A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is configured to increase the oxidation of ejected melted metal drops for the formation of metal support structures during manufacture of a metal object with the apparatus. The oxidation can be increased by either increasing a distance between the ejector head and a platform supporting the metal object or by providing an air flow transverse to the direction of movement of the melted metal drops, or both.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a laser and a detection system. The laser emits a laser beam to heat a powder bed to form a melt pool, and the melt pool emits light proportional to a temperature of the melt pool. The detection system includes a spectral disperser and one of a) two or more on-axis sensors or b) a line scanner. The two or more on-axis sensors or the line scanner are/is located along an axis of the emitted light, the detection system receives the emitted light from the melt pool, and an intensity of the emitted light detected by the a) two or more on-axis sensors or the b) line scanner is compared with a blackbody spectral map at a particular wavelength of the emitted light to determine a temperature of the melt pool.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a laser and a detection system. The laser emits a laser beam to heat a powder bed to form a melt pool, and the melt pool emits light proportional to a temperature of the melt pool. The detection system includes a spectral disperser and one of a) two or more on-axis sensors or b) a line scanner. The two or more on-axis sensors or the line scanner are/is located along an axis of the emitted light, the detection system receives the emitted light from the melt pool, and an intensity of the emitted light detected by the a) two or more on-axis sensors or the b) line scanner is compared with a blackbody spectral map at a particular wavelength of the emitted light to determine a temperature of the melt pool.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a laser and a detection system. The laser emits a laser beam to heat a powder bed to form a melt pool, and the melt pool emits light proportional to a temperature of the melt pool. The detection system includes a spectral disperser and one of a) two or more on-axis sensors or b) a line scanner. The two or more on-axis sensors or the line scanner are/is located along an axis of the emitted light, the detection system receives the emitted light from the melt pool, and an intensity of the emitted light detected by the a) two or more on-axis sensors or the b) line scanner is compared with a blackbody spectral map at a particular wavelength of the emitted light to determine a temperature of the melt pool.

A 3D printing system comprising, an extendable body, a material delivery system, a first wall adhesion device, and a second wall adhesion device.

A method for additive manufacturing includes identifying a discrepancy between a three-dimensional model and an object model. The three-dimensional model is a model of a three-dimensional object that is being constructed by an additive manufacturing process, and the three-dimensional object is being constructed based on the object model. The method further includes determining a reconfiguration recommendation based on the identified discrepancy. The method further includes reconfiguring the additive manufacturing process based on the reconfiguration recommendation.

Devices, systems and methods for calibrating and operating an additive manufacturing system are disclosed. A calibration system for an electron beam additive manufacturing system having a plurality of electron beam guns includes a calibration probe positioned in a build chamber of the electron beam additive manufacturing system, a sensing device positioned to measure and acquire a response generated as a result of impingement of electron beams emitted from the plurality of electron beam guns on the calibration probe, the sensing device generating a response signal as a result of the measured and acquired response, and an analysis component communicatively coupled to the sensing device and programmed to analyze and evaluate the response signal.

Devices, systems and methods for calibrating and operating an additive manufacturing system are disclosed. A calibration system for an electron beam additive manufacturing system having a plurality of electron beam guns includes a calibration probe positioned in a build chamber of the electron beam additive manufacturing system, a sensing device positioned to measure and acquire a response generated as a result of impingement of electron beams emitted from the plurality of electron beam guns on the calibration probe, the sensing device generating a response signal as a result of the measured and acquired response, and an analysis component communicatively coupled to the sensing device and programmed to analyze and evaluate the response signal.

In an approach for early notification of degradation of 3D printed parts, a processor completes an initial scan of a 3D printed part using backscatter techniques when the 3D printed part is installed and idle in the unit. A processor completes a second scan of the 3D printed part using backscatter techniques when the unit is in operation. A processor determines a baseline delta between the initial scan and the second scan. A processor performs an additional scan after a preset time interval of the 3D printed part using backscatter techniques in operation within the unit. A processor determines whether the additional scan is within the baseline delta.

A metal laminating/shaping device includes a base, a head unit including a base material injection device, and drive devices that change a positional relationship between the base and the head unit in a spatial coordinate system. The base material injection device includes a base material heating unit that heats a base material that is a metal piece having a fixed shape such that a temperature of an interior of the base material is raised to a temperature below a melting point and a temperature of a surface of the base material is raised to the melting point, and a base material injection unit that injects the heated base material toward the base. The metal laminating/shaping device can form a metal shaped article having a complicated structure at a low cost.