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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019299533-A1
Application number	US-201916274638-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 13, 2019
Priority date	Mar 28, 2018
Publication date	Oct 3, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Plant ( 1 ) comprising at least one apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) 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 ( 5 ) separably connected or connectable with the apparatus ( 2 - 4 ), wherein the plant ( 1 ) comprises at least one tunnel structure ( 7 ) through which the at least one module ( 5 ) is moveable in a tunnel transport direction ( 10 ).

First claim

1 . Plant ( 1 ) comprising at least one apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) 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 ( 5 ) separably connected or connectable with the apparatus ( 2 - 4 ), wherein the plant ( 1 ) comprises at least one tunnel structure ( 7 ) through which the at least one module ( 5 ) is moveable in a tunnel transport direction ( 10 ), characterized in that at least one module ( 5 ) is moveable from the tunnel structure ( 7 ) into two different module positions ( 11 - 16 ) inside the at least one apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) along a first direction, wherein the at least one module ( 5 ) is moveable from the module positions ( 11 - 16 ) into the tunnel structure ( 7 ) along a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction differ from the tunnel transport direction ( 10 ).

2 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first direction and the second direction are essentially oriented in opposite directions.

3 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) comprises at least one work position, wherein at least one module ( 5 ) can be positioned in the at least one work position during the additive manufacturing process, wherein the at least one module ( 5 ) is moveable along a loading direction ( 19 ) from the tunnel structure ( 7 ) into the work position and/or along an unloading direction ( 18 ) from the work position into the tunnel structure ( 7 ).

4 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) comprises at least one buffer position, in which at least one module ( 5 ) can be positioned in advance to an additive manufacturing process, wherein at least one module ( 5 ) is moveable along a buffer direction ( 17 ) from the tunnel structure ( 7 ) into the buffer position and is moveable from the buffer position into a corresponding work position along an unbuffer direction, in particular along a loading direction ( 19 ).

5 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that a module ( 5 ) being moved from the buffer position into the work position is movable across the tunnel structure ( 7 ).

6 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) comprises three buffer positions, wherein the three buffer positions correspond to three work positions and wherein three different types of modules ( 5 ) can be arranged in the buffer positions.

7 . 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.

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

9 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one module ( 5 ) is moveable into the apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) and/or out of the apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) via the tunnel structure ( 7 ).

10 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that the plant ( 1 ) comprises a plurality of apparatuses ( 2 - 4 ), wherein the tunnel structures ( 7 ) of at least two apparatuses ( 2 - 4 ) are connected to each other.

11 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one first outer buffer region ( 22 ) is arranged in advance to the tunnel structure ( 7 ) of the at least one apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) and/or at least one second outer buffer region ( 23 ) is arranged behind the tunnel structure ( 7 ) of the at least one apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) with respect to the tunnel transport direction ( 10 ).

12 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that the plant ( 1 ) is adapted to individually load modules ( 5 ) into the tunnel structure ( 7 ) dependent on at least one vacancy parameter relating to the type of the module ( 5 ) and/or the type of at least one vacant work position and/or the type of at least one vacant buffer position.

13 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that the plant ( 1 ) is adapted to load the tunnel structure ( 7 ) with at least two modules ( 5 ) in a predefined order, preferably dependent on at least one process parameter.

14 . Plant according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one mobile transfer unit is adapted to transfer the at least one module ( 5 ) between a pre-processing station ( 20 ) and the tunnel structure ( 7 ) or the first outer buffer region ( 22 ) and/or between the tunnel structure ( 7 ) or the second outer buffer region ( 23 ) and a post-processing station ( 21 ).

15 . Apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) 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, in particular an apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) for a plant ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one module ( 5 ) is separably connected or connectable with the apparatus ( 2 - 4 ), wherein the apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) comprises at least one tunnel structure ( 7 ) through which the at least one module ( 5 ) is moveable in a tunnel transport direction ( 10 ), characterized in that at least one module ( 5 ) is moveable from the tunnel structure ( 7 ) into two different module positions ( 11 - 16 ) inside the apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) along a first direction, wherein the at least one module ( 5 ) is moveable from the module positions ( 11 - 16 ) into the tunnel structure ( 7 ) along a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction differ from the tunnel transport direction ( 10 ).

16 . Method for moving at least one module ( 5 ) in a plant ( 1 ), in particular a plant ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , comprising at least one apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) 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 ( 5 ) separably connected or connectable with the apparatus ( 2 - 4 ), wherein the plant ( 1 ) comprises at least one tunnel structure ( 7 ) through which the at least one module ( 5 ) is moveable or is moved in a tunnel transport direction ( 10 ), characterized in that at least one module ( 5 ) is moved from the tunnel structure ( 7 ) into one of at least two different module positions ( 11 - 16 ) inside the apparatus ( 2 - 4 ) along a first direction, wherein the at least one module ( 5 ) is moved from the module position ( 11 - 16 ) into the tunnel structure ( 7 ) along a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction differ from the tunnel transport direction ( 10 ).

Assignees

• Concept Laser Gmbh

Inventors

• Kremer Viktor
• Lutz Andreas
• Filipovic Dragan
• Menassa Roland
• Veljkovic Danilo
• Hofmann Alexander

Classifications

• B33Y30/00

  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

• B29C64/20

  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

• B22F12/38

  Housings, e.g. machine housings · CPC title