Additive manufacturing apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016136731-A1
Application number	US-201414897731-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 11, 2014
Priority date	Jun 11, 2013
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An additive manufacturing apparatus for building objects by layerwise consolidation of material. The apparatus includes a build chamber containing a working area, a high energy beam for consolidating material deposited in the working area in layers and a flow device for generating a gas flow across at least a part of the working area from a gas inlet to a gas outlet. The gas inlet and gas outlet are arranged to be movable within the build chamber.

First claim

1 . Additive manufacturing apparatus for building objects by layerwise consolidation of material, the apparatus comprising a build chamber containing a working area, a high energy beam for consolidating material deposited in the working area in layers and a flow device for generating a gas flow across at least a part of the working area from a gas inlet to a gas outlet, the gas inlet and gas outlet arranged to be movable within the build chamber.

2 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a controller for controlling movement of the gas inlet and gas outlet such that locations of the gas inlet and outlet are altered based upon a scan path of the high energy beam across the working area.

3 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet and gas outlet are arranged to move together such that a position of the gas inlet relative to the gas outlet remains fixed.

4 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet and gas outlet are movable such that a position of the gas inlet relative to the gas outlet can be varied.

5 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the gas inlet and gas outlet are movable such that the distance between the gas inlet and gas outlet can be less than a width of a build platform on which the object is built.

6 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the gas inlet and gas outlet are movable such that the distance between the gas inlet and gas outlet can be less than a width of the working area in which an object is built.

7 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4 comprising a gas flow device for controlling the gas flow through the inlet and/or outlet based upon a distance between the gas inlet and gas outlet.

8 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet and gas outlet are mounted on an assembly for moving the gas inlet and gas outlet along at least one linear axis.

9 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the gas inlet and gas outlet are mounted on an assembly for rotating the gas inlet and gas outlet about at least one rotary axis.

10 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas outlet is arranged to draw gas in a direction substantially parallel to the working area.

11 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet is arranged to propel gas in a direction substantially parallel to the working area.

12 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet is arranged to propel gas in a direction that is not substantially parallel to the working area.

13 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet and/or gas outlet comprise an elongate aperture that extends across an entire width of the working area, the gas inlet and/or gas outlet movable in a linear direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the aperture.

14 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet and/or gas outlet comprise an aperture that extends across less than a width of the working area, the gas inlet and/or gas outlet movable in a linear direction perpendicular to a gas flow direction from the gas inlet/into the gas outlet.

15 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a selective laser solidification apparatus, wherein powder layers are successively deposited across the working area in the build chamber and a laser beam is scanned across portions of each powder layer that correspond to a cross-section of the object being constructed to consolidate the portions of the powder.

16 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising a wiper for spreading powder across the working area, the wiper mounted to move with at least one of the gas inlet and gas outlet.

17 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a probe for measuring geometry of the object being built, the probe mounted to move on an axis common with the gas inlet and/or gas outlet.

18 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the gas inlet and/or gas outlet that is mounted on a common axis with the probe is arranged to move in a first direction and the probe is arranged to move in the first direction and in a further direction.

19 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the probe is a contact probe.

20 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a controller for controlling a rate of flow at which gas is propelled into the build chamber from the gas inlet based upon a location of the gas inlet and/or gas outlet in the build chamber.

21 . Additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a controller for controlling a rate of flow at which gas is drawn from the build chamber through the gas outlet based upon a location of the gas inlet and/or gas outlet in the build chamber.

22 . Additive manufacturing method for building objects by layerwise consolidation of material, the method comprising depositing material in a working area in a build chamber, scanning a high energy beam across the working area to consolidate the material in layers and operating a flow device for generating a gas flow across at least a part of the working area from a gas inlet to a gas outlet comprising moving the gas inlet and the gas outlet during building of the object.

23 . A method according to claim 22 comprising moving the gas inlet and gas outlet to vary a distance between the gas inlet and gas outlet.

24 . A method according to claim 22 comprising moving the gas inlet and gas outlet to alter the direction of gas flow across the working area.

25 . A method according to claim 22 , comprising altering a rate of flow at which gas is propelled into the build chamber from the gas inlet based upon a location of the gas inlet and/or gas outlet in the build chamber.

26 . A method according to claim 22 , comprising altering a rate of flow at which gas is drawn from the build chamber through the gas outlet based upon a location of the gas inlet and/or gas outlet in the build chamber.

27 . A method according to claim 22 , comprising moving the gas inlet and gas outlet whilst scanning the material with the high energy beam.

28 . A method according to claim 22 , wherein the inlet and outlet are moved based upon the scan path of the high energy beam.

29 . The method according to claim 22 , comprising successively depositing layers or powder across the working area and scanning the high energy beam across portions of each powder layer that correspond to a cross-section of the object being constructed to consolidate the portions of the powder.

30 . A data carrier having instructions thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to control an additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 to carry out an additive manufacturing method for building objects by layerwise consolidation of material, the method comprising depositing material in a working area in a build chamber, scanning a high energy beam across the working area to consolidate the material in layers and operating a fi

Assignees

• Renishaw Plc

Inventors

• Mcmurtry David Roberts
• Dimter Marc
• Mayer Ralph

Classifications

• B29C64/371

  using an environment other than air, e.g. inert gas · CPC title

• B22F10/77

  of gas · CPC title

• B22F10/322

  of the gas flow, e.g. rate or direction · CPC title

• B22F12/90

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

• B22F12/70

  Gas flow means · CPC title