An apparatus for carrying out a method for producing an object using selective powder melting and by building up layers of powder material. The apparatus includes a build chamber configured to accommodate the object being produced and a powder delivery device equipped with a powder storage container and configured to supply material powder into the build chamber, a powder layer preparation unit to prepare successive layers of the supplied material powder on a substrate arranged in the build chamber, an irradiation device configured to irradiate a prepared powder layer to thereby melt the prepared powder layer locally, and a protective gas circulation device configured to circulate a protective gas present in the build chamber. At least one air conditioning device is also included and is configured to condition one or more of a temperature or a humidity of the protective gas circulated by the protective gas circulation device.

Methods and systems for additively casting of a metallic object include constructing a mold region of a current production layer before producing the object region of the current production layer; depositing molten metal at a predetermined temperature in working areas at the object region of the current production layer according to a building plan; and moving one or more heaters over the deposition path and heating the working areas. The heating includes (1) heating the working areas to a pre-deposition target temperature before depositing metal on the working areas to affect a bonding of the molten metal with the working areas, and/or (2) heating the working areas to a post-deposition target temperature after depositing metal on the working areas to affect a thermal cooling profile of the working areas. the heating also includes providing annealing heating to earlier production layers by heat conduction through the current production layer.

Methods and systems for additively casting of a metallic object include constructing a mold region of a current production layer before producing the object region of the current production layer; depositing molten metal at a predetermined temperature in working areas at the object region of the current production layer according to a building plan; and moving one or more heaters over the deposition path and heating the working areas. The heating includes (1) heating the working areas to a pre-deposition target temperature before depositing metal on the working areas to affect a bonding of the molten metal with the working areas, and/or (2) heating the working areas to a post-deposition target temperature after depositing metal on the working areas to affect a thermal cooling profile of the working areas. the heating also includes providing annealing heating to earlier production layers by heat conduction through the current production layer.

A device may obtain measurement data concerning a three-dimensional (3D) printed object, where the 3D printed object has a plurality of physical elements that comprise a plurality of different physical attributes, and where the plurality of physical elements and the plurality of different physical attributes are designed to exhibit one or more printing capabilities of a 3D printer that printed the 3D printed object. The device may process the measurement data to determine one or more printing anomalies relating to one or more physical elements, of the plurality of physical elements, and one or more physical attributes of the plurality of different physical attributes. The device may generate a set of instructions to permit the 3D printer to be adjusted to address the one or more printing anomalies, and may cause an action to be performed based on generating the set of instructions.

A device may obtain measurement data concerning a three-dimensional (3D) printed object, where the 3D printed object has a plurality of physical elements that comprise a plurality of different physical attributes, and where the plurality of physical elements and the plurality of different physical attributes are designed to exhibit one or more printing capabilities of a 3D printer that printed the 3D printed object. The device may process the measurement data to determine one or more printing anomalies relating to one or more physical elements, of the plurality of physical elements, and one or more physical attributes of the plurality of different physical attributes. The device may generate a set of instructions to permit the 3D printer to be adjusted to address the one or more printing anomalies, and may cause an action to be performed based on generating the set of instructions.

A printer includes a heat control device configured to prevent a temperature of a part that is printed by the printer from decreasing by more than about 5° C. as a height of the part increases from about 0 mm to about 30 mm. The heat control device includes a gas curtain source that is configured to generate a gas curtain that at least partially surrounds at least a portion of the part.

A printer includes a heat control device configured to prevent a temperature of a part that is printed by the printer from decreasing by more than about 5° C. as a height of the part increases from about 0 mm to about 30 mm. The heat control device includes a gas curtain source that is configured to generate a gas curtain that at least partially surrounds at least a portion of the part.

A printer includes a heat control device configured to cause a temperature of a part that is printed by the printer to remain within a predetermined range as a height of the part increases from about 0 mm to about 30 mm. The predetermined range is from about 545° C. to about 600° C. The heat control device includes a heat plate that is configured to generate heat in a downward direction toward the part.

A printer includes a heat control device configured to cause a temperature of a part that is printed by the printer to remain within a predetermined range as a height of the part increases from about 0 mm to about 30 mm. The predetermined range is from about 545° C. to about 600° C. The heat control device includes a heat plate that is configured to generate heat in a downward direction toward the part.

A 3D printer successively fuses sheet material in a stack to form a three-dimensional object. The sheet material may provide a mesh separating islands of material that will be fused to produce the desired three-dimensional object. The mesh provides support for the island material during the fusing process and may be removed afterwards.