Device for the generative production of a three-dimensional object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11911960-B2
Application number	US-202318093083-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2023
Priority date	Nov 16, 2015
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

A device ( 1 ) for the generative production of a three-dimensional object ( 2 ) by selectively solidifying construction material layers made of solidifiable construction material ( 3 ) layer by layer in a successive manner using at least one laser beam ( 5 ), comprising at least one device ( 4 ) for generating at least one laser beam ( 5 ) in order to selectively solidify individual construction material layers made of solidifiable construction material ( 3 ) layer by layer. The device ( 4 ) comprises at least one laser diode element ( 10 ) that is arranged or can be arranged directly over the construction plane ( 9 ) on which solidified construction material layers or construction material layers to be solidified are selectively formed and is designed to generate a laser beam ( 5 ) directed directly onto the construction plane, and/or the device ( 4 ) comprises at least one laser diode element ( 10 ) and at least one optical element ( 27 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for the generative production of at least one three-dimensional object by successive, selective layer-by-layer solidification of individual construction material layers of a solidifiable construction material, the method comprising:
arranging a plurality of laser diode elements in a plurality of planes arranged one above another and in a specific spatial offset relative to one another in a mounting device disposed directly above a construction plane on which the individual construction material layers are selectively solidified, wherein the plurality of planes arranged one above another comprises an upper plane and a lower plane, wherein respective ones of the plurality of planes comprise a corresponding portion of the plurality of laser diode elements respectively arranged as a matrix having a plurality of contiguous rows and a plurality of contiguous columns, wherein the specific spatial offset provides the corresponding portion of the plurality of laser diode elements in the upper plane arrangement directly above the construction plane through alignment with a corresponding space defined between respective ones of the plurality of laser diode elements in the lower plane; and
generating, via respective ones of the plurality of laser diode elements, at least one laser beam that impinges upon the construction plane to produce the at least one three-dimensional object by successive, selective layer-by-layer solidification of the individual construction material layers of the solidifiable construction material, wherein the specific spatial offset allows the at least one laser beam emitted by the corresponding portion of the plurality of laser diode elements in the upper plane to respectively pass through the corresponding space defined between respective ones of the corresponding portion of the plurality of laser diode elements in the lower plane directly onto the construction plane.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising arranging the plurality of laser diode elements with respect to at least one of an outer contour or an inner contour of the three-dimensional object.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising driving individually, in groups, or together, at least some of the plurality of laser diode elements for respectively generating a respective laser beam having specific beam characteristics.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, via a laser diode element of the plurality of laser diode elements, a respective laser beam differing in at least one beam characteristic.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, via a first laser diode element of the plurality of laser diode elements, a respective first laser beam for solidifying the construction material layers to be solidified; and
generating, via a second laser diode element of the plurality of laser diode elements, a respective second laser beam for a thermal pretreatment of the construction material layers to be solidified and/or for generating the respective second laser beam for a thermal post-treatment of already solidified construction material layers.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moveably supporting the mounting device in at least one degree of freedom of movement relative to the construction plane.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning the mounting device in a fixed position relative to the construction plane.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming, via a coater device arranged or formed on the mounting device, a construction material layer in the construction plane.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting with respect to a construction material layer to be solidified or already solidified, via a detection device arranged or formed on the mounting device, at least one of a temperature or a melt characteristic.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising evaluating with respect to a construction material layer to be solidified or already solidified, via at least one evaluation device arranged or formed on the mounting device, at least one of a temperature or a melt characteristic.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moveably arranging at least two mounting device segments of the mounting device in at least one degree of freedom of movement relative to the construction plane and/or in at least one degree of freedom of movement relative to one another.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising simulating, via a simulation device, at least one object-related object parameter which is modifiable during the generative production of the three-dimensional object; and
driving, via a control device, respective ones of the plurality of laser diode elements in a targeted manner for respectively generating respective laser beams with respective specific beam characteristics based on the at least one object-related object parameter simulated by the simulation device.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein respective ones of the plurality of contiguous columns extend orthogonally from corresponding ones of the plurality of contiguous rows.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding space defined between respective ones of the corresponding portion of the plurality of laser diode elements in the lower plane comprises at least one of a slot, a bore, or an opening.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein a laser diode element of the plurality of laser diode elements is variable in a parameter relating to a beam characteristic of a respective laser beam generated by the laser diode element.

16. The method of claim 2 , further comprising arranging the plurality of laser diode elements in groups preconfigured in the specific spatial arrangement relative to one another at predetermined arrangement positions of the mounting device.

17. The method of claim 2 , further comprising arranging the plurality of laser diode elements on or in the mounting device in at least one degree of freedom of movement relative to the mounting device.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one object-related object parameter comprises at least one of:
a heat flow through the three-dimensional object which is to be or has been produced generatively, which arises during the generative production,
a temperature or temperature distribution of the three-dimensional object which is to be or has been produced generatively, which arises during the generative production, and
a mechanical load in the three-dimensional object which is to be or has been produced generatively, which arises during the generative production.

Assignees

• Concept Laser Gmbh

Inventors

• Herzog Frank

Classifications

• B29C64/153 Primary

  using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• B22F10/362

  for preheating · CPC title

• B22F10/364

  for post-heating, e.g. remelting · CPC title

• B22F10/366

  Scanning parameters, e.g. hatch distance or scanning strategy · CPC title