METHOD OF BUILDING ADDITIVELY ON A BILLET SUBSTRATE

Abstract

A method of forming fins for a heat exchanger. The method includes: providing a billet substrate; securing the billet substrate to a build plate of an advanced manufacturing device with a collar, wherein the collar is at least partially disposed in the build plate when the billet substrate is secured to the build plate; repeatedly adding layers on top of the billet substate to form the fins for the heat exchanger; releasing the collar from the build plate; and removing the billet substrate and the fins formed thereon from the build plate.

Description

Claims

1. A method of forming fins for a heat exchanger, the method comprising: providing a billet substrate;securing the billet substrate to a build plate of an advanced manufacturing device with a collar, wherein the collar is at least partially disposed in the build plate when the billet substrate is secured to the build plate;repeatedly adding layers on top of the billet substate to form the fins for the heat exchanger;releasing the collar from the build plate; andremoving the billet substrate and the fins formed thereon from the build plate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the build plate includes a depression formed therein and wherein securing the billet substrate includes securing the collar in the depression formed in the build plate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the collar is secured by a fastener.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein fastener is a screw.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein fastener is a twist lock mechanism.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the collar has a top, a bottom, and a geometric shape that defines an inner perimeter, wherein the inner perimeter includes a chamfer formed on the bottom of the collar.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein securing includes mating the chamfer with a corresponding chamfer on the billet substrate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the billet substrate is formed of a metal and the method further comprises: attaching the billet substrate to the build plate before it is secured to the build plate by a thermal paste.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the billet substrate is formed of a metal and the method further comprises: attaching the billet substrate to the build plate before it is secured to the build plate with a thermal paste.

10. A heat exchanger element formed by the method of claim 1.

11. A method of forming an element, the method comprising: providing a billet substrate;securing the billet substrate to a build plate of an advanced manufacturing device with a collar, wherein the collar is at least partially disposed in the build plate when the billet substrate is secured to the build plate;repeatedly adding layers on top of the billet substate to form layers of the article;releasing the collar from the build plate; andremoving the billet substrate and the article formed thereon from the build plate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the build plate includes a depression formed therein and wherein securing the billet substrate includes securing the collar in the depression formed in the build plate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the collar is secured by a fastener.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein fastener is a screw.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein fastener is a twist lock mechanism.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the collar has a top, a bottom, and a geometric shape that defines an inner perimeter, wherein the inner perimeter includes a chamfer formed on the bottom of the collar.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein securing includes mating the chamfer with a corresponding chamfer on the billet substrate.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the billet substrate is formed of a metal and the method further comprises: attaching the billet substrate to the build plate before it is secured to the build plate by a thermal paste.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the billet substrate is formed of a metal and the method further comprises: attaching the billet substrate to the build plate before it is secured to the build plate with a thermal paste.