Selective composite manufacturing for components having multiple material properties

Abstract

A method of forming a component having multiple material properties includes forming, by additive manufacturing, a particle containment structure on a base layer; filling the particle containment structure with a first layer of particles, the layer of particles being contained by the particle containment structure; curing the first layer of particles; repeating the forming the particle containment structure, filling the particle containment structure with one or more additional layers of particles and curing the one or more additional layers of particles until a desired component dimension is achieved; forming, by additive manufacturing, a cover to encapsulate any exposed particles; and fully curing the particle containment structure, particles and cover.

1 . A structure having multiple material properties, comprising:
 a plurality of cured layers, each cured layer comprising a particle containment structure formed on a base layer, the particle containment structure with a layer of particles, the layer of particles being contained by the particle containment structure; and   a cover that encapsulates any exposed particles.   
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the layer of particles and the one or more additional layers of particles comprises one of more of: fibers, flakes, spheres, microspheres, and powder. 
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 2 , wherein the layer of particles comprises one of more of: glass fibers, carbon fibers, metal particles, metal combination particles, aluminum, copper, steel, titanium, tungsten, silver, gold, nickel, tin, zinc, manganese dioxide, silver oxide, ceramic particles, plastic particles, polymer particles, and glass particles. 
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the particle containment structure comprises a UV cured polymer material. 
     
     
         5 . A component having multiple material properties, the component comprising:
 a first particle containment structure on a first base layer;   a first layer of cured particles filling in and being contained by the first particle containment structure;   a second particle containment structure formed on a second base layer within the first particle containment structure and on the first layer of cured particles,   respective heights of the first and second particle containment structures being increasable and space between the first and second particle containment structures being Tillable with one or more additional layers of curable particles; and   a cured cover formed to encapsulate any exposed particles.   
     
     
         6 . The component of  claim 5 , wherein the first layer of particles and the one or more additional layers of particles comprise one of more of: fibers, flakes, spheres, microspheres, powder, glass fibers, carbon fibers, metal particles, metal combination particles, aluminum, copper, steel, titanium, tungsten, silver, gold, nickel, tin, zinc, manganese dioxide, silver oxide, ceramic particles, plastic particles, polymer particles and glass particles. 
     
     
         7 . The component of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second particle containment structures each comprises a UV cured polymer material. 
     
     
         8 . The component of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second particle containment structures have same shapes,
 the second particle containment structure being a hollowed polygonal shape nested within the first particle containment structure, which is a hollowed polygonal shape.   
     
     
         9 . The component of  claim 5 , wherein the first particle containment structure comprises a polygonal dam having first width and depth dimensions, the second particle containment structure comprises a polygonal dam having second width and depth dimensions and the second width and depth dimensions being less than the first width and depth directions. 
     
     
         10 . The component of  claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second particle containment structures is a four-sided and four cornered dam. 
     
     
         11 . The component of  claim 9 , wherein a height of the second particle containment structure is a same height of the first particle containment structure less a thickness of the cured first layer of particles and less a thickness of the second base layer.