Manufacturing in microgravity and varying external force environments

Abstract

Additive manufacturing devices operable in various external force environments are disclosed. In an aspect, an additive manufacturing device operable in microgravity is disclosed. In other aspects, devices which are operable in high-vibration environments or varying external force environments are disclosed. Additive manufacturing devices herein may produce parts from metal, polymer, or other feedstocks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An additive manufacturing device  100  operable in a microgravity environment to create a part, the additive manufacturing device comprising:
 a feedstock source  106  comprising feedstock; 
 a material bonding component  104 , the material bonding component  104  configured to receive portions of the feedstock from the feedstock source  106 , the material bonding component  104  positioning and bonding each of the portions of the received feedstock according to part creation instructions; 
 a material bonding component positioning system  102  configured to position the material bonding component  104  according to the part creation instructions; and 
 a build volume, the part being created within the build volume according to the part creation instructions. 
 
     
     
         2 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 1 , wherein the material bonding component  104  bonds each of the portions of the received feedstock according to part creation instructions via causing a state change in each of the portions of the received feedstock and positioning the altered the portions of the feedstock. 
     
     
         3 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 1 , the feedstock source  106  comprising a filament  802 , the filament  802  being fed into the material deposition component  104 , the material bonding component  104  bonding each of the portions of the received feedstock according to part creation instructions via heating each of the portions of the received feedstock to a feedstock melting point and positioning the heated each of the portions of the feedstock. 
     
     
         4 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 3 , wherein the filament  802  is a polymer filament. 
     
     
         5 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 3 , wherein the filament  802  is a metal filament. 
     
     
         6 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 3 , the feedstock source  106  being a feedstock cartridge removably attached to the additive manufacturing device  100 , the feedstock cartridge containing and dispensing the filament  802  from a filament spool  706 , the feedstock cartridge comprising:
 a casing having a filament dispensing opening; 
 a filament spool  706  rotatably connected to an axle  2906 , the axle  2906  connected to the casing, the filament spool  706  containing the filament  802 ; 
 a filament guide tube  716  receiving the filament  802  within the casing and guiding the filament  802  through the filament dispensing opening to a location proximal to the material deposition component  104 ; and 
 at least one connection mechanism  2802  configured to removably attach the feedstock source  106  to the additive manufacturing device  100 . 
 
     
     
         7 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 6 , the feedstock cartridge  106  further comprising a feed motor  708 , the feed motor  708  contacting the filament  802  and configured to dispense the filament  802 . 
     
     
         8 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 6 , the filament dispensing opening positioned at a side panel center, the filament  802  passing through the axle  2906  for dispensing. 
     
     
         9 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 8 , further comprising a feed motor  708  positioned within the axle  2906 , the feed motor  708  contacting the filament  802  and configured to dispense the filament  802 . 
     
     
         10 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 6 , the feedstock cartridge  106  further comprising a filament guide tube monitor, the filament guide tube motor configured to cease feed motor operation when a filament break is detected within the filament guide tube  716 . 
     
     
         11 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure  114 , the enclosure  114  having an enclosed volume containing the material deposition component  104 , the material positioning system  102 , and the build volume, the enclosure  114  comprising an access door  128 . 
     
     
         12 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 11 , the enclosure  114  comprising a feedstock source receptacle  202  configured to receive and removably connect the feedstock source  106 . 
     
     
         13 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 11 , wherein the enclosure  114  is airtight. 
     
     
         14 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 13 , further comprising an environmental control unit  108  configured to regulate an enclosed volume environment. 
     
     
         15 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 14 , the environmental control unit  108  positioned within the enclosed volume and comprising at least one filter  6702  and at least one fan  6102 . 
     
     
         16 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one filter  6702  is replaceable by hand from within the enclosed volume. 
     
     
         17 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 15 , the environmental control unit  108  further comprising: an internal air temperature control device  6802 , the internal air temperature control device  6802  having at least one heating element  6904  and a radiator  6806 . 
     
     
         18 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 15 , the environmental control unit  108  further comprising: a shutter assembly  6204  configured to regulate airflow through at least a portion of the environmental control unit  108 . 
     
     
         19 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 11 , the enclosure  114  further comprising a plurality of temperature sensors positioned throughout the enclosure  114 , the plurality of temperature sensors being communicatively coupled to at least one control circuit, the at least one control circuit ceasing additive manufacturing device operation when a minimum number of the plurality of temperature sensors detects a temperature outside an operational range. 
     
