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 laser-solid-forming manufacturing device includes a laser emitter, a magnetic field generator, and a forming platform. The laser emitter emits a laser beam which acts on a feedstock to form a molten pool. The magnetic field generator includes a spiral copper coil, a first electrode and a second electrode. The spiral copper coil is formed by spirally winding a copper tube. The first and second electrodes are arranged at respective ends of the copper tube and are used for loading a voltage to generate a magnetic field in the spiral copper coil. At any time, the spiral copper coil sleeves an action point of the laser beam and the feedstock. A corresponding laser-solid-forming manufacturing method is also presented.

A laser-solid-forming manufacturing device includes a laser emitter, a magnetic field generator, and a forming platform. The laser emitter emits a laser beam which acts on a feedstock to form a molten pool. The magnetic field generator includes a spiral copper coil, a first electrode and a second electrode. The spiral copper coil is formed by spirally winding a copper tube. The first and second electrodes are arranged at respective ends of the copper tube and are used for loading a voltage to generate a magnetic field in the spiral copper coil. At any time, the spiral copper coil sleeves an action point of the laser beam and the feedstock. A corresponding laser-solid-forming manufacturing method is also presented.

Method for manufacturing a component from polyhedra having polyhedron edges which are formed from a semi-finished product, component and production facility. The method has the steps of: subdividing the component to be produced into a net of polyhedra, consisting of polyhedron edges, which are interconnected at the polyhedron node points thereof to form the net; providing a semi-finished product provision device, which provides the semi-finished product; providing a supply guide device for supplying the semi-finished product from the semi-finished product provision device and positioning the semi-finished product; providing a cutting and welding device or a welding device for welding and a cutting device for cutting to size the semi-finished product; supplying the semi-finished product by way of the supply device; constructing the net of polyhedra by positioning the supplied semi-finished product in the position of the polyhedron edge to be formed at the associated polyhedron node point of the net of polyhedra in each case, and fixing the semi-finished product at the polyhedron node point by welding.

A three-dimensional shaping apparatus includes a plasticizing section that includes a drive motor, a heater, and a screw rotated by the drive motor and that plasticizes a material to form a shaping material, an ejection section that ejects the shaping material toward a stage, a moving mechanism section that changes a relative position of the ejection section to the stage, a prediction section that predicts a residual service life of the heater from an observation result of a state observation section that observes a state of the heater, and a control unit that controls the plasticizing section and the moving mechanism section to shape a three-dimensional shaped article. The control unit has a first mode in which a temperature of the heater is set to a first temperature and a second mode in which the temperature of the heater is set to a temperature lower than the first temperature, and shapes the three-dimensional shaped article in the first mode when a first residual service life when the temperature of the heater is set to the first temperature exceeds a first value, and shapes the three-dimensional shaped article in the second mode when the first residual service life is equal to or less than the first value.

A three-dimensional shaping apparatus includes a plasticizing section that includes a drive motor, a heater, and a screw rotated by the drive motor and that plasticizes a material to form a shaping material, an ejection section that ejects the shaping material toward a stage, a moving mechanism section that changes a relative position of the ejection section to the stage, a prediction section that predicts a residual service life of the heater from an observation result of a state observation section that observes a state of the heater, and a control unit that controls the plasticizing section and the moving mechanism section to shape a three-dimensional shaped article. The control unit has a first mode in which a temperature of the heater is set to a first temperature and a second mode in which the temperature of the heater is set to a temperature lower than the first temperature, and shapes the three-dimensional shaped article in the first mode when a first residual service life when the temperature of the heater is set to the first temperature exceeds a first value, and shapes the three-dimensional shaped article in the second mode when the first residual service life is equal to or less than the first value.

A three-dimensional (“3D”) printing system for printing on a substrate, the printing system including a plurality of powder feeders, the plurality of powder feeders dispensing a powder on the substrate in a first direction and in a second direction; and a powder uniformization device located adjacent to the plurality of powder feeders, the powder uniformization device rotatable along the substrate in directions opposing the first direction and the second direction.

A three-dimensional (“3D”) printing system for printing on a substrate, the printing system including a plurality of powder feeders, the plurality of powder feeders dispensing a powder on the substrate in a first direction and in a second direction; and a powder uniformization device located adjacent to the plurality of powder feeders, the powder uniformization device rotatable along the substrate in directions opposing the first direction and the second direction.

The invention relates to an additive manufacturing method in which a component (10, 42, 43, 44, 45) is produced in layers using an energy beam (8, 41, 58) which solidifies a starting material (4) and is irradiated by energy beam irradiating means (9, 22, 31, 38, 39, 55, 59, 61) while the starting material (4) is held by a base surface (3, 15, 30, 36, 52) arranged on a base element (2, 16, 29, 35, 51). While the starting material (4) is being irradiated with the energy beam (8, 41, 58), the base element (2, 16, 29, 35, 51) is moved by a rotational component which has a base element rotational axis, wherein the starting material (4) is held on the base surface (3, 15, 30, 36, 52) by a centrifugal acceleration generated by the rotational component. The invention is characterized in that a rotational movement is produced for at least some of the energy beam irradiating means (9, 22, 31, 38, 39, 55, 59, 61). Analogously, at least one energy beam rotational axis (46) is proposed for rotating at least some of the energy beam irradiating means (9, 22, 31, 38, 39, 55, 59, 61) in an additive manufacturing device in which the starting material (4) is held on a base surface (3, 15, 30, 36, 52) by a centrifugal acceleration.

A machining centre comprising a machining plane; a subtractive unit for performing chip removal on a workpiece positioned on the machining plane; the subtractive unit comprising a first carriage that is slidable parallel to an operating axis; an additive unit arranged to perform machining by additive production techniques on the machining plane; the additive unit comprising a second carriage that is slidable along the operating axis. The additive unit is provided with a first coupling portion and said subtractive unit is provided with a second coupling portion couplable with the first coupling portion. In one step, the subtractive unit adopts a pick-up configuration in which the first coupling portion is coupled with the second coupling portion to connect the subtractive unit to the additive unit at least along the operating axis. In the pick-up configuration, the subtractive unit, connected to the additive unit, is configured to move the additive unit.