发明人：
REID, MICHAEL | GRUBER, FRITZ | KROL, JEREMY | JOHNS, JENNA
权利要求：
1. An additive manufacturing system comprising: an electric energy source configured to provide an electric energy; and a print head configured to receive a feedstock and a cryogenic fluid and pass the feedstock and the cryogenic fluid through a distal end thereof; wherein the electric energy is configured to produce an arc proximal to the distal end of the print head such that the arc melts the feedstock to produce a molten feedstock, and wherein the print head deposits the molten feedstock on a substrate to form a part; and wherein the cryogenic fluid expands in volume when exiting the print head, and wherein the print head is disposed such that the expanded cryogenic fluid at least one of: shields or cools at least one of: the arc, the molten feedstock, and the part.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the expanded cryogenic fluid shields the arc and the molten feedstock, and cools the part.
3. The system of claims 1 or 2, wherein the print head comprises a material with a higher melting temperature than the feedstock; or wherein the print head comprises copper and the feedstock comprises aluminum.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the expanded cryogenic fluid solidifies a spatter comprising the molten feedstock such that the spatter substantially resists attaching to the print head.
5. The system of any preceding claim, further comprising a cryogenic source comprising a cryogenic storage tank and a cryogenic hose to supply the cryogenic fluid to the print head.
6. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the print head comprises a first channel and a second channel adjacent to and separate from the first channel, wherein the first channel is configured to receive the cryogenic fluid and the second channel is configured to receive a second cryogenic fluid; or wherein the print head comprises a first channel and a second channel adjacent to and separate from the first channel, wherein the first channel is configured to receive a shielding gas and the second channel is configured to receive the cryogenic fluid.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the shielding gas comprises argon, helium, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen, neon, xenon, or a combination thereof.
8. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the cryogenic fluid comprises cryogenic liquid argon, cryogenic liquid nitrogen, cryogenic liquid helium, cryogenic liquid neon, cryogenic liquid oxygen, cryogenic liquid xenon, cryogenic argon gas, cryogenic nitrogen gas, cryogenic helium gas, cryogenic neon gas, cryogenic oxygen gas, cryogenic xenon gas, cryogenic air, or a combination thereof.
9. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the cryogenic fluid has a temperature lower than or equal to -190 °C.
10. The system of any preceding claim, further comprising a nozzle configured to receive the cryogenic fluid from a first end thereof, and wherein a second end has at least one outlet disposed proximal to a portion of the part proximal to the substrate such that the cryogenic fluid cools the part during printing.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the nozzle comprises a circumferential chamber concentric with a central bore; wherein the circumferential chamber comprises an inlet channel on the first end configured to receive the cryogenic fluid, and the at least one outlet is a hole.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the nozzle comprises a plurality of outlets disposed circumferentially around the chamber.
13. The system of any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the nozzle further comprises a spray guard disposed around the second end.
14. The system of any of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a nozzle configured to receive the cryogenic fluid from a first end thereof, and wherein a second end has a plurality of outlets disposed about a perimeter of an arc source such that the cryogenic fluid cools the molten feedstock during printing.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the nozzle comprises a circumferential chamber concentric with a central bore; wherein the circumferential chamber comprises an inlet channel on the first end configured to receive the cryogenic fluid, and each of the plurality of outlets is a hole.