The Boeing Company
Apparatuses for additively manufacturing an object from a powder material

Abstract:

An additive-manufacturing apparatus (100) comprises a support (102) and a powder-material source (106). The additive-manufacturing apparatus (100) further comprises a powder-supply arm (108), which comprises a hollow body (122), having an interior volume (124) that is in communication with the powder-material source (106), a powder-deposition opening (126) in the hollow body (122), and a powder-distribution blade (128), coupled to the hollow body (122) and extending along the powder-deposition opening (126). The additive-manufacturing apparatus (100) also comprises an energy source (110), an energy-supply arm (112), and energy emitters (114), coupled to the energy-supply arm (112). The additive-manufacturing apparatus (100) further comprises a rotary drive (116), configured to rotate the powder-supply arm (108) and the energy-supply arm (112) about a vertical axis A1, passing through the support (102), and intersecting a powder-supply-arm central axis A2 and an energy-supply-arm central axis A3.