Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Leader-follower system for additive manufacturing
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Application No.: US16255425Application Date: 2019-01-23
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Publication No.: US10437698B2Publication Date: 2019-10-08
- Inventor: Joseph Matthew Sinclair
- Applicant: Joseph Matthew Sinclair
- Agent James R. McDaniel; Lawrence P. Zale
- Main IPC: B33Y50/02
- IPC: B33Y50/02 ; G06F11/34 ; G06F11/30 ; H04L29/08 ; G06F17/50 ; B29C64/393

Abstract:
Described herein is a Leader-Follower Additive Manufacturing (AM) system which controls multiple AM Devices (3D Printers) simultaneously in order to minimize human monitoring and control during the mass manufacture of AM products. This is accomplished by combining individual AM device closed-loop feedback control with the ability for AM devices to communicate feedback loop data to other AM devices. The communication of feedback loop data between AM devices during the mass fabrication of AM components improves AM process reliability and repeatability. Within the system, AM devices are able to assume the roles of Leaders or Followers; Leader AM devices lead the Follower AM devices during the fabrication of multiple AM products. If errors occur during the fabrication of the AM products, individual AM devices are able to create and implement solutions that solve fabrication errors and communicate that data with the other AM devices for present and future AM fabrication efforts.
Public/Granted literature
- US20190227897A1 Leader-Follower System for Additive Manufacturing Public/Granted day:2019-07-25
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