US 12,441,058 B2
Closed loop gated recoater monitoring system
Justin Mamrak, Loveland, OH (US); MacKenzie Ryan Redding, Mason, OH (US); and Zachary David Fieldman, West Chester, OH (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Evendale, OH (US)
Appl. No. 16/761,736
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 2, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/058934
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 5, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/094296, PCT Pub. Date May 16, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/584,280, filed on Nov. 10, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0338829 A1, Oct. 29, 2020
Int. Cl. B29C 64/214 (2017.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/30 (2021.01); B22F 12/00 (2021.01); B22F 12/52 (2021.01); B22F 12/57 (2021.01); B22F 12/67 (2021.01); B22F 12/70 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B22F 12/13 (2021.01)
CPC B29C 64/214 (2017.08) [B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/30 (2021.01); B22F 12/52 (2021.01); B22F 12/57 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B22F 12/13 (2021.01); B22F 12/222 (2021.01); B22F 12/67 (2021.01); B22F 12/70 (2021.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for additive manufacturing, the apparatus comprising:
an irradiation emission directing device for generating an energy beam;
a gas flow device with a pressurized outlet portion and a vacuum inlet portion providing laminar gas flow to a gasflow zone; and
a recoater apparatus, comprising:
a powder reservoir;
a powder distribution system comprising:
an inlet configured to receive a powder from the powder reservoir;
an outlet associated with a gate plate having an actuator configured to move the gate plate, the outlet configured to supply onto a powder bed the powder received from the inlet;
a dosing gate positioned at the outlet having an actuator configured to move the dosing gate between an open position and a closed position to control a quantity of the powder supplied from the outlet;
a powder flow sensor positioned at the outlet for monitoring the quantity of the powder supplied from the outlet onto the powder bed by the dosing gate, wherein the powder flow sensor includes a strain gauge, wherein the quantity of the powder supplied by the outlet is determined at least in part by a monitored output determined by the powder flow sensor, wherein the gas flow device is connected to and moveable with the powder distribution system, wherein the powder flow sensor is further positioned between the dosing gate and the powder bed, and wherein the quantity of the powder supplied from the outlet onto the powder bed is shielded from the laminar gas flow; and
a processor configured to perform a plurality of operations, the plurality of operations comprising:
determining whether the monitored output satisfies a powder flow threshold;
determining whether the monitored output is within a powder flow range upon determining the monitored output does not satisfy the powder flow threshold; and
modifying a flow of the powder onto the powder bed from the outlet based at least in part on determining the monitored output is within the powder flow range.