     
         20 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 19 , wherein the minimum number of the plurality of temperature sensors is greater than one. 
     
     
         21 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 1 , the material deposition component  104  being a filament extruder. 
     
     
         22 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 21 , wherein the extruder  104  is replaceable and modular. 
     
     
         23 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 22 , the extruder  104  comprising a release, operable by a hand for removably detaching the extruder  104  from the material deposition positioning system  102 . 
     
     
         24 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 23 , the release comprising:
 a push button dovetail release  3602 ; and 
 a dovetail clip  3402  having a locking tongue  3404 ; 
 the material deposition positioning system  102  comprising an extruder bracket  3804  configured to removably receive the dovetail clip  3402  and attach the extruder  104 . 
 
     
     
         25 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 21 , the extruder  104  further comprising at least one position sensor configured to determine an extruder position relative to another portion of the additive manufacturing device  100 . 
     
     
         26 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one position sensor is mounted on a bottom portion of the extruder  104 , is configured to determine the extruder position relative to a build surface and is one of: an inductive sensor  4102 ; a capacitive sensor  4104 ; and a laser sensor  4106 . 
     
     
         27 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 19 , the extruder  104  further comprising a filament guide  3410  for receiving and guiding the filament  802  into the extruder  104 , the filament guide  3410  comprising: a flared guide opening  3408  angled toward the feedstock source  106 ; and
 a guide body  3406  with an integral internal channel receiving the filament  802  from the guide opening  3408 , the guide body  3406  extending upward to a curving end portion, the curving end portion curving downward and guiding the filament  802  into the extruder  104 . 
 
     
     
         28 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 27 , wherein the filament guide  3410  is positioned at an extruder  104  upper front portion. 
     
     
         29 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 1 , the material deposition positioning system  102  comprising a plurality of linear actuators configured to manipulate one of: a build platform assembly  112  and a material deposition component  104 , each of the linear actuators comprising:
 a linear actuator motor; 
 a screw-driven linear rail operably connected to the motor; and 
 a carriage connected for movement to the linear rail; 
 wherein each of the linear actuators is connected to a common surface of the additive manufacturing device  100 . 
 
     
     
         30 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 29 , the plurality of linear actuators being: a first vertically-oriented linear actuator  1102   a  connected to an additive manufacturing device backplate  130 ;
 a second vertically-oriented linear actuator  1102   b  connected to the additive manufacturing device backplate  130 ; 
 a horizontally-oriented material deposition component linear actuator  1104  connected for vertical movement to a first vertically-oriented linear actuator carriage at a first end portion and to a second vertically-oriented linear actuator carriage at a second end portion, the material deposition component  104  connected for horizontal movement to a horizontally-oriented material deposition component linear actuator carriage, the a horizontally-oriented material deposition component linear actuator  1104  connected to the additive manufacturing device backplate  130 ; and 
 a build platform assembly linear actuator  1106  connected to and extending tangentially from the additive manufacturing device backplate  130 , a build platform assembly  112  connected for movement to a build platform linear actuator carriage  1116 . 
 
     
     
         31 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 29 , the plurality of linear actuators being:
 a horizontally-oriented linear actuator  1106  connected to an additive manufacturing device backplate 124 ; 
 a horizontally-oriented material deposition component linear actuator  1102  connecting to a horizontally-oriented linear actuator carriage  5206  and extending tangentially from the horizontally-oriented linear actuator carriage  5206  for horizontal movement, the material deposition component  104  connected for horizontal movement to a horizontally-oriented material deposition component linear actuator carriage  5204 ; and 
 a vertically-oriented build platform assembly linear actuator  1104  connected to the additive manufacturing device backplate  124 , a build platform assembly  112  connected for movement to a build platform linear actuator carriage  5202 . 
 
     
     
         32 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 1 , further comprising a build platform assembly  112  positioned for movement within the build volume, the build platform assembly comprising:
 a build platform  5306 ; and 
 a plurality of alignment mechanisms  5404  contacting a build platform underside, configured to level the build platform  5306 , the plurality of alignment mechanisms  5404  adjusting the orientation of the build platform  5306  during part creation. 
 
     
     
         33 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 32 , the build platform assembly  112  further comprising:
 a build platform receiver  5302  connected at a first end portion to the material deposition positioning system  102 , removably receiving the build platform  112  at a second end portion via a first build platform receiver channel  5310   a  and a second build platform receiver channel  5310   b;    
 wherein the plurality of alignment mechanisms  5404  are positioned within the build platform receiver  5302 . 
 
