System and head for continuously manufacturing composite structure

Abstract

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, and a print head connected to and moveable by the support in multiple dimensions. The system may also include a cure enhancer mounted to the print head and configured to expose composite material discharging from the print head to energy, and a curing tool mounted to the print head downstream of the cure enhancer. The curing tool may be configured to expose the composite material to additional energy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for manufacturing of a composite structure, comprising:
 a support;   a print head connected to and moveable by the support in multiple dimensions;   a cure enhancer mounted to the print head and configured to expose composite material discharging from the print head to cure energy; and   a curing tool mounted to the print head downstream of the cure enhancer, the curing tool configured to expose the composite material to additional energy.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cure enhancer is configured to generate a different type of cure energy than the cure energy generated by the curing tool. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the cure enhancer is configured to generate at least one of light and heat; and   the curing tool is configured to generate an electron beam.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the cure enhancer is configured to generate UV light. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the curing tool is pivotally connected to the print head. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further including at least one hinge pivotally connected the curing tool to the print head. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the cure enhancer is mounted to the at least one hinge. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a compactor connected to the print head and configured to compact the composite material discharging from the print head. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the compactor is connected to the print head at a location upstream of the cure enhancer and the curing tool. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the compactor is connected to the print head at a location downstream of the cure enhancer and the curing tool. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the compactor is connected to the print head at a location between the cure enhancer and the curing tool. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the curing tool is spaced away from the composite material discharging from the print head by a distance less than a diameter of the composite material. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a light pipe extending from the cure enhancer toward the composite material discharging from the print head. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a controller configured to coordinate operations of the support, the cure enhancer, and the curing tool. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cure enhancer is configured to facilitate surface-deep curing of the composite material discharging from the print head; and   the curing tool is configured to facilitate through-curing of the composite material discharging from the print head.   
     
     
         16 . A system for manufacturing of a composite structure, comprising:
 a support;   a print head connected to and moveable by the support in multiple dimensions;   a compactor connected to the print head and configured to compact composite material discharging from the print head;   a UV light mounted to the print head and configured to expose the composite material discharging from the print head to energy to facilitate surface-deep curing of the composite material; and   an electron beam generator mounted to the print head downstream of the UV light, the electron beam generator configured to expose the composite material discharging to the print head to additional energy to facilitate through-curing of the composite material.   
     
     
         17 . A method of additively manufacturing a composite structure, comprising:
 discharging from a print head a composite material;   moving in multiple dimensions the print head during discharging of the composite material;   exposing the composite material discharging from the print head to cure energy at a first location downstream of the print head; and   exposing the composite material to additional energy at a second location further downstream of the print head.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the cure energy is a different type of energy than the additional energy. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the cure energy is at least one of light and heat and configured to facilitate surface-deep curing of the composite material discharging from the print head; and   the additional energy an electron beam and configured to facilitate through-curing of the composite material discharging from the print head.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further including compacting the composite material discharging from the print head while the composite material is still in a plastic phase.