General Electric Company
Powder recirculating additive manufacturing apparatus and method

Abstract:

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes: a support surface configured to support a build platform thereon; a powder dispenser disposed above the support surface, the powder dispenser configured to dispense powder, and movable laterally over the support surface; a scraper moveable over the build platform and configured to scrape powder dispensed thereon by the powder dispenser, so as to provide a layer increment of powder above the build platform; and a directed energy source configured to melt and fuse the layer increment of powder in predetermined pattern so as to form a part.