阅读说明：本技术 在增材制造中提供动态焊珠间距和编织填充的系统和方法 (System and method for providing dynamic bead spacing and braid filling in additive manufacturing ) 是由 安德鲁·R·彼得斯 乔纳森·H·保罗 利维·J·米切尔 于 2019-12-31 设计创作，主要内容包括：披露了用于增材制造的系统和方法的实施例。在一个实施例中,计算机控制装置访问多个规划构建图案,所述多个规划构建图案对应于待增材制造的三维(3D)零件的多个构建层。金属沉积装置沉积金属材料以形成所述3D零件的构建层的至少一部分。在所述计算机控制装置的控制下,基于规划构建图案的规划路径,将所述金属材料沉积为珠状编织图案。在所述珠状编织图案的沉积期间,动态地调节所述珠状编织图案的编织宽度、编织频率、和编织停顿。随着所述构建层的宽度沿所述构建层的长度尺寸变化,在所述计算机控制装置的控制下基于所述规划构建图案进行调节。(Embodiments of systems and methods for additive manufacturing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer control device accesses a plurality of planned build patterns corresponding to a plurality of build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part to be additively manufactured. A metal deposition device deposits a metal material to form at least a portion of a build layer of the 3D part. Depositing the metallic material as a bead weave pattern based on a planned path for planning a build pattern under control of the computer controlled device. Dynamically adjusting a braid width, a braid frequency, and a braid dwell of the bead braid pattern during deposition of the bead braid pattern. Adjusting, under control of the computer control means, based on the planned build pattern as the width of the build layer varies along the length dimension of the build layer.)

1. An additive manufacturing system, the system comprising:

a computer control configured to access a plurality of planned build patterns stored as digital data as a plurality of build layers corresponding to a three-dimensional (3D) part to be additively manufactured; and

a metal deposition device configured to deposit a metal material to form at least a portion of one of a plurality of build layers of the 3D part,

wherein the metallic material is deposited as a bead weave pattern according to a planned path of one of the plurality of planned build patterns under the control of the computer controlled device, wherein the planned build pattern corresponds to the build layer, and

wherein, under control of the computer-controlled device, dynamically adjusting a weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave pause of the bead weave pattern during deposition of the bead weave pattern as a width of the build layer varies along a length dimension of the build layer in accordance with the planned build pattern such that a bead width of the bead weave pattern dynamically varies.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a travel speed in a direction of travel along a length dimension of the build layer is dynamically adjusted during deposition of the bead weave pattern as a width of the build layer varies along the length dimension of the build layer under control of the computer controlled device in accordance with the planned build pattern.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a robot operatively connected to at least a portion of the metal deposition device and configured for being controlled by the computer control device during deposition of the bead weave pattern to move at least a portion of the metal deposition device relative to the 3D part being additively manufactured according to a planned path of the planned build pattern.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising a robot operatively connected to a substrate holding the 3D part being additively manufactured and configured for being controlled by the computer control device during deposition of the bead weave pattern to move the substrate relative to the metal deposition device according to a planned path of the planned build pattern.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the metal deposition device comprises:

a deposition tool having a contact tip;

a wire feeder operatively connected to the deposition tool and configured for feeding a consumable electrode of the metallic material through the deposition tool toward the 3D part; and

a power source operatively connected to the wire feeder,

wherein the power source is configured to provide energy during deposition of the bead weave pattern to at least melt the consumable wire electrode by forming an arc between the consumable wire electrode and the 3D part.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the metal deposition device comprises:

a wire feeder configured to feed filler wire of the metallic material toward the 3D part;

a power source; and

a laser operatively connected to the power supply,

wherein the power source and the laser are configured to provide energy in the form of a laser beam to melt at least the filler wire during deposition of the bead weave pattern.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the metal deposition device comprises:

a wire feeder configured to feed filler wire of the metallic material toward the 3D part;

a power source; and

a non-consumable electrode operatively connected to the power source,

wherein the power source and the non-consumable electrode are configured to provide energy during deposition of the beaded braid pattern to at least melt the filler wire by forming an arc between the non-consumable electrode and the 3D part.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the metal deposition device comprises:

a first wire feeder configured to feed filler wire of the metallic material toward the 3D part;

a power source; and

a second wire feeder operatively connected to the power source and configured to feed a consumable wire electrode of the metallic material toward the 3D part,

wherein the power source is configured to provide energy during deposition of the bead weave pattern to melt at least the consumable wire electrode and the filler wire by forming an arc between the consumable wire electrode and the 3D part.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a substantially constant metal deposition rate of said metallic material is maintained under the control of said computer control means during the deposition of said beaded weave pattern.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein a substantially constant contact tip-to-work distance (CTWD) is maintained under the control of the computer control means during deposition of the bead weave pattern.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the wave shape of the bead weave pattern may be one of substantially sinusoidal, substantially triangular, or substantially rectangular in shape, according to a planned path of the planned build pattern.

12. A method of filling a build layer of an additive manufactured part, the method comprising:

accessing, via a computer control device, one of a plurality of planning build patterns stored as digital data, wherein the plurality of planning build patterns correspond to a plurality of build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part being additively manufactured;

depositing a bead weave pattern of metallic material in a deposition travel direction along a length dimension of one of the plurality of build layers via a metal deposition device as a width of the build layer varies along the length dimension under control of the computer control device according to a planned path of the planned build pattern; and

dynamically adjusting a weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave pause of the bead weave pattern as a width along a length dimension, under control of the computer control device, in accordance with the planned build pattern, such that a bead width of the bead weave pattern dynamically changes.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising building a pattern according to the plan under the control of the computer controlled device, dynamically adjusting the speed of travel in the direction of deposition travel during the deposition as the width varies along the length dimension.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling a robot operatively connected to at least a portion of the metal deposition device and moving, via the computer control device, at least a portion of the metal deposition device relative to the 3D part being additively manufactured according to the planned path of the planned build pattern during deposition of the bead weave pattern.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling a robot operatively connected to a substrate holding the 3D part being additively manufactured, the substrate being moved relative to the metal deposition device during deposition of the beaded woven pattern according to a planned path of the planned build pattern via the computer control device.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

feeding a consumable wire electrode of the metallic material toward the 3D part via a wire feeder of the metal deposition device; and

during deposition of the beaded braided pattern, providing energy via a power source operatively connected to a metal deposition device of the wire feeder to melt at least the consumable wire electrode by forming an arc between the consumable wire electrode and the 3D part.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

