The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing processes, apparatuses, software, and systems for the production of at least one desired 3D object. The 3D printer system (e.g., comprising a processing chamber, build module, or an unpacking station) described herein may retain a desired (e.g., inert) atmosphere around the material bed and/or 3D object at multiple 3D printing stages. The 3D printer described herein comprises one or more build modules that may have a controller separate from the controller of the processing chamber. The 3D printer described herein comprises a platform that may be automatically constructed. The invention(s) described herein may allow the 3D printing process to occur for a long time without operator intervention and/or down time.

Tantalum powder that is highly spherical is described. The tantalum powder can be useful in additive manufacturing and other uses. Methods to make the tantalum powder are further described as well as methods to utilize the tantalum powder in additive manufacturing processes. Resulting products and articles using the tantalum powder are further described.

Tantalum powder that is highly spherical is described. The tantalum powder can be useful in additive manufacturing and other uses. Methods to make the tantalum powder are further described as well as methods to utilize the tantalum powder in additive manufacturing processes. Resulting products and articles using the tantalum powder are further described.

A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include providing a powder bed and directing a shaped laser beam pulse train consisting of one or more pulses and having a flux greater than 20 kW/cm.sup.2 at a defined two dimensional region of the powder bed. This minimizes adverse laser plasma effects during the process of melting and fusing powder within the defined two dimensional region.

Devices, systems, and methods for monitoring a powder layer in additive manufacturing are disclosed. A method of monitoring a powder layer includes receiving image data corresponding the powder layer supported by a powder bed within a build chamber from imaging devices, determining leading and trailing regions of interest located adjacent to a leading end and a trailing end of the moving powder distributor, respectively, the leading and trailing regions of interest moving according to movement of the moving powder distributor, selecting at least one point located in the leading region of interest from the image data, determining first characteristics of the point, when the point is located within the trailing region of interest, determining second characteristics of the point, and comparing the first characteristics to the second characteristics.

Provision module (2) for providing additive manufacturing powder, comprising a main hopper (29) for storing additive manufacturing powder, the main hopper (29) being designed to be connected to a manufacturing module (4) configured to additively manufacture an object from the powder located in the main hopper (29), an inlet (211) of the provision module (2), which inlet is designed to be connected to the manufacturing module (4) and to receive powder located in the manufacturing module (4), a glovebox (25) designed to receive a container (28), the glovebox (25) being able to be closed in a sealed manner, a supply circuit configured to transfer powder located in the glovebox (25) to the main hopper (29), an extraction circuit that is different from the supply circuit and is configured to transfer additive manufacturing powder from the inlet (211) of the provision module (2) to the container (28), when the container (28) is received in the glovebox (25), the glovebox (25) comprising gloves (251) for closing the container (28) once it has been filled with powder, while the glovebox (25) is closed.

Provided is a method which includes a first layer formation step of forming a first layer by using a first composition that contains a constituent material powder, a first powder, and a binder of a three-dimensional shaped article; a second layer formation step of forming a second layer by using a second composition that contains a second powder and a binder; a degreasing step of a stack containing the first layer and the second layer; and a sintering step of the stack, a decomposition point of the first powder is higher than decomposition points of the binder of the first layer and the binder of the second layer, a decomposition point of the second powder is higher than the decomposition point of the first powder, and a sintering temperature of the constituent material powder is higher than the decomposition point of the second powder.

Provided is a method which includes a first layer formation step of forming a first layer by using a first composition that contains a constituent material powder, a first powder, and a binder of a three-dimensional shaped article; a second layer formation step of forming a second layer by using a second composition that contains a second powder and a binder; a degreasing step of a stack containing the first layer and the second layer; and a sintering step of the stack, a decomposition point of the first powder is higher than decomposition points of the binder of the first layer and the binder of the second layer, a decomposition point of the second powder is higher than the decomposition point of the first powder, and a sintering temperature of the constituent material powder is higher than the decomposition point of the second powder.

A system and method of monitoring a powder-bed additive manufacturing process using a plurality of energy sources is provided. A layer of additive powder is deposited on a powder bed and is fused using a first energy source, a second energy source, or any other suitable number of energy sources. The electromagnetic energy emissions at a first melt pool are monitored by a melt pool monitoring system and recorded as raw emission signals. The melt pool monitoring system may also monitor emissions from the powder bed using off-axis sensors or from a second melt pool using on-axis sensors, and these emissions may be used to modify the raw emission signals to generate compensated emission signals. The compensated emission signals are analyzed to identify outlier emissions and an alert may be provided or a process adjustment may be made when outlier emissions exceed a predetermined signal threshold.

An additive manufacturing apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of layers of a powder material, which parts correspond to successive cross-sections of the three-dimensional article includes a process chamber housing enclosing a process chamber. A rotatable support conveyor is rotatably connected to a bottom of the process chamber housing by a rotatable shaft. The rotatable support conveyor includes an opening that extends therethrough for dispensing powder material from a powder storage vessel located on the rotatable support conveyor and a powder distributor that includes a rake portion that is located between the rotatable support conveyor and the bottom of the process chamber housing.