An apparatus and a method for powder bed fusion additive manufacturing involve a multiple-chamber design achieving a high efficiency and throughput. The multiple-chamber design features concurrent printing of one or more print jobs inside one or more build chambers, side removals of printed objects from build chambers allowing quick exchanges of powdered materials, and capabilities of elevated process temperature controls of build chambers and post processing heat treatments of printed objects. The multiple-chamber design also includes a height-adjustable optical assembly in combination with a fixed build platform method suitable for large and heavy printed objects. A side removal mechanism of the build chambers of the apparatus improves handling and efficiency for printing large and heavy objects. Use of a wide range of sensors in the apparatus and by the method allows various feedback to improve quality, manufacturing throughput, and energy efficiency.

An additive manufacturing system includes a high power laser to form a laser beam directed against a light valve. An active light valve cooling system is arranged to remove heat from the light valve and a heat exchanger is connected to the active light valve cooling system. A heat exchange fluid is circulated through the active light valve cooling system and the heat exchanger.

Apparatus for producing an object by means of additive manufacturing, comprising: a process chamber for receiving on a build surface of a build plate a bath of powdered material which can be solidified; a support for supporting on a supporting surface thereof said build plate in relation to a surface level of said bath of powdered material, wherein said build plate is removably connectable to said supporting surface; a solidifying device for solidifying a selective part of said material by emitting electromagnetic radiation; and a build plate takeover device comprising an actuating element for placing said build plate onto said supporting surface of said support for producing said object and removing said build plate from said supporting surface of said support. Method for producing an object by means of additive manufacturing.

A method for detecting a position of an energy beam comprises mapping a first density modulated x-ray signal with a plurality of locations on an energy beam target, thereby generating a model of a background x-ray intensity. The method further comprises forming an x-ray signal time series using subsequent intensity modulated x-ray signals, each resulting from scanning the energy beam along the energy beam target in one of a plurality of directions at one of a plurality of speeds, and determining the position of the energy beam based upon a received x-ray signal strength based on the x-ray signal time series and the model of the background x-ray intensity.

A method for detecting a position of an energy beam comprises mapping a first density modulated x-ray signal with a plurality of locations on an energy beam target, thereby generating a model of a background x-ray intensity. The method further comprises forming an x-ray signal time series using subsequent intensity modulated x-ray signals, each resulting from scanning the energy beam along the energy beam target in one of a plurality of directions at one of a plurality of speeds, and determining the position of the energy beam based upon a received x-ray signal strength based on the x-ray signal time series and the model of the background x-ray intensity.

A manufacturing device for additive manufacturing of components from a powder material includes a beam-generating device configured to generate an energy beam having a beam profile that is not rotationally symmetrical about a beam axis of the energy beam, a beam-rotating device configured to rotate the beam profile of the energy beam about the beam axis, a scanner device configured to move the energy beam in a working region and to locally selectively irradiate the working region with the energy beam in order to produce, by the energy beam, a component from the powder material located in the working region, and a control device operatively connected to the beam-rotating device and to the scanner device, and configured to control the beam-rotating device and the scanner device. The control device is configured to correct a control of the scanner device according to a current angle of rotation of the beam-rotating device.

A manufacturing device for additive manufacturing of components from a powder material includes a beam-generating device configured to generate an energy beam having a beam profile that is not rotationally symmetrical about a beam axis of the energy beam, a beam-rotating device configured to rotate the beam profile of the energy beam about the beam axis, a scanner device configured to move the energy beam in a working region and to locally selectively irradiate the working region with the energy beam in order to produce, by the energy beam, a component from the powder material located in the working region, and a control device operatively connected to the beam-rotating device and to the scanner device, and configured to control the beam-rotating device and the scanner device. The control device is configured to correct a control of the scanner device according to a current angle of rotation of the beam-rotating device.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to the aligning of a melting beam source in an additive manufacturing (AM) system. Methods of the disclosure may include forming a first test article and a second test article of different shapes on a build plate. The method further includes measuring a vertical scale, vertical alignment, horizontal scale, and an alignment of the melting beam source using the first and second test articles. The method includes determining whether one of the vertical scale, the vertical alignment, the horizontal scale, or the horizontal alignment of the melting beam source is not within a corresponding tolerance of a target specification. If at least one of the vertical scale, the vertical alignment, the horizontal scale, or the horizontal alignment is within the corresponding tolerance, the method includes adjusting the melting beam source of the AM system to align the melting beam source to yield the target specification.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to the aligning of a melting beam source in an additive manufacturing (AM) system. Methods of the disclosure may include forming a first test article and a second test article of different shapes on a build plate. The method further includes measuring a vertical scale, vertical alignment, horizontal scale, and an alignment of the melting beam source using the first and second test articles. The method includes determining whether one of the vertical scale, the vertical alignment, the horizontal scale, or the horizontal alignment of the melting beam source is not within a corresponding tolerance of a target specification. If at least one of the vertical scale, the vertical alignment, the horizontal scale, or the horizontal alignment is within the corresponding tolerance, the method includes adjusting the melting beam source of the AM system to align the melting beam source to yield the target specification.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to the aligning of a melting beam source in an additive manufacturing (AM) system. Methods of the disclosure may include forming a first test article and a second test article of different shapes on a build plate. The method further includes measuring a vertical scale, vertical alignment, horizontal scale, and an alignment of the melting beam source using the first and second test articles. The method includes determining whether one of the vertical scale, the vertical alignment, the horizontal scale, or the horizontal alignment of the melting beam source is not within a corresponding tolerance of a target specification. If at least one of the vertical scale, the vertical alignment, the horizontal scale, or the horizontal alignment is within the corresponding tolerance, the method includes adjusting the melting beam source of the AM system to align the melting beam source to yield the target specification.