feeding filler wire of the metallic material toward the 3D part via a wire feeder of the metal deposition device; and

during deposition of the bead weave pattern, providing energy via a power source of a metal deposition device operatively connected to a laser of the metal deposition device to at least melt the filler wire by forming a laser beam between the laser and the 3D part.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

feeding filler wire of the metallic material toward the 3D part via a wire feeder of the metal deposition device; and

providing energy via a power source of a metal deposition device operatively connected to a non-consumable electrode of the metal deposition device to at least melt the filler wire by forming an arc between the non-consumable electrode and the 3D part.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

feeding filler wire of the metallic material toward the 3D part via a first wire feeder of the metal deposition device;

feeding a consumable wire electrode of the metallic material toward the 3D part via a second wire feeder of the metal deposition device; and

providing energy via a power source operatively connected to a metal deposition device of the second wire feeder during deposition of the beaded braided pattern to melt at least the consumable wire electrode and the filler wire by forming an arc between the consumable wire electrode and the 3D part.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising maintaining a substantially constant metal deposition rate of said metallic material under the control of said computer control device during the deposition of said bead weave pattern.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising maintaining a substantially constant contact tip-to-work distance (CTWD) under the control of the computer control device during deposition of the bead weave pattern.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein a waveform of the bead weave pattern may be one of substantially sinusoidal, substantially triangular, or substantially rectangular in shape according to the planned build pattern.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods related to additive manufacturing, and more particularly to systems and methods that support metal filling of build layers during an additive manufacturing process.

Background

Conventionally, additive manufacturing processes are capable of manufacturing near net shape parts with relatively low deposition rates, where each part is built layer by layer. However, build times can be long, and existing fill-in techniques may not be sufficient to additive manufacture certain types of parts (e.g., parts with varying widths of build layers).

Disclosure of Invention

Embodiments of the invention include systems and methods related to additive manufacturing that provide efficient filling of build layers of three-dimensional (3D) parts during additive manufacturing.

In one embodiment, an additive manufacturing system is provided. According to one embodiment, a pattern of multiple layers of a 3D part to be additively manufactured is rendered and stored as digital data within the system. The digital data may be from a CAD model or from a scanned part, for example. The system includes a computer-controlled device configured to access a plurality of planned build patterns stored as digital data and corresponding to a plurality of build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part to be additively manufactured. The system also includes a metal deposition device configured to deposit a metallic material to form at least a portion of one of a plurality of build layers of the 3D part. Depositing the metallic material as a bead weave pattern according to a planned path of one of the plurality of planned build patterns under the control of the computer controlled device, wherein the planned build pattern corresponds to the build layer. Dynamically adjusting a weave width, a weave frequency and a weave dwell of the bead weave pattern, and/or a travel speed in a deposition travel direction along a length dimension of a build layer during deposition of the bead weave pattern. Adjusting, under control of the computer control means, according to the planned build pattern as the width of the build layer varies along the length dimension of the build layer. The result is a dynamic change in bead width of the beaded weave pattern. In one embodiment, a robot is operatively connected to at least a portion of the metal deposition apparatus. The robot is configured for being controlled by the computer control device during deposition of the bead weave pattern to move at least a portion of the metal deposition device relative to the 3D part being additively manufactured according to a planned path of the planned build pattern. In one embodiment, a robot is operatively connected to a substrate that holds a 3D part being additively manufactured. The robot is configured for being controlled by the computer control device during deposition of the bead weave pattern to move the substrate relative to the metal deposition device according to a planned path of the planned build pattern. In one embodiment, the metal deposition apparatus includes a deposition tool having a contact tip, a wire feeder configured to feed a consumable wire electrode of a metallic material through the deposition tool toward the 3D part, and a power source operatively connected to the wire feeder. The power source is configured to provide energy during deposition of the bead weave pattern to at least melt the consumable wire electrode by forming an arc between the consumable wire electrode and the 3D part. In one embodiment, the metal deposition apparatus includes a wire feeder configured to feed filler wire of the metal material toward the 3D part, a power source, and a laser operatively connected to the power source. The power source and the laser are configured to provide energy in the form of a laser beam to at least melt the filler wire during deposition of the bead weave pattern. In one embodiment, the metal deposition apparatus includes a wire feeder configured to feed filler wire of the metal material toward the 3D part, a power source, and a non-consumable electrode operatively connected to the power source. The power source and the non-consumable electrode are configured to provide energy during deposition of the beaded braid pattern to at least melt the filler wire by forming an arc between the non-consumable electrode and the 3D part. In one embodiment, the metal deposition apparatus comprises a first wire feeder configured to feed a filler wire of the metal material towards the 3D part, a power source, and a second wire feeder operatively connected to the power source and configured to feed a consumable wire electrode of the metal material towards the 3D part. The power source is configured to provide energy during deposition of the bead weave pattern to melt at least the consumable wire electrode and the filler wire by forming an arc between the consumable wire electrode and the 3D part. In one embodiment, a substantially constant metal deposition rate of the metallic material is maintained under the control of the computer control means during the deposition of the bead weave pattern. In one embodiment, a substantially constant contact tip-to-work distance (CTWD) is maintained under the control of the computer control means during deposition of the bead weave pattern. According to various embodiments, the wave shape of the bead weave pattern may be one of, for example, a substantially sinusoidal shape, a substantially triangular shape, or a substantially rectangular shape, based on the planned build pattern.

