System for additively manufacturing composite structure

Abstract

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed for use in fabricating a structure. The additive manufacturing system may include a support, and an outlet configured to discharge a material. The outlet may be operatively connected to and moveable by the support in a normal travel direction during material discharge. The outlet may include a guide, and a compactor operatively connected to the guide at a trailing location relative to the normal travel direction. The compactor may be moveable in an axial direction of the guide. The outlet may also include at least one cure enhancer mounted to move with the compactor relative to the guide. The at least one cure enhancer may be configured to expose the material to a cure energy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
 a support; and   a print head connected to and moveable by the support, the print head including:
 an outlet configured to discharge a material; 
 a compactor configured to trail behind the outlet and compact the material; 
 at least one cure enhancer configured to trail behind the outlet and expose the material to a cure energy that enhances curing of the material; and 
 a linear guide connected to the outlet, wherein at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer are configured to engage and translate along a length of the linear guide. 
   
     
     
         2 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein a length direction of the linear guide is aligned with an axial direction of the outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the print head further includes:
 a channel; and   a bracket configured to translate within the channel, wherein the at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer are configured to engage the linear guide via the channel and the bracket.   
     
     
         4 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the channel is located within at least one of the linear guide and the at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer; and   the bracket is connected to another of the at least one of the linear guide and the at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer.   
     
     
         5 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 4 , wherein the bracket is connected to the at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer. 
     
     
         6 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 5 , wherein the bracket is connected to both of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer. 
     
     
         7 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one cure enhancer includes two cure enhancers each configured to expose different areas of the material to the cure energy. 
     
     
         8 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer are both configured to engage and translate together along a length of the linear guide. 
     
     
         9 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one cure enhancer is configured to trail the compactor. 
     
     
         10 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cure enhancer includes two cure enhancers each configured to expose different areas of the material to the cure energy. 
     
     
         11 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 1 , further including a biasing device configured to bias the at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer along the length of the linear guide. 
     
     
         12 . The additive manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cure enhancer trails the compactor. 
     
     
         13 . A method of additively manufacturing a structure, comprising:
 discharging a material from an outlet of a print head to form the structure;   compacting the material with a compactor that trails behind the outlet;   exposing the material to a cure energy with at least one cure enhancer that trails behind the outlet; and   translating at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer along a length of a linear guide connected to the outlet.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a length direction of the linear guide is aligned with an axial direction of the outlet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein translating the at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer along the length of the linear guide includes translating the at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer via engagement of a channel and a bracket that slides in the channel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the channel is located within at least one of the linear guide and the at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer; and   the bracket is connected to another of the at least one of the linear guide and the at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the bracket is connected to the at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the bracket is connected to both of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein exposing the material to a cure energy with at least one cure enhancer includes exposing different areas of the material to a cure energy with two cure enhancers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , translating at least one of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer includes translating both of the compactor and the at least one cure enhancer together along the length of the linear guide.