     
     
         34 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 33 , each of the first build platform receiver channel  5310   a  and the second build platform receiver channel  5310   b  comprising a spring bar  5402  configured to contact and laterally stabilize the build platform  5306 . 
     
     
         35 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock is one of:
 a polymer; a metal; an inorganic material; and an organic material. 
 
     
     
         36 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock is a combination of at least two of: a polymer; a metal; an inorganic material; and an organic material. 
     
     
         37 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 1 , further comprising control electronics  110  including a power supply and a thermal control circuit, the thermal control circuit and the power supply being electrically isolated. 
     
     
         38 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 37 , the control electronics  110  being housed on at least one card having an edge connector and being removable. 
     
     
         39 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 37 , the control electronics  110  including a PID controller configured to control the heating rate of an extruder nozzle  902  during an initialization sequence. 
     
     
         40 . The additive manufacturing device  100  of  claim 39 , the initialization sequence providing 60% power to the extruder nozzle  902  for the first three minutes of the initialization sequence. 
     
     
         41 . An additive manufacturing device  100  operable in a microgravity environment to create a part, the additive manufacturing device  100  comprising:
 an enclosure  114 , the enclosure  114  having an enclosed volume, the enclosure  114  comprising an access door  128  positioned on a front enclosure wall  126 , the enclosure  114  configured to prevent electromagnetic interference; 
 an environmental control unit  108  positioned within the enclosed volume and regulating an enclosed volume environment; 
 a removable feedstock source  106  comprising an ABS plastic filament, removably connected at a feedstock source receptacle  202  within the enclosure  114 ; 
 a removable ABS plastic filament extruder  104  component configured to receive the feedstock from the feedstock source  106 , the extruder  104  heating the received feedstock to a feedstock melting point and depositing the heated feedstock according to part creation instructions, the extruder  104  comprising a release, operable by a hand for removably detaching the extruder  104  from the additive manufacturing device  100 ; 
 a build platform assembly  112  positioned for movement within the build volume, the build platform assembly  112  comprising:
 a build platform  5306 ; and 
 a plurality of alignment mechanisms  5404  contacting a build platform underside, configured to level the build platform  5306 , the plurality of alignment mechanisms  5404  adjusting the orientation of the build platform  5306  during part creation; and 
 
 a traverse system  102  configured to position the extruder  104  according to the part creation instructions, the traverse system  102  comprising a plurality of linear actuators configured to manipulate one of: the build platform assembly  112  and the extruder  104 , each of the linear actuators comprising:
 a linear actuator motor; 
 a screw-driven linear rail operably connected to the motor; and 
 a carriage connected for movement to the linear rail; 
 
 wherein the enclosure  114  contains the extruder  104 , the traverse system  102  and the build platform assembly  112 ; and 
 wherein each of the linear actuators is connected to a common surface  124  of the additive manufacturing device  100 . 
 
     
     
         42 . A method of additively manufacturing a part in a microgravity environment utilizing an additive manufacturing device  100  comprising a feedstock source  106  comprising feedstock; a material deposition component  104 , the material deposition component configured to receive the feedstock from the feedstock source  106 , the material deposition component  104  heating the received feedstock to a feedstock melting point and depositing the heated feedstock according to part creation instructions; a material deposition positioning system  102  configured to position the material deposition component  104  according to the part creation instructions; and a build volume, the part being created within the build volume according to the part creation instructions, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving the part creation instructions from a remote source; 
 (b) providing at least a portion of the part creation instructions to the additive manufacturing device  100 ; and 
 (c) producing a part via the material deposition component  104  and the material deposition positioning system  102  according to the part creation instructions. 
 
     
     
         43 . An additive manufacturing device  100  operable in a microgravity environment to create a part, the additive manufacturing device  100  comprising:
 a feedstock source  106  comprising feedstock; 
 a material bonding component  104 , the material bonding component  104  configured to receive portions of the feedstock from the feedstock source  106 , the material bonding component  104  heating each of the portions of the received feedstock to a feedstock melting point and positioning the heated each of the portions of the feedstock according to part creation instructions; 
 a material bonding component positioning system  102  configured to position the material bonding component  104  according to the part creation instructions; and 
 a build volume, the part being created within the build volume according to the part creation instructions.