Abstract:
An unpacking device for use in an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece by irradiating layers of a raw material powder with electromagnetic or particle radiation, the unpacking device comprises a holding device which is configured to hold a building chamber arrangement. The building chamber arrangement comprises a building chamber accommodating a carrier, wherein the carrier is configured to receive a three-dimensional work piece produced from a raw material powder by an additive layering process. An engagement unit of the unpacking device is configured to engage with the carrier of the building chamber arrangement. A moving mechanism is configured to cause a relative movement between the building chamber and the engagement unit with the carrier engaged therewith so as to allow a separation of the carrier with a three-dimensional work piece received thereon from the building chamber. Finally, the unpacking device comprises a raw material powder removal mechanism which is configured to cause at least one of a vibration and a rotation of the engagement unit with the carrier engaged therewith so as to remove residual raw material powder from the three-dimensional work piece received on the carrier.
Abstract:
A method for controlling an irradiation system (20) for use in an apparatus (10) for producing a three-dimensional work piece and comprising a plurality of irradiation units (22a, 22b) a first and a second irradiation area (18a, 18b) as well as an overlap area (26) arranged between the first and the second irradiation area (18a, 18b) is defined on a surface of a carrier (16) adapted to receive a layer of raw material powder. A first irradiation area (22a) of the irradiation system (20) is assigned to the first irradiation area (18a) and the overlap area (26), and a second irradiation unit (22b) of the irradiation system (20) is assigned to the second irradiation area (18b) and the overlap area (26). If it is determined that a section (S) or a radiation pattern according to which radiation beams (24a, 24b) emitted by the irradiation units (22a, 22b) of the irradiation system (20) are guided over the layer of raw material powder received on the carrier (16) and/or a contour (C) of the three-dimensional work piece to be produced extend(s) into the first and the second irradiation area (18a, 18b) defined on the surface of the carrier (16), said section (S) of the radiation pattern and/or said contour (C), in a splitting region of the section (S) of the radiation pattern and/or the contour (C) which is located in the overlap area (26) arranged between the first and the second irradiation area (18a, 18b), is split into a first portion (S1, C1) and a second portion (S2, C2). The first portion (S1, C1) of said section (S) of the radiation pattern and/or said contour (C) is assigned to the first irradiation unit (22a) and the second portion (S2, C2) of said section (S) of the radiation pattern and/or said contour (C) is assigned to the second irradiation unit (22b).
Abstract:
A method for producing a three-dimensional work piece comprises the steps of applying a raw material powder onto a carrier (16), and selectively irradiating electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the raw material powder applied onto the carrier (16) by means of an irradiation unit (18) in order to produce the work piece from said raw material powder on the carrier (16) by a generative layer construction method, wherein the irradiation unit (18) comprises a radiation source (24) and a plurality of optical elements (30, 32, 34, 35). Operation of the irradiation unit (18) is controlled in dependence on an operating temperature dependent change of at least one optical property of at least one optical element (30, 32, 34, 35) of the irradiation unit (18).
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for controlling an irradiation system (20), the irradiation system (20) being used in a device (10) for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional workpieces and comprising at least three irradiation units (22a-d, 50), the method comprising the following steps: a) defining an irradiation region (30a-d) for each of the irradiation units (22a-d, 50), the irradiation regions (30a-d) each comprising a portion of an irradiation plane (28) which extends parallel to a carrier (16) of the device (10), and the irradiation regions (30a-d) being defined such that they overlap in a common overlap region (34); b) irradiating a raw material powder layer on the carrier (16) to produce a workpiece layer; c) arranging a further raw material powder layer on the already jetted raw material powder layer to produce a further workpiece layer. d) The invention also relates to a device for performing this method.
Abstract:
We describe a calibration method for calibrating one or more optical elements of an additive layer manufacturing apparatus useable for producing a three-dimensional workpiece, the method comprising: projecting, using the one or more optical elements, an optical pattern onto a material in order to prepare, from said material, solidified material layers using an additive layer manufacturing technique to form a test sample; determining a geometry of the test sample; comparing the determined geometry with a nominal geometry to generate calibration data; and calibrating the one or more optical elements using said calibration data.
Abstract:
In a method for controlling an irradiation system for use in an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece, a first and a second irradiation area as well as an overlap area arranged between the first and the second irradiation area are defined on a surface of a carrier adapted to receive layers of a raw material powder to be irradiated with electromagnetic or particle radiation emitted by the irradiation system. A first irradiation unit of the irradiation system is assigned to the first irradiation area and the overlap area, and a second irradiation unit of the irradiation system is assigned to the second irradiation area and the overlap area. At least one of the first irradiation area, the second irradiation area and the overlap area is defined in dependence on a geometry of the three-dimensional work piece to be produced.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a device (10) for the layered production of a three-dimensional workpiece, comprising: a build space (30) in which the workpiece is manufacturable by selectively solidification of raw material powder layers; an irradiating system (20) which is adapted to selectively solidify the raw material powder layers in the build space (30) by emitting a processing beam; at least one calibrating structure (36); a sensor arrangement (25) which is adapted to detect an irradiation of the calibrating structure (36) by the irradiating system (20); and a control unit (26) which is adapted to calibrate the irradiating system (20) on the basis of detection information of the sensor arrangement, wherein the calibrating structure (36) is arranged outside the build space (30). The invention also relates to a method for calibrating an irradiating system of a device for the layer-by-layer manufacture of a three-dimensional workpiece.
Abstract:
A method for producing three-dimensional work pieces comprises the steps of supplying gas to a process chamber accommodating a carrier and a powder application device, applying a layer of raw material powder onto the carrier by means of the powder application device, selectively irradiating electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the raw material powder applied onto the carrier by means of an irradiation device, discharging gas containing particulate impurities from the process chamber, and controlling the operation of the irradiation device by means of a control unit such that a radiation beam emitted by at least one radiation source of the irradiation device is guided over the layer of raw material powder applied onto the carrier according to a radiation pattern containing a plurality of scan vectors.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for controlling an irradiation system (20), the irradiation system (20) being used in a device (10) for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional workpieces and comprising at least three irradiation units (22a-d, 50), the method comprising the following steps: a) defining an irradiation region (30a-d) for each of the irradiation units (22a-d, 50), the irradiation regions (30a-d) each comprising a portion of an irradiation plane (28) which extends parallel to a carrier (16) of the device (10), and the irradiation regions (30a-d) being defined such that they overlap in a common overlap region (34); b) irradiating a raw material powder layer on the carrier (16) to produce a workpiece layer; c) arranging a further raw material powder layer on the already jetted raw material powder layer to produce a further workpiece layer. d) The invention also relates to a device for performing this method.
Abstract:
An apparatus including a process chamber accommodating a carrier for receiving a raw material powder. An irradiation device of the apparatus is configured to selectively irradiate electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the raw material powder on the carrier in order to produce a work piece by an additive layer construction method, wherein a transmission element allows the transmission of the electromagnetic or particle radiation into the process chamber. The apparatus further includes a gas inlet and a gas outlet for supplying and discharging gas to and from the process chamber which are configured to generate a protective gas stream for protecting the transmission element from being contaminated by impurities present in the process chamber. The gas inlet includes a gas permeable, porous component forming a gas inlet area.