US 12,103,227 B2
Powder removal floating structures
Daniel Jason Erno, Clifton Park, NY (US); Arunkumar Natarajan, Schenectady, NY (US); Ken Ivcar Salas Nobrega, Schenectady, NY (US); and Ananda Barua, Glenville, NY (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on May 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/743,674.
Application 17/743,674 is a continuation of application No. 16/003,777, filed on Jun. 8, 2018, granted, now 11,344,949.
Prior Publication US 2022/0274169 A1, Sep. 1, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B22F 10/68 (2021.01); B22F 3/24 (2006.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/40 (2021.01); B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B28B 11/22 (2006.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B29C 64/35 (2017.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/153 (2017.08) [B22F 3/24 (2013.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/40 (2021.01); B22F 10/68 (2021.01); B28B 1/001 (2013.01); B28B 11/22 (2013.01); B29C 64/35 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); B22F 2003/247 (2013.01); B22F 2202/01 (2013.01); Y10T 428/12014 (2015.01); Y10T 428/12063 (2015.01); Y10T 428/12076 (2015.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A powder removal method, comprising:
generatively forming a part structure and at least one floating structure disposed within at least one channel defined by the part structure from a build file via a generative build process, the at least one channel including powder disposed therein, the at least one floating structure surrounded by the powder, the at least one channel defining an opening sized for removal of the at least one floating structure from the at least one channel; and
vibrating the part structure and the at least one floating structure so as to remove the powder and the at least one floating structure from within the at least one channel through the opening,
wherein the at least one floating structure occupies from 80% to 99% of the volume of the at least one channel.