Additive manufacturing with gas delivery and dispenser

Abstract

An additive manufacturing system includes a platen having a top surface to support an object being manufactured, a feed material dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material over the platen, an energy source positioned above the platen to fuse at least a portion of an outermost layer of feed material, and a coolant fluid dispenser to deliver a coolant fluid onto the outermost layer of feed material after at least a portion of the outermost layer has been fused.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
 a platen having a top surface to support an object being manufactured;   a powder dispenser coupled to the support structure and positioned above the platen and configured to deliver a powder in a first linear region that extends in a first direction;   a support structure;   a first gas dispenser coupled to the support structure and having a first outlet to deliver gas in a second linear region that extends in the first direction across an outermost layer of powder;   a second gas dispenser coupled to the support structure in a fixed position relative to the first gas dispenser and having a second outlet to deliver gas in a third linear region that extends in the first direction across the outermost layer of powder;   an energy source configured to selectively fuse the outermost layer of powder; and   an actuator coupled to the support to move the support with the first gas dispenser and the second gas dispenser together along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first gas dispenser and the second gas dispenser each include a conduit having a plurality of spaced apart apertures for gas flow. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first gas dispenser and the second gas dispenser each include a conduit having a contiguous slot for gas flow. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second linear region and third linear region each extend across a width of the platen. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source is configured to generate a beam that scans across the outermost layer of feed material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the energy source is configured to scan the beam along direction parallel and perpendicular to the second linear region. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the energy source comprises a laser and the beam is a laser beam. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , comprising a mirror to scan the laser beam across the platen. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein mirror is configured to deflect the laser beam to control a position of the laser beam on the layer of powder along the first axis. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the mirror comprises a mirror galvometer. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first gas dispenser and second gas dispenser is configured to direct the gas along a direction perpendicular to the top surface. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the powder dispenser is coupled to the support structure in a fixed position relative to the first gas dispenser and the second gas dispenser. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source is coupled to the support structure in a fixed position relative to the first gas dispenser and the second gas dispenser. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the powder dispenser comprises at least one of a spreader to push feed material from a reservoir adjacent the platen, or a distributor out of which material is delivered. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a chamber in which the platen is suspended.