Additive manufacturing apparatus and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017304945-A1
Application number	US-201515517626-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 20, 2015
Priority date	Oct 20, 2014
Publication date	Oct 26, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An additive manufacturing apparatus including a chamber, a build platform movable in the chamber such that layers of flowable material can be successively formed across the build platform, a unit for generating an energy beam for solidifying the flowable material, a scanning unit for directing the energy beam onto selected areas of each layer to solidify the material in the selected areas and a getter for absorbing oxygen, nitrogen and/or hydrogen from atmosphere in the chamber.

First claim

1 . An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising a chamber, a build platform movable in the chamber such that layers of flowable material can be successively formed across the build platform, a unit for generating an energy beam for solidifying the flowable material, a scanning unit for directing the energy beam onto selected areas of each layer to solidify the material in the selected areas and a getter for absorbing oxygen, nitrogen and/or hydrogen from atmosphere in the chamber.

2 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the getter is an oxygen getter.

3 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the oxygen getter is a copper based getter.

4 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a gas recirculation circuit having an inlet and outlet connected to the chamber for recirculating gas through the chamber, wherein the gas recirculation circuit has the getter therein for absorbing oxygen, nitrogen and/or hydrogen from the recirculating gas.

5 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the gas recirculation circuit comprises valve(s) that can isolate the getter from atmosphere in the chamber.

6 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the chamber comprises a door through which a part, built using the additive manufacturing apparatus, can be removed from the chamber and the valve(s) are arranged to isolate the getter from the chamber when the door to the chamber is opened.

7 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5 , comprises means for removing unwanted gases absorbed by the getter from the chamber, the valve(s) arranged to isolate the getter from the chamber whilst gases absorbed by the getter remain above a predetermined level.

8 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 comprising means for regenerating the getter after use.

9 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the means for regenerating the getter comprises a heating element for heating gas that flows past the getter.

10 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the getter is an oxygen getter, and wherein the means for regenerating the oxygen getter comprises a source of hydrogen gas.

11 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 10 , comprising means for removing moisture, generated from regeneration of the getter, from the apparatus.

12 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8 , comprising a sensor for detecting a characteristic that is indicative of progress in the regeneration of the getter.

13 . An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the getter is an oxygen getter, and wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor for monitoring a temperature of material of the getter, a moisture detector for detecting an amount of moisture in gases leaving the getter and/or a hydrogen sensor for detecting a concentration of hydrogen in gases leaving the getter.

Assignees

• Renishaw Plc

Inventors

• Sutcliffe Christopher John

Classifications

• B01D2257/104

  Oxygen · CPC title

• B01D53/8671

  Removing components of defined structure not provided for in B01D53/8603 - B01D53/8668 · CPC title

• B01D2253/1122

  Metals · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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