This invention concerns an additive manufacturing apparatus for building objects by layerwise consolidation of material. The apparatus includes a build chamber containing a working area, a high energy beam for consolidating material deposited in the working area in layers and a flow device for generating a gas flow across at least a part of the working area from a gas inlet to a gas outlet. The gas inlet and gas outlet are arranged to be movable within the build chamber.

This invention concerns an additive manufacturing apparatus for building objects by layerwise consolidation of material. The apparatus includes a build chamber containing a working area, a high energy beam for consolidating material deposited in the working area in layers and a flow device for generating a gas flow across at least a part of the working area from a gas inlet to a gas outlet. The gas inlet and gas outlet are arranged to be movable within the build chamber.

The invention relates to a device (1) for producing three-dimensional workpieces (15), comprising a carrier (7) for receiving raw material powder (9), a build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b) which extend substantially vertically and which is adapted to laterally delimit and support the raw material powder (9) applied to the carrier (7); an irradiation unit (17) for selectively irradiating the raw material powder (9) applied to the carrier (7) with electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation in order to produce on the carrier (7) a workpiece (15) manufactured from the raw material powder (9) by an additive layer building method, wherein the irradiation unit (17) comprises at least one optical element; and a vertical movement device (31) which is adapted to move the irradiation unit (17) vertically relative to the carrier (7). The build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b) and the carrier (7) are adapted to be connected to one another in a stationary manner during the vertical movement of the irradiation unit (17) so that the vertical movement takes place relative to the carrier (7) and relative to the build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b).

The invention relates to a device (1) for producing three-dimensional workpieces (15), comprising a carrier (7) for receiving raw material powder (9), a build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b) which extend substantially vertically and which is adapted to laterally delimit and support the raw material powder (9) applied to the carrier (7); an irradiation unit (17) for selectively irradiating the raw material powder (9) applied to the carrier (7) with electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation in order to produce on the carrier (7) a workpiece (15) manufactured from the raw material powder (9) by an additive layer building method, wherein the irradiation unit (17) comprises at least one optical element; and a vertical movement device (31) which is adapted to move the irradiation unit (17) vertically relative to the carrier (7). The build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b) and the carrier (7) are adapted to be connected to one another in a stationary manner during the vertical movement of the irradiation unit (17) so that the vertical movement takes place relative to the carrier (7) and relative to the build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b).

A three-dimensional shaping apparatus includes a stage, a material supply unit that supplies a material containing an inorganic powder and a binder, a laser, and a control unit, and the control unit performs a process of supplying the material onto the stage by controlling the material supply unit, and a process of irradiating the material on the stage with a laser beam with an energy density of 140 J/mm.sup.3 or more by controlling the laser.

A three-dimensional shaping apparatus includes a stage, a material supply unit that supplies a material containing an inorganic powder and a binder, a laser, and a control unit, and the control unit performs a process of supplying the material onto the stage by controlling the material supply unit, and a process of irradiating the material on the stage with a laser beam with an energy density of 140 J/mm.sup.3 or more by controlling the laser.

The invention relates to a device (1) for producing three-dimensional workpieces (15), comprising a carrier (7) for receiving raw material powder (9), a build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b) which extend substantially vertically and which is adapted to laterally delimit and support the raw material powder (9) applied to the carrier (7); an irradiation unit (17) for selectively irradiating the raw material powder (9) applied to the carrier (7) with electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation in order to produce on the carrier (7) a workpiece (15) manufactured from the raw material powder (9) by an additive layer building method, wherein the irradiation unit (17) comprises at least one optical element; and a vertical movement device (31) which is adapted to move the irradiation unit (17) vertically relative to the carrier (7). The build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b) and the carrier (7) are adapted to be connected to one another in a stationary manner during the vertical movement of the irradiation unit (17) so that the vertical movement takes place relative to the carrier (7) and relative to the build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b).

The invention relates to a device (1) for producing three-dimensional workpieces (15), comprising a carrier (7) for receiving raw material powder (9), a build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b) which extend substantially vertically and which is adapted to laterally delimit and support the raw material powder (9) applied to the carrier (7); an irradiation unit (17) for selectively irradiating the raw material powder (9) applied to the carrier (7) with electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation in order to produce on the carrier (7) a workpiece (15) manufactured from the raw material powder (9) by an additive layer building method, wherein the irradiation unit (17) comprises at least one optical element; and a vertical movement device (31) which is adapted to move the irradiation unit (17) vertically relative to the carrier (7). The build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b) and the carrier (7) are adapted to be connected to one another in a stationary manner during the vertical movement of the irradiation unit (17) so that the vertical movement takes place relative to the carrier (7) and relative to the build chamber wall (11, 11a, 11b).

A solid-state additive manufacturing additive manufacturing system applicable to building up 3D structures, coating and functionalizing surfaces, joining structures, adding customized features to objects, compounding proprietary compositions and repairing various structures is disclosed. The solid-state additive manufacturing system enables deposition of different fillers, viz. metals, metal alloys, MMCs, polymers, plastics, composites, hybrids and gradient compositions, as well as controls the resulting deposit structures, e.g. specific nano-/micro-, gradient- and porous-material structures. The system accommodates various feeding-, spindle- and tool-designs for depositing different forms of filler materials, viz. rods, wires, granules, powders, powder-filled-tubes, scrap pieces or their combination, and a working platform with multiple access points. One or multiple motors, driving and monitoring units control the movement of the workpiece, spindle and tool and move the filler through the feeding system, which passageway is in communication with the passageways of the spindle and the tool.

A method and an apparatus for forming a particle layer are provided. The layering method includes injecting particles in an injection zone defined at a gas-liquid interface between a carrier liquid and an ambient gas, and controlling a flow of the carrier liquid along the gas-liquid interface to carry the particles downstream along a particle flow path from the injection zone to a layer formation zone. The method also includes accumulating the particles in the layer formation zone to gradually form the particle layer on the gas-liquid interface, and withdrawing the particle layer from the layer formation zone. The particle layer formed by the layering method and apparatus can be used to fabricate a three-dimensional object by additive manufacturing.