Plant comprising at least one apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019299532-A1
Application number	US-201916274149-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2019
Priority date	Mar 28, 2018
Publication date	Oct 3, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Plant ( 1 ) comprising at least one apparatus ( 2, 3, 17, 18 ) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which plant ( 1 ) comprises at least one module ( 4 ) separably connected or connectable with the apparatus ( 2, 3, 17, 18 ), wherein the plant ( 1 ) comprises at least one tunnel structure ( 5 ) through which the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable in a tunnel transport direction ( 6 ), wherein the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable from the tunnel structure ( 5 ) into a work position ( 7 ) inside the apparatus ( 2, 3, 17, 18 ) along a loading direction ( 10 ) and the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable from the work position ( 7 ) out of the apparatus ( 2, 3, 17, 18 ) along an unloading direction ( 12 ).

First claim

1 . Plant ( 1 ) comprising at least one apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which plant ( 1 ) comprises at least one module ( 4 ) separably connected or connectable with the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ), wherein the plant ( 1 ) comprises at least one tunnel structure ( 5 ) through which the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable in a tunnel transport direction ( 6 ), characterized in that the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable from the tunnel structure ( 5 ) into a work position ( 7 ) inside the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) along a loading direction ( 10 ) and the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable from the work position ( 7 ) out of the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) along an unloading direction ( 12 ) or the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable from outside the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) into the work position ( 7 ) along a loading direction ( 10 ) and the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable from the work position ( 7 ) into the tunnel structure ( 5 ) along an unloading direction ( 12 ), wherein the loading and unloading direction ( 10 , 12 ) differ from the tunnel transport direction ( 6 ).

2 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that the loading direction ( 10 ) and the unloading direction ( 12 ) are aligned under a defined angle, preferably the loading and unloading direction ( 10 , 12 ) are oriented in the same direction.

3 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) comprises at least one buffer position ( 9 ) in which a module ( 4 ) can be positioned in advance to the manufacturing process.

4 . Plant according to claim 3 , characterized in that at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable along a buffer direction ( 14 ) from the tunnel structure ( 5 ) into the buffer position ( 9 ) and is moveable from the buffer position ( 9 ) into a corresponding work position ( 7 ) in loading direction ( 10 ).

5 . Plant according to claim 3 , characterized in that a module ( 4 ) being moved from the buffer position ( 9 ) into the work position ( 7 ) is moveable across the tunnel structure ( 5 ).

6 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) comprises three buffer positions ( 9 ), wherein the three buffer positions ( 9 ) correspond to three work position ( 7 ) and wherein three different types of modules ( 4 ) can be arranged in the buffer positions ( 9 ) and the work positions ( 7 ).

7 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) comprises at least two work positions ( 7 ) arranged on opposite sides of the tunnel structure ( 5 ), in particular three different types of work positions ( 7 ) for three different types of modules ( 4 ) arranged on both sides of the tunnel structure ( 5 ).

8 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one module ( 4 ) is built as build module and/or dose module and/or overflow module.

9 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable into the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) via the tunnel structure ( 5 ) and out of the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) through an opening ( 20 ) in the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) or at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable into the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) through an opening ( 20 ) in the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) and out of the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) via the tunnel structure ( 5 ).

10 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that the plant is adapted to individually load modules ( 4 ) into the tunnel structure ( 5 ) or into the at least one apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) dependent on the type of the module ( 4 ) and/or the type of at least one vacant work position ( 7 ) and/or the type of at least one vacant buffer position ( 9 ).

11 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that the plant ( 1 ) is adapted to load the tunnel structure ( 5 ) with at least two modules ( 4 ) in a predefined order.

12 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one first buffer region ( 19 ) is arranged in advance to the tunnel structure ( 5 ) of the at least one apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) and at least one second buffer region ( 21 ) is arranged behind the at least one apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) with respect to the loading direction ( 10 ) or at least one first buffer region ( 19 ) is arranged in advance to the at least one apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) and at least one second buffer region ( 21 ) is arranged behind the tunnel structure ( 5 ) with respect to the loading direction ( 10 ).

13 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one mobile transfer unit is adapted to transfer the at least one module ( 4 ) between a pre-processing station and the tunnel structure ( 5 ) or the first buffer region ( 19 ) and/or between the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) or the second buffer region ( 21 ) and a post-processing station or that the at least one mobile transfer unit is adapted to transfer the at least one module ( 4 ) between a pre-processing station and the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) or the first buffer region ( 19 ) and/or between the tunnel structure ( 5 ) or the second buffer region ( 21 ) and a post-processing station.

14 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one module ( 4 ) is arranged or arrangeable in a buffer position ( 9 ) inside the tunnel structure ( 5 ).

15 . Apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, in particular an apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) for a plant ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one module ( 4 ) is separably connected or connectable with the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ), wherein the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) comprises at least one tunnel structure ( 5 ) through which the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable in a tunnel transport direction ( 6 ), characterized in that the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) comprises at least one work position ( 7 ) for the at least one module ( 4 ), wherein the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable from the tunnel structure ( 5 ) into the work position ( 7 ) along a loading direction ( 10 ) and the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable from the work position ( 7 ) out of the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) along an unloading direction ( 12 ) or the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable from outside the apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) into the work position ( 7 ) along a loading direction ( 10 ) and the at least one module ( 4 ) is moveable from the work position ( 7 ) into the tunnel structure ( 5 ) along an unloading direction ( 12 ), wherein the loading and unloading direction ( 12 ) differ from the tunnel transport direction ( 6 ).

16 . Method for moving at least one module ( 4 ) in a plant ( 1 ), in particular a plant ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , comprising at least one apparatus ( 2 , 3 , 17 , 18 ) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which plant ( 1 ) comprises at least one module ( 4 ) separably connected or connect

Assignees

• Concept Laser Gmbh

Inventors

• Kremer Viktor

Classifications

• B33Y30/00

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

• B29C64/153

  using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting · CPC title

• B29C64/20

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

• B28B1/001

  Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material (selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00) · CPC title

• B22F12/86

  Serial processing with multiple devices grouped · CPC title