Dynamic build bed for additive manufacturing

Abstract

Compared to subtractive manufacturing, additive manufacturing generally has low material waste. However, models with large overhangs require manufacturing of support structures which ends up as waste material. This paper proposes the use of a dynamic build bed for reducing support structures. The bed consists of an array of actuated pins which move in the build orientation. Each pin can be individually moved to the correct height for supporting the given model. Two separate applications of the build bed are investigated. In the first application, the dynamic build bed is used as support structures in deposition-based AM methods. The pins individually raise out of the build bed to support the overhang geometry at the given deposition height. The second application is in powder-based AM methods. In the second application, the pins are used to fill the space of the powder where the geometry will not occupy. The pins are individually lowered in the build orientation to make space for a new powder layer. Thus, saving excessive deposition of powder.