Patent ID: 11969947
Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. An additive manufacturing system comprising:
a dispenser comprising a needle having a tip configured to deposit an additive material onto a substrate;
a transducer coupled to the dispenser and encircling the needle, wherein the transducer is positioned proximate to the tip of the needle and configured to transmit an emitted signal from the dispenser via the additive material to the substrate; and
a sensor coupled to the dispenser and encircling the needle, wherein the sensor is positioned farther away from the tip of the needle than the transducer and is configured to detect a return signal coupled from the substrate via the additive material to the dispenser, the return signal being indicative of a distance between the tip of the dispenser and the substrate.