General Electric Company
Methods and apparatuses to grow compression chambers in powder based additive manufacturing to relieve powder loading on grown part

Abstract:

The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatuses for additive manufacturing (AM) that utilize compression chambers to reduce pressure on grown objects. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for fabricating an object. The method includes (a) irradiating a layer of powder in a build area above a build platform to form a fused region; (b) providing a subsequent layer of powder over the build area; and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until at least a portion of the object, at least one chamber, and a tube are formed in the build area. The chamber encloses a region of unfused powder and the tube extends from a passage within the build platform to the chamber. The method also includes (d) removing unfused powder from within the chamber via the tube and the passage. The disclosure also provides an apparatus for forming compression chambers within an object.