A system for forming a three-dimensional (3D) article includes a powder dispenser, a fusing apparatus, and a controller. The plurality of energy beams include at least a first beam and a second beam. The controller is configured to operate the powder dispenser to dispense a layer of powder and to operate the fusing apparatus to selectively fuse the layer of powder. Operating the fusing apparatus includes operating the first beam to fuse a first hatch pattern over a first area of the layer of powder and operate at least the second beam to fuse a contour that bounds the hatch pattern. The contour is formed from N scans along the contour. N is an integer that is at least equal to one. N is determined by a lateral alignment uncertainty between at least two of the energy beams.

Methods of additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object by one or more energy beams include selectively directing a first energy beam across a powder bed along a plurality of first hatching paths and a first contour path that defines a first outer contour portion and a first stitching portion, wherein the first outer contour portion at least partially defines a first edge portion of an outer edge of the three-dimensional object, and wherein the first edge portion is non-linear; and selectively directing a second energy beam across the powder bed along a plurality of second hatching paths and a second contour path that at least partially defines a second edge portion of the outer edge of the three-dimensional object, wherein the second edge portion is adjacent the first edge portion, and wherein the first stitching portion extends into the plurality of second hatching paths along a non-linear stitching path.

A system for forming a three-dimensional (3D) article includes a powder dispenser, a fusing apparatus, and a controller. The plurality of energy beams include at least a first beam and a second beam. The controller is configured to operate the powder dispenser to dispense a layer of powder and to operate the fusing apparatus to selectively fuse the layer of powder. Operating the fusing apparatus includes operating the first beam to fuse a first hatch pattern over a first area of the layer of powder and operate at least the second beam to fuse a contour that bounds the hatch pattern. The contour is formed from N scans along the contour. N is an integer that is at least equal to one. N is determined by a lateral alignment uncertainty between at least two of the energy beams.

An additive manufacturing apparatus is disclosed including an additive manufacturing platform; a material feeding unit configured to feed a material onto the additive manufacturing platform; a laser generating unit configured to generate a laser beam with a linear light spot for projecting onto the material on the additive manufacturing platform; and a movement driving unit configured to drive at least one of the laser generating unit, the additive manufacturing platform and the material feeding unit to move in at least one direction. An additive manufacturing method is also disclosed. With the additive manufacturing apparatus and method, an additive manufacturing process can be performed efficiently, and are particularly suitable for an additive manufacturing process of large-size components.

An additive manufacturing apparatus is disclosed including an additive manufacturing platform; a material feeding unit configured to feed a material onto the additive manufacturing platform; a laser generating unit configured to generate a laser beam with a linear light spot for projecting onto the material on the additive manufacturing platform; and a movement driving unit configured to drive at least one of the laser generating unit, the additive manufacturing platform and the material feeding unit to move in at least one direction. An additive manufacturing method is also disclosed. With the additive manufacturing apparatus and method, an additive manufacturing process can be performed efficiently, and are particularly suitable for an additive manufacturing process of large-size components.

A method and device for powder bed additive manufacturing of a component includes the selective irradiation of a layer made of a powder material with a first energy beam and a second energy beam, that is different from the first, wherein the second energy beam annularly surrounds the first energy beam, and the aselective heating of the layer, wherein a large part of the layer is heated to a temperature that is at least one quarter of the temperature that the layer is heated to as a result of the selective irradiation.

Devices utilizing holographic 4D plenoptic capture and display technologies to generate a light field function to provide glasses-less vision correction for observers with imperfect vision, and to project an image according to the generated light field function, and methods for calibrating a four-dimensional light field for a user with an uncorrected visual acuity.

Devices utilizing holographic 4D plenoptic capture and display technologies to generate a light field function to provide glasses-less vision correction for observers with imperfect vision, and to project an image according to the generated light field function, and methods for calibrating a four-dimensional light field for a user with an uncorrected visual acuity.

The invention describes a laser printing system (100) for illuminating an object moving relative to a laser module of the laser printing system (100) in a working plane (180), the laser module comprising at least two laser arrays of semiconductor lasers and at least one optical element, wherein the optical element is adapted to image laser light emitted by the laser arrays, such that laser light of semiconductor lasers of one laser array is imaged to one pixel in the working plane of the laser printing system, and wherein the laser printing system is a 3D printing system for additive manufacturing and wherein two, three, four or a multitude of laser modules (201, 202) are provided, which are arranged in columns (c1, c2) perpendicular to a direction of movement (250) of the object in the working plane (180), and wherein the columns are staggered with respect to each other such that a first laser module (201) of a first column of laser modules (c1) is adapted to illuminate a first area (y1) of the object and a second laser module (202) of a second column (c2) of laser modules is adapted to illuminate a second area (y2) of the object, wherein the first area (y1) is adjacent to the second area (y2) such that continuous illumination of the object is enabled.

The invention describes a laser printing system (100) for illuminating an object moving relative to a laser module of the laser printing system (100) in a working plane (180), the laser module comprising at least two laser arrays of semiconductor lasers and at least one optical element, wherein the optical element is adapted to image laser light emitted by the laser arrays, such that laser light of semiconductor lasers of one laser array is imaged to one pixel in the working plane of the laser printing system, and wherein the laser printing system is a 3D printing system for additive manufacturing and wherein two, three, four or a multitude of laser modules (201, 202) are provided, which are arranged in columns (c1, c2) perpendicular to a direction of movement (250) of the object in the working plane (180), and wherein the columns are staggered with respect to each other such that a first laser module (201) of a first column of laser modules (c1) is adapted to illuminate a first area (y1) of the object and a second laser module (202) of a second column (c2) of laser modules is adapted to illuminate a second area (y2) of the object, wherein the first area (y1) is adjacent to the second area (y2) such that continuous illumination of the object is enabled.