A selective laser solidification apparatus including; a powder bed onto which powder layers can be deposited, at least one laser module for generating a plurality of laser beams for solidifying the powder material deposited onto the powder bed, a laser scanner for individually steering each laser beam to solidify separate areas in each powder layer, and a processing unit. A scanning zone for each laser beam is defined by the locations on the powder bed to which the laser beam can be steered by the laser scanner. The laser scanner is arranged such that each scanning zone is less than the total area of powder bed and at least two of the scanning zones overlap. The processing unit is arranged for selecting, for at least one powder layers, which laser beam to use to scan an area of the powder layer located within a region wherein the seaming zones overlap.

Method for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, whereby flow of an inert process gas, preferably an inert gas or containing inert gas, is created, the inert process gas flowing through a chamber (3, 10) of at least one build apparatus (2) which is configured to additively manufacture three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a powdered build material (3) which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam, and/or through a chamber of at least one apparatus (2) which is configured to perform at least one pre-processing step of an additive manufacturing process, and/or through a chamber of at least one at least one apparatus (2) which is configured to perform at least one post-processing step of an additive manufacturing process, wherein the flow of process gas displaces a certain volume of fluid from the chamber (3, 10).

A method of monitoring an additive manufacturing process in which one or more energy beams are used to selectively fuse a powder to form a workpiece, in the presence of one or more plumes generated by interaction of the one or more energy beams with the powder. The method includes using at least one sensor to generate at least one signal representative of a trajectory of one or more of the plumes.

A method for the dry filtration of a gas flow carrying foreign objects, a filter device for cleaning off waste gas resulting from additive manufacturing technologies, comprises feeding a raw gas flow containing foreign objects into a raw gas space of a filter unit having at least one filter surface separating a raw gas side from a clean gas side; feeding oxidant to a reaction region located on the raw gas side of the filter surface downstream of the filter surface; such that foreign objects contained in material cleaned off from the filter surface and/or in the raw gas flow react with the oxidant in the reaction region to form oxide-containing foreign objects.

A method for the dry filtration of a gas flow carrying foreign objects, a filter device for cleaning off waste gas resulting from additive manufacturing technologies, comprises feeding a raw gas flow containing foreign objects into a raw gas space of a filter unit having at least one filter surface separating a raw gas side from a clean gas side; feeding oxidant to a reaction region located on the raw gas side of the filter surface downstream of the filter surface; such that foreign objects contained in material cleaned off from the filter surface and/or in the raw gas flow react with the oxidant in the reaction region to form oxide-containing foreign objects.

A device for metering one or more powder(s) (A, B) to produce a flow (23) of powder(s) and of a carrier gas at a given volume flow rate, comprises: ⋅at least a first source (25) suitable for supplying a first flow (27) comprising a first powder (A) and a first carrier gas (G1) substantially at the given volume flow rate, ⋅a source (33) of a carrier gas suitable for supplying an adjustment carrier gas flow (35) substantially at the given volume flow rate, ⋅an outlet junction (49) for emitting said flow of powder(s) and of carrier gas, ⋅a first proportional valve (59), ⋅an adjustment proportional valve (75), and ⋅a control system (21) suitable for controlling at least the first proportional valve and the adjustment proportional valve so that the flow of powder(s) and of carrier gas has a volume flow rate substantially equal to the given volume flow rate.

In a method of treating a gas stream (32) containing combustible and/or reactive particles (34) at least a part of the particles (34) contained in the gas stream (32) is separated from the gas stream (32) by means of a separation device (36). The particles (34) separated from the gas stream (32) by means of the separation device (36) are supplied to a collecting vessel (40). The supply of particles (34) to the collecting vessel (40) is interrupted. A flame retardant material (57) is supplied to the collecting vessel (40) so as to form a cover layer of flame retardant material (57) on the particles (34) contained in the collecting vessel (40).

In a method of treating a gas stream (32) containing combustible and/or reactive particles (34) at least a part of the particles (34) contained in the gas stream (32) is separated from the gas stream (32) by means of a separation device (36). The particles (34) separated from the gas stream (32) by means of the separation device (36) are supplied to a collecting vessel (40). The supply of particles (34) to the collecting vessel (40) is interrupted. A flame retardant material (57) is supplied to the collecting vessel (40) so as to form a cover layer of flame retardant material (57) on the particles (34) contained in the collecting vessel (40).

In a method of treating a gas stream (32) containing combustible and/or reactive particles (34) at least a part of the particles (34) contained in the gas stream (32) is separated from the gas stream (32) by means of a separation device (36). The particles (34) separated from the gas stream (32) by means of the separation device (36) are supplied to a collecting vessel (40). The supply of particles (34) to the collecting vessel (40) is interrupted. A flame retardant material (57) is supplied to the collecting vessel (40) so as to form a cover layer of flame retardant material (57) on the particles (34) contained in the collecting vessel (40).

Systems, apparatus, computer-readable medium, and associated methods to monitor, analyze, and adjust at least one of 1) additive machine health and configuration or 2) build health and configuration are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an analytics processor, separate from and in a trusted relationship with an additive manufacturing machine building a part, to process, based on a trigger, data from monitoring of the additive manufacturing machine and the build of the part, the analytics processor including a hybrid model fusing additive process physics and data science to process the data to identify an abnormality in at least one of the build or the additive manufacturing machine and to adjust a configuration of the additive manufacturing machine during the build to address the abnormality.