A system and method for monitoring and controlling build quality during electron beam manufacturing of a build part. The system may include at least one electron beam source to direct at least one electron beam onto a plurality of deposited layers of metallic powder to form a melt pool, a detector to detect in real-time backscattered energy ejected from the melt pool and indicative of a defect in the build part and generate a detection signal representative of the defect. A controller receives and analyzes the detection signal and generates a corrective signal for control of at least one of the actuator and the at least one electron beam source to direct the at least one electron beam onto the plurality of deposited layers of metallic powder to sequentially consolidate patterned portions of the plurality of deposited metallic powder layers to adaptively form the three-dimensional build part.

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.

A component includes a body, and an interface in the body defining a first and second portion of the body made by different melting beam sources of a multiple melting beam source additive manufacturing system during a single build. The component also includes a channel extending through the body. The channel includes an interface-distant area on opposing sides of the interface, each interface-distant area having a first width. The channel also includes an enlarged width area fluidly communicative with the interface-distant areas and spanning the interface, the enlarged width area having a second width larger than the first width. Any misalignment of the melting beams at the interface is addressed by the enlarged width area, eliminating the problem of reduced cooling fluid flow in the channel.

A method for producing three-dimensional objects layer by layer using a powdery material which can be solidified by irradiating it with at least two electron beams, said method comprises a pre-heating step, wherein the pre-heating step comprises the sub-step of scanning a pre-heating powder layer area (100) by scanning a first electron beam in a first region (I) and by scanning a second electron beam in a second region (II) distributed over the pre-heating powder layer area (100), wherein consecutively scanned paths are separated by, at least, a security distance (Y), said sub-step further comprising the step of synchronising the preheating of said first and second electron beams when simultaneously preheating said powder material within said first and second regions respectively, so that said first and second electron beams are always separated to each other with at least a minimum security distance (X).

A method and apparatus particularly for additively manufacturing materials that are susceptible to hot cracking. The additive manufacturing process may include a leading energy beam (16) for liquefying a raw material to form a melt pool (20), and a trailing energy beam (17) directed toward a trailing region of the melt pool. The trailing energy beam may be configured to enhance agitation and/or redistribution of liquid in the melt pool to prevent hot cracking, reduce porosity, or improve other characteristics of the solidified part. The method and apparatus also may improve processing parameters, such as adjusting vacuum level to prevent volatilization of alloying agents, or providing a chill plate to control interpass temperature. The process may be used to form new articles, and also may be used to enhance tailorability and flexibility in design or repair of pre-existing articles, among other considerations.

Provided is a method for forming a three-dimensional article through successively depositing individual layers of powder material that are fused together so as to form the article in a vacuum chamber, said method comprising the steps of: providing at least one electron beam source emitting an electron beam for at least one of heating or fusing said powder material in said vacuum chamber, applying a first set of beam parameters for formation of a fused bulk material of said three-dimensional article, where said bulk material has a predetermined microstructure, applying a second set of beam parameters for formation of a top portion of said three-dimensional article, wherein said second set of beam parameters is applied a predetermined number of layers prior to reaching a top surface of said three-dimensional article for encapsulating chimney porosities into said bulk material. Associated apparatus and computer program product are also provided.

A method of electron beam welding a plurality of secondary components to a primary component. The method comprises: (a) on a first weld path which defines a respective section of the primary component to be welded to a first secondary component, forming, by electron beam welding, a spot weld which joins the primary component and the first secondary component at a respective spot weld location on the first weld path; and (b) on a second weld path which defines a respective section of the primary component to be welded to a second secondary component, forming, by electron beam welding, a spot weld which joins together the primary component and the second secondary component at a respective spot weld location on the second weld path. Each of steps (a) and (b) is repeated at least once, in any order, so as to form, on each of the first and second weld paths, a respective set of contiguous spot welds arranged along the respective weld path. Each successive spot weld is formed while one or more of the previous spot welds is solidifying and only after any existing spot weld(s) with which it is contiguous has solidified.

An additive manufacturing device utilizing an electron beam and laser integrated scanning comprises: a vacuum generating chamber (1); a worktable means having a forming region at least provided in the vacuum generating chamber (1); a powder supply means configured to supply a powder to the forming region; an electron-beam emission focusing and scanning means (6) and an laser-beam emission focusing and scanning means (7) configured in such a manner that a scanning range of the electron-beam emission focusing and scanning means (6) and a scanning range of the laser-beam emission focusing and scanning means (7) cover at least a part of the forming region; and a controller configured to control the electron-beam emission focusing and scanning means (6) and the laser-beam emission focusing and scanning means (7) to perform a powder integrated-scanning and forming treatment on the forming region.

A welding or cladding apparatus in which one or more energy beam emitters are used to generate a wide beam spot transverse to a welding or cladding path, and one or more wide feeders feed wire to the spot to create a wide welding or cladding puddle.

An aluminum alloy precursor composition and method for fusion processing is provided which reduces hot cracking, improves compositional control, reduces porosity, and/or enhances the mechanical properties of the fusion processed article. The precursor material and fusion process using the same may be utilized for forming an article that meets compositional specifications for aluminum 6061 alloy, while minimizing defects and meeting desired strength and ductility requirements. The fusion process may include a leading energy beam for liquefying the precursor material to form a melt pool, and a trailing energy beam directed toward a trailing region of the melt pool. The trailing energy beam may be configured to enhance agitation and/or redistribution of liquid in the melt pool to prevent hot cracking, reduce porosity, or improve other characteristics of the solidified part. The method also may improve processing parameters, such as adjusting vacuum level to prevent volatilization of alloying elements.