Examples of methods for generating supports are described herein. In some examples, a method includes determining a starting position from a set of voxels of a three-dimensional (3D) object model to be additively manufactured. In some examples, the method also includes generating a support for the 3D object model by traversing a cost field from the starting position.

According to one embodiment, a monitoring system includes a collection device and a processing device. The collection device collects information of a solidified portion that is solidified in additive manufacturing. The additive manufacturing forms a plurality of layers by repeatedly melting and solidifying a metal powder. The processing device generates quality data of an existence or absence of a defect of the solidified portion by using the information to determine the existence or absence of the defect.

According to one embodiment, a monitoring system includes a collection device and a processing device. The collection device collects information of a solidified portion that is solidified in additive manufacturing. The additive manufacturing forms a plurality of layers by repeatedly melting and solidifying a metal powder. The processing device generates quality data of an existence or absence of a defect of the solidified portion by using the information to determine the existence or absence of the defect.

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, and systems using, inter alia, a controller that regulates formation of at least one 3D object (e.g., in real time during the 3D printing); and a non-transitory computer-readable medium facilitating the same. For example, a controller that regulates a deformation of at least a portion of the 3D object. The control may be in situ control. The control may be real-time control during the 3D printing process. For example, the control may be during a physical-attribute pulse. The present disclosure provides various methods, apparatuses, systems and software for estimating the fundamental length scale of a melt pool, and for various tools that increase the accuracy of the 3D printing.

The present invention disclosed a method of producing a three-dimensional porous tissue in-growth structure. The method includes the steps of depositing a first layer of metal powder and scanning the first layer of metal powder with a laser beam to form a portion of a plurality of predetermined unit cells. Depositing at least one additional layer of metal powder onto a previous layer and repeating the step of scanning a laser beam for at least one of the additional layers in order to continuing forming the predetermined unit cells. The method further includes continuing the depositing and scanning steps to form a medical implant.

The present invention disclosed a method of producing a three-dimensional porous tissue in-growth structure. The method includes the steps of depositing a first layer of metal powder and scanning the first layer of metal powder with a laser beam to form a portion of a plurality of predetermined unit cells. Depositing at least one additional layer of metal powder onto a previous layer and repeating the step of scanning a laser beam for at least one of the additional layers in order to continuing forming the predetermined unit cells. The method further includes continuing the depositing and scanning steps to form a medical implant.

The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a component and at least one support structure joined to the component by additive layer manufacturing, wherein the support structure has a reduced density and/or increased porosity relative to the component. The method then comprises a subsequent heat treatment step at increased pressure on the component and support structure to separate the component and at least one support structure.

An apparatus includes a control system that defines a test part having multiple features of multiple feature types. The control system controls an additive manufacturing (AM) machine to print multiple copies of the test part, with each copy being printed according to a respective set of values used as printing parameters. A measurement system obtains a computed tomography (CT) image of each of the copies of the test part. An analysis system, for each of the plurality of feature types, analyzes the CT images to identify a selected set of values for the printing parameters. The analysis system identifies a portion of the CT image related to a first feature and assesses its density based on an average grayscale value. The AM machine is then controlled to print production parts according to, for each feature type of the production parts, the selected set of values for the printing parameters.

A process for manufacturing a multi-material part by additive manufacturing, includes the following steps: a) a step of providing a pre-treated metal powder comprising grains and an oxidized and porous layer on a surface of the grains; b) a selective laser powder-bed fusion step comprising implementation of steps i) and ii) as follows: i) a step of forming a layer from the pre-treated metal powder; ii) a step of melting by laser the layer, the melting step being carried out under a reactive atmosphere and comprising changing parameters of application of the laser so that at least a first region of the layer is converted so as to lower the electrical conductivity thereof, thus forming a dielectric, and so that at least a second region of the layer is densified without converting it, the at least a first region being formed when the parameters of application of the laser allow a first energy density to be applied to the first region and/or the laser beam to be kept for a first dwell time on the first region, the at least a second region being formed when the parameters of application of the laser allow a second energy density to be applied to the second region and/or the laser beam to be kept for a second dwell time on the second region, and the first energy density being higher than the second energy density and/or the first dwell time being longer than the second dwell time. A part obtained using the process is also provided.

A method for the additive construction of a structure for a component includes the following steps: providing a prefabricated component for the component on a building board, wherein the component has a separating plane, providing a powder bed from a base material for the structure, moving the building board closer to a coating device, aligning a processing surface and the separating plane of the component for preventing adhesion between the component and the coating device, and optically measuring a surface of the powder bed.