One embodiment includes a method of additive manufacturing that fills a build layer of an additive manufactured part. The method includes accessing, via a computer control device, one of a plurality of plan build patterns stored as digital data. The plurality of planned build patterns correspond to a plurality of build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part being additively manufactured. The method further includes depositing, via a metal deposition device, a bead weave pattern of metallic material in a deposition travel direction along a length dimension of one of the plurality of build layers. The depositing is performed under control of the computer control means and according to a planned path of the planned build pattern as the width of the build layer varies along the length dimension. The method further includes dynamically adjusting at least one of a weave width, a weave frequency, and a weave dwell of the bead weave pattern, and/or a travel speed in a direction of deposition travel during deposition. The adjustment is made in accordance with the planned build pattern under the control of the computer control means as the width varies along the length dimension. The result is a dynamic change in bead width of the beaded weave pattern. In one embodiment, the method includes controlling, via the computer control device, a robot operatively connected to at least a portion of the metal deposition device during deposition of the bead weave pattern to move at least a portion of the metal deposition device relative to the 3D part being additively manufactured according to a planned path for planning a build pattern. In one embodiment, the method includes controlling, via the computer control device, a robot operatively connected to a substrate holding a 3D part being additively manufactured to move the substrate relative to the metal deposition device according to a planned path of the planned build pattern during deposition of the bead weave pattern. In one embodiment, the method includes feeding a consumable wire electrode of the metallic material toward the 3D part via a wire feeder of the metal deposition device. Providing energy via a power source operatively connected to a metal deposition device of a wire feeder to melt at least the consumable wire electrode by forming an arc between the consumable wire electrode and the 3D part during deposition of the beaded braided pattern. In one embodiment, the method includes feeding filler wire of the metallic material toward the 3D part via a wire feeder of the metal deposition device. Providing energy via a power source of a metal deposition device operatively connected to a laser of the metal deposition device during deposition of the bead weave pattern to at least melt the filler wire by forming a laser beam between the laser and the 3D part. In one embodiment, the method includes feeding filler wire of the metallic material toward the 3D part via a wire feeder of the metal deposition device. Providing energy via a power source of a metal deposition device operatively connected to a non-consumable electrode of the metal deposition device during deposition of the beaded braided pattern to at least melt the filler wire by forming an arc between the non-consumable electrode and the 3D part. In one embodiment, the method includes feeding filler wire of a metallic material toward the 3D part via a first wire feeder of the metal deposition device; and feeding a consumable wire electrode of the metallic material toward the 3D part via a second wire feeder of the metal deposition device. Providing energy via a power source operatively connected to a metal deposition device of the second wire feeder during deposition of the beaded braided pattern to melt at least the consumable wire electrode and the filler wire by forming an arc between the consumable wire electrode and the 3D part. In one embodiment, the method includes maintaining a substantially constant metal deposition rate of the metallic material under the control of the computer control device during deposition of the bead weave pattern. In one embodiment, the method includes maintaining a substantially constant contact tip-to-work distance (CTWD) during deposition of the bead weave pattern under control of the computer control device. According to various embodiments, the wave shape of the bead weave pattern may be one of, for example, a substantially sinusoidal shape, a substantially triangular shape, or a substantially rectangular shape, based on the planned build pattern.

Many aspects of the general inventive concept will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various embodiments of the disclosure. It should be appreciated that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one embodiment of the boundaries. In some embodiments, one element may be designed as a plurality of elements or a plurality of elements may be designed as one element. In some embodiments, one element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component, and vice versa. In addition, elements may not be drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of an additive manufacturing system including a metal deposition device;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of a power supply of the additive manufacturing system of FIG. 1 operatively connected to a consumable wire electrode;

FIG. 3 illustrates a diagram showing one embodiment of generating an arc between a welding electrode and a build-up layer of a 3D part being additively manufactured;

FIG. 4 illustrates a diagram showing one embodiment of depositing a substantially sinusoidal bead weave pattern along a length of a build layer of a 3D part being additively manufactured;

FIG. 5 illustrates a diagram showing one embodiment of depositing a substantially triangular bead weave pattern along a length of a build layer of a 3D part being additively manufactured;

FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram showing one embodiment of depositing a substantially rectangular bead weave pattern along a length of a build layer of a 3D part being additively manufactured;

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method of filling build layers of a 3D part being additively manufactured;

fig. 8 illustrates a system block diagram of one embodiment of an additive manufacturing system having a metal deposition device, a computer control device, and a robot having a robotic arm;

fig. 9 illustrates a portion of an alternative embodiment of the additive manufacturing system of fig. 8, wherein the robot is operatively connected to a platform holding the 3D part or substrate, rather than to a metal deposition device;

FIG. 10 illustrates a system block diagram of one embodiment of the consumable electrode-based metal deposition apparatus of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 illustrates a system block diagram of one embodiment of the laser-based metal deposition apparatus of FIG. 8;

fig. 12 illustrates a system block diagram of one embodiment of an additive manufacturing system similar to fig. 11 having a metal deposition device configured as a laser filament (L HW) system;

FIG. 13 illustrates a system block diagram of one embodiment of the non-consumable electrode-based metal deposition apparatus of FIG. 8;

FIG. 14 illustrates a system block diagram of one embodiment of the consumable electrode-based and filler wire-based metal deposition apparatus of FIG. 8; and is

Fig. 15 illustrates one embodiment of an example computer control or controller of the systems of fig. 1, 2, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14.

Detailed Description

Additive manufacturing is a well known process of depositing material (e.g., in multiple layers) onto a substrate/substrate or part to produce a desired article of manufacture. According to one embodiment, a pattern of a plurality of layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part to be additively manufactured is rendered and stored as digital data. The digital data may be from a CAD model or from a scanned part, for example. In some applications, the article may be very complex. However, known methods and systems for fill-in additive manufacturing tend to be slow and have limited performance. Embodiments of the present invention solve the filling problem by providing systems and methods for depositing a dynamic bead weave pattern during filling.

Embodiments of additive manufacturing systems and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, an additive manufacturing system includes a computer control configured to access a plurality of planned build patterns stored as digital data and corresponding to a plurality of build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part to be additively manufactured. The system also includes a metal deposition device. The metal deposition device is configured to deposit a bead-like weave pattern of metal material along a length dimension of one of a plurality of build layers of the 3D part as a width of the build layer varies along the length dimension. The deposition is performed under control of the computer-controlled apparatus according to a planned path of one of the plurality of planned build patterns. During deposition of the bead weave pattern, the weave width, weave frequency and weave dwell of the bead weave pattern, and the speed of travel of the metal deposition device along the length dimension are dynamically adjusted as the width varies along the length dimension. The dynamic adjustment is performed according to the planned build pattern under the control of the computer control means, thereby enabling a dynamic variation of the bead width of the beaded weave pattern. The planning build pattern, and hence the planned path and dynamic adjustments, are generated in advance as part of the path planning development using path planning software.

Embodiments of the metal deposition apparatus may include, for example, at least one of the following to deposit the metal material, for example, by melting a metal wire: a laser-based subsystem, a plasma-based subsystem, an arc-based subsystem, an electron beam-based subsystem, or a resistance-based subsystem. Further, some embodiments of the metal deposition apparatus may include, for example, a wire delivery or feed system to feed/deliver consumable metal wire to additive manufacture of 3D parts on a substrate. Also, some embodiments of the metal deposition apparatus may include, for example, a kinematic control element (e.g., a robot) or other type of control element (e.g., an optical control element) to move a laser beam, a plasma beam, an arc, an electron beam, or a consumable metal wire relative to a 3D part being additively manufactured on a substrate or base material.

