A method and an apparatus of a powder bed fusion additive manufacturing system that enables a quick change in the optical beam delivery size and intensity across locations of a print surface for different powdered materials while ensuring high availability of the system. A dynamic optical assembly containing a set of lens assemblies of different magnification ratios and a mechanical assembly may change the magnification ratios as needed. The dynamic optical assembly may include a transitional and rotational position control of the optics to minimize variations of the optical beam sizes across the print surface.

A laser welding method includes a welding process of irradiating a multiple laser beam so as to weld together a first member and a second member at a boundary. The multiple laser beam includes a first beam that is advanced while forming a first molten pool in which the first member is melted, a second beam that is advanced while forming a second molten pool in which the second member is melted, and a main beam that is advanced subsequently to the first beam and the second beam and irradiated to an integrated molten pool formed by integration of the first molten pool and the second molten pool. The first beam and the second beam do not swing, while the main beam swings with respect to the boundary.

A method and an apparatus for collecting powder samples in real-time in powder bed fusion additive manufacturing may involves an ingester system for in-process collection and characterizations of powder samples. The collection may be performed periodically and uses the results of characterizations for adjustments in the powder bed fusion process. The ingester system of the present disclosure is capable of packaging powder samples collected in real-time into storage containers serving a multitude purposes of audit, process adjustments or actions.

A method and an apparatus for collecting powder samples in real-time in powder bed fusion additive manufacturing may involves an ingester system for in-process collection and characterizations of powder samples. The collection may be performed periodically and uses the results of characterizations for adjustments in the powder bed fusion process. The ingester system of the present disclosure is capable of packaging powder samples collected in real-time into storage containers serving a multitude purposes of audit, process adjustments or actions.

An additive manufacturing system including a two-dimensional energy patterning system for imaging a powder bed is disclosed. Improved chamber designs, multiple chambers, powder handling and re-use systems, and powder characterization methods are disclosed.

Additive manufacturing can involve dispensing a powdered material to form a layer of a powder bed on a support surface of a build platform. A portion of the layer of the powder bed may be selectively melted or fused to form one or more temporary walls out of the fused portion of the layer of the powder bed to contain another portion of the layer of the powder bed on the build platform

A method of processing by controlling one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam may include: launching the optical beam into a first length of fiber having a first refractive-index profile (RIP); coupling the optical beam from the first length of fiber into a second length of fiber having a second RIP and one or more confinement regions; modifying the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam in the first length of fiber, in the second length of fiber, or in the first and second lengths of fiber; confining the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam within the one or more confinement regions of the second length of fiber; and/or generating an output beam, having the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam, from the second length of fiber. The first RIP may differ from the second RIP.

A laser welding method includes a welding process of irradiating a multiple laser beam so as to weld together a first member and a second member at a boundary. The multiple laser beam includes a first beam that is advanced while forming a first molten pool in which the first member is melted, a second beam that is advanced while forming a second molten pool in which the second member is melted, and a main beam that is advanced subsequently to the first beam and the second beam and irradiated to an integrated molten pool formed by integration of the first molten pool and the second molten pool. The first beam and the second beam do not swing, while the main beam swings with respect to the boundary.

Additive manufacturing can involve dispensing a powdered material to form a layer of a powder bed on a support surface of a build platform. A portion of the layer of the powder bed may be selectively melted or fused to form one or more temporary walls out of the fused portion of the layer of the powder bed to contain another portion of the layer of the powder bed on the build platform.

An additive manufacturing system including a two-dimensional energy patterning system for imaging a powder bed is disclosed. Improved optical systems supporting beam combining, beam steering, and both patterned and unpatterned beam recycling and re-use are described.