Integrated build and material supply for an additive manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

An integrated build and material supply system for an additive manufacturing apparatus comprises a building compartment adapted to accommodate an object to be formed by means of additive manufacturing and a storage compartment adapted to store a build material for forming said object. A volume of said building compartment and a volume of said storage compartment are variable in size, and said system is adapted to re-allocate at least a portion of a volume previously allocated to said storage compartment to said building compartment.

1 . An integrated build and material supply system for an additive manufacturing apparatus, the system comprising a common compartment, the common compartment containing:
 a building compartment to accommodate an object to be formed by means of additive manufacturing;   a storage compartment to store a build material for forming the object, the common compartment comprising both the building and storage compartments;   a separation element extending from a first sidewall of the common compartment to an opposite sidewall of the common compartment, the separation element separating the building compartment from the storage compartment within the common compartment; and   an auger comprising a screw drive to move build material from the storage compartment, around the separation element, to the building compartment;   wherein movement of the separation element within the common compartment re-allocates at least a portion of a volume previously allocated to the storage compartment to the building compartment, or vice versa.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the separation element entirely separates the storage compartment from the building compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the building compartment is equal to a width of the storage compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the separation element comprises a build platform for supporting the object to be formed. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the building compartment is located above the storage compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the storage compartment contains a powdered build material. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a maximum volume of the storage compartment is no smaller than 1.0 times a maximum volume of the building compartment. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising two augers on opposite sides of the storage compartment to transport the build material from the storage compartment towards the building compartment. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a drive unit to move the separation element is also operatively coupled to drive the auger to transport the build material from the storage compartment towards the building compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is removably attached to the additive manufacturing apparatus which further comprises a three-dimensional printing apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a maximum volume of the storage compartment is no larger than 1.6 times a maximum volume of the building compartment. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the auger is housed inside an interior compartment of a sidewall of the common compai intent and extends vertically in and through the sidewall of the common compartment to move build material vertically from the storage compartment to the building compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the auger comprises a pair of screw drives located in opposite sidewalls of the common compartment. 
     
     
         14 . An integrated build and material supply system for an additive manufacturing apparatus, the system comprising:
 a common compartment, the common compartment containing a building compartment to accommodate an object to be formed from a powdered build material by means of additive manufacturing and a storage compartment to store the powdered build material for forming the object, the building compartment and storage compai intent being stacked vertically and having a same width within the common compartment;   a separation element separating the building compartment from the storage compartment within the common compartment wherein a volume of the building compartment and a volume of the storage compartment are variable in size depending on the location of the separation element in the common compartment, wherein movement of the separation element within the common compartment re-allocates at least a portion of a volume previously allocated to the storage compartment to the building compartment, or vice versa; and   a transport system comprising a screw drive for moving the powdered build material vertically from the storage compartment to the building compartment.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the screw drive is housed inside an interior compartment of a sidewall of the common compartment and extends vertically in and through the sidewall of the common compartment to move build material vertically from the storage compartment to the building compartment. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising two screw drives on opposite sides of the storage compartment to transport the build material from the storage compartment towards the building compartment. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein a drive unit to move the separation element is also operatively coupled to drive the screw drive to transport the build material from the storage compartment towards the building compartment. 
     
     
         18 . A method of operating an integrated build and material supply system for an additive manufacturing apparatus, the system comprising a common compartment, the common compartment containing:
 a building compartment to accommodate an object to be formed by means of additive manufacturing;   a storage compartment to store a build material for forming the object, the common compartment comprising both the building and storage compartments; and   a separation element extending from a first sidewall of the common compartment to an opposite sidewall of the common compartment, the separation element separating the building compartment from the storage compartment within the common compartment, wherein a volume of the building compartment and a volume of the storage compartment are variable in size, and wherein movement of the separation element within the common compartment re-allocates at least a portion of a volume previously allocated to the storage compartment to the building compartment, or vice versa;   the method comprising rotating an auger comprising a screw drive to move build material vertically upward from the storage compartment, around the separation element, to the building compartment.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising, with the auger, moving the build material through an interior channel of a sidewall of the common compartment that houses the auger. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising both moving the separation element and rotating the auger with power from a single drive unit.