The examples and figures herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the subject invention, which is measured by the scope and spirit of the claims. Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating exemplary embodiments of the subject invention only and not for the purpose of limiting the same, FIG. 1 sets forth an embodiment of the subject invention in the context of illustrating one embodiment of an additive manufacturing system including a metal deposition device. It is envisaged that the metal deposition apparatus may typically be used to assist in additive manufacturing of a part layer by a welding process, for example by Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW), or Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW). As discussed later herein, other metal deposition processes are also possible according to other embodiments.

Referring to fig. 1, an additive manufacturing compartment 10 generally includes a frame 12, a robot 14 disposed within the frame, and first and second tables 16, 18 also correspondingly disposed within the frame. Additive manufacturing system 10 is useful for additive manufacturing parts (e.g., 22 and 24) in a manner that will be described in more detail below. In the embodiment depicted in fig. 1, the frame 12 includes a plurality of sidewalls and doors to enclose the robot 14 and tables 16 and 18. Although shown in a generally rectangular configuration in plan view, frame 12 and system 10 may take on a variety of configurations.

A front access door 26 is mounted to the frame 12 to provide access to the interior of the frame. Front access door 26 may take a bi-fold configuration, wherein the door includes two hinge sets: a first set of hinges attaching the door 26 to the frame 12 and a second set of hinges attaching one panel of the door to the other panel. However, the front access door 26 may take other configurations, such as a sliding door or a swinging door. Similarly, a rear access door 28 is also mounted to the frame 12. The rear access door 28 in the depicted embodiment also takes a bi-fold configuration; however, the rear access door may take on other configurations, such as those discussed with reference to the front access door 26. A window 32 may be provided on either door (depicted only on front door 26). These windows may include colored security screens (screens) as known in the art.

A control panel 40 is provided on the frame 12 adjacent the front door 26. Control knobs and/or switches provided on the control panel 40 communicate with controls housed in a control enclosure 42 also mounted to the frame 12. The controls on control panel 40 may be used to control operations performed in additive manufacturing system 10 in a similar manner to the controls for known additive manufacturing systems.

In one embodiment, the robot 14 is mounted on a substrate that is mounted on a support. The robot 14 in the depicted embodiment is centered relative to the tables 16 and 18 and includes multiple axes of movement. If desired, the substrate may be rotated relative to the support similar to a rotating turret. Accordingly, some drive mechanisms (e.g., motors and transmissions (not shown)) may be housed in the substrate and/or in the support for rotating the robot 14.

In one embodiment, the deposition tool 60 is part of a metal deposition apparatus and is attached to the distal end of the arm of the robot 14. According to embodiments discussed later herein, the deposition tool 60 may include, for example, a welding gun or torch having a contact tip, a laser device, or a non-consumable electrode device. The deposition tool 60 allows deposition of metallic materials. In one embodiment, a flexible tube or conduit 62 is attached to the deposition tool 60. Consumable metal welding wire 64 (e.g., for use as a wire electrode or filler wire) that may be stored in a container 66 is delivered to the deposition tool 60 through a conduit 62. In one embodiment, the wire feeder 68 is part of the metal deposition apparatus and is attached to the frame 12 to facilitate delivery of the consumable metal wire 64 to the deposition tool 60.

Although the robot 14 is shown mounted to a base or lower portion of the frame 12, the robot 14 may be mounted to an upper structure of the frame and hang downwardly into the system 10 if desired. In one embodiment, the power supply 72 (power supply) is part of the metal deposition apparatus for supporting additive manufacturing operations and is mounted to and rests on a platform 74 that is connected to and may be part of the frame 12. In another embodiment, the power supply 72 may be implemented as two separate power supplies (e.g., one for powering the laser in the deposition tool 60 and the other for heating the consumable metal wire 64 as it passes through the deposition tool 60). As discussed later herein, computer control 76 communicates with and controls various portions of additive manufacturing system 10 (including robots 14), and rests on and is mounted on platform 74.

Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a power supply 72 of the additive manufacturing system 10 of fig. 1 that is operatively connected to the consumable wire electrode 64. The power source 72 includes a switching power supply 105 having power conversion circuitry 110 and bridge switching circuitry 180 that provides welding output power between the welding wire 64 and the workpiece part 22 to melt the welding wire 64 by forming an arc between the welding wire 64 and the part 22 during the deposition process. The power conversion circuit 110 may be a transformer based on a half-bridge output topology. For example, the power conversion circuit 110 may be of an inverter type that includes an input power side and an output power side of a welding transformer (e.g., as described by the primary and secondary sides, respectively). Other types of power conversion circuits are also possible, such as chopper types with DC output topologies. The power source 72 also includes a bridge switch circuit 180 that is operatively connected to the power conversion circuit 110 and configured to switch the direction of polarity of the welding output current (e.g., for AC operation).

The power supply 72 further includes a waveform generator 120 and a controller 130. The waveform generator 120 generates a welding waveform according to commands of the controller 130. The waveform generated by the waveform generator 120 modulates the output of the power conversion circuit 110 to produce an output current between the welding wire 64 and the workpiece part 22. The controller 130 also commands switching of the bridge switch circuit 180 and may provide control commands to the power conversion circuit 110.

In one embodiment, the power source 72 further includes a voltage feedback circuit 140 and a current feedback circuit 150 to monitor the output voltage and current between the welding wire 64 and the workpiece part 22 and provide the monitored voltage and current back to the controller 130. The controller 130 may use the feedback voltage and current to make decisions regarding altering the welding waveform generated by the waveform generator 120 and/or to make other decisions that affect the operation of the power source 72, for example.

According to one embodiment, the switching power supply 105, the waveform generator 120, the controller 130, the voltage feedback circuit 140, and the current feedback circuit 150 constitute the power supply 72. According to one embodiment, the additive manufacturing system 10 further includes a wire feeder 68 that feeds the consumable metal wire 64 through the deposition tool 60 toward the workpiece part 22 at a selected Wire Feed Speed (WFS). For example, the wire feeder 68, the consumable metal welding wire 64, and the workpiece part 22 are not part of the power source 72 but may be operatively connected to the power source 72 via one or more output cables.

FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified diagram showing one embodiment of generating an arc between a consumable metal wire 64 (exiting the deposition tool 60) and the 3D part 22 being additively manufactured. As can be seen in FIG. 3, build layer N and build layer N +1 of part 22 have been deposited by melting consumable metal wire 64 via an arc. The arc length and contact tip-to-work distance (CTWD) are also shown in fig. 3. According to one embodiment, the substantially constant CTWD is controlled and maintained during deposition, as discussed later herein. U.S. patent No. 9,815,135, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discusses the concept of CTWD and how to determine and control it.

According to another embodiment, the deposition tool 60 includes a laser device, and the power source 72 is configured to provide power (energy) to the laser device to form a laser beam to melt the consumable metal wire 64 (e.g., filler wire) during deposition. According to yet another embodiment, the deposition tool 60 includes a non-consumable electrode (e.g., a tungsten electrode) and the power source 72 is configured to provide power (energy) during deposition to melt the consumable metal wire 64 (e.g., a filler wire) by forming an arc between the non-consumable electrode and the part. In some embodiments, consumable metal wire 64 is fed through deposition tool 60, where deposition tool 60 includes, for example, a contact tip, a laser device, or a non-consumable electrode. In other embodiments, the consumable metal wire 64 may not be fed through the deposition tool 60 with a contact tip, a laser device, or a non-consumable electrode. Rather, as discussed later herein with reference to at least fig. 11-13, the consumable metal wire 64 may be fed from an adjacent location and toward the output of such a deposition tool 60.

FIG. 4 illustrates a diagram showing one embodiment of a substantially sinusoidal beaded weave pattern 400 deposited along the length of an example build layer of a 3D part being additively manufactured. In fig. 4, the build layer is viewed from above. Fig. 4 shows two previously deposited profiles or boundaries 410 and 420 of the build layer. The width of the build layer (over width dimension 425) varies along the length dimension 430 of the build layer. That is, in the direction of length dimension 430 from the top of fig. 4 to the bottom of fig. 4, the build layer begins to narrow, gradually widens, remains at a maximum width for a period of time, and then gradually narrows. Other build layers having other width variations in the length dimension are also possible.

The build layer between profiles 410 and 420 is filled with a metallic material as a bead weave pattern 400 (e.g., starting at the top of fig. 4 and ending at the bottom of fig. 4). For example, referring to fig. 1, computer control 76 is configured to control robot 14 to move deposition tool 60 along a planned path such that deposited beaded weave pattern 400 fills in the build layer between profiles 410 and 420. Referring to FIG. 4, during deposition, the weave width 440 and weave frequency of the bead weave pattern 400 varies as the width of the build layer varies along the length dimension 430. Moreover, the braid pause of the bead braid pattern 400 varies as the width of the build layer varies along the length dimension 430 during deposition. Further, during deposition, the travel speed of deposition tool 60 (in deposition travel direction 450.. e.g., from the top of fig. 4 to the bottom of fig. 4) varies as the width of the build layer varies along length dimension 430. The weave width, weave frequency, weave dwell, and travel speed are controlled during deposition by the computer control 76 in accordance with the planned build pattern of the build layer.

Similar to fig. 4, fig. 5 illustrates a diagram showing one embodiment of a substantially triangular bead weave pattern 500 deposited along a length of a build layer of a 3D part being additively manufactured. Similar to fig. 4 and 5, fig. 6 illustrates a diagram showing one embodiment of a substantially rectangular bead weave pattern 600 deposited along a length of a build layer of a 3D part being additively manufactured. Other bead weave patterns with varying weave widths and weave frequencies are possible according to other embodiments.

The weld bead is a metal deposition channel that spans the width of the build layer, and the beaded weave pattern is simply a series of metal deposition channels at locations along the planned path for the beaded weave pattern of the build layer. Depending on how the plurality of different parameters (weave width, weave frequency, weave dwell, and travel speed) are dynamically adjusted, the deposited metal beads (channels) of the beaded weave pattern may have substantially similar or substantially different dimensions (bead width.. see, e.g., bead width 460 in fig. 4) and may be spaced apart from one another similarly or differently (see, e.g., bead spacing 470 in fig. 4). According to one embodiment, bead width 460 may range from 4mm to 12mm over the entire length of the build layer. The weave width 440 is actually the peak-to-peak amplitude of the weave pattern along any portion of the deposit (see, e.g., fig. 4). The weave frequency is the number of weave cycles per unit time (or per unit length along the direction of travel 450) and is the inverse of the weave wavelength. While the deposition tool actually travels along a planned path (e.g., a sinusoidal path, a triangular path, or a rectangular path) for a beaded weave pattern, at any point in time during deposition, the travel speed in the travel direction 450 along the length dimension 430 of the build layer is actually the effective instantaneous linear travel speed along the length dimension 430. A weaving pause is a pause time at either end of the weave pattern. For example, when weaving left/right (as in fig. 4-6), the weaving pause is a pause time at the end of the left movement, then a pause time at the end of the right movement. For example, if the weave frequency is 1Hz and the weave pause is 0.2 seconds, then the motion across the middle is the difference: that is, 1 second minus 0.2 second (left side) minus 0.2 second (right side) totals 0.6 seconds, then is decomposed into two travel motions (left and right travel in one cycle) such that the travel time for each leftward movement of the bead is 0.3 seconds and the travel time for each rightward movement of the bead is 0.3 seconds. During the weaving dwell, the process places heat at the edges of the beaded weave pattern. When placing one bead beside the other, a weaving stop is provided to allow metal to flow to the corner of the earlier bead and the previous layer, which would leave a void without bridging.

Fig. 7 illustrates a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method 700 of filling a build layer of a 3D part being additively manufactured. At block 710 of the method 700, a planned build pattern is accessed via a computer control device (e.g., the computer control device 76 of fig. 1). The planning build pattern is one of a plurality of planning build patterns stored as digital data (e.g. in a storage subsystem of the computer control means 76.. see, for example, fig. 15). The plurality of planned build patterns correspond to a plurality of build layers of a three-dimensional (3D) part (e.g., 3D part 22 of fig. 1) being additively manufactured.

At block 720, a bead weave pattern of metallic material (e.g., bead weave pattern 400 of fig. 4) is deposited in a deposition travel direction 450 along a length dimension of one of the plurality of build layers. As the width of the build layer varies along the length dimension, deposition is accomplished via metal deposition devices (e.g., power supply 72, wire feeder 68, and deposition tool 60 of fig. 1) under the control of a computer control device (e.g., computer control device 76 of fig. 1) according to a planned path of a planned build pattern.

