US Patent 7326377 Solid-free-form fabrication process and apparatus including in-process workpiece cooling

A solid free form fabrication system for manufacturing a component by successively building feedstock layers representing successive cross-sectional component slices includes a platform for receiving and supporting the feedstock layers, a feedstock supplying apparatus that deposits the feedstock into a predetermined region to form the feedstock layers, an energy source directed toward the predetermined region to modify the feedstock in the predetermined region and thereby manufacture the component, and a temperature control block disposed on the platform and directly in contact with the deposited feedstock layers to modify the feedstock temperature while manufacturing the component. A solid free form fabrication method uses the system to manufacture the component from the feedstock material