A system for manufacturing assembly units. The system includes a component platform that is movably situated in a conveying direction, at least one layering unit for applying a layer, and at least one irradiation unit, which is situated downstream from the layering unit in the conveying direction of the component platform for selectively irradiating the layer for generatively assembling the layer.

An AM installation utilising SLM or SLS a chamber of a housing with a protective atmosphere, a support structure in the chamber defines an upper horizontal surface on which a laser source is operable for focusing onto predetermined regions of a build area of the plane of the horizontal surface. The laser beam source is operable so areas of each of successive layers of powder material are sintered or fully molten throughout its layer thickness. A dosing device raises successive quantities of powder to the level of the upper surface to enable a re-coater to form the layers. A separable build device unit defines build chamber opening at the upper surface, and includes a lift table and an electric drive by which the lift table is stepwise vertically adjustable so a progressively built component is lowerable into the build chamber.

An AM installation utilising SLM or SLS a chamber of a housing with a protective atmosphere, a support structure in the chamber defines an upper horizontal surface on which a laser source is operable for focusing onto predetermined regions of a build area of the plane of the horizontal surface. The laser beam source is operable so areas of each of successive layers of powder material are sintered or fully molten throughout its layer thickness. A dosing device raises successive quantities of powder to the level of the upper surface to enable a re-coater to form the layers. A separable build device unit defines build chamber opening at the upper surface, and includes a lift table and an electric drive by which the lift table is stepwise vertically adjustable so a progressively built component is lowerable into the build chamber.

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.

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 jetted binder printing system includes a carrier substrate configured to travel along a longitudinal direction thereof, an adjustable binder printer configured to deliver an adjustable binder to the carrier substrate, a dispensing module located downstream from the adjustable binder printer on the longitudinal direction of the carrier substrate, the dispensing module including at least one powder container, the dispensing module being configured to dispense powder onto the carrier substrate, and a primary binder printer located downstream from the compaction module along the longitudinal direction of the carrier substrate. The primary binder printer includes a print head configured to print a primary binder on the dispensed powder according to a desired pattern. The primary binder is printed on a surface of the powder that is opposite a surface on which the adjustable binder is printed. The primary binder is printed to match the pattern of the adjustable binder.

A jetted binder printing system includes a carrier substrate configured to travel along a longitudinal direction thereof, an adjustable binder printer configured to deliver an adjustable binder to the carrier substrate, a dispensing module located downstream from the adjustable binder printer on the longitudinal direction of the carrier substrate, the dispensing module including at least one powder container, the dispensing module being configured to dispense powder onto the carrier substrate, and a primary binder printer located downstream from the compaction module along the longitudinal direction of the carrier substrate. The primary binder printer includes a print head configured to print a primary binder on the dispensed powder according to a desired pattern. The primary binder is printed on a surface of the powder that is opposite a surface on which the adjustable binder is printed. The primary binder is printed to match the pattern of the adjustable binder.

A metal laminating/shaping device includes a base, a head unit including a base material injection device, and drive devices that change a positional relationship between the base and the head unit in a spatial coordinate system. The base material injection device includes a base material heating unit that heats a base material that is a metal piece having a fixed shape such that a temperature of an interior of the base material is raised to a temperature below a melting point and a temperature of a surface of the base material is raised to the melting point, and a base material injection unit that injects the heated base material toward the base. The metal laminating/shaping device can form a metal shaped article having a complicated structure at a low cost.

An array-spraying additive manufacturing apparatus and method for manufacturing a large-sized equiaxed crystal aluminum alloy ingot, comprising: a liquid aluminum spraying mechanism having array nozzles disposed in an atmospheric pressure chamber, a movable condensing mechanism disposed in the atmospheric pressure chamber below the liquid aluminum spraying mechanism, and a control mechanism. The control mechanism sends an upward guiding command to a release mechanism and issues a three-dimensional movement command to the movable condensing mechanism, such that liquid aluminum in the liquid aluminum spraying mechanism is sprayed at the surface of the movable condensing mechanism in a continuous array of liquid flows according to a preset path and is rapidly condensed to form an ingot. Also disclosed is an additive manufacturing method employing the apparatus.

An array-spraying additive manufacturing apparatus and method for manufacturing a large-sized equiaxed crystal aluminum alloy ingot, comprising: a liquid aluminum spraying mechanism having array nozzles disposed in an atmospheric pressure chamber, a movable condensing mechanism disposed in the atmospheric pressure chamber below the liquid aluminum spraying mechanism, and a control mechanism. The control mechanism sends an upward guiding command to a release mechanism and issues a three-dimensional movement command to the movable condensing mechanism, such that liquid aluminum in the liquid aluminum spraying mechanism is sprayed at the surface of the movable condensing mechanism in a continuous array of liquid flows according to a preset path and is rapidly condensed to form an ingot. Also disclosed is an additive manufacturing method employing the apparatus.