At block 730, during deposition, the braid width, braid frequency, and braid dwell of the bead braid pattern and the travel speed in the deposition travel direction 450 are dynamically adjusted. As the width varies along the length dimension, dynamic adjustments are performed under the control of a computer control device (e.g., computer control device 76 of fig. 1) in accordance with the planned build pattern. The result is a dynamically varying bead width of a bead weave pattern (e.g., bead weave pattern 400 of fig. 4). According to one embodiment, the dynamic adjustments to be made are predetermined because the planning build pattern is determined in advance during path planning development. That is, the adjustment of the weave width, weave frequency, weave dwell, and travel speed cannot be determined on the fly (on-the-fly) during the filling process.

According to one embodiment, the weave width, weave frequency, weave dwell, and travel speed are dynamically adjusted during deposition in method 700 to provide proper fill of the build layer. Dynamic adjustment allows the braid width to be widened or narrowed to provide proper fill and to maintain a substantially constant deposition rate of the metallic material. Generally, as the fill area becomes wider, the travel speed becomes slower, the weave width becomes wider, and the weld bead becomes wider (or vice versa). According to one embodiment, as the width of the build layer widens along the length of the build layer during deposition, the travel speed decreases, the weave width increases, the weave frequency decreases (i.e., the weave wavelength increases), and the weave pause increases. According to one embodiment, as the width of the build layer narrows along the length of the build layer during deposition, the travel speed increases, the weave width decreases, the weave frequency increases, (i.e., the weave wavelength decreases), and the weave pause decreases. Also, according to one embodiment, the dynamic increase and decrease of the braiding parameters and the travel speed are determined in advance as part of the path planning development, rather than dynamically in real-time on the fly. However, other embodiments are possible in which real-time dynamic adjustments are made on the fly.

Furthermore, according to one embodiment, a substantially constant contact tip-to-work distance (CTWD) is maintained under the control of the computer control means during deposition of the bead weave pattern. For example, U.S. published patent application No. 2017/0252847 a1, which is incorporated herein by reference, discusses a method of controlling a CTWD. Although the travel speed and weave parameters are dynamically varied during fill-in deposition (which may affect the CTWD), the CTWD control process discussed in U.S. published patent application No. 2017/0252847 a1 may be used to keep the CTWD substantially constant, thus compensating for CTWD variations due to the dynamic deposition fill-in process. Also, in one embodiment, a substantially constant Wire Feed Speed (WFS) is maintained under the control of the computer control means during deposition of the bead weave pattern. In another embodiment, WFS may also be dynamically varied.

In some embodiments, not all parameters (travel speed and weave parameters) must be changed simultaneously during deposition of the bead weave pattern. For example, depending on the shape of the fill area of the build layer, all parameters (travel speed, weave width, weave frequency, weave dwell) may be changed, or only some parameters (e.g., weave width and weave dwell) may be changed. During path planning development of the build layer, the relationship of how the parameters dynamically change with respect to each other is determined in advance to make infill deposition of the build layer efficient and effective.

According to one embodiment, during path planning development, as the build layer width changes, the path planning software determines the areas that need to be filled in the current weld pass and dynamically adjusts the parameters (travel speed and weave parameters) for proper filling of the areas. The slicing software of the G code of the path planning software is relevant for determining the area. The path planning software "knows" the location of the current weld bead on the build layer based on a CAD model of the 3D part being additively manufactured or digital data derived from scanning the 3D part.

Fig. 8 illustrates a system block diagram of one embodiment of an additive manufacturing system 800 having a metal deposition device 810, a computer control device 820, and a robot 830 having a robot arm 835. The metal deposition apparatus 810 is configured to deposit molten metal material to form a part during an additive manufacturing process. A computer control device 820 is operatively coupled to the metal deposition device 810 and the robot 830. That is, in the embodiment of fig. 8, the computer control 820 is configured to control various aspects of the metal deposition device 810 (e.g., wire feed, output power or energy) and to act as a motion controller for the robot 830. According to other embodiments, the computer-controlled apparatus 820 may include two or more controllers (e.g., a first controller for controlling the metal deposition apparatus 810 and a second controller for controlling the robot 830). In one embodiment, the robotic arm 835 is coupled to the metal deposition device 810 (or at least a portion of the metal deposition device 810, such as a deposition tool) such that the robot 830 can spatially move the metal deposition device 810 relative to the substrate or base material via the arm 835 under the control of the computer control device 820. In another embodiment, the robotic arm 835 is coupled to the substrate or base material such that the robot 830 can spatially move the substrate or base material relative to the metal deposition apparatus 810 via the arm 835.

According to one embodiment, the computer control 820 commands the metal deposition apparatus 810 to deposit molten metal material on a substrate (substrate) to form the profile of the part during a profile deposition phase of the additive manufacturing process. Computer control 820 then commands metal deposition device 810 to deposit metal material on the substrate during the fill pattern deposition phase of the additive manufacturing process to form a beaded weave pattern within the area outlined by the profile of the part. According to one embodiment, the deposition rate of the profile deposition phase is less than the deposition rate of the fill pattern deposition phase, allowing the profile to be deposited more accurately and precisely than the fill pattern. As the additive manufacturing process continues to build successive layers of the part, for example, depositing a metal material on the upper layer of the outline and fill-in pattern.

Fig. 9 illustrates a portion of an alternative embodiment of the additive manufacturing system 800 in fig. 8, where a robot 830 is operatively connected to a platform 910 that holds a 3D part or substrate 920, rather than to the metal deposition apparatus 810. According to some embodiments, the metal deposition apparatus 810 and the robot 830 may be, for example, of the types shown in fig. 1 and 9. Other types of robots and metal deposition apparatus are possible according to other different embodiments. For example, fig. 10-14 illustrate embodiments of a plurality of different metal deposition devices as discussed below.

FIG. 10 illustrates a system block diagram of one embodiment 1000 of the metal deposition device 810 of FIG. 8 that is based on a consumable electrode and includes a power source 1010 and a wire feeder 1020 controlled by the computer control device 820 of FIG. 8. Metal deposition apparatus 1000 also includes a deposition tool 1025 (e.g., a welding torch or gun having a contact tip 1027). For example, according to certain embodiments, the metal deposition apparatus 1000 may have elements and/or combinations of elements similar to those of fig. 1 and 2. Wire feeder 1020 is configured to pass through deposition tool 1025 and feed consumable wire electrode 1030 of a metallic material toward substrate or part 1040. The power supply 1010 and the deposition tool 1025 are operatively connected to the wire feeder 1020. The power source 1010 and wire feeder 1020 are configured to provide energy via the consumable wire electrode 1030 (forming an arc 1035 between the electrode 1030 and the substrate/part 1040) to melt the consumable wire electrode 1030 (and possibly a portion of the substrate 1040) during the additive manufacturing process. Electrical contact is made to consumable wire electrode 1030 via contact tip 1027 of deposition tool 1025. Robot 830 of fig. 8 can move metal deposition apparatus 1000 (or just deposition tool 1025) or substrate/part 1040 to deposit a bead weave pattern under the control of computer control apparatus 820 as discussed herein. Also, as the additive manufacturing process continues to build successive build layers of the part, for example, a metallic material is deposited on a previous build layer in a similar manner.

