Systems and methods for removing build material from additively manufactured parts

Abstract

A component formed using an additive manufacturing system, the component includes an exterior surface, an interior cavity, at least one powder removal device disposed within the interior cavity and adjacent to the exterior surface, wherein the at least one powder removal device is configured to remove un-sintered and partially sintered powder from the component, and at least one exit port defined in the exterior surface to facilitate egress of the un-sintered and partially sintered powder out of the component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A component formed using an additive manufacturing system, said component comprising:
 an exterior surface;   an interior cavity;   at least one powder removal device disposed within said interior cavity and adjacent to said exterior surface, wherein said at least one powder removal device is configured to remove un-sintered and partially sintered powder from said component; and   at least one exit port defined in said exterior surface to facilitate egress of the un-sintered and partially sintered powder out of said component.   
     
     
         2 . The component according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one powder removal device has at least one of:
 a spheroid shape;   a prism shape;   an ellipsoid shape combined with an annular disk shape;   a Mobius loop shape;   a cylindrical shape; and   a cuboid shape.   
     
     
         3 . The component according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one powder removal device is sized such that said at least one powder removal device is capable of exiting said component through said at least one exit port. 
     
     
         4 . The component according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one powder removal device has an asymmetric geometry. 
     
     
         5 . The component according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one powder removal device has a symmetric geometry. 
     
     
         6 . The component according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one powder removal device is unattached to said component. 
     
     
         7 . The component according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one powder removal device is tethered to an adjacent surface of said component, said at least one powder removal device configured to detach from said adjacent surface when vibrated. 
     
     
         8 . The component according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one powder removal device has a size that is equivalent to approximately the size of two to three particles melded together. 
     
     
         9 . The component according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one powder removal device is configured to remove un-sintered and partially sintered powder from said component when said at least one powder removal device is excited. 
     
     
         10 . The component according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one powder removal device comprises a plurality of powder removal devices arranged in relation to one another such that said plurality of powder removal devices are configured interact with one another to facilitate breaking up un-sintered and partially sintered powder when said plurality of powder removal devices are excited. 
     
     
         11 . A method for forming a component from a powdered build material, said method comprising:
 creating a model of the component;   creating a model of at least one powder removal device;   integrating the model of the at least one powder removal device into the model of the component;   inputting the model of the component into an additive manufacturing system; and   operating the additive manufacturing system to build the component including the at least one powder removal device, wherein the at least one powder removal device is configured to remove un-sintered and partially sintered material from the component.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein creating a model of at least one power removal device comprises creating a model of at least one powder removal device that has a size that is equivalent to approximately the size of two to three particles melded together. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein creating a model of at least one powder removal device comprises creating a model of at least one powder removal device that is tethered to an adjacent surface of the component. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein creating a model of at least one powder removal device comprises creating a model of a plurality of powder removal devices. 
     
     
         15 . A method for removing un-sintered and partially sintered powder from an additively manufactured part, said method comprising:
 fabricating, using an additive manufacturing process, a component including at least one powder removal device; and   exciting the component to cause the at least one powder removal device to remove un-sintered and partially sintered powder from the component.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein exciting the component comprises vibrating the component in a range from about 40 hertz to about 70 hertz. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein exciting the component comprises exciting the component such that a structural integrity of the component is not compromised. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein exciting the component comprises vibrating the component at a resonance frequency of the component. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein exciting the component comprises vibrating the component at a vibration amplitude having an acceleration in a range from about 29.4 meters per second squared (m/s 2 ) to about 39.2 m/s 2 . 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein exciting the component comprises vibrating the component at a vibrational amplitude having a displacement in a range from about 0.0254 millimeter (mm) to about 0.127 mm.