Relativity Space, Inc.

Systems and methods for deliberate defect introduction in additive manufacturing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a robotic additive manufacturing system includes an additive manufacturing robot, the additive manufacturing robot including a robotic arm, a welder system mounted to the robotic arm and including a welding tip configured to deposit a consumable electrode wire onto an additively-manufactured article, a signals data storage system configured to receive from the welder system one or more signals indicative of a voltage and a current and to store the signals as a time series, a defect introduction system configured to receive an interrupt signal and to trigger a release mechanism configured to disrupt shielding gas around the welding tip based upon the interrupt signal, and a clock configured to provide a clock signal to the signals data storage system and the defect introduction system.

The disclosure presents a combination of additive manufacturing processes that could be used to produce different portions or features of a hybrid structure, such that a first additive manufacturing process could be used to form a complex seed part or first section of the hybrid component, and a different additive manufacturing component could be used to form a second section of the hybrid component. When two components are manufactures, a mandrel could be assembled into the first component to provide rigidity and resistance to deformation of the first component, even during and after formation of the second component on the interface surface of the first component using a second additive manufacturing process. Finally, struts could be formed directly on a base plate and before formation of the component so that the base plate temperature could increase to be in equilibrium with the temperature of the newly deposited material.

The disclosure presents a combination of additive manufacturing processes that could be used to produce different portions or features of a hybrid structure, such that a first additive manufacturing process could be used to form a complex seed part or first section of the hybrid component, and a different additive manufacturing component could be used to form a second section of the hybrid component. When two components are manufactured, a mandrel could be assembled into the first component to provide rigidity and resistance to deformation of the first component, even during and after formation of the second component on the interface surface of the first component using a second additive manufacturing process. Finally, struts could be formed directly on a base plate and before formation of the component so that the base plate temperature could increase to be in equilibrium with the temperature of the newly deposited material.

The disclosure presents a combination of additive manufacturing processes that could be used to produce different portions or features of a hybrid structure, such that a first additive manufacturing process could be used to form a complex seed part or first section of the hybrid component, and a different additive manufacturing component could be used to form a second section of the hybrid component. When two components are manufactures, a mandrel could be assembled into the first component to provide rigidity and resistance to deformation of the first component, even during and after formation of the second component on the interface surface of the first component using a second additive manufacturing process. Finally, struts could be formed directly on a base plate and before formation of the component so that the base plate temperature could increase to be in equilibrium with the temperature of the newly deposited material.

Systems and methods for additive manufacturing robotic systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention are illustrated. One embodiment includes a method for visualizing a space. The method includes steps for receiving, at a set of one or more processors, a set of print data, wherein the set of print data comprises a first set of data for a first visualization, wherein the first set of data is received from a control system that controls a set of one or more robots for a print job to print a part, and a second set of data for a second visualization associated with the part, rendering, at the set of processors, the first and second visualizations based on the print data, wherein the first visualization includes a visualization of the print job, and displaying the rendered first and second visualizations.

The present disclosure provides a system for printing a three-dimensional object. The system may comprise a support for holding a portion of the object and a wire(s) source configured to hold a wire(s) of substantially the same or different diameters. The system may also comprise a print head. The print head may comprise a guide for directing the wire to the support. The system may also comprise a driver roller comprising a groove configured to contact a portion of the wire and direct the wire to the guide, and a power source in electrical communication with the wire and the support. The system may also comprise a controller configured to direct the power source to supply electrical current to the wire and the support. The electrical current may be sufficient to melt the wire when the wire is in contact with the support or the portion of the object.

Additively manufactured thrust chambers and thrust chambers with integral fluid manifolds, and hybrid additive manufacturing methods for their production, are provided. Hybrid additive manufacturing techniques may combine a variety of processes including, WAAM, PBF, cold spray and DED, for example, to produce objects with variant dimensional requirements, i.e., large overall size and small features. Hybrid additive manufacturing may be defined as provide various process layers within any manufactured object. These process layers in turn allow for the introduction of variable feature and size distribution throughout the manufactured object. Hybrid process layers according to aspects may also allow the use of a variety of materials or may use a single material across the various process layers.

The present disclosure provides a system for printing a three-dimensional object. The system may comprise a support for holding a portion of the object and a wire(s) source configured to hold a wire(s) of substantially the same or different diameters. The system may also comprise a print head. The print head may comprise a guide for directing the wire to the support. The system may also comprise a driver roller comprising a groove configured to contact a portion of the wire and direct the wire to the guide, and a power source in electrical communication with the wire and the support. The system may also comprise a controller configured to direct the power source to supply electrical current to the wire and the support. The electrical current may be sufficient to melt the wire when the wire is in contact with the support or the portion of the object.

Contact tips for a wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) system can include guide portions. Guide portions can include elongated portions with a first end and a second end; guide terminal parts attached to the first end of the elongated portion with terminal grooves. Terminal grooves can be formed between two protrusions. Terminal grooves can be configured to accommodate WAAM wires. Contact tips can further include inset portions. Inset portions can be configured to nest within the guide portion to hold the WAAM wire. When the inset portion is nested within the guide portion there can be a gap between the guide portion and the inset portion such that wire shavings generated during WAAM can be discharged.

A plasma arc torch assembly is capable of additively manufacturing articles. A device may additively manufacture at least a portion of an article using the plasma arc torch assembly. A device may deactivate at least one plasma arc associated with the plasma arc torch assembly. A device may perform plasma arc surface smoothing of the article using the plasma arc torch assembly.