Method for calibrating an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018370146-A1
Application number	US-201616063474-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2016
Priority date	Jan 5, 2016
Publication date	Dec 27, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Method for calibrating an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by layer-wise selective solidification of building material with the step of generating an substantially periodic first modulation pattern in a first sub-area of the build area, the step of generating an substantially periodic second modulation pattern in a second sub-area of the build area, wherein in the overlap zone, the first modulation pattern and the second modulation pattern form an substantially periodic superposition pattern, whose period is larger than the period of the first modulation pattern and the period of the second modulation pattern, the step of detecting the superposition pattern, and the step of determining the deviation of the position of the superposition pattern on the build area from a reference position.

First claim

1 . A method for calibrating an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by layer-wise solidification of building material at the positions corresponding to the cross-section of the object to be manufactured in a respective layer with
a build space, in which a build area is provided and in which the object is to be built layer by layer by means of solidifying the building material, wherein the build area comprises at least a first sub-area and a second sub-area, which overlap in an overlap zone, and a solidification device for emitting beams of electromagnetic radiation or particle beams to selective positions of the build area, characterized by following steps: generating an substantially periodic first modulation pattern in a layer of the building material or on a target in a first sub-area of the build area, generating an substantially periodic second modulation pattern in a layer of the building material or on a target in a second sub-area of the build area, wherein in the overlap zone, the first modulation pattern and the second modulation pattern form a substantially periodic superposition pattern, whose period is larger than the period of the first modulation pattern and the period of the second modulation pattern, detecting the superposition pattern, and determining the deviation of the position of the superposition pattern on the build area from a reference position.

2 . The method according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that line patterns, grid patterns or dot patterns are generated as substantially periodic modulation patterns.

3 . The method according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that the reference position is defined by at least one reference mark on the build area, wherein the at least one reference mark is generated by the solidification device in a layer of the building material or on a target.

4 . The method according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that the solidification device emits beams of laser radiation, wherein different beams are emitted from different radiation sources or generated from the radiation emitted from one radiation source by means of beam splitting.

5 . The method according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that the position of the first modulation pattern and/or the second modulation pattern on the build area is changed such that the deviation of the position of the superposition pattern on the build area from a reference position has a value not exceeding a setpoint value.

6 . The method according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that the determination of the deviation of the position of the superposition pattern on the build area from the reference position comprises determining a displacement and/or a rotation, wherein on the basis of the determination of the displacement and/or rotation, a change of the position of the first and/or second modulation pattern is carried out.

7 . The method according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that the method is executed prior to and/or during and/or after the manufacturing a three-dimensional object.

8 . The method according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that the determination of the deviation of the position of the superposition pattern on the build area from the reference position comprises an automatic sensor-based detection with a detection device, which comprises at least one radiation conductor and at least one radiation sensor.

9 . The method according to claim 1 ,
characterized in that modified control commands for the operation of the apparatus for the manufacture of the object to be manufactured are derived on the basis of the determined deviation of the position of the superposition pattern on the build area from the reference position in an automatic or semi-automatic way.

10 . A method for calibrating an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by layer-wise solidification of building material at the positions corresponding to the cross-section of the object to be manufactured in a respective layer, in which method an irradiation pattern is detected in a spatially resolved manner,
wherein the apparatus comprises a build space, in which a build area is provided and in which the object is to be built by selectively solidifying the building material, a solidification device for emitting at least one beam of electromagnetic radiation or at least one particle beam to selective positions of the build area, and a detection device with at least one radiation sensor, characterized by the following steps: generating an irradiation pattern on the build area in a layer of the building material or on a target, conducting the radiation to the radiation sensor, and detecting the radiation by the radiation sensor, and deriving a calibration information on the basis of this detection.

11 . The method according to claim 10 ,
characterized in that the calibration information is used for the automatic or semi-automatic adjustment of a focus setting.

12 . An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by layer-wise solidification of a building material at the positions corresponding to the cross-section of the object to be manufactured in a respective layer with
a build space, in which a build area is provided and in which the object is to be built in a layer-wise manner by selectively solidifying the building material, wherein the build area comprises at least a first sub-area and a second sub-area, which overlap in an overlap zone, a solidification device for emitting beams of electromagnetic radiation or particle beams to selective positions of the build area, characterized by a generation unit, which generates an substantially periodic first modulation pattern in a layer of the building material or on a target in a first sub-area of the build area during operation, a generation unit, which generates an substantially periodic second modulation pattern in a layer of the building material or on a target in a second sub-area of the build area during operation, wherein in the overlap zone, the first modulation pattern and the second modulation pattern form an substantially periodic superposition pattern, whose period is larger than the period of the first modulation pattern and the period of the second modulation pattern, a detection device which is configured for detecting the superposition pattern, and a determination unit, which, during operation, determines the deviation of the position of the superposition pattern on the build area from a reference position.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 12 ,
characterized in that the solidification device comprises at least a first deflecting device and a second deflecting device for deflecting a first and a second beam emitted from the solidification device, wherein a first sub-area of the build area is assigned to the first deflecting device and a second sub-area of the build area is assigned to the second sub-area of the build area.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 12 ,
characterized in that the detection device comprises a sensor, which detects the radiation striking the overlap zone in a spatially resolved manner by detection of the changes of a property of the building material or the target occurring as consequence of the incident radiation.

15 . A calibration unit for calibrating an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by layer-wise solidification of a building material at the positions corresponding to the cross-section of the object to be manufactured in a respective layer, wherein the calibration unit detects an irradiation pattern in a spatially

Assignees

• Eos Gmbh Electro Optical Systems

Inventors

• Domröse Robert Achim
• Wolf Dominik
• Göth Michael
• Schmid Ulrich
• Mittermüller Maximilian

Classifications

• B33Y30/00

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

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y50/00

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/268

  using laser beams; using electron beams [EB] · CPC title

• B29C64/393 Primary

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title