According to an example, a device comprises a sidewall and a base. The sidewall and the base define a chamber for receipt of a volume of build material comprising loose build material and a solid object generated from the build material in an additive manufacturing process. The base is not permeable to build material but permeable to a gas to allow an influx of a gas into the chamber to fluidize loose build material around the solid object in the volume of build material in the chamber to facilitate the removal of the solid object from the loose build material.

The invention provides an electrostatic precipitator, including: a gas inlet, supplied with gas containing dust that is a magnetic substance; a charging part, charging the dust; a collecting part, capturing the charged dust; a cleaning device, including at least one of a charging part cleaning device and a collecting part cleaning device; a magnet filter, provided downstream of the collecting part; an ozone removing filter, provided downstream of the magnet filter and removing ozone from the gas; and a gas outlet, discharging the gas in which the dust and the ozone are removed. In the magnet filter, multiple magnet plates are arranged at a predetermined interval. A downstream side of each magnet plate provided on an upper side with respect to a center is inclined downward. A downstream side of each magnet plate provided on a lower side with respect to the center is inclined upward.

A method of monitoring an additive manufacturing apparatus. The method includes receiving one or more sensor signals from the additive manufacturing apparatus during a build of a workpiece, comparing the one or more sensor signals to a corresponding acceptable process variation of a plurality of acceptable process variations and generating a log based upon the comparisons. Each acceptable process variation of the plurality of acceptable process variations is associated with at least one state of progression of the build of the workpiece and the corresponding acceptable process variation is the acceptable process variation associated with the state of progression of the build when the one or more sensor signals are generated.

A de-powdering basket comprises an enclosure of at least one side wall and a bottom wall. The enclosure is configured such that, when the enclosure is disposed within a build box, the outer surfaces of the at least one side wall are substantially adjacent to the interior walls of the build box. The enclosure further comprises one or more apertures disposed within the at least one side wall, each of the apertures comprising a void that extends through the at least one side wall from an interior surface of the side wall to an exterior surface of the side wall. The enclosure may be configured to accommodate a build plate situated within the enclosure. Outer edges of the build plate may cooperate with inner surfaces of the side walls of the enclosure to prevent loose powder from passing between the outer edges of the build plate and the side walls.

A manufacturing device for additive manufacture of a three-dimensional component from a powder includes a manufacturing space delimited by a working surface including a powder bed region and a top wall including a protective glass window disposed above the powder bed region. A laser beam can be emitted through the protective glass window and through a beam passage zone to irradiate powder in the powder bed region. A shielding gas system has two outflow ducts, each disposed on the top wall and extending along a duct axis K on each side of the beam passage zone. Each output duct has a duct wall and duct wall sections that allow passage of gas and extend along the duct over an outflow length corresponding at least to an extent of the powder bed region.

A manufacturing device for additive manufacture of a three-dimensional component from a powder includes a manufacturing space delimited by a working surface including a powder bed region and a top wall including a protective glass window disposed above the powder bed region. A laser beam can be emitted through the protective glass window and through a beam passage zone to irradiate powder in the powder bed region. A shielding gas system has two outflow ducts, each disposed on the top wall and extending along a duct axis K on each side of the beam passage zone. Each output duct has a duct wall and duct wall sections that allow passage of gas and extend along the duct over an outflow length corresponding at least to an extent of the powder bed region.

An additive manufacturing system including a housing configured to contain a powder bed of material, and an array of laser emitters having a field of view. The array is configured to melt at least a portion of the powder bed within the field of view as the array translates relative to the powder bed. The system further includes a spatter collection device including a diffuser configured to discharge a stream of gas across the powder bed, and a collector configured to receive the stream of gas and contaminants entrained in the stream of gas. The collector is spaced from the diffuser such that a collection zone is defined therebetween, and the spatter collection device is configured to translate relative to the powder bed such that the collection zone overlaps with the field of view of the array.

An additive manufacturing system including a housing configured to contain a powder bed of material, and an array of laser emitters having a field of view. The array is configured to melt at least a portion of the powder bed within the field of view as the array translates relative to the powder bed. The system further includes a spatter collection device including a diffuser configured to discharge a stream of gas across the powder bed, and a collector configured to receive the stream of gas and contaminants entrained in the stream of gas. The collector is spaced from the diffuser such that a collection zone is defined therebetween, and the spatter collection device is configured to translate relative to the powder bed such that the collection zone overlaps with the field of view of the array.

A structure for delivering a flow of gas across a window or aperture of an imaging or measurement device within an apparatus for the manufacture of three-dimensional objects by layer-by-layer consolidation of particulate matter, the structure comprising: a hollow body having an upper aperture for mounting in correspondence with the window/aperture of said device, a gas flow intake region below the upper aperture, and a lower aperture; wherein the gas flow intake region is provided on opposing sides of the hollow body when viewed in cross-section along a longitudinal axis that runs from the upper aperture to the lower aperture, and comprises one or more channels configured to allow, in use, a flow of intake gas to enter the hollow body from the opposing sides of the hollow body with a flow component that predominantly lies in a plane parallel to the plane of the upper aperture, and to come into confluence within the hollow body; and wherein the hollow body is symmetrically shaped about the longitudinal axis so as to redirect the confluent flow of intake gas to form a substantially axial flow of gas along the longitudinal axis, and a backflow of gas near the internal wall of the hollow body, wherein the upper aperture is substantially shielded from the backflow by the intake flow, and wherein the velocity of the backflow is relatively low in comparison to the velocity of the intake flow. Also provided is an apparatus for the manufacture of three-dimensional objects by layer-by-layer consolidation of particulate matter, incorporating such a structure, and a method of delivering a flow of gas using such a structure.

A structure for delivering a flow of gas across a window or aperture of an imaging or measurement device within an apparatus for the manufacture of three-dimensional objects by layer-by-layer consolidation of particulate matter, the structure comprising: a hollow body having an upper aperture for mounting in correspondence with the window/aperture of said device, a gas flow intake region below the upper aperture, and a lower aperture; wherein the gas flow intake region is provided on opposing sides of the hollow body when viewed in cross-section along a longitudinal axis that runs from the upper aperture to the lower aperture, and comprises one or more channels configured to allow, in use, a flow of intake gas to enter the hollow body from the opposing sides of the hollow body with a flow component that predominantly lies in a plane parallel to the plane of the upper aperture, and to come into confluence within the hollow body; and wherein the hollow body is symmetrically shaped about the longitudinal axis so as to redirect the confluent flow of intake gas to form a substantially axial flow of gas along the longitudinal axis, and a backflow of gas near the internal wall of the hollow body, wherein the upper aperture is substantially shielded from the backflow by the intake flow, and wherein the velocity of the backflow is relatively low in comparison to the velocity of the intake flow. Also provided is an apparatus for the manufacture of three-dimensional objects by layer-by-layer consolidation of particulate matter, incorporating such a structure, and a method of delivering a flow of gas using such a structure.