An object of the present invention is to provide a laminating-printing system which can further improve the quality of laminated-printed objects. The present invention provides a laminating-printing system including a laminating-printing unit (10) which prints the layers and sequentially laminates the layers; and a concentration adjusting unit (30) which adjusts the concentration of gas components in the shield gas, the laminating-printing unit (10) including: an irradiation section including an irradiation source of energy rays to irradiate the powder material, and a printing section including a chamber filled with the shield gas and a printing stage on which the layers are printed and laminated, and the concentration adjusting unit (30) including: a purification section which removes a first gas component which is an impurity in the shield gas based on the powder material; and a supply section which supplies a second gas component selected based on the powder material inside of the chamber as needed.

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.

The invention relates to a device (100) for the additive manufacture of three-dimensional workpieces, in particular a 3D metal printer, comprising a print head (1) and a device (40) for generating an inert atmosphere (22) within the print head (1) by means of a gas (55), in particular inert gas, wherein the print head (1) comprises a housing (3), a device (28) for feeding a metal (14), a piston (5), a reservoir (7) with an outlet opening (10) and an actuator device (12) for displacing the piston (5), wherein the reservoir (7) has a melt region (20) and a displacement body chamber (21) for a liquid phase (8) of the metal (14), wherein the melt region (20) adjoins the inert atmosphere (22) and is connected to the displacement body chamber (21) such that, as a result of the displacement of the piston (5), the liquid phase (8) of the metal (14) can be caused to pass through the outlet opening (10). The invention is distinguished by the fact that the device (40) for generating the inert atmosphere (22) is arranged outside the print head (1), wherein said device comprises an accumulator (41), at least one means (42, 43) for pressure control, and a gas line (50, 51, 52). The invention furthermore relates to methods for operating the device (100).

The invention relates to a device (100) for the additive manufacture of three-dimensional workpieces, in particular a 3D metal printer, comprising a print head (1) and a device (40) for generating an inert atmosphere (22) within the print head (1) by means of a gas (55), in particular inert gas, wherein the print head (1) comprises a housing (3), a device (28) for feeding a metal (14), a piston (5), a reservoir (7) with an outlet opening (10) and an actuator device (12) for displacing the piston (5), wherein the reservoir (7) has a melt region (20) and a displacement body chamber (21) for a liquid phase (8) of the metal (14), wherein the melt region (20) adjoins the inert atmosphere (22) and is connected to the displacement body chamber (21) such that, as a result of the displacement of the piston (5), the liquid phase (8) of the metal (14) can be caused to pass through the outlet opening (10). The invention is distinguished by the fact that the device (40) for generating the inert atmosphere (22) is arranged outside the print head (1), wherein said device comprises an accumulator (41), at least one means (42, 43) for pressure control, and a gas line (50, 51, 52). The invention furthermore relates to methods for operating the device (100).

A three-dimensional shaping device includes a laser irradiation unit (10), a shroud (20), and a protection member (14). The laser irradiation unit includes an optical system (12). The shroud (20) includes an inside space (S0) that extends from one end opening portion (202) to another end opening portion (206). The protection member (14) is formed of a transparent material and is arranged at the one end opening portion (202) of the shroud (20) and causes a laser light emitted from the laser irradiation unit (10) to be transmitted therethrough so that a three-dimensional shaped object is fabricated in a shaping area by sintering or melting and solidifying a powder. The shroud (20) further includes a side wall portion (22) that demarcates a first inside space (S1) and a second inside space (S2), an air supply port (210), an exhaust port (220), and ventilation members (212, 214).

A fluid flow apparatus configured to provide a flow of fluid with particular flow profiles to a process chamber of an additive manufacturing apparatus is provided. The fluid flow apparatus includes a plurality of openings forming a first flow region, a second flow region, a third flow region, and a fourth flow region in adjacent arrangement along an axis in the process chamber between the build platform and the laser window. A controller is configured to execute instructions that perform operations that include flowing, via the second flow region, the flow of fluid along a second distance along the axis at a second velocity range between approximately 1.0 meters per second (m/s) and 6.0 m/s, and flowing, via the fourth flow region, another flow of fluid along a fourth distance along the axis at a fourth velocity range between approximately 0.1 m/s and 4.5 m/s.

A method of changing the gas content of a device (100) which comprises a first chamber (110). The method comprises: arranging the device in a first configuration, wherein the first chamber has a first internal volume; providing a flow of a first gas to the first chamber so that the gas content of the first chamber is at least partially changed; transitioning the device from the first configuration to a second configuration, wherein the first chamber has a second internal volume which is grater than the first internal volume.

A method of changing the gas content of a device (100) which comprises a first chamber (110). The method comprises: arranging the device in a first configuration, wherein the first chamber has a first internal volume; providing a flow of a first gas to the first chamber so that the gas content of the first chamber is at least partially changed; transitioning the device from the first configuration to a second configuration, wherein the first chamber has a second internal volume which is grater than the first internal volume.

Method for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object, comprising assigning a parameter indicative of the time required for irradiating a respective irradiation zone to a plurality of irradiation zones of a respective build material layer, assigning a first energy beam to the irradiation zone whose parameter indicates that the irradiation zone has the longest and second longest time required for irradiating and irradiating these irradiation zones with at least one respective first and second energy beams, wherein after irradiation and consolidating the irradiation zone whose parameter indicates that the irradiation zone has the second longest time required for irradiating and irradiating with the second energy beam is completed, assigning the at least one second energy beam to the irradiation zone whose parameter indicates that the irradiation zone has the third longest time required for irradiating and irradiating this irradiation zone with the at least one second energy beam.

Irradiation device (5) for an apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects (2) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material (3) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which Irradiation device (5) comprises at least one irradiation unit (6-8), preferably an optical unit, arranged in a housing (9) of the Irradiation device (5), wherein a stream generating device (10) is provided that is adapted to guide a gas stream (11) that is adapted to be charged with residues present inside the housing (9) through the housing (9) of the Irradiation device (5) along a streaming path in which the gas stream (11) at least partially streams alongside or through the at least one irradiation unit (6-8) for removing residues from the housing (9).