Additive layer manufacturing method for producing a three-dimensional object and three-dimensional object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10539255-B2
Application number	US-201414199553-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2014
Priority date	Mar 7, 2013
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

An additive layer manufacturing method is disclosed for producing a three-dimensional object and a corresponding object. Layers of powder material are applied to a carrier and each layer is irradiated with a laser beam or a particle beam only in areas of the layer corresponding to the three-dimensional object to be produced. Irradiation occurs so the powder material in the corresponding areas is locally melted or sintered. An elongate portion of the object is constructed so longitudinal channels extend at an angle of more than 45° to the direction of the force of gravity, and along its entire length the longitudinal channels are formed so that in cross section perpendicular to the direction of extension of the elongate portion the minimum distance to the outer surface of the elongate portion is not smaller than the minimum distance to the closest neighbouring longitudinal channel or the closest neighbouring longitudinal channels.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An additive layer manufacturing method for producing a three-dimensional object, comprising:
applying layers of a powder material one on top of another to a carrier in a direction of gravity such that each layer of powder material constitutes an entire length of the elongate portion;
irradiating each layer of powder material before a following layer is applied with a laser beam or a particle beam selectively only in areas of the layer which correspond to the three-dimensional object to be produced, wherein irradiation takes place such that the powder material in the corresponding areas is locally melted or sintered;
forming an elongate portion of the three-dimensional object, which has an outer surface and in a direction of extension has a first end and an opposite second end and several longitudinal channels, which extend, separately from one another, in each case in the direction of extension of the elongate portion from the first to the second end, so that a fluid can be conveyed through each of the longitudinal channels from the first end to the second end; and
constructing the elongate portion such that:
the longitudinal channels extend, at least along a part of their length, at an angle of more than 50° to the direction of gravity; and
along the entire length of the elongate portion the longitudinal channels are formed and arranged such that, in cross section perpendicular to the direction of extension of the elongate portion, for each of the longitudinal channels, a minimum distance to the outer surface of the elongate portion is not smaller than a minimum distance to all adjacent longitudinal channels.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein cross-sectional shapes and dimensions of each longitudinal channel are constant along the entire length and a diameter and a shape of each longitudinal channel is selected such that it can be constructed without support, while a single longitudinal channel with the same shape and a tubular cross section which is identical to a combined tubular cross section of the longitudinal channels cannot be constructed without support, using the same powder material, the same process parameters and the same orientation.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein along the entire length of the elongate portion the longitudinal channels are formed such that, in cross section perpendicular to the direction of extension of the elongate portion, the maximum diameter of each of the longitudinal channels does not exceed 15 mm.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each longitudinal channel has a circular shape in cross section along the entire length.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the elongate portion is constructed such that, along the entire length of the elongate portion the longitudinal channels are arranged in cross section perpendicular to the direction of extension of the elongate portion, such that, taking into account cross-sectional shapes and dimensions of the longitudinal channels, the material of the elongate portion between the longitudinal channels is minimized while adhering to a minimum wall thickness of 0.5 mm.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the object has a second portion and a support structure between the elongate portion and the second portion, which support structure connects the elongate portion and the second portion to one another, wherein, in the course of layer-by-layer construction of the object, the second portion is constructed before the elongate portion, or the second portion is provided as a separate component on which the support structure and the elongate portion are constructed, and during the layer-by-layer construction of the object, the longitudinal channels are arranged along the entire length of the elongate element in cross section perpendicular to the direction of extension of the elongate element, such that, for all longitudinal channels except one, at least one other longitudinal channel exists, which is arranged nearer to the second portion, and for which the angle between the direction of gravity and a connecting line between central points of the two respective longitudinal channels does not exceed 50°.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein, during the layer-by-layer construction of the object along the entire length of the elongate element in cross section perpendicular to the direction of extension of the elongate element, exactly one of the longitudinal channels is disposed nearest to the second portion, and the support structure is only connected to this in an area of the elongate element, which defines this longitudinal channel or represents part of the outer wall of this longitudinal channel, and all sections of the outer surface of the elongate element, which sections, viewed contrary to the direction of gravity, define an overhang, do not exceed an inclination angle of 50° in relation to the direction of gravity.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second portion is a functional portion, which fulfils a function going beyond a support function in the completed three-dimensional object.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second portion is a flat plate.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the plate is oriented perpendicular to the direction of gravity during the layer-by-layer construction of the object.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the direction of extension of the elongate portion and of each longitudinal channel during the layer-by-layer construction of the object extends at an angle of more than 50°.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the direction of extension of the elongate portion and of each longitudinal channel during the layer-by-layer construction of the object extends at an angle of more than 50° and and wherein the direction of extension of the elongate portion and of each longitudinal channel extends in a plane parallel to the plane defined by the plate.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the direction of extension of the elongate portion and of each longitudinal channels during the layer-by-layer construction of the object extends at an angle of more than 50° and wherein the direction of extension of the elongate portion and of each longitudinal channels extends in a plane parallel to the plane defined by the plate.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein selective laser melting (SLM), selective laser sintering (SLS), selective electron beam melting or selective electron beam sintering is used as the additive layer manufacturing method.

15. An additive layer manufacturing method for producing a three-dimensional object, in which a plurality of layers of a powder material are applied one after the other and vertically one on top of the other to a carrier, and each layer is irradiated, before a following layer is applied, with a laser beam or a particle beam selectively only in areas of the layer which correspond to the three-dimensional object to be produced,
wherein irradiation takes place such that the powder material in the corresponding areas is locally melted or sintered,
wherein the object comprises an elongate portion, which has an outer surface and in a direction of extension has a first end and an opposite second end and several longitudinal channels, which extend, separately from one another, in each case in a direction of extension of the elongate portion from the first to the second end, so that a fluid can be conveyed through each of the longitudinal channels from the first end to the second end,
wherein in the method the elongate portion is constructed such that

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Kroll Lothar
• Schubert Frank
• Blümer Sebastian
• Hummel Gerhard

Classifications

• B29L2022/00

  Hollow articles (tubular articles B29L2023/00; pneumatic tyres B29L2030/00) · CPC title

• B29L2023/00

  Tubular articles (B29L2024/00 takes precedence {; catheters B29L2031/7542}) · CPC title

• B22F5/10

  of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups · CPC title

• B29L2009/00

  Layered products · CPC title

• F16L9/19 Primary

  Multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies · CPC title