Patents by Inventor Michael A. Kottman

Michael A. Kottman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250050588
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a physical object is disclosed, including receiving a 3D representation of the physical object, modifying the 3d representation of the physical object, determining a fabrication strategy for forming the physical object, generating fabrication instructions for formation of the physical object based upon the step of determining the fabrication strategy, and fabricating the physical object based upon the step of generating fabrication instructions. The method and system is configured to modify a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a physical object to, in part, compensate for material shrinkage and material removal, improve surface finish, and decrease feature damage during fabrication of the physical object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Applicant: MANTLE
    Inventors: Stephen T. Connor, Michael A. Kottman
  • Patent number: 11980968
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes an electrode head comprising an array of electrodes for depositing material to form a three-dimensional part. The array includes a first plurality of electrodes formed from a first metallic material having a first ductility and a first hardness, and a second plurality of electrodes formed from a second metallic material having a second ductility and a second hardness, wherein the first ductility is greater than the second ductility and the second hardness is greater than the first hardness. A power source provides electrical power for establishing a welding arc for each electrode. A drive roll system drives each electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jason K. Flamm, William T. Matthews, Michael A. Kottman
  • Patent number: 11529697
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to consumable electrode wires and more particularly to consumable electrode wires having a core-shell structure, where the core comprises aluminum. In one aspect, a welding wire comprises a sheath having a steel composition and a core surrounded by the sheath. The core comprises aluminum (Al) at a concentration between about 3 weight % and about 20 weight % on the basis of the total weight of the welding wire, where Al is in an elemental form or is alloyed with a different metal element. The disclosed technology also relates to welding methods and systems adapted for using the aluminum-comprising electrode wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Shenjia Zhang, John Benjamin Schaeffer, Badri K. Narayanan, Michael A. Kottman
  • Patent number: 11229953
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes an electrode head comprising an array of electrodes for depositing material to form a three-dimensional attachment structure connecting first and second prefabricated metallic parts. The array includes a first plurality of electrodes formed from a first metallic material having a first ductility and a first hardness, and a second plurality of electrodes formed from a second metallic material having a second ductility and a second hardness, wherein the first ductility is greater than the second ductility and the second hardness is greater than the first hardness. A power source provides power for heating each electrode. A drive roll system drives each electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: George D. Blankenship, William T. Matthews, Michael A. Kottman
  • Patent number: 10875125
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for characterizing weldments are disclosed. One embodiment includes a method of generating an algorithm for classifying weldments as meeting or not meeting a specification. Training data is read by a machine learning system. The training data includes cross-sectional images of training weldments, truth data indicating whether the training weldments meet the specification or not, and training weld data associated with creating the training weldments. The machine learning system trains up an algorithm using the training data such that the resultant algorithm can classify a subsequent test weldment as meeting the specification or not meeting the specification when a cross-sectional image of the test weldment and test weld data used to create the test weldment are read and processed by the classification algorithm as trained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Badri K. Narayanan, John R. Procario, Michael A. Kottman
  • Publication number: 20190160538
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes an electrode head comprising an array of electrodes for depositing material to form a three-dimensional attachment structure connecting first and second prefabricated metallic parts. The array includes a first plurality of electrodes formed from a first metallic material having a first ductility and a first hardness, and a second plurality of electrodes formed from a second metallic material having a second ductility and a second hardness, wherein the first ductility is greater than the second ductility and the second hardness is greater than the first hardness. A power source provides power for heating each electrode. A drive roll system drives each electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: George D. Blankenship, William T. Matthews, Michael A. Kottman
  • Publication number: 20190160594
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes an electrode head comprising an array of electrodes for depositing material to form a three-dimensional part. The array includes a first plurality of electrodes formed from a first metallic material having a first ductility and a first hardness, and a second plurality of electrodes formed from a second metallic material having a second ductility and a second hardness, wherein the first ductility is greater than the second ductility and the second hardness is greater than the first hardness. A power source provides electrical power for establishing a welding arc for each electrode. A drive roll system drives each electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Jason K. Flamm, William T. Matthews, Michael A. Kottman
  • Publication number: 20190099822
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to consumable electrode wires and more particularly to consumable electrode wires having a core-shell structure, where the core comprises aluminum. In one aspect, a welding wire comprises a sheath having a steel composition and a core surrounded by the sheath. The core comprises aluminum (Al) at a concentration between about 3 weight % and about 20 weight % on the basis of the total weight of the welding wire, where Al is in an elemental form or is alloyed with a different metal element. The disclosed technology also relates to welding methods and systems adapted for using the aluminum-comprising electrode wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Shenjia Zhang, John Benjamin Schaeffer, Badri K. Narayanan, Michael A. Kottman
  • Publication number: 20180361514
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for characterizing weldments are disclosed. One embodiment includes a method of generating an algorithm for classifying weldments as meeting or not meeting a specification. Training data is read by a machine learning system. The training data includes cross-sectional images of training weldments, truth data indicating whether the training weldments meet the specification or not, and training weld data associated with creating the training weldments. The machine learning system trains up an algorithm using the training data such that the resultant algorithm can classify a subsequent test weldment as meeting the specification or not meeting the specification when a cross-sectional image of the test weldment and test weld data used to create the test weldment are read and processed by the classification algorithm as trained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Badri K. Narayanan, John R. Procario, Michael A. Kottman