Unpacking system for use in an apparatus for producing three dimensional work pieces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017144874-A1
Application number	US-201615345025-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 7, 2016
Priority date	Nov 6, 2015
Publication date	May 25, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An unpacking system ( 26 ) for use in an apparatus ( 10 ) for producing three-dimensional work pieces by irradiating layers of a raw material powder with electromagnetic or particle radiation comprises a supporting structure ( 28 ) which is configured to support a building chamber arrangement ( 25 ). The building chamber arrangement ( 25 ) comprises a building chamber ( 18 ) accommodating a carrier ( 16 ), the carrier ( 16 ) being configured to receive a three-dimensional work piece ( 11 ) produced from a raw material powder by an additive layering process. A lowering mechanism ( 30 ) of the unpacking system ( 26 ) is configured to apply a driving force to the building chamber ( 18 ) so as to lower the building chamber ( 18 ) relative to the carrier ( 16 ) until a three-dimensional work piece ( 11 ) received on the carrier ( 16 ) can be removed from the carrier ( 16 ).

First claim

1 . An unpacking system for use in an apparatus for producing three-dimensional work pieces by irradiating layers of a raw material powder with electromagnetic or particle radiation, the unpacking system comprising:
a supporting structure which is configured to support a building chamber arrangement, the building chamber arrangement comprising a building chamber accommodating a carrier, the carrier being configured to receive a three-dimensional work piece produced from a raw material powder by an additive layering process, and a lowering mechanism which is configured to apply a driving force to the building chamber so as to lower the building chamber relative to the carrier until a three-dimensional work piece received on the carrier can be removed from the carrier.

2 . The unpacking system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lowering mechanism is configured to apply a driving force to the building chamber so as to lower the building chamber relative to the carrier at least until a carrier surface of the carrier which is configured to carry a three-dimensional work piece produced from a raw material powder by an additive layering process is arranged substantially flush with an upper rim of the building chamber.

3 . The unpacking system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lowering mechanism comprises at least one drive element and a transfer element, the transfer element being connected to the at least one drive element and being configured to transfer the driving force generated by the at least one drive element to the building chamber so as to lower the building chamber relative to the carrier.

4 . The unpacking system according to claim 3 ,
wherein the transfer element is configured to apply a pressing force to an upper rim of the building chamber.

5 . The unpacking system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a receiving box which is configured to be lowered relative to the carrier when the building chamber is lowered relative to the carrier so as to accommodate a three-dimensional work piece received on the carrier when the building chamber is lowered relative to the carrier, the receiving box in particular being designed in the form of a glove box which is sealed against an ambient atmosphere and which is provided with at least one gripping glove.

6 . The unpacking system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the receiving box is connected to the lowering mechanism such that the receiving box is lowered to relative to the carrier simultaneously, when the building chamber, by the driving force provided by the lowering mechanism, is lowered relative to the carrier.

7 . The unpacking system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the receiving box comprises a bottom plate which is provided with an opening, the opening being configured to allow at least a three-dimensional work piece received on the carrier to be accommodated within the receiving box.

8 . The unpacking system according to claim 5 ,
further comprising: a connecting mechanism which is configured to sealingly connect the building chamber to the receiving box prior to lowering the building chamber relative to the carrier.

9 . The unpacking system according to claim 5 ,
further comprising: a suction system which is configured to withdraw residual raw material powder contained in the building chamber from the building chamber during and/or after lowering the building chamber relative to the carrier.

10 . A method of operating an unpacking system for use in an apparatus for producing three-dimensional work pieces by irradiating layers of a raw material powder with electromagnetic or particle radiation, the method comprising:
arranging a building chamber arrangement on a supporting structure, the building chamber arrangement comprising a building chamber accommodating a carrier, the carrier being configured to receive a three-dimensional work piece produced from a raw material powder by an additive layering process, and lowering the building chamber relative to the carrier by means of a lowering mechanism which applies a driving force to the building chamber until a three-dimensional work piece received on the carrier can be removed from the carrier.

11 . The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the lowering mechanism applies a driving force to the building chamber so as to lower the building chamber relative to the carrier at least until a carrier surface of the carrier which is configured to carry a three-dimensional work piece produced from a raw material powder by an additive layering process is arranged substantially flush with an upper rim of the building chamber.

12 . The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the lowering mechanism comprises at least one drive element and a transfer element, the transfer element being connected to the at least one drive element and transferring the driving force generated by the at least one drive element to the building chamber so as to lower the building chamber relative to the carrier, the transfer element in particular applying a pressing force to an upper rim of the building chamber.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
lowering a receiving box relative to the carrier when the building chamber is lowered relative to the carrier so as to accommodate a three-dimensional work piece received on the carrier when the building chamber is lowered relative to the carrier, wherein the receiving box in particular is designed in the form of a glove box which is sealed against an ambient atmosphere and which is provided with at least one gripping glove and/or wherein the receiving box is connected to the lowering mechanism such that the receiving box is lowered to relative to the carrier simultaneously, when the building chamber, by the driving force provided by the lowering mechanism, is lowered relative to the carrier, and/or wherein the receiving box comprises a bottom plate which is provided with an opening, the opening being configured to allow at least a three-dimensional work piece received on the carrier to be accommodated within the receiving box.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
sealingly connecting the building chamber to the receiving box prior to lowering the building chamber relative to the carrier.

15 . The method according to claim 10 ,
further comprising: withdrawing residual raw material powder contained in the building chamber from the building chamber during and/or after lowering the building chamber relative to the carrier.

16 . An apparatus for producing three-dimensional work pieces by irradiating layers of a raw material powder with electromagnetic or particle radiation, the apparatus comprising:
an unpacking system according to any claim 1 .

Assignees

• SLM Solutions Group AG

Inventors

• Huebinger Karsten
• Krol Toni Adam
• Schwarze Dieter
• Gieser Eduard

Classifications

• B22F10/40

  Structures for supporting workpieces or articles during manufacture and removed afterwards · CPC title

• B22F10/73

  of powder · CPC title

• B22F10/28

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

• B22F12/222

  for motion along a direction orthogonal to the plane of a layer · CPC title

• B22F12/82

  Combination of additive manufacturing apparatus or devices with other processing apparatus or devices · CPC title