Abstract: A welding apparatus has a guide rail arrangement with at least one guide rail attachable to a welding target. A carriage has a carriage housing and a rail follower assembly that is movably mountable to the guide rail arrangement for relative movement along the at least one guide rail. A feedstock source is disposed within the carriage housing and configured to deposit a feedstock material on a target surface of the welding target. An ultrasonic weld head is partially disposed within the carriage housing and has a sonotrode that extends toward the target surface so as to engage the deposited feedstock material and apply a normal welding force to the deposited feedstock material and the target surface. The sonotrode is operable to conduct ultrasonic vibrations into the deposited feedstock material and the target surface to weld the feedstock material to the target surface.

Abstract: In a method of applying a weld to a target surface, a guide rail arrangement is attached to the target, the guide rail arrangement including at least one guide rail. A weld head carriage having a carriage housing, a rail follower assembly, and a sonotrode is movably mounted to the guide rail arrangement so that the follower assembly engages each guide rail for movement there-along. The weld head carriage is positioned adjacent the target surface, feedstock material is deposited onto the target surface, and the sonotrode is extended to engage the deposited feedstock material and apply a welding force to the feedstock material and the target. Relative movement between the carriage and the guide rail arrangement is initiated and ultrasonic vibrations are conducted into the feedstock material and the target, thereby welding the feedstock material to the target surface.

Abstract: An inspection system for in situ evaluation of an additive manufacturing (AM) build part is provided. The inspection system comprises a build plane induction coil sensor configured and positionable so that during construction of the build part, the sensor's magnetization and sensor coils surround at least the last-produced layer of the AM build part in the build plane. The inspection system further comprises an energization circuit and a central processing system. The central processing system comprises a communication processor configured for sending command signals to the energization circuit and receiving impedance data from the build plane induction coil sensor, and energization controller configured for determining energization commands for transmission to the energization circuit, and an induction data analyzer configured for processing build part impedance data using complex impedance plane analysis and for identifying anomalies in the AM build part.

Abstract: In a method of applying a weld to a target surface, a guide rail arrangement is attached to the target, the guide rail arrangement including at least one guide rail. A weld head carriage having a carriage housing, a rail follower assembly, and a sonotrode is movably mounted to the guide rail arrangement so that the follower assembly engages each guide rail for movement there-along. The weld head carriage is positioned adjacent the target surface, feedstock material is deposited onto the target surface, and the sonotrode is extended to engage the deposited feedstock material and apply a welding force to the feedstock material and the target. Relative movement between the carriage and the guide rail arrangement is initiated and ultrasonic vibrations are conducted into the feedstock material and the target, thereby welding the feedstock material to the target surface.

Abstract: An inspection system for in situ evaluation of an additive manufacturing (AM) build part is provided. The inspection system comprises a build plane induction coil sensor configured and positionable so that during construction of the build part, the sensor's magnetization and sensor coils surround at least the last-produced layer of the AM build part in the build plane. The inspection system further comprises an energization circuit and a central processing system. The central processing system comprises a communication processor configured for sending command signals to the energization circuit and receiving impedance data from the build plane induction coil sensor, and energization controller configured for determining energization commands for transmission to the energization circuit, and an induction data analyzer configured for processing build part impedance data using complex impedance plane analysis and for identifying anomalies in the AM build part.

Abstract: A welding apparatus has a guide rail arrangement with at least one guide rail attachable to a welding target. A carriage has a carriage housing and a rail follower assembly that is movably mountable to the guide rail arrangement for relative movement along the at least one guide rail. A feedstock source is disposed within the carriage housing and configured to deposit a feedstock material on a target surface of the welding target. An ultrasonic weld head is partially disposed within the carriage housing and has a sonotrode that extends toward the target surface so as to engage the deposited feedstock material and apply a normal welding force to the deposited feedstock material and the target surface. The sonotrode is operable to conduct ultrasonic vibrations into the deposited feedstock material and the target surface to weld the feedstock material to the target surface.

