A method of additive manufacture suitable for large and high resolution structures is disclosed. The method may include sequentially advancing each portion of a continuous part in the longitudinal direction from a first zone to a second zone. In the first zone, selected granules of a granular material may be amalgamated. In the second zone, unamalgamated granules of the granular material may be removed. The method may further include advancing a first portion of the continuous part from the second zone to a third zone while (1) a last portion of the continuous part is formed within the first zone and (2) the first portion is maintained in the same position in the lateral and transverse directions that the first portion occupied within the first zone and the second zone.

A computing device for controlling the operation of an additive manufacturing machine comprises a memory element and a processing element. The memory element is configured to store a three-dimensional model of a part to be manufactured, wherein the three-dimensional model defines a plurality of cross sections of the part. The processing element is in communication with the memory element. The processing element is configured to receive the three-dimensional model, determine a plurality of paths, each path including a plurality of parallel lines, determine a radiation beam power for each line, such that the radiation beam power varies non-linearly according to a length of the line, and determine a radiation beam scan speed for each line, such that the radiation beam scan speed is a function of a temperature of a material used to manufacture the part, the length of the line, and the radiation beam power for the line.

An additive manufacturing system including a two-dimensional energy patterning system for imaging a powder bed is disclosed. Improved optical systems supporting beam combining, beam steering, and both patterned and unpatterned beam recycling and re-use are described.

A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include restricting, by an enclosure, an exchange of gaseous matter between an interior of the enclosure and an exterior of the enclosure. The method may further include running multiple machines within the enclosure. Each of the machines may execute its own process of additive manufacture. While the machines are running, a gas management system may maintain gaseous oxygen within the enclosure at or below a limiting oxygen concentration for the interior.

A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include creating, by a 3D printer contained within an enclosure, a part having a weight greater than or equal to 2,000 kilograms. A gas management system may maintain gaseous oxygen within the enclosure atmospheric level. In some embodiments, a wheeled vehicle may transport the part from inside the enclosure, through an airlock, as the airlock operates to buffer between a gaseous environment within the enclosure and a gaseous environment outside the enclosure, and to a location exterior to both the enclosure and the airlock.

A method for producing a layered object includes irradiating a surface layer of the object with an energy beam to create an interaction zone on the surface layer. The method also includes providing relative motion between the energy beam and the surface layer so as to control the interaction between the energy beam and the surface layer. The method also includes introducing feedstock into the interaction zone so that the feedstock melts and forms a hot solidified surface after leaving the interaction zone. The method also includes applying mechanical energy to the hot solidified surface.

A manufacturing process is provided. During this process, material is solidified together within a chamber to form an object using an additive manufacturing device. At least a portion of the solidified material is conditioned within the chamber using a material conditioning device.

Example systems may include an energy source, a material delivery device, and a computing device. The computing device, based on a target height of a layer deposited on a component by directed energy deposition, may control an energy source directed at a component and may control a material delivery device. Controlling the energy source may include advancing an energy beam along a first path to form an advancing molten pool on the component. Controlling the material delivery device may include delivering a material to the advancing molten pool. The material may combine with the advancing molten pool to form a first raised track having an actual height. The layer may include the first raised track. A deposited region of the component may include the layer. The actual height may affect a resultant microstructure within the deposited region.

Systems and methods for the manufacture of a solid wire using additive manufacturing techniques are disclosed. In one embodiment, a fine powdery material is sintered or melted or soldered or metallurgically bonded onto a metal strip substrate in a compacted solid form or a near-net shape (e.g., a near-net solid wire shape) before being turned into a final product through forming or drawing dies.

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus systems and methods described herein provide, among other things, a system for additive manufacturing of metal objects. The system includes two electron beams. In one optional implementation, one beam is high powered and acts as a deposition beam that melts a metal feed stock material which is delivered to a deposition zone and onto a work surface and the second electron beam is a low power electron source. The second electron beam acts as an interrogating source that generates an electron beam which interacts with the deposited material. The second electron beam may be active after material is deposited and provides post-deposition in-situ metrology. Various signals generated by this second beam/material interaction are collected and used to provide information about the melted and deposited material.