A system and method of monitoring a powder-bed additive manufacturing process using a plurality of energy sources is provided. A layer of additive powder is deposited on a powder bed and is fused using a first energy source, a second energy source, or any other suitable number of energy sources. The electromagnetic energy emissions at a first melt pool are monitored by a melt pool monitoring system and recorded as raw emission signals. The melt pool monitoring system may also monitor emissions from the powder bed using off-axis sensors or from a second melt pool using on-axis sensors, and these emissions may be used to modify the raw emission signals to generate compensated emission signals. The compensated emission signals are analyzed to identify outlier emissions and an alert may be provided or a process adjustment may be made when outlier emissions exceed a predetermined signal threshold.

A method for additive manufacturing an object is disclosed. The method includes, for a first portion of the object to be built in a first overlapping field region of a plurality of melting beams of a metal powder AM system, sequentially forming each layer of the first portion by: forming only a border section of the first portion of the object using a first melting beam of the plurality of melting beams in the first overlapping field region; and forming an internal section of the first portion of the object within the border section using at least one second, different melting beam from the first melting beam in the first overlapping field region. An entirety of an internal edge of the border section of the first portion of the object is overlapped with an entirety of an external edge of the internal section of the first portion of the object.

A method for additive manufacturing an object is disclosed. The method includes, for a first portion of the object to be built in a first overlapping field region of a plurality of melting beams of a metal powder AM system, sequentially forming each layer of the first portion by: forming only a border section of the first portion of the object using a first melting beam of the plurality of melting beams in the first overlapping field region; and forming an internal section of the first portion of the object within the border section using at least one second, different melting beam from the first melting beam in the first overlapping field region. An entirety of an internal edge of the border section of the first portion of the object is overlapped with an entirety of an external edge of the internal section of the first portion of the object.

Apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam, which apparatus comprises an irradiation device adapted to guide an energy beam across a build plane, wherein a calibration device is provided comprising a positioning unit, a determination unit and a calibration unit, preferably arranged in a process chamber of the apparatus, that is adapted to at least partially reflect the energy beam, wherein the irradiation device is adapted to guide the energy beam to the calibration unit for generating a reflected part of the energy beam, wherein the positioning unit is adapted to position the irradiation device dependent on at least one parameter of the reflected part of the energy beam determined via the determination unit.

Apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam, which apparatus comprises an irradiation device adapted to guide an energy beam across a build plane, wherein a calibration device is provided comprising a positioning unit, a determination unit and a calibration unit, preferably arranged in a process chamber of the apparatus, that is adapted to at least partially reflect the energy beam, wherein the irradiation device is adapted to guide the energy beam to the calibration unit for generating a reflected part of the energy beam, wherein the positioning unit is adapted to position the irradiation device dependent on at least one parameter of the reflected part of the energy beam determined via the determination unit.

A post-exposure unit for post-exposure of a body manufactured using an additive manufacturing method from a substance curable by radiation, the post-exposure unit comprising at least one radiation source configured for post-exposure, the post-exposure unit including at least one radiation sensor, the radiation sensor being adapted to capture radiation emitted by the radiation source. The post-exposure unit has a receiving space for receiving a body to be post-exposed. The radiation sensor is adapted to capture radiation emitted by the radiation source and traverses at least a part of the receiving space at least once.

A post-exposure unit for post-exposure of a body manufactured using an additive manufacturing method from a substance curable by radiation, the post-exposure unit comprising at least one radiation source configured for post-exposure, the post-exposure unit including at least one radiation sensor, the radiation sensor being adapted to capture radiation emitted by the radiation source. The post-exposure unit has a receiving space for receiving a body to be post-exposed. The radiation sensor is adapted to capture radiation emitted by the radiation source and traverses at least a part of the receiving space at least once.

A shaping apparatus includes an inkjet head forming one shaped layer by performing multiple main scans of ejecting an ink droplet of a curable ink that cures according to light of a predetermined wavelength toward a shaping table while reciprocating in a main scanning direction; a light source provided at least at one position on a front side in a forward or return direction in the main scan with respect to the inkjet head and irradiating an ink dot formed by the ink droplet with light; and a flattening unit flattening an upper surface of the ink dot. A shaped object is formed by layering the shaped layer. In the shaping apparatus, the ink dot is flatted by the flattening roller in the return movement without completely curing the ink dot by controlling the on/off state or illuminance of the light source during at least one of the main scans.

A shaping apparatus includes an inkjet head forming one shaped layer by performing multiple main scans of ejecting an ink droplet of a curable ink that cures according to light of a predetermined wavelength toward a shaping table while reciprocating in a main scanning direction; a light source provided at least at one position on a front side in a forward or return direction in the main scan with respect to the inkjet head and irradiating an ink dot formed by the ink droplet with light; and a flattening unit flattening an upper surface of the ink dot. A shaped object is formed by layering the shaped layer. In the shaping apparatus, the ink dot is flatted by the flattening roller in the return movement without completely curing the ink dot by controlling the on/off state or illuminance of the light source during at least one of the main scans.

An additive manufacturing technique uses digital mask-based illumination and a polar-based build environment for increased throughput. In one embodiment, the build environment comprises a rotating element having a surface. A coater is configured to deposit photopolymer material on the rotating element at a given flow rate. As the element rotates and the coater deposits the photopolymer material, a radiation source of an image scanning system projects an array of point sources (an image) onto the photopolymer material for an exposure time to cure a given layer. As the photopolymer material is deposited layer-upon-layer, and for each layer, a control system adjusts a relative position of the coater with respect to the surface, adjusts a speed of rotation of the rotating element, and maintains the flow rate and the exposure time constant.