An additive manufacturing system includes a build surface, one or more laser energy sources, and an optics assembly. Exposure of a layer of material on the build surface to laser energy from the optics assembly melts at least a portion of the layer of material. A gas flow head is coupled to the optics assembly and defines a partially enclosed volume between the optics assembly and the build surface. The gas flow head includes a gas inflow through which a supply gas flows into the gas flow head, a gas outflow through which a return gas flows out of the gas flow head, and an aperture arranged to permit transmission of the laser energy through the gas flow head to the build surface. The supply gas and return gas define a gas flow profile within the gas flow head.

Devices for additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object from powdered material include a main body providing an object forming chamber and, within a front wall, an opening for accessing the object forming chamber. A work surface delimits the object forming chamber and includes a build platform section for manufacturing thereon the three-dimensional object. A door is provided at the front wall and positionable in a closed state to seal the opening or in an opened state to provide access to the object forming chamber. The devices include a gas flow system for providing a gas flow across the build platform section and including a main body section extending within the main body and a door section being part of the door and including an opening structure arranged to release gas to, or to receive gas from, above the build platform section in the closed state of the door.

A powder is supplied to a shaping chamber without interrupting processing of shaping a three-dimensional laminated and shaped object. A three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus includes a shaping chamber in which a three-dimensional laminated and shaped object is shaped, a powder storage that stores a powder conveyed to the shaping chamber, an intermediate powder storage that is provided between the shaping chamber and the powder storage, is connected to the shaping chamber via a first valve, is connected to the powder storage via a second valve, and temporarily stores the powder, a valve controller that controls opening/closing of each of the first valve and the second valve, and an atmosphere controller that controls an atmosphere in the intermediate powder storage and an atmosphere in the shaping chamber.

An additive manufacturing (AM) system includes a housing defining a chamber, a build platform disposed in the chamber at a first elevation, and a lower gas inlet disposed at a second elevation and configured to supply a lower gas flow. The AM system includes a contoured surface extending between the lower gas inlet and the build platform to direct the lower gas flow from the second elevation at the lower gas inlet to the first elevation at the build platform, where the contoured surface discharges the lower gas flow in a direction substantially parallel to the build platform. The AM system also includes one or more gas delivery devices coupled to the lower gas inlet to regulate one or more flow characteristics of the lower gas flow, and a gas outlet configured to discharge the lower gas flow.

The invention relates to an apparatus for remelting material powder in layers to form a shaped body in a process chamber. The apparatus has a carrier for the layer build-up and an irradiation device for irradiating the powder in accordance with cross-sectional regions of the shaped body associated with the shaped body layers to be produced. A powder layer levelling and smoothing device having a smoothing slide for homogenising an amount of material powder on the carrier is provided, as well as an extraction device having a suction nozzle for extracting process smoke. The suction nozzle is movable in motor-driven fashion in the process chamber. Said suction nozzle is coupled to the smoothing slide for joint movement and is operable in suction mode during the joint movement, the irradiation device being active for irradiating the powder.

A cartridge for a manufacturing system includes a sealable chamber having a bed and a laser transparent window. A powder hopper can be positioned within the sealable chamber. A powder spreader is positioned within the sealable chamber for distributing powder from the powder hopper onto the bed.

A laser powder bed fusion forming device for a large-size ring/frame-shaped metal piece. Said device includes a forming cylinder, a substrate, a galvanometer array and a dust removal module. The forming cylinder is ring/frame-shaped and is adapted to the inner and outer contours of the ring/frame-shaped metal piece to be formed. The substrate is also ring/frame-shaped and is arranged inside the forming cylinder. The galvanometer array is located above the forming cylinder, includes a plurality of galvanometer systems, and the corresponding scanning areas thereof cover the upper surface of the forming cylinder. The dust removal module is located between the forming cylinder and the galvanometer array, and is used for forming a circulating air flow field which is distributed along the radial direction of the ring-shaped metal piece or along the circumscribed circle of the horizontal cross-section of the frame-shaped metal piece or along some other specific directions.

In some examples, a fluid system includes a support structure to attach a fluid dispensing device comprising a fluid chamber to contain a fluid, and an orifice to dispense the fluid from the fluid chamber. The fluid system includes a circulation path comprising a path portion in the fluid dispensing device, the circulation path to circulate a fluid flow through the fluid chamber to remove, from the fluid chamber, a particle ingested through the orifice. A filter in the circulation path is to remove the particle from the circulation path.

In some examples, a fluid system includes a support structure to attach a fluid dispensing device comprising a fluid chamber to contain a fluid, and an orifice to dispense the fluid from the fluid chamber. The fluid system includes a circulation path comprising a path portion in the fluid dispensing device, the circulation path to circulate a fluid flow through the fluid chamber to remove, from the fluid chamber, a particle ingested through the orifice. A filter in the circulation path is to remove the particle from the circulation path.

An additive manufacturing powder recirculation apparatus including: a powder recirculation loop having: an inlet for receiving powder from an additive manufacture apparatus; an outlet for supplying powder to the additive manufacture apparatus; and a powder flow path extending between the inlet and outlet. A diverter valve in the powder flow path is configured to selectively place the powder flow in fluid communication with either the downstream powder recirculation loop or a hopper outside of the powder recirculation loop.