method further comprises a step of identifying a value of an additional flow characteristic of the gas at an additional predetermined point, spaced away from the laser focal plane, using the extensible pressure probe.