The present disclosure relates to the manufacture and use of an additive manufacturing (AM) system that employs a spacer flow guide disposed or formed within a housing that defines a chamber of the AM system. The spacer flow guide may direct various portions of a gas flow within the chamber to respective exhaust channels. For example, in combination with portions of the housing, the spacer flow guide may define a main exhaust channel that extends between the chamber and a gas outlet formed in a downstream end of the housing. Additionally, a bypass exhaust channel may be defined between the chamber and a back surface of the spacer flow guide to fluidly couple an upper portion of the chamber to the main exhaust channel.

A filter assembly for an additive manufacturing apparatus has a housing defining a gas inlet and a gas outlet. A filter element is located within the housing between the gas inlet and the gas outlet. The assembly includes valves that can be actuated to seal the gas inlet and the gas outlet. Additionally the assembly has a fluid inlet for allowing ingress of a fluid into the housing. The assembly allows a filter element, which may contain volatile particles, to be changed safely. By sealing the gas inlet and outlet and flooding the housing with a suitable fluid, volatile particles captured by the filter can be neutralised.

A efficient large-scale selective laser melting forming device comprises a rack (1), a forming workbench (2) arranged on the rack, a forming bin (3) sleeved on the forming workbench and a galvanometer scanning device (7) arranged outside the forming bin and moving reciprocally along the powder spreading direction to form a multi-station working state, and a smoke blowing and sucking mechanism (8) arranged in the forming bin in a mode of synchronously moving to the same station with the galvanometer scanning device. The galvanometer scanning device can move reciprocally along the powder spreading direction to form a multi-station working state. The galvanometer scanning device is entirely arranged outside the forming bin. The smoke blowing and sucking mechanism arranged in the forming bin can synchronously move with the galvanometer scanning device to the same station.

A efficient large-scale selective laser melting forming device comprises a rack (1), a forming workbench (2) arranged on the rack, a forming bin (3) sleeved on the forming workbench and a galvanometer scanning device (7) arranged outside the forming bin and moving reciprocally along the powder spreading direction to form a multi-station working state, and a smoke blowing and sucking mechanism (8) arranged in the forming bin in a mode of synchronously moving to the same station with the galvanometer scanning device. The galvanometer scanning device can move reciprocally along the powder spreading direction to form a multi-station working state. The galvanometer scanning device is entirely arranged outside the forming bin. The smoke blowing and sucking mechanism arranged in the forming bin can synchronously move with the galvanometer scanning device to the same station.

According to the present invention a method is provided for feeding a gas flow to an additive manufacturing space during a manufacturing process wherein the gas flow is established by a pump connected to the manufacturing space wherein the pump is controlled by a set differential pressure, and wherein the gas flow consists of Helium or the gas flow consists of a gas mixture comprising 30 Vol.-% Argon and 70 Vol.-% Helium or the gas flow consists of a gas mixture comprising 50 Vol.-% Argon and 50 Vol.-% Helium or the gas flow consists of a gas mixture comprising 70 Vol.-% Argon and 30 Vol.-% Helium.

The invention relates to a manufacturing device for the additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object and a corresponding method. The object is manufactured by applying a building material in layer-wise form and selectively solidifying the building material at points corresponding to the cross-section of the object. The points are scanned with at least one exposure area, and, during operation, a movable gas inlet approaches a reference process point and/or a target flow supply zone assigned to the reference process point for the flow supply with the process gas, and the process gas is discharged via a stationary gas outlet.

The invention relates to a manufacturing device for the additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object and a corresponding method. The object is manufactured by applying a building material in layer-wise form and selectively solidifying the building material at points corresponding to the cross-section of the object. The points are scanned with at least one exposure area, and, during operation, a movable gas inlet approaches a reference process point and/or a target flow supply zone assigned to the reference process point for the flow supply with the process gas, and the process gas is discharged via a stationary gas outlet.

Provided is a laminate molding apparatus including a chamber, a laser irradiation device, an inert gas supply device, a fume collector, and an evacuate device. The evacuate device includes an intake port, an evacuate amount adjusting portion, a controller, and an evacuate port. The intake port is connected to any part of the laminate molding apparatus through which the inert gas flows, and takes in the inert gas. The evacuate amount adjusting portion adjusts an evacuate amount of the inert gas. The controller controls the evacuate amount adjusting portion to evacuate the inert gas such that an atmospheric pressure in the chamber and an external atmospheric pressure become uniform within a range in which leakage of the inert gas from the chamber is suppressed. The evacuate port evacuates the inert gas from which fumes have been removed to the outside of the laminate molding apparatus.

The lamination molding apparatus includes an irradiator, a processing device, a cooling device, and an inert gas supply source. The irradiator irradiates a laser beam or an electron beam to a material layer to form a solidified layer. The processing device includes a processing head for holding a tool, and a processing head driver for moving the processing head in at least a horizontal direction. The cooling device is arranged in the processing head and cools a solidified body formed by laminating the solidified layers to a cooling temperature. The cooling device includes a cold gas discharger having a cold gas discharge port for discharging a cold gas being an inert gas having a temperature equal to or lower than the cooling temperature, and discharging the cold gas toward the solidified body. The inert gas supply source supplies the inert gas to the cold gas discharger.

The lamination molding apparatus includes an irradiator, a processing device, a cooling device, and an inert gas supply source. The irradiator irradiates a laser beam or an electron beam to a material layer to form a solidified layer. The processing device includes a processing head for holding a tool, and a processing head driver for moving the processing head in at least a horizontal direction. The cooling device is arranged in the processing head and cools a solidified body formed by laminating the solidified layers to a cooling temperature. The cooling device includes a cold gas discharger having a cold gas discharge port for discharging a cold gas being an inert gas having a temperature equal to or lower than the cooling temperature, and discharging the cold gas toward the solidified body. The inert gas supply source supplies the inert gas to the cold gas discharger.