A beam adjustment method includes: installing, on an irradiation surface to which an electron beam is radiated, a detection part having a Faraday cup catching electrical charges of the electron beam, and installing, on a side of an electron gun further than the detection part, a shielding plate having opening holes through which the electron beam is passable. The method includes causing, upon performing beam diameter measurement processing, the electron beam to pass through the opening holes, and radiating the electron beam to the Faraday cup. In addition, the method includes radiating, upon performing normal processing, the electron beam to the shielding plate.

A beam adjustment method includes: installing, on an irradiation surface to which an electron beam is radiated, a detection part having a Faraday cup catching electrical charges of the electron beam, and installing, on a side of an electron gun further than the detection part, a shielding plate having opening holes through which the electron beam is passable. The method includes causing, upon performing beam diameter measurement processing, the electron beam to pass through the opening holes, and radiating the electron beam to the Faraday cup. In addition, the method includes radiating, upon performing normal processing, the electron beam to the shielding plate.

A lamination molding apparatus includes a molding room, a chamber, a chamber window, a molding table, a molding table driving device, surrounding walls, an irradiation device, a measuring unit, and a controller. The measuring unit includes a first measuring device acquiring a measured value of a light intensity, and a second measuring device acquiring a value of a beam diameter, and measures laser beams outputted based on set values of light intensity during molding. The controller determines an abnormality has occurred when a slope of a linear function obtained from a relationship between the measured value of the light intensity and the value of the beam diameter at a predetermined height is out of a predetermined range, or when a slope of a linear function obtained from a relationship between the measured value of the light intensity and a value of a focal position is out of a predetermined range.

A lamination molding apparatus includes a molding room, a chamber, a chamber window, a molding table, a molding table driving device, surrounding walls, an irradiation device, a measuring unit, and a controller. The measuring unit includes a first measuring device acquiring a measured value of a light intensity, and a second measuring device acquiring a value of a beam diameter, and measures laser beams outputted based on set values of light intensity during molding. The controller determines an abnormality has occurred when a slope of a linear function obtained from a relationship between the measured value of the light intensity and the value of the beam diameter at a predetermined height is out of a predetermined range, or when a slope of a linear function obtained from a relationship between the measured value of the light intensity and a value of a focal position is out of a predetermined range.

A method for providing control commands for producing a number of three-dimensional objects by an additive layer-wise building device. The method can include a step of providing a computer-based model of the number of objects that geometrically describes the objects, a step of modifying the computer-based model such that for the geometric description of the number of objects a location is defined as a common origin of coordinates, and a step of generating control commands for a set of control commands for controlling the production of the number of objects by the additive layer-wise building device on the basis of the modified computer-based model.

A system for determining a temperature of an object includes a three-dimensional (3D) printer configured to successively deposit a first layer of material, a second layer of material, and a third layer of material to form the object. The 3D printer is configured to form a recess in the second layer of material. The material is a metal. The system also includes a temperature sensor configured to be positioned at least partially with the recess and to have the third layer deposited thereon. The temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the first layer of material, the second layer of material, the third layer of material, or a combination thereof.

An additive manufacturing system may include a controller operably coupled to a vision system and an additive manufacturing machine. The controller may be configured to determine a workpiece-interface of each of a plurality of workpieces from one or more digital representations of one or more fields of view having been captured by a vision system and determining one or more coordinates of the workpiece-interface of respective ones of the plurality of workpieces, and to transmit one or more print commands to an additive manufacturing machine so as to additively print a plurality of extension segments on the workpiece-interface of respective ones of the plurality of workpieces, with the one or more print commands having been generated based at least in part on the one or more digital representations of the one or more fields of view.

This invention teaches a quality assurance system for additive manufacturing. This invention teaches a multi-sensor, real-time quality system including sensors, affiliated hardware, and data processing algorithms that are Lagrangian-Eulerian with respect to the reference frames of its associated input measurements. The quality system for Additive Manufacturing is capable of measuring true in-process state variables associated with an additive manufacturing process, i.e. those in-process variables that define a feasible process space within which the process is deemed nominal. The in-process state variables can also be correlated to the part structure or microstructure and can then be useful in identifying particular locations within the part likely to include defects.

The present invention accurately detects the state of a radiated light beam. According to the present invention, a calibration unit for a metal 3D printer that radiates a light beam at a powder to mold a built part has: a base part that is attached to a stage that is irradiated with the light beam from the metal 3D printer; and a plurality of attachment parts that are provided to the base part at different locations and have detection devices that detect the light beam attached thereto. The attachment parts are provided at different angles such that the detection directions of the detection devices attached thereto are different.

A camera assembly is employed in additive manufacturing to improve the fidelity of a printed object. The camera may scan the surface of a build plate of a 3D printer and an object as it is being printed to generate image data. The image data is processed to detect errors in the build plate or printed object. The printer compensates for the detected errors, which can including modifying the printer configuration and/or modifying the instructions for printing a given object. Using the updated configuration, subsequent objects may then be printed, under a corrected process, to produce an object with fidelity to an original object model.