METHOD OF MONITORING AND INFLUENCING AN ADDITIVE LAYER MANUFACTURING PROCESS

    公开(公告)号:WO2022180348A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-09-01

    申请号:PCT/GB2022/000018

    申请日:2022-02-11

    Abstract: A method of monitoring and influencing an additive layer manufacturing process, in which selective fusing of powder material in successively applied layers is carried out to manufacture a three-dimensional article, comprises delivery to a work space, for example in a vacuum chamber (12) of electron beam additive layer manufacturing apparatus (10), of a quantity of the powder material in excess of that required to form a layer of a given volume in a build zone of the space and spreading the powder material within the work space by a spreader (17) to form the layer in the build zone and also an accumulation of excess powder material in an accumulation zone adjoining the build zone. Spreading is repeated to form successive such layers and accumulations and the volume of each accumulation is determined by imaging, along an optical path (B), of a structured light pattern which has been projected along an optical path (A), onto the respective accumulation from an imaging direction different from the projection direction so as to result in distortion of the pattern by the accumulation. The imaged pattern is then able to be evaluated to derive the volume of the accumulation from the distortion and the determined volumes of the accumulations are utilised to influence the additive layer manufacturing process.

    CALIBRATING MULTIPLE LASER BEAMS FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

    公开(公告)号:WO2021224099A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-11-11

    申请号:PCT/EP2021/061246

    申请日:2021-04-29

    Abstract: A method of automated alignment of scanning optics (17A, 17B) includes the steps: irradiating (step 101) an object area (3 A) of a layer of a powdered material (5) provided on a building platform (11) with at least one irradiation beam (15B); irradiating (step 103) a calibration area (21A) of the layer of the powdered material (5) with at least one irradiation beam (15B); guiding (step 105 A) the first irradiation beam (15 A) with the first scanning optic (17A) over the intermediate top face (31) and thereby melting a first calibration pattern (37) into the intermediate top face (31); guiding (step 105B) the second irradiation beam (15B) with the second scanning optic (17B) over the intermediate top face (31) and thereby melting a second calibration pattern (39) into the intermediate top face (31); acquiring (step 107) at least one image (35, 51A, 51B) of the intermediate top face (31); using the at least one image (35, 51 A, 51B), identifying (step 109) image points related to the geometrical features of the calibration patterns; from the image points, deriving (step 111) a spatial offset (O) between the second geometrical features; and aligning (step 113) at least one of scanning optic (17A) under consideration of the spatial offset (O).

    KALIBRIERUNG EINER ANLAGE ZUM SELEKTIVEN PULVERSCHMELZEN

    公开(公告)号:WO2021165145A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-08-26

    申请号:PCT/EP2021/053375

    申请日:2021-02-11

    Applicant: REALIZER GMBH

    Abstract: Die vorliegende Erfindung betrifft unter anderem ein Verfahren zum Kalibrieren einer Anlage (10) zum Herstellen von Gegenständen aus einem Werkstoffpulver nach der Methode des selektiven Pulverschmelzens, wobei die Anlage (10) umfasst: einen Bauraum (22), welcher dazu vorgesehen ist, das aufzuschmelzende Pulver und den herzustellenden Gegenstand aufzunehmen; eine in dem Bauraum (22) in einer höhenverlagerbaren Weise vorgesehene Bauplattenhalterung (24), welche dazu vorgesehen ist, eine Bauplatte mit dem herzustellenden Gegenstand darauf zu tragen; und eine steuerbare Optikeinheit (20), wiederum umfassend eine Laserquelle (18), eine Mehrzahl von Linsen (16) und eine Spiegelanordnung mit einer Mehrzahl von einstellbar angeordneten Spiegeln (14), welche dazu eingerichtet ist, einen von der Laserquelle (18) ausgestrahlten Laserstrahl (L) selektiv auf einen Punkt (S) in dem Bauraum zu richten, an welchem das Werkstoffpulver aufzuschmelzen ist. Hierbei umfasst das Verfahren die folgenden Schritte: Platzieren einer Scanfeldplatte (26) auf der Bauplattenhalterung (24) in dem Bauraum (22); Erstellen einer Mehrzahl von optischen Referenzpunkten auf der Scanfeldplatte (26) an vordefinierten Positionen mit Hilfe der steuerbaren Optikeinheit (20); Erstellen eines Messrasters (M) auf der Scanfeldplatte (26) mit Hilfe der steuerbaren Optikeinheit (20) durch entsprechendes Einstellen der Spiegel (14) der Spiegelanordnung anhand eines Kalibrierungsdatensatzes; und Bestimmen der relativen Positionierungen zwischen den optischen Referenzpunkten und dem Messraster.

    LASER BEAM PROFILING SYSTEM FOR USE IN LASER PROCESSING SYSTEMS

    公开(公告)号:WO2022216991A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-10-13

    申请号:PCT/US2022/023919

    申请日:2022-04-07

    Abstract: A testing apparatus for use with a laser processing system that includes a laser for generating a non-stationary laser beam and a work plane positioned at a working distance relative to the non-stationary laser beam, wherein the testing apparatus includes a support tube; a protective window mounted in the support tube for protecting components mounted within the support tube; a reimaging lens mounted in the support tube for enlarging the non-stationary laser beam for characterization thereof; a pin-hole defining structure mounted in the support tube for receiving laser light generated by the laser beam, wherein the pin-hole is located at a predetermined distance from the reimaging lens; a fiber optic cable disposed within the pin-hole defining structure that has a proximal end at which the laser light is received through the pin-hole and a distal end to which the laser light is delivered; and a photodetector located at the distal end of the fiber optic cable.

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