A computing system may include an access engine and a toolpath reordering engine. The access engine may be configured to access an original layer toolpath for slice of a 3D CAD object as well as a heat criticality measure for the original layer toolpath. The heat criticality measure may specify a heat impact for different points on the multiple toolpath segments of the original layer toolpath for the 3D printing of the physical part using the original layer toolpath. The toolpath reordering engine may be configured to reorder the multiple toolpath segments into a modified layer toolpath, and the modified layer toolpath may have a heat criticality measure with a lesser heat impact on the physical part than the heat criticality measure for the original layer toolpath.

A computing system may include an access engine and a toolpath reordering engine. The access engine may be configured to access an original layer toolpath for slice of a 3D CAD object as well as a heat criticality measure for the original layer toolpath. The heat criticality measure may specify a heat impact for different points on the multiple toolpath segments of the original layer toolpath for the 3D printing of the physical part using the original layer toolpath. The toolpath reordering engine may be configured to reorder the multiple toolpath segments into a modified layer toolpath, and the modified layer toolpath may have a heat criticality measure with a lesser heat impact on the physical part than the heat criticality measure for the original layer toolpath.

An inspection system for in situ evaluation of an additive manufacturing (AM) build part is provided. The inspection system comprises a build plane induction coil sensor configured and positionable so that during construction of the build part, the sensor's magnetization and sensor coils surround at least the last-produced layer of the AM build part in the build plane. The inspection system further comprises an energization circuit and a central processing system. The central processing system comprises a communication processor configured for sending command signals to the energization circuit and receiving impedance data from the build plane induction coil sensor, and energization controller configured for determining energization commands for transmission to the energization circuit, and an induction data analyzer configured for processing build part impedance data using complex impedance plane analysis and for identifying anomalies in the AM build part.

Provided is a technique for fabricating a powder material bedded in advance using a DED nozzle. According to one embodiment, there is provided an AM apparatus for manufacturing a fabricated object. The AM apparatus includes a DED nozzle. The DED nozzle includes: a DED nozzle main body; a laser port disposed at a distal end of the DED nozzle main body and for emitting a laser beam, and a laser passage configured to communicate with the laser port and for allowing the laser beam to pass through the DED nozzle main body; and a powder port disposed at the distal end of the DED nozzle main body and for emitting a powder material, and a powder passage configured to communicate with the powder port and for allowing the powder material to pass through the DED nozzle main body. The AM apparatus further includes a cover configured to surround a peripheral area of the laser port and the powder port of the DED nozzle. The cover is configured to have an opened downstream side in an emission direction of the laser beam. The cover includes a gas supply passage for supplying a gas inside the cover. The gas supply passage is configured to be oriented so as to guide the gas toward the DED nozzle main body.

Provided is a technique for fabricating a powder material bedded in advance using a DED nozzle. According to one embodiment, there is provided an AM apparatus for manufacturing a fabricated object. The AM apparatus includes a DED nozzle. The DED nozzle includes: a DED nozzle main body; a laser port disposed at a distal end of the DED nozzle main body and for emitting a laser beam, and a laser passage configured to communicate with the laser port and for allowing the laser beam to pass through the DED nozzle main body; and a powder port disposed at the distal end of the DED nozzle main body and for emitting a powder material, and a powder passage configured to communicate with the powder port and for allowing the powder material to pass through the DED nozzle main body. The AM apparatus further includes a cover configured to surround a peripheral area of the laser port and the powder port of the DED nozzle. The cover is configured to have an opened downstream side in an emission direction of the laser beam. The cover includes a gas supply passage for supplying a gas inside the cover. The gas supply passage is configured to be oriented so as to guide the gas toward the DED nozzle main body.

An additive manufacturing system includes a laser array including a plurality of laser devices. Each laser device of the plurality of laser devices generates an energy beam for forming a melt pool in a powder bed. The additive manufacturing system further includes at least one optical element. The optical element receives at least one of the energy beams and induces a predetermined power diffusion in the at least one energy beam.

High-throughput printing, possible with multiple electron beams, is facilitated by a continuous powder bed preparation process operating in parallel to apply and pre-sinter the powder along a continuous helical path. The sintered powder may be self-supporting to allow unconstrained expansion in the radial direction when high energy is used for powder fusion.

A metal laminating/shaping device includes a base, a head unit including a base material injection device, and drive devices that change a positional relationship between the base and the head unit in a spatial coordinate system. The base material injection device includes a base material heating unit that heats a base material that is a metal piece having a fixed shape such that a temperature of an interior of the base material is raised to a temperature below a melting point and a temperature of a surface of the base material is raised to the melting point, and a base material injection unit that injects the heated base material toward the base. The metal laminating/shaping device can form a metal shaped article having a complicated structure at a low cost.

Examples of a laser additive manufacturing system are described. The system comprises a laser configured to generate a laser beam, a fiber optic coupled to the laser to transmit the laser beam to a laser optic head that is coupled to the fiber optic and comprises a focus lens to focus the light beam. The laser optic head is configured to slide along a sliding mechanism in X-direction. A powder feeder is used to continuously move in Y-direction and dispense an uniform layer of powdered material onto a powder bad that is positioned on a build plate of the building chamber. The build plate is configured to move in Z-direction. The light beam generated by the laser is focused using the laser optic head onto a small region of the powder bed where the powdered material is positioned producing small volumes of melt pools that are then cooled and a new layer of powdered material is dispensed over it.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material onto the platform, at least one light source configured to generate a first light beam and a second light beam, a polygon mirror scanner, an actuator, and a galvo mirror scanner. The polygon mirror scanner is configured to receive the first light beam and reflect the first light beam towards the platform. Rotation of the first polygon mirror causes the light beam to move in a first direction along a path on a layer of feed material on the platform. The actuator is configured to cause the path to move along a second direction at a non-zero angle relative to the first direction. The galvo mirror scanner system is configured to receive the second light beam and reflect the second light beam toward the platform.