US 12,330,246 B2
Systems and methods for additive manufacturing in a controlled short circuit welding system
Richard Martin Hutchison, Iola, WI (US); and Todd Gerald Batzler, Hortonville, WI (US)
Assigned to Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL (US)
Filed by Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL (US)
Filed on May 30, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/426,845.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/678,590, filed on May 31, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0366466 A1, Dec. 5, 2019
Int. Cl. B23K 9/04 (2006.01); B23K 9/073 (2006.01); B23K 9/095 (2006.01); B23K 9/12 (2006.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01)
CPC B23K 9/042 (2013.01) [B23K 9/0732 (2013.01); B23K 9/0953 (2013.01); B23K 9/0956 (2013.01); B23K 9/125 (2013.01); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An arc welding additive manufacturing system, comprising:
an arc welding additive manufacturing tool configured to receive a wire and to apply a plurality of droplets of the wire to a part comprising a plurality of layers, each layer comprising one or more droplets, wherein the additive manufacturing tool is a welding type tool to supply the plurality of droplets by melting the wire by creating an arc between the wire and the part;
a wire feeder configured to move the wire to and away from the part; and
a controller comprising one or more control circuits and configured to determine at least one of:
a temperature of a region of the part upon which a droplet of the plurality of droplets is to be applied; and
a geometric characteristic of the part associated with the region, wherein the controller is further configured to:
in the case that the temperature of the region of the part is determined, change a size of the plurality of droplets by adjusting an operational characteristic of the system to form droplets of the plurality of droplets with varying sizes in response to the temperature of the region of the part, and control application of the droplets with varying sizes to the region of the part based on the temperature of the region of the part, wherein the plurality of droplets is configured to build up the part at the region; and
in the case that the geometric characteristic of the part associated with the region is determined, change a size of the plurality of droplets by adjusting an operational characteristic of the system to form droplets of the plurality of droplets with varying sizes in response to the geometric characteristic of the region of the part, and control application of the droplets with varying sizes to the region of the part based on at the geometric characteristic of the region of the part, wherein the plurality of droplets is configured to build up the part at the region.