Abstract: A welding apparatus has a guide rail arrangement with at least one guide rail attachable to a welding target. A carriage has a carriage housing and a rail follower assembly that is movably mountable to the guide rail arrangement for relative movement along the at least one guide rail. A feedstock source is disposed within the carriage housing and configured to deposit a feedstock material on a target surface of the welding target. An ultrasonic weld head is partially disposed within the carriage housing and has a sonotrode that extends toward the target surface so as to engage the deposited feedstock material and apply a normal welding force to the deposited feedstock material and the target surface. The sonotrode is operable to conduct ultrasonic vibrations into the deposited feedstock material and the target surface to weld the feedstock material to the target surface.

Abstract: An inspection system for in situ evaluation of an additive manufacturing (AM) build part is provided. The inspection system comprises a build plane induction coil sensor configured and positionable so that during construction of the build part, the sensor's magnetization and sensor coils surround at least the last-produced layer of the AM build part in the build plane. The inspection system further comprises an energization circuit and a central processing system. The central processing system comprises a communication processor configured for sending command signals to the energization circuit and receiving impedance data from the build plane induction coil sensor, and energization controller configured for determining energization commands for transmission to the energization circuit, and an induction data analyzer configured for processing build part impedance data using complex impedance plane analysis and for identifying anomalies in the AM build part.

Abstract: An inspection system for in situ evaluation of an additive manufacturing (AM) build part is provided. The inspection system comprises a build plane induction coil sensor configured and positionable so that during construction of the build part, the sensor's magnetization and sensor coils surround at least the last-produced layer of the AM build part in the build plane. The inspection system further comprises an energization circuit and a central processing system. The central processing system comprises a communication processor configured for sending command signals to the energization circuit and receiving impedance data from the build plane induction coil sensor, and energization controller configured for determining energization commands for transmission to the energization circuit, and an induction data analyzer configured for processing build part impedance data using complex impedance plane analysis and for identifying anomalies in the AM build part.

Abstract: In a method of applying a weld to a target surface, a guide rail arrangement is attached to the target, the guide rail arrangement including at least one guide rail. A weld head carriage having a carriage housing, a rail follower assembly, and a sonotrode is movably mounted to the guide rail arrangement so that the follower assembly engages each guide rail for movement there-along. The weld head carriage is positioned adjacent the target surface, feedstock material is deposited onto the target surface, and the sonotrode is extended to engage the deposited feedstock material and apply a welding force to the feedstock material and the target. Relative movement between the carriage and the guide rail arrangement is initiated and ultrasonic vibrations are conducted into the feedstock material and the target, thereby welding the feedstock material to the target surface.

Abstract: A welding apparatus has a guide rail arrangement with at least one guide rail attachable to a welding target. A carriage has a carriage housing and a rail follower assembly that is movably mountable to the guide rail arrangement for relative movement along the at least one guide rail. A feedstock source is disposed within the carriage housing and configured to deposit a feedstock material on a target surface of the welding target. An ultrasonic weld head is partially disposed within the carriage housing and has a sonotrode that extends toward the target surface so as to engage the deposited feedstock material and apply a normal welding force to the deposited feedstock material and the target surface. The sonotrode is operable to conduct ultrasonic vibrations into the deposited feedstock material and the target surface to weld the feedstock material to the target surface.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing (AM) apparatus includes a build chamber, a build platform disposed within the build chamber for supporting an AM build part therein, and a build material deposition device. The apparatus further includes an energization arrangement having at least one energization source. The energization arrangement is capable of, in a fusion energy operation, selectively applying energy to a layer of build material to fuse the build material to form a next-to-be-produced layer of the AM build part and, in a material processing operation, selectively applying energy to and processing the surface of a last-produced layer of the AM build part, the layer of build material, and/or a surface of the next-to-be-produced layer.

Abstract: An inspection system for in situ evaluation of an additive manufacturing (AM) build part is provided. The inspection system comprises a build plane induction coil sensor configured and positionable so that during construction of the build part, the sensor's magnetization and sensor coils surround at least the last-produced layer of the AM build part in the build plane. The inspection system further comprises an energization circuit and a central processing system. The central processing system comprises a communication processor configured for sending command signals to the energization circuit and receiving impedance data from the build plane induction coil sensor, and energization controller configured for determining energization commands for transmission to the energization circuit, and an induction data analyzer configured for processing build part impedance data using complex impedance plane analysis and for identifying anomalies in the AM build part.