General Electric Company
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING MACHINE HAVING RECONFIGURABLE GAS NOZZLES

Abstract:

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes at least one build unit with a powder delivery mechanism, a powder recoating mechanism and an irradiation beam directing mechanism. The build platform is a rotating build platform or a non-rotating build platform. A gas inlet nozzle and a gas exhaust nozzle direct gas across the build site. A positioning mechanism is connected to the gas inlet nozzle and the gas exhaust nozzle, and the positioning mechanism is configured to provide independent movement of the gas inlet nozzle and the gas exhaust nozzle.