A system and method of additive manufacturing is disclosed herein which when run or performed form a product with a powder-based additive manufacturing device by adding sequential layers of material on top of one another. As each sequential layer of material is added, the system and method can include monitoring the sequential layer with a defect analysis subsystem to detect whether the sequential layer has any defects. For a detected defect, it can be determined whether defect correction is required. For a required defect correction, one or more correction parameters for the required defect correction can be identified; and a correction command including the one or more correction parameters can be sent to the additive manufacturing device, the correction command causing the additive manufacturing device to help correct the detected defect in the sequential layer according to the correction parameters prior to moving on to a next sequential layer.

A system and method of additive manufacturing is disclosed herein which when run or performed form a product with a powder-based additive manufacturing device by adding sequential layers of material on top of one another. As each sequential layer of material is added, the system and method can include monitoring the sequential layer with a defect analysis subsystem to detect whether the sequential layer has any defects. For a detected defect, it can be determined whether defect correction is required. For a required defect correction, one or more correction parameters for the required defect correction can be identified; and a correction command including the one or more correction parameters can be sent to the additive manufacturing device, the correction command causing the additive manufacturing device to help correct the detected defect in the sequential layer according to the correction parameters prior to moving on to a next sequential layer.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material on the platform, at least one energy source to selectively fuse feed material in a layer on the platform, and an air knife supply unit. The air knife supply unit includes a tube having a plurality of holes spaced along a length of the tube, a multi-fluted helical screw positioned in the tube, a gas inlet configured to supply a gas into an end of the tube with the screw configured to guide the gas from the gas inlet through the tube and out the holes, and a spiral plenum surrounding the tube with the spiral plenum including an inner end to receive gas from the holes and an outer end to deliver the gas over the platform.

A method for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects from metallic glasses utilizing a process of melting of successive layers of the starting material by a laser beam or an electron beam. The method includes steps such that every material layer is melted twice, using parameters which yield a crystalline melt trace in the first melting, and the successively melted beam paths contact with one another, while in the second melting, parameters yielding an amorphous melt trace are used, and the successively remelted paths or spots do not come in contact with one another, and/or between the scanning of successive paths or spots, an interval not shorter than 10 ms is maintained, the surface power density in the first remelting being lower than in the second remelting.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material on the platform, a light source to generate one or more light beams, a first galvo mirror scanner positioned to direct a first light beam onto a topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers, a second galvo mirror scanner positioned to direct a second light beam onto the topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers, and a controller configured to cause the first galvo mirror scanner to direct the first light beam to pre-heat or heat-treat an area of the topmost layer and to cause the second galvo mirror scanner to direct the second light beam to fuse the area of the topmost layer.

A method and apparatus particularly for additively manufacturing materials that are susceptible to hot cracking. The additive manufacturing process may include a leading energy beam (16) for liquefying a raw material to form a melt pool (20), and a trailing energy beam (17) directed toward a trailing region of the melt pool. The trailing energy beam may be configured to enhance agitation and/or redistribution of liquid in the melt pool to prevent hot cracking, reduce porosity, or improve other characteristics of the solidified part. The method and apparatus also may improve processing parameters, such as adjusting vacuum level to prevent volatilization of alloying agents, or providing a chill plate to control interpass temperature. The process may be used to form new articles, and also may be used to enhance tailorability and flexibility in design or repair of pre-existing articles, among other considerations.

Discloses are a method and apparatus for the additive manufacture of components by applying layers of powder material on a substrate or a previously produced part of a component and at least partial fusing of the powder material in the powder layer in line with the component cross-section contour along the powder layer and to an underlying solid material of the component or substrate for the purpose of building up several solid layers one on top of the other. Following fusion of the powder material the solid layer just generated is cleaned of powder material and, prior to deposition of the next solid layer, the edge of the solid layer is post-processed by softening the fusion-bonded material.

An additive manufacturing system includes a platform to support an object to be fabricated, a dispenser to deliver a plurality of layers of a feed material over the platform, a controller configured to store digital data representing a pre-defined pattern, a laser configured to generate a laser beam to impinge an outermost layer of the feed material and coupled to the controller to fuse the feed material in the pre-defined pattern, and a plurality of independently controllable infrared lamps, each infrared lamp directed to a different section of an outermost layer of the feed material.

An additive manufacturing system includes a platform to support an object to be fabricated, a dispenser to deliver a plurality of layers of a feed material over the platform, a controller configured to store digital data representing a pre-defined pattern, a laser configured to generate a laser beam to impinge an outermost layer of the feed material and coupled to the controller to fuse the feed material in the pre-defined pattern, and a plurality of independently controllable infrared lamps, each infrared lamp directed to a different section of an outermost layer of the feed material.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material onto the platform, at least one light source configured to generate a first light beam and a second light beam, a polygon minor scanner, an actuator, and a galvo minor scanner. The polygon minor scanner is configured to receive the first light beam and reflect the first light beam towards the platform. Rotation of the first polygon mirror causes the light beam to move in a first direction along a path on a layer of feed material on the platform. The actuator is configured to cause the path to move along a second direction at a non-zero angle relative to the first direction. The galvo mirror scanner system is configured to receive the second light beam and reflect the second light beam toward the platform.