US-12623290-B2 - Additive manufacturing system with partially flexible build platform

Abstract

An additive manufacturing (AM) system includes a build chamber, a base adjustably coupled to the build chamber, and a build material applicator for depositing a build material above a build platform for creating the object. The build platform includes a fixed region fixedly and rigidly coupled to the base and a flex region configured to flex relative to the base in response to a force applied to the build platform by an object. The partial flexibility allows deformation caused by thermal distortion of the build platform during use to reduce final object stress. The AM system can produce larger additively manufactured objects out of crack-prone material. In addition, the partial flexibility may prevent damage to the build platform and/or base without an overly complicated arrangement.

Inventors

• James J. Murray
• Archie Lee Swanner, JR.
• Evan John Dozier

Assignees

• GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20210715

Claims (18)

1. 1 . An additive manufacturing (AM) system, comprising: a build chamber; a base adjustably coupled to the build chamber; a build platform having a length and a width and including a fixed region disposed centrally with respect to at least one of the length and the width, wherein the fixed region is fixedly and rigidly coupled to the base in direct contact therewith by at least one fastener disposed in the fixed region, the build platform further including a flex region configured to flex relative to the base in response to a force applied to the build platform by an object; a flex limiter within the build platform, the flex limiter limiting a range of flexing of the flex region of the build platform relative to the base, wherein the flex limiter includes: an opening defined through the build platform in the flex region, the opening including a seat therein; a member coupled to the base through the opening, the member including a mechanical stop spaced a predefined distance from the seat in a non-flexed state of the build platform; and wherein in response to the force applied to the build platform by the object, the flex region flexes relative to the base until the mechanical stop prevents further flexing, the seat thereby having traveled no more than the predefined distance; and a build material applicator for depositing a build material above the build platform for creating the object.
2. 2 . The AM system of claim 1 , further comprising a compressible member between the mechanical stop of the member and the seat in the build platform, the compressible member engaging a bottom surface of the mechanical stop and a top surface of the seat.
3. 3 . The AM system of claim 2 , wherein the compressible member includes a compression spring.
4. 4 . The AM system of claim 1 , wherein the opening is defined only in a build surface of the build platform adjacent an area of the build surface upon which the object will be built, and further comprising a closure mounted in an upper end of the opening and enclosing the flex limiter.
5. 5 . The AM system of claim 1 , wherein the flex region includes first opposing peripheral sides across an X axis of the build platform.
6. 6 . The AM system of claim 5 , wherein the flex region includes second opposing peripheral sides across a Y axis of the build platform.
7. 7 . The AM system of claim 1 , wherein the build material applicator deposits a layer of material, and further comprising a welding system for welding a portion of the layer of material to an underlying layer of the object.
8. 8 . An additive manufacturing (AM) system, comprising: a build chamber; a base adjustably coupled to the build chamber; a build platform including a fixed region, wherein the fixed region is centrally disposed in and extends along substantially an entire dimension of the build platform, the fixed region is fixedly and rigidly coupled to the base in direct contact therewith by at least one fastener disposed in the fixed region, the build platform also includes a flex region adjacent a long edge of the fixed region and an edge of the build platform, and wherein the flex region is configured to flex relative to the base in response to a force applied to the build platform by an object; a flex limiter within the build platform and disposed in the flex region, the flex limiter limiting a range of flexing of the flex region of the build platform relative to the base, wherein the flex limiter includes: an opening defined through the build platform in the flex region, the opening including a seat therein; a member coupled to the base through the opening, the member including a mechanical stop spaced a distance from the seat in a non-flexed state of the build platform; and wherein in response to the force applied to the build platform by the object, the flex region flexes relative to the base until the mechanical stop prevents further flexing; and a build material applicator for depositing a build material above the build platform for creating the object.
9. 9 . The AM system of claim 8 , further comprising a compressible member between the mechanical stop of the member and the seat in the build platform, the compressible member engaging a bottom surface of the mechanical stop and a top surface of the seat.
10. 10 . The AM system of claim 9 , wherein the compressible member includes a compression spring.
11. 11 . The AM system of claim 8 , wherein the opening is defined only in a build surface of the build platform adjacent an area of the build surface upon which the object will be built, and further comprising a closure mounted in an upper end of the opening.
12. 12 . The AM system of claim 8 , wherein the flex region includes first opposing peripheral sides across an X axis of the build platform.
13. 13 . The AM system of claim 12 , wherein the flex region includes second opposing peripheral sides across a Y axis of the build platform.
14. 14 . The AM system of claim 8 , wherein the build material applicator deposits a layer of material, and further comprising a welding system for welding a portion of the layer of material to an underlying layer of the object.
15. 15 . The AM system of claim 8 , wherein the fixed region extends parallel to an edge of the build platform and the flex region is rectangular.
16. 16 . The AM system of claim 8 , wherein the fixed region extends diagonally across the build platform and the flex region is triangular.
17. 17 . The AM system of claim 8 , wherein the flex region is a first flex region, the AM system further comprising a second flex region adjacent an opposite long edge of the fixed region.
