A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include creating, by a 3D printer contained within an enclosure, a part having a weight greater than or equal to 2,000 kilograms. A gas management system may maintain gaseous oxygen within the enclosure atmospheric level. In some embodiments, a wheeled vehicle may transport the part from inside the enclosure, through an airlock, as the airlock operates to buffer between a gaseous environment within the enclosure and a gaseous environment outside the enclosure, and to a location exterior to both the enclosure and the airlock.

The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a part, comprising the formation of successive solid metal layers (201 . . . 20n) that are stacked on one another, each layer describing a pattern defined from a numerical model (M)), each layer being formed by depositing a metal (25), referred to as filling metal, the filling metal being subjected to an input of energy so as to melt and form said layer by solidifying, in which process the filling metal is provided in the form of a powder (25), the exposure of which to an energy beam (32) results in melting followed by solidification such that a solid layer (201 . . . 20n) is formed, the process being characterized in that the filling metal (25) is an aluminum alloy comprising at least the following alloying elements: 2 to 10% by weight of Cr; 0 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 5% by weight, of Zr. The invention also relates to a part obtained by this process. The alloy used in the additive manufacturing process according to the invention makes it possible to obtain parts having remarkable mechanical properties, while obtaining a process that has an advantageous output.

The present disclosure generally relates to additive manufacturing systems and methods on a large-scale format. One aspect involves a build unit that can be moved around in three dimensions by a positioning system, building separate portions of a large object. The build unit has an energy directing device that directs, e.g., laser or e-beam irradiation onto a powder layer. In the case of laser irradiation, the build volume may have a gasflow device that provides laminar gas flow to a laminar flow zone above the layer of powder. This allows for efficient removal of the smoke, condensates, and other impurities produced by irradiating the powder (the gas plume) without excessively disturbing the powder layer. The build unit may also have a recoater that allows it to selectively deposit particular quantities of powder in specific locations over a work surface to build large, high quality, high precision objects.

A downhole component including a first portion; a second portion; a controlled failure structure between the first portion and second portion. A method for improving efficiency in downhole components.

A processing apparatus with: an irradiation apparatus that emits an energy beam; and a supply apparatus that supplies materials to an irradiation position of the energy beam, the processing apparatus forms a build object by moving the irradiation position from a first position on a first object to a second position that is away from the first object.

The invention relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional component by an electron-beam, laser-sintering or laser-melting process, in which the component is created by successively solidifying predetermined portions of individual layers of building material that can be solidified by being exposed to the effect of an electron-beam or laser-beam source (2) by melting on the building material, wherein thermographic data records are recorded during the production of the layers, respectively characterizing a temperature profile of at least certain portions of the respective layer, and the irradiation of the layers takes place by means of an electron beam or laser beam (3), which is controlled on the basis of the recorded thermographic data records in such a way that a largely homogeneous temperature profile is produced, wherein, to irradiate an upper layer, a focal point (4) of the electron beam or laser beam (3) is guided along a scanning path (17), which is chosen on the basis of the data record characterizing the temperature profile of at least certain portions of the layer lying directly thereunder or on the basis of the data records characterizing the temperature profiles of at least certain portions of the layers lying thereunder.

Systems and methods for reducing charged powder particle scattering in powder-bed fusion (PBF) systems are provided. A PBF apparatus can include a structure that supports a layer of powder material having a plurality of particles of powder. For example, the structure can be a build plate, a build floor, a build piece, etc. The apparatus can also include an energy beam source that generates an energy beam and a deflector that applies the energy beam to fuse an area of the powder material in the layer. The energy beam can electrically charge the particles of powder. The apparatus can also include an electrical system that generates an electrical force between the structure and the charged particles of powder. For example, the electrical system can include a voltage source that applies a first voltage to the structure.

A system for producing an object is disclosed including a build device having a build area and a material bonding component to receive portions of a material that are used to produce the object, at least one gripper within the build area to contact the object to provide support and to provide for at least one of a heat sink for the object, a cold sink for the object, and electrical dissipation path from the object, and a movement mechanism to move the build device relative to the object to position the build device at a position to further produce the object. Another system and methods are also disclosed.

The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatuses for additive manufacturing using foil-based build materials. Such methods and apparatuses eliminate several drawbacks of conventional powder-based methods, including powder handling, recoater jams, and health risks. In addition, the present disclosure provides methods and apparatuses for compensation of in-process warping of build plates and foil-based build materials.

A method of additive manufacture suitable for large and high resolution structures is disclosed. The method may include sequentially advancing each portion of a continuous part in the longitudinal direction from a first zone to a second zone. In the first zone, selected granules of a granular material may be amalgamated. In the second zone, unamalgamated granules of the granular material may be removed. The method may further include advancing a first portion of the continuous part from the second zone to a third zone while (1) a last portion of the continuous part is formed within the first zone and (2) the first portion is maintained in the same position in the lateral and transverse directions that the first portion occupied within the first zone and the second zone.