A three-dimensional PBF-AM apparatus includes a stage on which a powder material is spread, and a tubular build box disposed in a state of surrounding the stage. The build box includes a side wall portion having a first tubular member surrounding the stage and a second tubular member surrounding the stage with the first tubular member interposed therebetween and forming a space with the first tubular member, and moreover, a vacuum heat insulating layer can be formed inside the side wall portion by vacuuming the space.

A three-dimensional PBF-AM apparatus includes a stage on which a powder material is spread, and a tubular build box disposed in a state of surrounding the stage. The build box includes a side wall portion having a first tubular member surrounding the stage and a second tubular member surrounding the stage with the first tubular member interposed therebetween and forming a space with the first tubular member, and moreover, a vacuum heat insulating layer can be formed inside the side wall portion by vacuuming the space.

A build plate supported on a movable carriage of a 3D printing machine includes a plurality of clamping surfaces that are engageable by a mechanical clamping system that includes a plurality of clamp assemblies mounted on the movable carriage. Each of the clamp assemblies is associated with a corresponding clamping surface and includes a clamping arm configured to rotate and translate to selectively engage the corresponding clamping surface, a follower arm configured to rotate, and a conversion mechanism configured to convert rotation of the follower arm to rotation and translation of the clamping arm. An actuation mechanism includes an actuation face, corresponding to each follower arm. The actuation mechanism is arranged to simultaneously exert a force against the follower arm of each of the clamp assemblies to rotate the follower arm as the carriage moves from a working station to an unloading station of the 3D printing machine. The conversion mechanism then converts the rotation of the follower arm of each clamping assembly to rotation and translation of the respective clamping arm to selectively and simultaneously engage and disengage the clamping surfaces of the build plate.

An additive manufacturing (AM) system includes a housing defining a chamber and a build platform disposed in a lower portion of the chamber. The AM system includes an upper gas inlet disposed in a side-wall and in an upper portion of the chamber and configured to supply an upper gas flow parallel to the build platform. The AM system includes a lower gas inlet in the lower portion of the chamber, wherein the lower gas inlet includes one or more pairs of dividing walls extending from the side-wall toward the build platform and configured to guide the lower gas flow at one or more flow angles with respect to the build platform. The AM system includes at least one gas delivery mechanisms to regulate flow characteristics of the upper and lower gas flows, and includes a gas outlet to discharge the upper and lower gas flows from the chamber.

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 layer manufacturing method, preferably using selective laser sintering, for manufacturing a solid article, the method including applying a layer of a powder, the powder including at least one powdered (co)polymer, onto a solid substrate in a processing chamber; fusing the powder layer onto the solid substrate; subsequently depositing successive layers of the powder, wherein each successive layer is selectively fused prior to deposition of the subsequent layer of powder so as to form the article. In some embodiments, the powder further includes abrasive particles having a hardness greater than or equal to that of aluminum oxide.

A machine (10) for additive manufacturing by powder bed deposition comprises a work surface (12), a device (16) for selective consolidation, a device (18) for extracting the fumes, the selective consolidation device emitting at least two beams (F1, F2) of energy or heat. The work surface is divided into at least two work zones (Z1, Z2) adjacent to one another, and a first beam (F1) consolidates the powder in a first work zone (Z1) and a second beam (F2) consolidates the powder in a second work zone (Z2). The fume extraction device (18) comprises at least one central gas suction and/or gas blowing manifold (40) which is mounted to be translationally movable above an overlap zone (ZR) of the different adjacent work zones, and two side gas suction and/or gas blowing manifolds (42, 44) which are fixedly mounted and arranged on either side of the work surface, whcrcin the central manifold (40) extends at least over a maximum dimension of the work surface.

A machine (10) for additive manufacturing by powder bed deposition comprises a work surface (12), a device (16) for selective consolidation, a device (18) for extracting the fumes, the selective consolidation device emitting at least two beams (F1, F2) of energy or heat. The work surface is divided into at least two work zones (Z1, Z2) adjacent to one another, and a first beam (F1) consolidates the powder in a first work zone (Z1) and a second beam (F2) consolidates the powder in a second work zone (Z2). The fume extraction device (18) comprises at least one central gas suction and/or gas blowing manifold (40) which is mounted to be translationally movable above an overlap zone (ZR) of the different adjacent work zones, and two side gas suction and/or gas blowing manifolds (42, 44) which are fixedly mounted and arranged on either side of the work surface, whcrcin the central manifold (40) extends at least over a maximum dimension of the work surface.

A method for the computer-aided provision of control instructions for pulsed irradiation in the additive production of a component structure includes establishing process parameters, including a pulse frequency, a pulse width, a scan speed, and an irradiation power; defining the pulse frequency and scan speed as process constants; and determining parameter values of the pulse width and of the irradiation power from the process constants which have been defined. A corresponding computer program product, a method for bed-based additive production, and a corresponding control device are adapted for pulsed irradiation in the additive production of a component structure.

A method for the computer-aided provision of control instructions for pulsed irradiation in the additive production of a component structure includes establishing process parameters, including a pulse frequency, a pulse width, a scan speed, and an irradiation power; defining the pulse frequency and scan speed as process constants; and determining parameter values of the pulse width and of the irradiation power from the process constants which have been defined. A corresponding computer program product, a method for bed-based additive production, and a corresponding control device are adapted for pulsed irradiation in the additive production of a component structure.