Systems and methods for additive manufacturing of three dimensional structures

Abstract

A method of fabricating a three dimensional structure includes delivering a metal material to a printing site; and defining a microstructure of the metal material at the printing site by controlling the delivery of heating energy to the printing site and controlling the delivery of ultrasonic vibrations to the printing site.

1 . A method of fabricating a three dimensional structure, comprising:
 delivering a metal material to a printing site; and   defining a microstructure of the metal material at the printing site by:
 controlling the delivery of heating energy to the printing site; and 
 controlling the delivery of ultrasonic vibrations to the printing site. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein delivering the metal material to the printing site includes delivering a metal powder to the printing site. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein delivering the metal material to the printing site includes delivering a metal wire to the printing site. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein delivering the metal material to the printing site includes using a liquid metal jet. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating energy is delivered to the printing site by a laser. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating energy is delivered to the printing site by an electron beam. 
     
     
         8 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising monitoring a temperature at the printing site and controlling delivery of at least one of the heating energy and the ultrasonic vibrations based on the temperature. 
     
     
         20 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining the microstructure includes defining a grain boundary. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining the microstructure includes defining a grain size. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining the microstructure includes defining a pinning point for the microstructure. 
     
     
         26 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering a vaporizable coolant to the printing site. 
     
     
         29 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising varying the pattern of delivery of the vaporizable coolant between different portions of the metal at the printing site. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising varying an amount of vaporizable coolant delivered to different portions of the metal at the printing site. 
     
     
         50 - 51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . A method of fabricating a three dimensional structure, comprising:
 delivering a metal material to a printing site;   delivering heating energy to the printing site;   delivering a vaporizable coolant to the printing site; and   defining a microstructure for the three dimensional structure based on providing the heating energy to the metal material at the printing site and vaporizing the vaporizable coolant.   
     
     
         53 - 76 . (canceled) 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the boiling point of the vaporizable coolant corresponds to a predetermined quenching temperature for the metal delivered to the printing site. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising modifying the boiling point of the vaporizable coolant. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78 , wherein modifying the boiling point of the vaporizable coolant includes modifying the composition of the vaporizable coolant. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 78 , wherein modifying the boiling point of the vaporizable coolant includes modifying a pressure of a delivery environment for the vaporizable coolant. 
     
     
         81 . (canceled) 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising varying the pattern of delivery of the vaporizable coolant between different portions of the metal at the printing site. 
     
     
         83 - 90 . (canceled) 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the printing site is a first printing site, the metal material is a first portion of metal material, the heating energy is a first amount of heating energy, and the vaporizable coolant is a first vaporizable coolant, and further comprising:
 delivering a second portion of metal material to a second printing site;   delivering a second amount of heating energy to the second printing site; and   delivering a second vaporizable coolant to the second printing site.   
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein the first portion of metal material differs from the second portion of metal material in at least one of an amount of metal and a type of metal. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein the first amount of heating energy differs from the second amount of heating energy in at least one of a duration of delivery of heating energy and an intensity of delivery of heating energy. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein the first vaporizable coolant varies from the second vaporizable coolant in at least one of a type of coolant, a temperature of coolant, and an amount of coolant. 
     
     
         95 . A method of fabricating a three dimensional structure, comprising:
 delivering a first metal material to a first printing site;   delivering a first amount of heating energy to the first printing site;   delivering a first vaporizable coolant to the first printing site;   agitating the first printing site; and   forming a first portion of a printed metal structure by providing the first amount of heating energy to the first metal material at the first printing site and vaporizing the first vaporizable coolant while agitating the first printing site.   
     
     
         96 - 104 . (canceled) 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein agitating the first printing site includes delivering ultrasonic vibrations to the first printing site by a transducer. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein agitating the first printing site includes delivering bulk acoustic waves. 
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein agitating the first printing site includes delivering surface acoustic waves. 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein agitating the first printing site includes delivering ultrasonic vibrations to the first printing site by phase conjugation. 
     
     
         109 - 110 . (canceled) 
     
     
         111 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein agitating the first printing site includes generating a standing wave ultrasonic field. 
     
     
         112 - 115 . (canceled) 
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 95 , further comprising varying the pattern of delivery of the first vaporizable coolant between different portions of the first printing site. 
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 95 , further comprising varying an amount of the first vaporizable coolant delivered to different portions of the first printing site. 
     
     
         118 - 121 . (canceled) 
     
     
         122 . The method of  claim 95 , further comprising delivering a second metal material, a second amount of heating energy, and a second vaporizable coolant to a second printing site, and agitating the second printing site. 
     
     
         123 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein the first metal material differs from the second metal material in at least one of an amount of material delivered and a type of material delivered. 
     
     
         124 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein the first amount of heating energy differs from the second amount of heating energy. 
     
     
         125 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein the first vaporizable coolant differs from the second vaporizable coolant in at least one of type of coolant, a temperature of coolant, and amount of coolant delivered. 
     
     
         126 - 242 . (canceled)