US-20260124682-A1 - Powder Dispersion and Containment System for Additive Manufacturing Print Cartridge

US20260124682A1US 20260124682 A1US20260124682 A1US 20260124682A1US-20260124682-A1

Abstract

A method and an assembly of a powder dispersion mechanism in a powder bed fusion manufacturing assembly that enables efficient powder use, flow, and dispersion. In one embodiment a powder dispersion assembly can include a print cartridge coupled to a powder dispersion assembly. A powder hopper is configured to contain a powder positioned below the print cartridge and have a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the powder from the powder hopper to a powder dispersion mechanism. Dispersed powder is directed to a build plate. The assembly can be configured to disperse powder evenly on a print plate to improve metallurgical properties of a part to be manufactured. Excess powder can be recaptured and reintroduced into the system to improve overall efficiency of the system

Inventors

Evan WARNIERS
Joseph Gillespie
Brendan Gallahue

Assignees

Seurat Technologies, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251104

Claims (20)

1 . A powder dispersion assembly for a print cartridge comprising: a powder hopper configured to contain a powder below a print plate; a conveyance mechanism; and a powder dispersion mechanism coupled to the conveyance mechanism; wherein, the conveyance mechanism is configured to covey the powder from the powder hopper; and, the powder dispersion mechanism is configured to receive powder from the conveyance mechanism and disperse powder onto the print cartridge.
2 . The powder dispersion assembly of claim 1 wherein the conveyance mechanism is an auger.
3 . The powder dispersion assembly of claim 2 wherein the auger is has a fixed central screw and a rotatable exterior casing.
4 . The powder dispersion assembly of claim 1 wherein the powder dispersion plate is configured to couple to a vibration mechanism.
5 . The powder dispersion assembly of claim 1 wherein the powder conveyance mechanism further comprises a shuttle with a shutoff feature configured to convey powder to a load ram.
6 . The powder dispersion assembly of claim 1 wherein the powder dispersion plate further comprises at least one channel configured to convey the powder.
7 . The powder dispersion assembly of claim 1 further comprising a bearing with an overhang configured to couple the powder conveyance mechanism to the powder dispersion plate.
8 . The powder dispersion assembly of claim 1 wherein the powder hopper is configured below the powder dispersion plate.
9 . The powder dispersion assembly of claim 1 further comprising a mechanism configured to spread powder.
10 . A method of powder conveyance comprising: providing a powder from a powder hopper to a powder dispersion plate above the powder hopper; dispersing the powder to a conveyance using the powder dispersion plate; conveying the powder to a build plate; and measuring an amount of powder onto build plate.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein conveying the powder to a build plate further comprises loading a shuttle configured to convey the powder to a ram configured to convey the powder to a build plate.
12 . The method of claim 10 wherein measuring of an amount of powder comprises a positive displacement of powder followed by a subtractive measuring method.
13 . The method of claim 10 further comprising vibrating the powder dispersion plate.
14 . The method of claim 10 further comprising collecting excess powder.
15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising combining the excess powder with the powder from the powder hopper.
16 . The powder dispersion assembly of claim 1 further comprising a subtractive measurement system configured to interact with the powder conveyed to the print cartridge.
17 . The powder dispersion assembly of claim 1 wherein an overflow powder is configured to be recirculated into the powder hopper.
18 . The powder dispersion assembly of claim 1 wherein the assembly is configured to accommodate a powder bed fusion manufacturing assembly.
19 . The method of claim 10 wherein powder is used in powder bed fusion manufacturing.
20 . A powder dispersion assembly for a print cartridge comprising: a powder hopper; a conveyance mechanism; a powder dispersion mechanism coupled to the conveyance mechanism to convey the powder from the powder hopper; wherein the powder dispersion mechanism is configured to receive powder from the conveyance mechanism and disperse powder onto the print cartridge.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION The present disclosure is part of a non-provisional patent application claiming the priority benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 63/716,493, filed on November 5, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to a system and method for high throughput additive manufacturing. In one embodiment powder bed fusion manufacturing is supported by use of discrete print cartridges that support powder dispersion and confinement mechanisms and methods. BACKGROUND Traditional component machining often relies on removal of material by drilling, cutting, or grinding to form a part. In contrast, additive manufacturing, also referred to as 3D printing, typically involves sequential layer by layer addition of material to build a part. Beginning with a 3D computer model, an additive manufacturing system can be used to create complex parts from a wide variety of materials. One additive manufacturing technique known Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing (PBF-AM) uses one or more focused lasers to draw a pattern in a thin layer of powder by melting the powder and bonding it to the layer below to gradually form a 3D printed part. Powders can be plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, crystal, other meltable material, or a combination of meltable and unmeltable materials (i.e. plastic and wood or metal and ceramic). During the additive manufacturing process, powder can be dosed in a discrete fashion and then spread to provide sufficient material for each layer. In modular systems where the print takes place within a sealed cartridge, the cartridge must be dosed with powder. For best results, the dosing process requires relatively even dispersion of the powder, reliable control of the flow of powder, and minimization of mechanical disruption of the system by errant powder. SUMMARY In one embodiment a powder dispersion assembly can comprise a print cartridge configured to couple to a powder dispersion assembly. A powder hopper can be configured to contain a powder below the print cartridge and a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the powder from the powder hopper to a powder dispersion mechanism coupled to the conveyance mechanism. In one embodiment a method of powder conveyance can include providing a powder from a powder hopper to a powder dispersion plate above the powder hopper, dispersing the powder to a conveyance using the powder dispersion plate, conveying the powder to a build plate, and measuring an amount of powder. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified. FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the auger and driving mechanisms of the powder dispersion assembly; FIG. 2A illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the loading of a shuttle of a powder dispersion assembly with powder from a powder hopper; FIG. 2B illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a shuttle loading a ram of a powder dispersion assembly; FIG. 2C illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the spreader assembly actuating a ram to convey a precise dose of powder to the print plane for spreading. FIG. 3A illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a connection of an auger and a dispersion plate; FIG. 3B illustrates a top view of an embodiment of a powder dispersion plate auger connection; FIG. 3C illustrates a cross-sectional top view of an embodiment of an assembly comprising an auger wherein the auger has a stationary central screw and a rotatable casing; FIG. 3D illustrates an embodiment of an exterior of an auger configured to interact with a stationary screw and an embodiment of the exterior casing coupling a driving mechanism; FIG. 3E illustrates an additive manufacturing system able to provide one or two dimensional light beams to a print bed that can be used in conjunction with powder dispersion assembly embodiments described herein; FIG. 4 illustrates a method of operating a print bed based additive manufacturing system able to provide one or two dimensional laser light beams that can be used in conjunction with powder dispersion assembly embodiments described herein; and FIG. 5 illustrates an additive manufacturing system that includes a switchyard system enabling use of multiple print beds and reuse of patterned two-dimensional energy and that can be used in conjunction with the powder dispersion assembly embodiments described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a powder dispersion assembly 100 that has a powder dispersion plate, an auger, and a driving mechanisms for the powder dispersion assembly 100. The assembly 100 can include a powder dispersion plate 101, a shuttle mechanism 102 coupled to a shuttle drive cylinder 103, a ram retract 104