General Electric Company
Method and supports with powder removal ports for additive manufacturing

Abstract:

The present disclosure generally relates to methods for additive manufacturing (AM) that utilize powder removal ports in the process of building objects, as well as novel support structures including powder removal ports to be used within these AM processes. The objects include walls defining regions of unfused powder. The powder removal ports include at least one tube aligned with an opening in the walls to allow removal of the powder. The methods include removing unfused powder from the enclosed space via the at least one tube.