Methods and apparatuses for additive manufacturing are described. A method for additive manufacturing may include exposing a layer of material on a build surface to one or more projections of laser energy including at least one line laser having a substantially linear shape. The intensity of the line laser may be modulated so as to cause fusion of the layer of material according to a desired pattern as the one or more projections of laser energy are scanned across the build surface.

Assemblies fabricated by additive manufacturing include an object and a base plate providing support to the object during the manufacturing process. The geometry of the base plate is defined to optimize space and material constraints. During sintering, the base plate is reduced in area in a manner complementing the reduction in the footprint of the object, preserving the fidelity of the finished object.

An additive manufacturing system (100) includes a build tool (110) configured to deposit a feedstock material and/or deliver consolidation energy promoting consolidation of the feedstock material within an accessible range defining a build space. The system also includes a controller (120) configured to determine a build trajectory through the build space, where the build trajectory includes build points at which the feedstock material and/or the consolidation energy is applied (202), determine respective consolidation times of the feedstock material for one or more of the plurality of the build points (204), determine a deposition rate at which the feedstock material is deposited and/or consolidation energy is delivered to the feedstock material based at least in part on the determined consolidation times of the feedstock material (204), and cause the build tool to build an object in accordance with the determined build trajectory and the determined deposition rate (208).

A fabrication of a build structure by an additive layer manufacturing machine is assessed and controlled. A first portion of a first material is selectively heated to form a first formed layer of the build structure having a first thickness. An image of a predefined region of the first formed layer is generated. The image depicts topographical characteristics within the predefined region of the first formed layer. A subsequent portion of the first or a second material is selectively heated to form a subsequent formed layer of the build structure attached to the first formed layer. The subsequent formed layer has a second thickness that correlates with the depicted topographical characteristics.

A three-dimensional shaping device includes: a discharge unit configured to discharge a shaping material; a weight measuring unit configured to measure a weight of the shaping material discharged from the discharge unit; and a control unit configured to control the discharge unit and the weight measuring unit to shape a three-dimensional shaped object by stacking layers of the shaping material in a shaping region of a stage, in which the control unit is configured to control the weight measuring unit to measure the weight of the shaping material discharged from the discharge unit, determine whether a predetermined amount of the shaping material is discharged from the discharge unit based on the weight measured by the weight measuring unit, and when it is determined that the predetermined amount of the shaping material is not discharged, control the discharge unit so that the predetermined amount of the shaping material is discharged from the discharge unit.

A three-dimensional shaping device includes: a discharge unit configured to discharge a shaping material; a weight measuring unit configured to measure a weight of the shaping material discharged from the discharge unit; and a control unit configured to control the discharge unit and the weight measuring unit to shape a three-dimensional shaped object by stacking layers of the shaping material in a shaping region of a stage, in which the control unit is configured to control the weight measuring unit to measure the weight of the shaping material discharged from the discharge unit, determine whether a predetermined amount of the shaping material is discharged from the discharge unit based on the weight measured by the weight measuring unit, and when it is determined that the predetermined amount of the shaping material is not discharged, control the discharge unit so that the predetermined amount of the shaping material is discharged from the discharge unit.

A method of calibrating a laser of an additive manufacturing system involves processing a test pattern with the laser while varying one or more of laser power and/or scan speed. Thermal energy emitted from the resulting meltpool is measured while processing the test pattern. The power of the laser is calculated using a relationship between volumetric energy density and the thermal emissions, and the laser power is adjusted based on the calculated laser power. An additive manufacturing system for performing such a method may include a laser, a thermal sensor configured to measure meltpool thermal emissions, a processor configured to calculate a laser power based on the measured meltpool thermal emissions of the test pattern, and a controller configured to adjust the laser power based on the calculated laser power.

A method of calibrating a laser of an additive manufacturing system involves processing a test pattern with the laser while varying one or more of laser power and/or scan speed. Thermal energy emitted from the resulting meltpool is measured while processing the test pattern. The power of the laser is calculated using a relationship between volumetric energy density and the thermal emissions, and the laser power is adjusted based on the calculated laser power. An additive manufacturing system for performing such a method may include a laser, a thermal sensor configured to measure meltpool thermal emissions, a processor configured to calculate a laser power based on the measured meltpool thermal emissions of the test pattern, and a controller configured to adjust the laser power based on the calculated laser power.

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.