Method for producing a three-dimensional component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016271884-A1
Application number	US-201415031938-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 22, 2014
Priority date	Oct 28, 2013
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional component by an electron-beam, laser-sintering or laser-melting process, in which the component is created by successively solidifying predetermined portions of individual layers of building material that can be solidified by being exposed to the effect of an electron-beam or laser-beam source ( 2 ) by melting on the building material, wherein thermographic data records are recorded during the production of the layers, respectively characterizing a temperature profile of at least certain portions of the respective layer, and the irradiation of the layers takes place by means of an electron beam or laser beam ( 3 ), which is controlled on the basis of the recorded thermographic data records in such a way that a largely homogeneous temperature profile is produced, wherein, to irradiate an upper layer, a focal point ( 4 ) of the electron beam or laser beam ( 3 ) is guided along a scanning path ( 17 ), which is chosen on the basis of the data record characterizing the temperature profile of at least certain portions of the layer lying directly thereunder or on the basis of the data records characterizing the temperature profiles of at least certain portions of the layers lying thereunder.

First claim

1 . A method for producing a three-dimensional component by way of an electron beam, laser sintering or laser melting method, in which the component is created by successively solidifying predetermined sections of individual layers of building material solidifiable by the action of an electron or laser radiation source ( 2 ) by way of fusion of the building material, wherein thermographic data records are acquired when producing the layers, which data records in each case characterize, at least in sections, a temperature profile of the respective layer and the layers are irradiated by means of an electron or laser beam ( 3 ) which is controlled in a manner dependent on the acquired thermographic data records in such a way that a largely homogeneous temperature profile is generated,
characterized in that a focal point ( 4 ) of the electron or laser beam ( 3 ) is guided along a scanning path ( 17 ) for the purposes of irradiating an upper layer, which scanning path is selected in a manner dependent on the data record characterizing, at least in sections, the temperature profile of the layer lying immediately therebelow or in a manner dependent on the data records characterizing, at least in sections, the temperature profiles of the layers lying therebelow.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the irradiation of the upper layer is controlled in such a way that an energy influx per unit area imparted by the electron or laser radiation source ( 2 ) onto the upper layer is adapted in a manner dependent on the data record characterizing, at least in sections, the temperature profile of the layer lying immediately therebelow or in a manner dependent on the data records characterizing, at least in sections, the temperature profiles of the layers lying therebelow.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , characterized in that a scanning speed of the laser radiation source ( 2 ), a size of the focal point ( 4 ), a laser pulse frequency, a laser pulse duration and/or a laser power is adapted for adapting the energy influx per unit area.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the start of the irradiation of a section of the upper layer is delayed by a time interval selected in a manner dependent on the data record characterizing, at least in sections, the temperature profile of the layer lying immediately therebelow or in a manner dependent on the data records characterizing, at least in sections, the temperature profiles of the layers lying therebelow.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 4 , characterized in that the irradiation of the section of the upper layer is delayed until the temperature of the section of the upper layer has sunk below a predeterminable threshold.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the data record characterizing the temperature profile of the respective layer is acquired section-by-section by means of a movably mounted thermographic detector ( 12 ) which is movable over the entire irradiation area ( 5 ).

7 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the data record characterizing the temperature profile of the respective layer is acquired by means of a stationary thermographic sensor ( 12 ) with an acquisition region ( 14 ) comprising the entire irradiation area ( 5 ).

8 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the thermographic data records comprise image data which are output by way of a display unit ( 13 ).

9 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the data record characterizing the temperature profile of the respective layer is acquired when irradiating the respective layer.

10 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the data record characterizing the temperature profile of the respective layer is acquired after the respective layer was irradiated and after a powder layer of non-solidified building material was applied, from which powder layer the following layer of the component is intended to be formed in a subsequent method step.

11 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the thermographic data records of at least one component are stored in a storage device and at least one of the thermographic data records is used to control the irradiation of a layer of a component manufactured later in time.

12 . The method as claimed in claim 11 , characterized in that the irradiation of a layer of a component manufactured later in time is controlled in a manner dependent on the thermographic data records of at least two components manufactured in advance.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 12 , characterized in that the at least two components manufactured in advance are manufactured simultaneously or in succession.

14 . An apparatus ( 1 ) for selective laser powder processing, embodied to carry out a method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus ( 1 ) comprises
a building platform ( 8 ) for receiving a powder bed made of solidifiable building material, a powder coating system ( 9 ) for applying a powder layer onto the building platform, a laser radiation source ( 2 ) for providing a focused laser beam ( 3 ) which is incident on the powder layer for selectively solidifying the building material, a scanning device ( 6 ) for guiding the focused laser beam ( 3 ) along a scanning path ( 17 ), a thermographic detector ( 12 ) for acquiring data records which characterize, at least in sections, temperature profiles of layers consisting of solidified building material, and a control device ( 11 ) for controlling the laser radiation source in a manner dependent on the acquired data records, characterized in that the data records can be stored in a storage device ( 10 ), wherein the storage device ( 10 ) has such an operational connection to the control device ( 11 ) and the scanning device ( 6 ) that the scanning path ( 17 ) for producing an upper layer is controllable in a manner dependent on the data record which characterizes, at least in sections, the temperature profile of the layer lying directly below the upper layer to be irradiated or the scanning path is controllable in a manner dependent on the data records which characterize, at least in sections, the temperature profiles of the layers lying below the upper layer to be irradiated.

15 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , characterized in that a movably mounted thermographic detector ( 12 ) is provided for acquiring the data record characterizing the temperature profile of the respective layer, which thermographic detector is movable in the style of a scanning head over the whole irradiation area ( 5 ) in a manner independent of the movement of the scanning device ( 6 ).

Assignees

• Cl Schutzrechtsverwaltungs Gmbh

Inventors

• Herzog Frank

Classifications

• B23K15/02

  Control circuits therefor · CPC title

• B22F2203/11

  temperature, temperature profile · CPC title

• B23K15/0086

  welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. build-up welding · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B23K26/342

  Build-up welding · CPC title