18. 18 . A method comprising: additively manufacturing an object by an additive manufacturing (AM) system including: a build chamber; a base adjustably coupled to the build chamber; a build platform including a fixed region, wherein the fixed region is in direct contact with the base, the fixed region is fixedly and rigidly coupled to the base by at least one fastener disposed in the fixed region, and the build platform also includes a flex region configured to flex relative to the base in response to a force applied to the build platform by an object; a flex limiter within the build platform and disposed in the flex region, the flex limiter limiting a range of flexing of the flex region of the build platform relative to the base, wherein the flex limiter includes: an opening defined through the build platform in the flex region, the opening including a seat therein; a member coupled to the base through the opening, the member including a mechanical stop spaced a predefined distance from the seat to a bottom surface of the mechanical stop in a non-flexed state of the build platform; and a compressible member between the mechanical stop of the member and the seat in the build platform, wherein in response to the force applied to the build platform by the object, the flex region flexes relative to the base until the mechanical stop prevents further flexing, the seat thereby having traveled no more than the predefined distance; and a build material applicator for depositing a build material above the build platform for creating the object.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to additive manufacturing, and more particularly, to an additive manufacturing system having a partially flexible build platform. BACKGROUND Additive manufacturing (AM) includes a wide variety of processes of producing an object through the successive layering of material on a build platform rather than the removal of material from a block of material. With certain additive manufacturing processes, as the object is built, it can apply a stress to the build platform. For example, in a selective laser melting (SLM) AM process, large parts with large weld areas compared to the build platform area can cause the build platform to deform or warp due to thermal shrinkage. Where the build platform is fully rigidly constrained to the base of the AM system, the thermal stress can remain in the part, causing defects. Alternatively, the stress can damage the connection between the build platform and the base. One corrective approach adds compliant supports to the object that are allowed to deform, but the supports can be expensive and time consuming to build, and complicate the manufacture of the object. Other approaches implement complicated spring systems between the base and the build platform, allowing the entire build platform to flex. The spring systems can clog from material accumulation therein, and disadvantageously require independent movement of the base relative to the build platform. BRIEF DESCRIPTION All aspects, examples and features mentioned below can be combined in any technically possible way. An aspect of the disclosure provides an additive manufacturing (AM) system, comprising: a build chamber; a base adjustably coupled to the build chamber; a build platform including a fixed region fixedly and rigidly coupled to the base and a flex region configured to flex relative to the base in response to a force applied to the build platform by an object; and a build material applicator for depositing a build material above the build platform for creating the object. Another aspect of the disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and the build platform includes at least one fastener fixedly and rigidly coupling the fixed region to the base. Another aspect of the disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and further comprising a flex limiter within the build platform, the flex limiter limiting a range of flexing of the flex region of the build platform relative to the base. Another aspect of the disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and the flex limiter includes: an opening defined through the build platform, the opening including a seat therein; a member coupled to the base through the opening, the member including a mechanical stop spaced a distance from the seat in a non-flexed state of the build platform, wherein in response to the force applied to the build platform by the object, the flex region flexes relative to the base up to the distance at which the mechanical stop engages the seat to prevent further flexing. Another aspect of the disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and the flex limiter further includes a compressible member between the mechanical stop of the member and the seat in the build platform. Another aspect of the disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and the compressible member includes a compression spring. Another aspect of the disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and the opening is defined only in a build surface of the build platform adjacent an area of the build surface upon which the object will be built, and further comprising a closure mounted in an upper end of the opening and enclosing the flex limiter. Another aspect of the disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and the base directly contacts the build platform. Another aspect of the disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and the flex region includes first opposing peripheral sides across an X axis of the build platform. Another aspect of the disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and the flex region includes second opposing peripheral sides across a Y axis of the build platform. Another aspect of the disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and the build material applicator deposits a layer of material, and further comprising a welding system for welding a portion of the layer of material to an underlying layer of the object. Another aspect of the disclosure provides an additive manufacturing (AM) system, comprising: a build chamber; a base adjustably coupled to the build chamber; a build platform including a fixed region fixedly and rigidly coupled to the base by at least one fastener, and a flex region configured to flex relative to the base in response to a force applied to the build platform by an object; a flex limiter within the build platform, the flex limiter limiting a range of flexing of the flex region of the build platform relative to the base; and a build mate