A system for monitored additive manufacturing of an object, comprising a manufacturing unit], designed for additive manufacturing of the object based on metal-containing manufacturing material in a manufacturing volume, wherein the object is built up by repeated layer-by-layer provision of the manufacturing material in defined quantity and accurately-positioned forming of the provided manufacturing material. The system moreover comprises an optical checking unit having at least one projector and two cameras and a control and processing unit. The manufacturing volume comprises an optical transmission region, the projector and cameras—are arranged outside the manufacturing volume in a fixed position relationship and are aligned in such a way that respective optical axes extend through a respective transmission region, by means of the projector, a projection can be generated on a manufacturing area and at least a common part of the manufacturing area on which the projection can be overlaid can be captured.

Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods for additive manufacturing that allow for control of composition and/or porosity of components being manufactured. More particularly, in exemplary embodiments, a secondary material can be used in conjunction with a primary feedstock material in a spatially controlled manner during an additive manufacturing process to control a composition of materials and/or porosity of a manufactured component. Systems, devices, and methods for additive manufacturing are also disclosed that allow for control of a pressure of an atmosphere surrounding a build surface during an additive manufacturing process. More particularly, a pressure of an atmosphere surrounding a build surface can be raised to a pressure greater than standard atmospheric pressure. Various features of the exemplary embodiments of the systems, devices, and methods disclosed can be used together to further control for composition and/or porosity and quality of a manufactured part.

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.

An assembly for calibrating a head system of a power radiation source of an additive manufacturing apparatus comprises: a calibration plate comprising a plurality of reference marks, and a firing medium made of at least one material that is sensitive to the radiation of the source, this medium leaving visible the reference marks of the calibration plate when it is in place on the latter, characterized in that the firing medium comprises a plurality of windows that are distributed so as to be superposed with the various reference marks of the calibration plate and to leave said marks visible when the firing medium is in place on the calibration plate. There is also a method for calibrating such a system.

An additive manufacturing device manufactures an additively manufactured article by preheating a powder material by irradiating the powder material with a charged particle beam and then melting the powder material by irradiating the powder material with the charged particle beam. The additive manufacturing device includes a beam emitting unit emitting the charged particle beam and irradiating the powder material with the charged particle beam, and a position detection unit detecting a position of scattering of the powder material when the powder material scatters by being irradiated with the charged particle beam. When the powder material scatters by being irradiated with the charged particle beam, the beam emitting unit emits the charged particle beam such that a thermal dose of the preheating is increased at the position of scattering.

Methods and apparatuses for replaceable beam entry windows in additive manufacturing systems are disclosed.

An exposure control device (31) serves for equipping and/or retrofitting a generative layer-wise building device (1). The latter comprises an exposure device (20) which emits electromagnetic radiation (22) or particle radiation and is configured to irradiate positions to be solidified in a layer in such a way that after cooling they exist as an object cross-section or part of the same. The exposure control device (31) has a first data output interface (36), at which control commands can be output to the exposure device (20). The control commands which are output specify one of a plurality of exposure types wherein an exposure type is defined by a predetermined combination of a radiation energy density to be emitted by the exposure device (20) and a scanning pattern with which the radiation (22) is being directed to a region of a layer of the building material (15). Furthermore, the exposure control device (31) has a second data output interface (37) at which an exposure type can be output in real time in relation to a timing of the output of a control command specifying this exposure type.

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing processes, apparatuses, software, and systems for the production of at least one desired 3D object. The 3D printer system (e.g., comprising a processing chamber, build module, or an unpacking station) described herein may retain a desired (e.g., inert) atmosphere around the material bed and/or 3D object at multiple 3D printing stages. The 3D printer described herein comprises one or more build modules that may have a controller separate from the controller of the processing chamber. The 3D printer described herein comprises a platform that may be automatically constructed. The invention(s) described herein may allow the 3D printing process to occur for a long time without operator intervention and/or down time.

A recoating unit (40) serves for equipping or retrofitting a device (1) for additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object (2) by selectively solidifying a building material (15), preferably a powder, layer by layer. The device (1) comprises a recoater (16) movable across a build area (8) for applying a layer (31b, 32b) of the building material (15) within the build area (8) and a solidification device (20) for selectively solidifying the applied layer (31b, 32b) at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object (2) to be manufactured. The device (1) is formed and/or controlled to repeat the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object (2) is completed. The recoating unit (40) comprises at least two recoating rollers (41, 42) spaced apart from each other in a first direction (B1) and extending into a second direction transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to the first direction. At least one of the recoating rollers (41, 42), preferably both of the recoating rollers (41, 42) are formed adjustable in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction in the recoating unit (40).