Support substrates are used in certain additive fabrication processes to permit processing of an object. For additive fabrication processes with materials that are sintered into a final part, a multi-layer support substrate of interleaved support and interface layers is fabricated to support an object while reducing an impact of friction on shrinkage of the part during the sintering process.

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.

A manufacturing installation for the additive manufacturing of components, each provided with at least one material overhang, has at least one building platform on which the particular component can at least partially be additively manufactured. In order to reduce the material consumption and the time to produce additively manufactured components, the manufacturing installation has at least one preferably electrically controllable support device with at least one movable support arm for the at least temporary holding of at least one support element, arranged on the support arm, during the additive manufacture of the particular component above the building platform.

A manufacturing installation for the additive manufacturing of components, each provided with at least one material overhang, has at least one building platform on which the particular component can at least partially be additively manufactured. In order to reduce the material consumption and the time to produce additively manufactured components, the manufacturing installation has at least one preferably electrically controllable support device with at least one movable support arm for the at least temporary holding of at least one support element, arranged on the support arm, during the additive manufacture of the particular component above the building platform.

Methods for producing an object by generative manufacturing, a component, and a computer-readable medium. In one method, a sheet-like part is formed with bulges. In another method, a supporting structure is formed with an arch formed by arch segments converging in the buildup direction and meet at an arch tip. In another method, a supporting structure is formed with a strut of a cloverleaf-like cross-sectional shape. In another method, a supporting structure is formed with a sheet-like part connected to the object and formed to project obliquely forward from the object in the buildup direction. In another method, a supporting structure is formed with a sheet-like part extending substantially along the buildup direction, the sheet-like part formed with apertures. In another method, a supporting structure is formed with a sheet-like part connected to the object and, in a region of transition of the same to the object to be generated, has a perforation and/or a predetermined breaking edge along a contour of the object.

The invention relates to a plausibility checking method for rapid prototyping devices, in particular for stereolithography devices. In this connection, input data (14) is checked which is present particularly in the form of graphics data and of which every file renders a layer. Every layer comprises a plurality of pixels. The component to be printed in the respective layer is produced based on output data by the rapid prototyping device. The input data of two consecutive layers is checked and the sum of all pixels to be exposed is determined for every layer. A signal (22) is output in particular as a warning signal (26) when the pixel sum of a following layer is larger than in the previous layer by a predetermined factor.

A method for producing a support structure in the additive manufacturing of a component, includes: a) providing a geometry for the component having a region to be supported, b) providing a support structure for the region of the component, c) defining an irradiation pattern for an irradiation of layers of a raw material for the support structure, wherein surface vectors for an irradiation for a structure of the component extend into a region of the support structure, wherein common surface vectors are defined for the component and for the support structure, and d) selective irradiation of layers of the raw material for the component and the provided support structure according to the defined irradiation pattern.

A method for producing a support structure in the additive manufacturing of a component, includes: a) providing a geometry for the component having a region to be supported, b) providing a support structure for the region of the component, c) defining an irradiation pattern for an irradiation of layers of a raw material for the support structure, wherein surface vectors for an irradiation for a structure of the component extend into a region of the support structure, wherein common surface vectors are defined for the component and for the support structure, and d) selective irradiation of layers of the raw material for the component and the provided support structure according to the defined irradiation pattern.

An apparatus (100) for additive manufacturing of a part of an article from a first material comprising particles having a first composition is provided. The apparatus (100) comprises a layer providing means (110) for providing a first support layer from a second material comprising particles having a second composition, wherein the first composition and the second composition are different. The apparatus (100) comprises a concavity defining means (120) for defining a first concavity in an exposed surface of the first support layer. The apparatus (100) comprises a depositing means (130) for depositing a part of the first material in the first concavity defined in the first support layer. The apparatus (100) comprises a levelling means (140) for selectively levelling the deposited first material in the first concavity. The apparatus (100) comprises a first fusing means (150) for fusing some of the particles of the levelled first material in the first concavity by at least partially melting said particles, thereby forming a first part of the layer of the article. In this way, the second material may be thus used to provide a support structure during additive manufacturing of the part of the article.

A three-dimensional object manufacturing method includes a molding step of molding a first three-dimensional object, a second three-dimensional object and a first support part for coupling the first and second three-dimensional objects at mutually different positions on a base plate by an additive manufacturing, and a separation step of separating the first three-dimensional object, the second three-dimensional object, the first support part and the base plate from each other. In the separation step, the first and second three-dimensional objects are separated from each other by dividing the first support part after at least one of the first and second three-dimensional objects is separated from the base plate.