FIG. 11 illustrates a system block diagram of one embodiment 1100 of the metal deposition apparatus 810 of FIG. 8 that is laser based and includes a power source 1110, a wire feeder 1120, and a laser apparatus 1130 controlled by the computer control apparatus 820 of FIG. 8. The metal deposition apparatus 1100 is configured for depositing metal filler wire during an additive manufacturing process. In one embodiment, laser device 1130 and wire feeder 1120 may comprise a deposition tool. In another embodiment, laser device 1130 may constitute a deposition tool. For example, according to certain embodiments, the metal deposition apparatus 1100 may have elements and/or combinations of elements similar to those of fig. 1 and 2. The wire feeder 1120 is configured for feeding a filler wire 1140 of a metallic material toward a substrate or part 1040. The embodiment of metal deposition apparatus 1100 of fig. 11 also includes a power supply 1110 and a laser device 1130 operatively connected to power supply 1110. The power source 1110 and laser device 1130 are configured to provide energy (in the form of a laser beam 1135) to melt the filler wire 1140 (and possibly a portion of the substrate or part 1040) during the additive manufacturing process. The robot 830 of fig. 8 can move the metal deposition apparatus 1100 (or only the laser apparatus 1130) or the substrate/part 1040 to deposit a bead weave pattern under the control of the computer control apparatus 820 as discussed herein. Also, as the additive manufacturing process continues to build successive build layers of the part, for example, a metallic material is deposited on a previous build layer in a similar manner.

Similar to FIG. 11, according to one embodiment, an additive manufacturing system having a metal deposition device may be configured as a laser hot wire (L HW) system 1200 as in FIG. 12. the system 1200 of FIG. 12 includes an exemplary embodiment of a combined filler wire feeder and energy source. in particular, the system 1200 includes a laser subsystem capable of focusing a laser beam 1210 onto a substrate/substrate or part 1215 to heat the substrate/substrate or part 1215.

The laser system, beam, and power supply will be referred to repeatedly below. However, it should be understood that this reference is exemplary, as any energy source may be used. For example, the high intensity energy source may provide at least 500W/cm². The laser subsystems are operatively connected to each otherA laser device 1220 and a laser power supply 1230. The laser power supply 1230 provides power for operating the laser device 1220.

In one embodiment, the system 1200 further includes a hot fill wire feeder subsystem capable of providing at least one resistive fill wire 1240 to contact the substrate/base material or part 1215 proximate to the laser beam 1210. The wire feeder subsystem includes a filler wire feeder 1250, a conductive tube 1260, and a power supply 1270. During operation, the filler wire 1240 is resistively heated by electrical current from a power supply 1270 operatively connected between the contact tube 1260 and the substrate/base material or part 1215. According to one embodiment, the power supply 1270 is a pulsed Direct Current (DC) power supply, although an Alternating Current (AC) or other type of power supply is possible. The welding wire 1240 is fed from a filler wire feeder 1250 through the conductive tube 1260 toward the substrate/base material or part 1215 and extends out of the tube 1260. The extension of wire 1240 is resistively heated so that the extension approaches or reaches the melting point before contacting the substrate/base material or part 1215. The laser beam 1210 may be used to melt some of the base metal of the substrate/base material or part 1215 to form a melt pool and/or may also be used to melt the wire 1240 onto the substrate/base material or part 1215. The power supply 1270 provides the energy required to resistively melt the filler wire 1240. In some embodiments, the power supply 1270 provides all of the energy required, while in other embodiments a laser or other energy heat source may provide some of the energy.

The system 1200 further includes a motion control subsystem capable of moving the laser beam 1210 (energy source) and the resistive filler wire 1240 in the same controlled direction (e.g., a beaded braid pattern) along the substrate/base material or part 1215 (at least in a relative sense) such that the laser beam 1210 and the resistive filler wire 1240 remain in a fixed relationship to one another. For example, in one embodiment, the resistive wire 1240 may be fed through a deposition tool that houses the laser device 1220 and the conductive tube 1260. According to various embodiments, relative motion between the substrate/substrate or part 1215 and the laser/wire combination can be achieved by actually moving the substrate/substrate or part 1215 or by moving a deposition tool having, for example, the laser apparatus 1220 and at least a portion of the wire feeder subsystem (e.g., the conductive tube 1260). For example, the laser device 1220 and the conductive tube 1260 may be integrated into a single deposition tool. The deposition tool may be moved along the substrate/substrate or part 1215 via a motion control subsystem operatively connected to the deposition tool.

In fig. 12, the motion control subsystem includes a computer control 1280 operatively connected to a robot 1290 having a platform 1293 (e.g., a rotatable platform and/or a translatable platform). Computer control 1280 controls the movement of robot 1290. The robot 1290 is operatively connected (e.g., mechanically secured) to the substrate/substrate or part 1215 via a platform 1293 to move the substrate/substrate or part 1215, for example, in a beaded weave pattern, such that the laser beam 1210 and welding wire 1240 effectively travel along the substrate/substrate or part 1215. According to various embodiments, the robot 1290 that drives the platform 1293 can be driven electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically. According to one embodiment, the motion control subsystem comprising computer control 1280 and robot 1290 is a separate part of the additive manufacturing system, rather than a part of the metal deposition apparatus.

Additive manufacturing system 1200 further includes a sensing and current control subsystem 1295 operatively connected to substrate/substrate or part 1215 and conductive tube 1260 (i.e., operatively connected to an output of power supply 1270) and capable of measuring the potential difference (i.e., voltage V) between substrate/substrate or part 1215 and wire 1240 and the current (I) therethrough. Sensing and current control subsystem 1295 may be further capable of calculating a resistance value (R ═ V/I) and/or a power value (P ═ V × I) from the measured voltage and current. Typically, when welding wire 1240 is in contact with substrate/base material or part 1215, the potential difference between welding wire 1240 and substrate/base material or part 1215 is zero volts (or very close to zero volts). As a result, the sensing and current control subsystem 1295 is capable of sensing when the resistive filler wire 1240 is in contact with the substrate/base material or part 1215 and is operatively connected to the power source 1270, thereby further being capable of controlling the flow of current through the resistive filler wire 1240 in response to said sensing. According to another embodiment, the sensing and current controller 1295 may be an integral part of the power supply 1270.

