Method and plant for recovery of a processed, powdered structural material in a plant for manufacturing a three-dimensional component by selective solidification of the structural material by a beam directed onto the structural material, in which, in a construction station which includes a process chamber, the component is manufactured on a substrate plate in a construction module by layered hardening of the structural material and/or in which, in an unpacking station which includes an unpacking chamber, the component manufactured in the construction module is removed from the construction module, and the processed, non-hardened structural material is removed from the component, in which the processed structural material is collected in a collecting device by a recovery device and provided for further feeding into the process chamber for manufacturing further components, wherein the recovery device includes at least one cartridge filled with the processed structural material collected in the application device.

Method and plant for recovery of a processed, powdered structural material in a plant for manufacturing a three-dimensional component by selective solidification of the structural material by a beam directed onto the structural material, in which, in a construction station which includes a process chamber, the component is manufactured on a substrate plate in a construction module by layered hardening of the structural material and/or in which, in an unpacking station which includes an unpacking chamber, the component manufactured in the construction module is removed from the construction module, and the processed, non-hardened structural material is removed from the component, in which the processed structural material is collected in a collecting device by a recovery device and provided for further feeding into the process chamber for manufacturing further components, wherein the recovery device includes at least one cartridge filled with the processed structural material collected in the application device.

Calibration systems, additive manufacturing systems employing the same, and methods of calibrating include a plurality of electron beam guns. One calibration system includes an imaging device positioned to capture one or more images of an impingement of electron beams emitted from the plurality of electron beam guns on a surface within a build chamber of the electron beam additive manufacturing system and an analysis component communicatively coupled to the imaging device. The analysis component is programmed to receive image data corresponding to the one or more images, determine one or more calibration parameters from the image data, and transmit one or more instructions to the plurality of electron beam guns in accordance with the one or more calibration parameters.

A laser treatment system and method for imparting beneficial residual stresses into a desired part during production thereof by a Selective Laser Sintering or Melting (SLS/SLM) process, the method including repeatedly subjecting the part to an in-situ Laser Shock Peening (LSP) treatment during the SLS/SLM process. The in-situ LSP treatment includes selectively bringing an LSP module in contact with a surface of the part during the SLS/SLM process, and subjecting the LSP module to the action of a first laser beam to impart beneficial residual stresses into the part. The LSP module is movable between a building chamber where the part is being produced for the purpose of carrying out the in-situ LSP treatment, and a separate storage chamber when the LSP module is not used for the purpose of carrying out the in-situ LSP treatment. The invention is also implementable in a corresponding additive manufacturing system and method.

A 3D printing system comprising: a selective solidification module to: form a printed article by processing a build material; and form a printed container encompassing the printed article and a portion of unused build material about the printed article, the printed container defining a first port and a second port fluidly connected to the first port. The 3D printing system further comprises a connector to couple to the first port or second port of the printed container; and a pump fluidly connected to the connector to cause a fluid to flow through the printed container from the first port to the second port such that the printed article is cooled by the fluid flow.

A method for producing a catalyst system for gas reactions comprising at least one planar structure of noble metal having gas-permeable openings, comprising the steps of:

(1) providing at least one noble metal powder consisting of at least substantially spherical noble metal particles, and

(2) repeatedly applying the noble metal powder or powders provided in step (1) in layers to a substrate in a build chamber, respectively followed by an at least partial melting of the respective noble metal powder applied as a layer with high-energy radiation, and allowing the melted noble metal powder to solidify within the scope of additive manufacturing.

A layer forming apparatus includes a loading unit including a stage onto which powder is supplied, a rotator that flattens the powder on the stage to form a powder layer, and circuitry. The circuitry causes the rotator to move in a first direction parallel to a surface of the stage and rotate while contacting the powder on the stage to form the powder layer. Further, the circuitry causes the rotator to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction and rotate while contacting surplus powder not on the stage.

A layer forming apparatus includes a loading unit including a stage onto which powder is supplied, a rotator that flattens the powder on the stage to form a powder layer, and circuitry. The circuitry causes the rotator to move in a first direction parallel to a surface of the stage and rotate while contacting the powder on the stage to form the powder layer. Further, the circuitry causes the rotator to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction and rotate while contacting surplus powder not on the stage.

In one example, a decaking system for 3D printing includes a platform to support multiple green parts in unbound powder surrounding the green parts, a decaking tool to remove unbound powder from around the green parts, a camera to photograph green parts on the platform as unbound powder is removed from around the green parts, and a controller operatively connected to the camera. The controller is programmed to detect a pattern of light intensity in the photographs and, in response to a determination a detected pattern matches a reference pattern, modulate or stop the decaking tool.

In one example, a decaking system for 3D printing includes a platform to support multiple green parts in unbound powder surrounding the green parts, a decaking tool to remove unbound powder from around the green parts, a camera to photograph green parts on the platform as unbound powder is removed from around the green parts, and a controller operatively connected to the camera. The controller is programmed to detect a pattern of light intensity in the photographs and, in response to a determination a detected pattern matches a reference pattern, modulate or stop the decaking tool.