Patent ID: 8606389
Filing Date: 2013-12-10
Classification: B23P,B33Y,G05B,G06F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of manufacturing a machinery part, comprising: modeling the part as data capable of being manipulated by a computer; using the computer to transform the data into a format wherein the machinery part is represented as a near-net structure made from channel-shaped building blocks; wherein the building blocks are of uniform shape and each building block is a single piece of material and has a shape that is entirely that of an open three-sided or two-sided channel having flat sides; wherein each building block is at least partially coated with a reactive coating that also has an adhesive property, such that flat sides of building blocks adhere upon contact to each other when and may thereby be interfacially adjoined; delivering the data to an automated stacking system; using the stacking system to assemble the building blocks, using only gravity or the adhesive property of adjoining flat sides for support, to form the near-net structure; wherein the near-net structure is assembled with a stacking process that requires no internal or external support other than the building blocks themselves to support the assembly; fusing the building blocks with a reaction-activation process, such that the reactive coating causes any adjoining flat sides of the building blocks to be fused together; wherein the building blocks have a surface precursor, and the step of fusing the building blocks is performed by activating the precursor; and removing excess material from the near-net structure to form the machinery part.