Powder deposition for additive manufacturing

Abstract

An additive manufacturing method includes cold spraying a powder onto a build area to create a densified powder layer. The method can include high speed machining the densified powder layer after cold spraying to create a smooth layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An additive manufacturing method, comprising cold spraying a powder onto a build area to create a densified powder layer. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising high speed machining the densified powder layer after cold spraying to create a smooth layer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising inspecting the smooth powder layer after machining to determine if a defect is present. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein inspecting includes a visual and/or interferometric inspection. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising removing the smooth layer via high speed machining if a defect is determined to be present. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising applying energy to a portion of the powder layer after high speed machining if no defect is determined to be present. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein applying energy includes lasing the portion of the powder layer to fuse the portion of the powder layer. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein cold spraying includes cold spraying the powder on only a part area of the build area where the part is grown. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the build area includes a surface of an existing part. 
     
     
         10 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
 a build area;   a cold spray powder deposition system configured to cold spray powder onto the build area to create successive densified powder layers; and   an energy applicator configured to fuse a portion of each densified powder layer to additively manufacture a product.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the cold spray powder deposition system includes a pressure supply, a powder feeder, and a nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the nozzle is a supersonic nozzle. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the energy applicator includes a laser. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the build area is movable between a cold spray station and an energy application station to interleave cold spraying and energy application. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the build area includes at least one of a build platform or an existing part. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a high speed machining system configured to machine each densified powder layer. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , further including an imaging system configured to determine if any defects are present in each layer after cold spraying and/or machining. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the imaging system includes an interferometric system and/or visual system.