Apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece with improved gas flow

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017087635-A1
Application number	US-201615248487-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 26, 2016
Priority date	Sep 25, 2015
Publication date	Mar 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece, the apparatus comprises a process chamber accommodating a carrier for receiving a raw material powder, an irradiation device for selectively irradiating electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the raw material powder on the carrier in order to produce a work piece made of said raw material powder by an additive layer construction method, a first gas inlet for supplying gas to the process chamber and a gas outlet for discharging gas from the process chamber, wherein the first gas inlet and the gas outlet are configured and arranged in such a manner that a first gas flow across the carrier is generated, a transmission element which allows the transmission of the electromagnetic or particle radiation emitted by the irradiation device into the process chamber, and a second gas inlet for supplying gas to the process chamber, wherein the second gas inlet is configured and arranged in such a manner that a second gas flow in a direction facing away from the transmission element is generated.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece, the apparatus comprising:
a process chamber accommodating a carrier for receiving a raw material powder, an irradiation device for selectively irradiating electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the raw material powder on the carrier in order to produce a work piece made of said raw material powder by an additive layer construction method, a first gas inlet for supplying gas to the process chamber and a gas outlet for discharging gas from the process chamber, wherein the first gas inlet and the gas outlet are configured and arranged in such a manner that a first gas flow across the carrier is generated, a transmission element which allows the transmission of the electromagnetic or particle radiation emitted by the irradiation device into the process chamber, and a second gas inlet for supplying gas to the process chamber, wherein the second gas inlet is configured and arranged in such a manner that a second gas flow in a direction facing away from the transmission element is generated.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a control unit which is adapted to control the supply of gas to the process chamber in such a manner that a volume flow of gas into the process chamber via the second gas inlet is larger than a volume flow of gas into the process chamber via the first gas inlet.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second gas inlet comprises a plurality of gas inlet openings which are configured and arranged so as to define a second gas inlet area.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the second gas inlet area comprises a first portion which is arranged in the region of a top wall of the process chamber and a second portion which is arranged in the region of a side wall of the process chamber, wherein the side wall of the process chamber in particular accommodates the first gas inlet.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a pressure equalization container which is arranged in a gas supply line upstream of the second gas inlet.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the pressure equalization container is integrated into a wall of the process chamber.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein at least one of the second gas inlet and the transmission element is arranged in a wall ( 48 ) of the pressure equalization container which faces the process chamber.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 5 ,
is wherein the pressure equalization container comprises a first portion which is integrated into a top wall of the process chamber and a second portion which is integrated into a side wall of the process chamber, wherein the side wall of the process chamber in particular accommodates the first gas inlet.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a further pressure equalization container which is arranged in a further gas supply line upstream of the first gas inlet.

10 . A method for producing a three-dimensional work piece, the method comprising:
applying a layer of raw material powder onto a carrier accommodated in a process chamber, supplying gas to the process chamber via a first gas inlet and discharging gas from the process chamber via a gas outlet, wherein the first gas inlet and the gas outlet are configured and arranged in such a manner that a first gas flow across the carrier is generated, selectively irradiating electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the raw material powder on the carrier by means of an irradiation device in order to produce a work piece made of said raw material powder by an additive layer construction method, transmitting the electromagnetic or particle radiation emitted by the irradiation device into the process chamber via a transmission element, and supplying gas to the process chamber via a second gas inlet, wherein the second gas inlet is configured and arranged in such a manner that a second gas flow in a direction facing away from the transmission element is generated.

11 . The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the supply of gas to the process chamber is controlled in such a manner that a volume flow of gas into the process chamber via the second gas inlet is larger than a volume flow of gas into the process chamber via the first gas inlet.

12 . The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the second gas inlet comprises a plurality of gas inlet openings which are configured and arranged so as to define a second gas inlet area, wherein the second gas inlet area preferably comprises a first portion which is arranged in the region of a top wall of the process chamber and a second portion which is arranged in the region of a side wall of the process chamber, wherein the side wall of the process chamber in particular accommodates the first gas inlet.

13 . The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein gas to be supplied to the process chamber via the second gas inlet is directed through a pressure equalization container which is arranged in a gas supply line upstream of the second gas inlet.

14 . The method according to claim 13 ,
wherein the pressure equalization container is integrated into a wall of the process chamber.

15 . The method according to claim 13 ,
wherein at least one of the second gas inlet and the transmission element is arranged in a wall of the pressure equalization container which faces the process chamber.

16 . The method according to claim 13 ,
wherein the pressure equalization container comprises a first portion which is integrated into a top wall of the process chamber and a second portion which is integrated into a side wall of the process chamber, wherein the side wall of the process chamber in particular accommodates the first gas inlet.

17 . The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein gas to be supplied to the process chamber via the first gas inlet is directed through a further pressure equalization container which is arranged in a further gas supply line upstream of the first gas inlet.

Assignees

• SLM Solutions Group AG

Inventors

• Wilkes Jan
• Krol Toni Adam
• Schwarze Dieter

Classifications

• B22F10/322

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

• B23K26/123 Primary

  in an atmosphere of particular gases · CPC title

• B22F12/70

  Gas flow means · CPC title

• B22F10/28

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

• B22F10/77

  of gas · CPC title