An additive manufacturing system including a two-dimensional energy patterning system for imaging a powder bed is disclosed. The two-dimensional energy patterning system may be used to control the rate of cooling experienced by each successive additive layer. Accordingly, the system may be used to heat treat the various additive layers.

Provided is a method for manufacturing material powder for metal laminating modelling, in which a virgin material is manufactured based on the particle size distribution of the virgin material being an unused material powder, and the fluidity of an unsintered reused material after the virgin material is reused a predetermined number of times by a metal laminating modelling device, so that the particle size distribution of the virgin material corresponds to the fluidity of the reused material that is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard value. Silica particles may be added to the virgin material.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes: a chamber, including a front plate; a door, provided at an opening of the front plate; an irradiator; a gas supplier, supplying an inert gas to the chamber; and a gas discharger, discharging the inert gas from the chamber. The gas supplier includes a middle nozzle and a lower nozzle. The middle nozzle is provided so as to cross the opening when the door is closed, has one end swingably supported on the front plate, and swings independently of opening and closing of the door.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes: a chamber, including a front plate; a door, provided at an opening of the front plate; an irradiator; a gas supplier, supplying an inert gas to the chamber; and a gas discharger, discharging the inert gas from the chamber. The gas supplier includes a middle nozzle and a lower nozzle. The middle nozzle is provided so as to cross the opening when the door is closed, has one end swingably supported on the front plate, and swings independently of opening and closing of the door.

An apparatus includes a build plate, a powder application apparatus that applies metal powder onto the build plate to form a powder layer, a beam irradiation apparatus that irradiates the powder layer with an electron beam, and a control unit that controls the powder application apparatus and the beam irradiation apparatus. When the powder layer is preheated by irradiation with the electron beam, the control unit sets a beam size and an irradiation position of the electron beam such that lines of the electron beam do not overlap each other at least at a start of preheating, and controls the beam irradiation apparatus to gradually increase at least one of a beam current and the beam size of the electron beam from the start of preheating to an end of preheating.

An apparatus includes a build plate, a powder application apparatus that applies metal powder onto the build plate to form a powder layer, a beam irradiation apparatus that irradiates the powder layer with an electron beam, and a control unit that controls the powder application apparatus and the beam irradiation apparatus. When the powder layer is preheated by irradiation with the electron beam, the control unit sets a beam size and an irradiation position of the electron beam such that lines of the electron beam do not overlap each other at least at a start of preheating, and controls the beam irradiation apparatus to gradually increase at least one of a beam current and the beam size of the electron beam from the start of preheating to an end of preheating.

A method for manufacturing an object, in particular an orthodontic appliance, by a 3D-printing device comprising a supply device for provision of a non-solidified material and means for illumination to solidify a layer of non-solidified material provided by the supply device at least zonally to fabricate the object, characterized by the following steps: a virtual model of the object to be printed is provided for the 3D-printing device, the supply device provides a layer of the non-solidified material, the means for illumination solidify the layer at least zonally, whereby the means for illumination comprises illumination pixels arranged in a grid, preferably with a dimension (between 10 μm and 80 μm, particularly preferred between 30 μm and 50 μm, wherein at least one dimension of the object represented by the virtual model is chosen to be aligned with the dimension of the illumination pixels.

A print engine of an additive manufacturing system includes a print station configured to hold a removable cartridge containing powder. A laser engine is positioned to direct a one or two dimensional patterned laser beam into the removable cartridge. In some embodiments powder is produced at least in part with a magnetohydrodynamic system.

A print engine of an additive manufacturing system includes a print station configured to hold a removable cartridge containing powder. A laser engine is positioned to direct a one or two dimensional patterned laser beam into the removable cartridge. In some embodiments powder is produced at least in part with a magnetohydrodynamic system.

Methods and apparatuses for additive manufacturing are described. A method for additive manufacturing may include exposing a layer of material on a build surface to one or more projections of laser energy including at least one line laser having a substantially linear shape. The intensity of the line laser may be modulated so as to cause fusion of the layer of material according to a desired pattern as the one or more projections of laser energy are scanned across the build surface.