Fig. 13 illustrates a system block diagram of one embodiment 1300 of the metal deposition device 810 of fig. 8 that is non-consumable electrode based and includes a power source 1310, a wire feeder 1320, and a non-consumable electrode 1330 (e.g., a tungsten electrode) that are at least partially controlled by the computer control device 820 of fig. 8. The metal deposition apparatus 1300 is configured for depositing a metal filler wire during an additive manufacturing process. For example, according to certain embodiments, the metal deposition apparatus 1300 may have elements and/or combinations of elements similar to those of fig. 1 and 2. The wire feeder 1320 is configured to feed a filler wire 1325 of a metallic material toward the substrate 1040. The non-consumable electrode 1330 is operatively connected to a power source 1310. The power source 1310 and non-consumable electrode 1330 are configured to provide energy (in the form of a plasma beam or arc 1335) to melt the filler wire 1325 (and possibly a portion of the substrate or part 1040) during the additive manufacturing process, for example, to deposit a beaded braid pattern. The computer control 820 is operatively connected to the wire feeder 1320 and the power source 1310 to provide at least partial control thereof. Also, as the additive manufacturing process continues to build successive build layers of the part, for example, a metallic material is deposited on a previous build layer in a similar manner.

FIG. 14 illustrates a system block diagram of one embodiment 1400 of the metal deposition apparatus 810 of FIG. 8 that is both consumable electrode and filler wire based and includes a power source 1410 controlled at least in part by the computer control apparatus 820 of FIG. 8, a first wire feeder 1420, and a second wire feeder 1430. The metal deposition apparatus 1400 also includes a deposition tool 1425 (e.g., a welding torch or gun having a contact tip 1427). For example, according to certain embodiments, the metal deposition apparatus 1400 may have elements and/or combinations of elements similar to those of fig. 1 and 2. Second wire feeder 1430 is configured for feeding filler wire 1435 of a metallic material toward substrate or part 1040. The first wire feeder 1420 is operatively connected to the power source 1410 and is configured for feeding the consumable wire electrode 1450 toward the substrate or part 1040. The power source 1410 and the first wire feeder 1420 are configured to provide energy via the consumable wire electrode 1450 (forming an arc 1460 between the electrode 1450 and the substrate or part 1040) during the additive manufacturing process to melt the filler wire 1435 and the consumable wire electrode 1450 (and possibly a portion of the substrate or part 1040). The computer control 820 is operatively connected to the first wire feeder 1420, the second wire feeder 1430, and the power source 1410 to provide at least partial control thereof. Also, as the additive manufacturing process continues to build successive build layers of the part, for example, a metallic material is deposited on a previous build layer in a similar manner.

Fig. 15 illustrates one embodiment of an example computer control device (or controller) 1500 of the systems of fig. 1, 2, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. Computer control device (or controller) 1500 includes at least one processor 1514 that communicates with a plurality of peripheral devices via bus subsystem 1512. These peripheral devices may include a storage subsystem 1524 (including, for example, a memory subsystem 1528 and a file storage subsystem 1526), user interface input devices 1522, user interface output devices 1520, and a network interface subsystem 1516. These input devices and output devices allow a user to interact with the computer control device (or controller) 1500. Network interface subsystem 1516 provides an interface to an external network and couples to corresponding interface devices in other computer systems. For example, the computer control device 76 of the system 10 may share one or more features with the computer control device (or controller) 1500 and may be, for example, a conventional computer, a digital signal processor, and/or other computing device.

The user interface input devices 1522 may include a keyboard, a pointing device (such as a mouse, trackball, touchpad, or tablet), a scanner, a touch screen incorporated into a display, an audio input device (such as a voice recognition system, microphone, and/or other types of input devices). In general, use of the term "input device" is intended to include all possible types of devices and ways to input information to a computer control device (or controller) 1500 or to a communication network.

User interface output devices 1520 may include a display subsystem, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a non-visual display, such as an audio output device, the display subsystem may include a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), a tablet device, such as a liquid crystal display (L CD), a projection device, or some other mechanism for creating a visible image.

The storage subsystem 1524 stores programming and data constructs (e.g., software modules) that provide and support some or all of the functionality described herein. For example, storage subsystem 1524 may include a CAD model of a 3D part to be additively manufactured, and a plurality of planned build patterns corresponding to a plurality of build layers of the 3D part.

Software modules are typically executed by the processor 1514, either alone or in combination with other processors. The memory 1528 used in the storage subsystem may include a plurality of memories including: a main Random Access Memory (RAM)1530 for storing instructions and data during program execution and a Read Only Memory (ROM)1532 in which fixed instructions are stored. The file storage subsystem 1526 may provide permanent storage for program and data files and may include a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive along with associated removable media, a CD-ROM drive, an optical disk drive, or removable media cartridges. Modules implementing the functionality of certain embodiments may be stored in storage subsystem 1524, through file storage subsystem 1526, or in other machines accessible by processor 1514.

Bus subsystem 1512 provides a mechanism for multiple different components and subsystems of computer control device (or controller) 1500 to communicate with one another as desired. Although bus subsystem 1512 is shown schematically as a single bus, alternative embodiments of the bus subsystem may use multiple buses.

The computer control device (or controller) 1500 may be of various types including a workstation, a server, a computing cluster, a blade server, a server farm, or any other data processing system or computing device. As the nature of computing devices and networks continues to change, the description of computer control device (or controller) 1500 depicted in fig. 15 is intended only as a specific example to illustrate some embodiments. Many other configurations of the computer control device (or controller) 1500 are possible, with more or fewer components than the computer control device (or controller) depicted in fig. 15.

Although the disclosed embodiments have been illustrated and described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the various aspects of the subject matter. Therefore, the disclosure is not limited to the specific details or illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to embrace alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims that satisfy the statutory subject matter requirements of 35 u.s.c. § 101. The foregoing description of specific embodiments has been presented by way of example. Given the disclosure, those skilled in the art will not only understand the general inventive concepts and attendant advantages, but will also find apparent various changes and modifications to the structures and methods disclosed. Accordingly, it is sought to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.