APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SUPPORTING AND EXTRACTING A BUILD PART FORMED IN AN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS

An apparatus and method are provided for extracting a build part from an additive manufacturing machine. Upon completion of the build part by the additive manufacturing machine, a pin array is placed above the build part, the pin array including a plurality of pins slidably supported by a support pl...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser: Johnson, David Mathew, Biegelsen, David K
Format: Patent
Sprache:eng
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Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:An apparatus and method are provided for extracting a build part from an additive manufacturing machine. Upon completion of the build part by the additive manufacturing machine, a pin array is placed above the build part, the pin array including a plurality of pins slidably supported by a support plate for vertical movement relative to the support plate. The pin array is moved toward the build part so that the plurality of pins contact the build part and conform to the contour of the build part. The pins of the pin array are locked with the pins in contact with and conforming to the build part. The pin array and build part are inverted so that the build part is supported by the locked pins of the pin array. All of the pins of the array are locked simultaneously by a common locking component. The build plate can be formed on a sacrificial interposer plate that is removed by an etchant bath supported on the pin array when the build part is inverted.