Plant for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10828834-B2
Application number	US-201715812359-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2017
Priority date	Nov 14, 2016
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

A system (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, comprising one or more working stations (21), which are provided for performing at least one working process in the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, at least one freely positionable mobile storage unit (2) comprising a rack-like storage device (4) comprising at least one storage room (5) provided for storing at least one powder module (6), especially for the purpose of conveying the powder module (6) between different working stations (21) of the system (1), and at least one driverless, freely movable mobile conveying unit (3) comprising a receiving device (12) provided for receiving at least one mobile storage unit (2) for the purpose of conveying the storage unit (2) between different working stations (21) of the system (1).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, comprising a plurality of working stations provided for performing at least one working process in the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, the system comprising:
at least one mobile storage unit, being freely positionable, comprising a rack-like storage device comprising at least one storage room provided for storing at least one powder module for conveying the at least one powder module between a plurality of working stations of the system, and
at least one mobile conveying unit, being driverless and freely movable, comprising a receiving device provided for receiving the at least one mobile storage unit for the purpose of conveying the at least one mobile storage unit between the plurality of working stations of the system, the receiving device comprising:
a lifting device; and
at least one receiving element coupled with the lifting device, the at least one receiving element movably supported between:
an upper position in which the at least one receiving element is provided to abut against the at least one mobile storage unit; and
a lower position in which the at least one receiving element is provided to be spaced apart from the at least one mobile storage unit.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one storage room is formed by a frame structure, the frame structure comprising:
a plurality of frame structure portions defining the outer design of the at least one mobile storage unit;
a plurality of first frame structure portions limiting the at least one storage room; and
a plurality of second frame structure portions, via which the at least one mobile storage unit can be placed on a foundation.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein a mounting device is arranged or formed on at least one of the plurality of first frame structure portions, the mounting device provided for mounting the at least one powder module in the at least one storage room.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the mounting device is provided to movably mount the at least one powder module relative to the frame structure, wherein the mounting device comprises a storage element providing movable storage of the at least one powder module relative to the frame structure.

5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one first frame structure portion limiting the at least one storage room is arranged or formed spaced apart from the foundation such that between the surface of the at least one first frame structure portion facing the foundation and the foundation a clearance is formed, wherein the at least one mobile conveying unit is dimensioned such that it can be moved into the clearance below the at least one first frame structure portion limiting the bottom of the at least one storage room.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving element is provided in the upper position to abut against a first frame structure portion limiting the bottom of the at least one storage room on one side and in the lower position to be spaced apart from the first frame structure portion.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of working stations comprises at least one transfer interface, via which the at least one powder module can be transferred from the at least one working station to the at least one mobile storage unit or the at least one powder module can be transferred from the at least one mobile storage unit to the at least one working station.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one mobile conveying unit can be moved into a defined docking position, in which the at least one mobile conveying unit is moved relative to the transfer interface such that the at least one powder module can be transferred from the at least one working station into the at least one storage room of the at least one mobile storage unit received on the at least one mobile conveying unit.

9. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the transfer interface can be closed by a closing device, wherein the closing device comprises a closing element, which can be movably supported between an open position, in which the transfer interface is released for transferring the at least one powder module from the at least one working station into the at least one storage room of the at least one mobile storage unit or for transferring the at least one powder module from the at least one storage room of the at least one mobile storage unit into the at least one working station, and a closed position, in which the transfer interface is not released for transferring the at least one powder module from the at least one working station into the at least one storage room of the at least one mobile storage unit or for transferring the at least one powder module from the at least one storage room of the at least one mobile storage unit into the at least one working station.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of working stations comprises a housing construction with a mounting device provided to movably mount the at least one powder module along a transport track extending through the at least one working station relative to the housing construction, wherein the mounting device comprises a plurality of storage elements enabling a movable storage of the at least one powder module arranged in the mounting device relative to the housing construction.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one powder module comprises a powder chamber for receiving and/or dispensing construction material.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one powder module comprises a process chamber, a collector module, and/or an overflow module, configured for being filled with non-solidified construction material.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one powder module further comprises a construction module within which additive construction of objects is performed.

14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one powder module further comprises one or more walls that define a powder room and a carrying device movably supported within the powder room.

15. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of working stations is respectively configured for performing at least one working process, the at least one working process comprising an additive construction working process in which an additive construction of an object is carried out.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one working process further comprises a post-processing working process performed or to be performed after the additive construction process.

17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one working process further comprises a preparatory working process performed or to be performed prior to the additive construction process.

18. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the post-processing working process is an object unpacking process.

19. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile conveying unit further comprises a lifting drive providing for generating a lifting power to the receiving element and/or the lifting element for moving the receiving element into at least one of the upper and lower positions.

20. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one mobile conveying unit further comprises:
a drive device provided for generating a drive force; an

Assignees

• Concept Laser Gmbh

Inventors

• Bechmann Florian
• Hetzel Ralf
• Stammberger Jens
• Zeulner Fabian
• Hofmann Alexander

Classifications

• B29C64/259 Primary

  Interchangeable · CPC title

• B22F12/38

  Housings, e.g. machine housings · CPC title

• B22F12/90

  Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors · CPC title

• B22F12/88

  Handling of additively manufactured products, e.g. by robots · CPC title

• B22F12/86

  Serial processing with multiple devices grouped · CPC title