The present disclosure generally relates to methods for additive manufacturing (AM) that utilize integrated ribs to support thin walled annular structures. An annular wall fabricated using AM has a thickness less than 0.022 inches across a majority of a surface of the annular wall and a plurality of ribs having a thickness greater than 0.030 inches. The annular wall has a mean thickness less than 0.100 inches. The annular wall conforms to a surface of the component and a mean distance between the annular wall and the component is less than 0.080 inches.

A method for forming at least one three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of a powder bed, which parts correspond to successive cross sections of the three-dimensional article, the method comprising the steps of: providing a model of the at least one three-dimensional article; applying a first powder layer on a work table; directing a first energy beam from a first energy beam source over the work table causing the first powder layer to fuse in first selected locations according to corresponding models to form a first cross section of the three-dimensional article, where the first energy beam is fusing at least a first region of a first cross section with parallel scan lines in a first direction; varying a distance between two adjacent scan lines, which are used for fusing the powder layer, as a function of a mean length of the two adjacent scan lines.

A calibration method serves for calibrating a manufacturing device for additively producing a three-dimensional object by applying layer by layer and selectively solidifying a building material. The manufacturing device comprises at least two scanning units, each of which is capable of directing a beam to different target points in the working plane, which are located within a scanning region assigned to the respective scanning unit, wherein the scanning regions region of the at least two scanning units overlap in an overlap area. At least a first of the at least two scanning units is assigned a first monitoring unit whose monitoring region extends to a target point of the first scanning unit and its proximity, wherein a change of a position of the monitoring region is carried out as a function of a change of a position of the target point.

A planning device for planning locally selective irradiation of a work region using an energy beam in order to produce a component from a powder material arranged in the work region is provided. The planning device is configured to obtain a plurality of irradiation vectors for irradiating a powder material layer arranged in the work region with the energy beam. The planning device is further configured to determine a vector alignment in a coordinate system on the work region for at least one irradiation vector of the plurality of irradiation vectors, and to specify, for the at least one irradiation vector, a beam alignment for a non-circular beam shape of the energy beam on the work region relative to the vector alignment of the at least one irradiation vector.

A planning device for planning locally selective irradiation of a work region using an energy beam in order to produce a component from a powder material arranged in the work region is provided. The planning device is configured to obtain a plurality of irradiation vectors for irradiating a powder material layer arranged in the work region with the energy beam. The planning device is further configured to determine a vector alignment in a coordinate system on the work region for at least one irradiation vector of the plurality of irradiation vectors, and to specify, for the at least one irradiation vector, a beam alignment for a non-circular beam shape of the energy beam on the work region relative to the vector alignment of the at least one irradiation vector.

Selective laser solidification apparatus is described that includes a powder bed onto which a powder layer can be deposited and a gas flow unit for passing a flow of gas over the powder bed along a predefined gas flow direction. A laser scanning unit is provided for scanning a laser beam over the powder layer to selectively solidify at least part of the powder layer to form a required pattern. The required pattern is formed from a plurality of stripes or stripe segments that are formed by advancing the laser beam along the stripe or stripe segment in a stripe formation direction. The stripe formation direction is arranged so that it always at least partially opposes the predefined gas flow direction. A corresponding method is also described.

A powder discharge unit for equipping and/or upgrading a device for generatively manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a selective layer-by-layer solidification of building material in powder form includes a powder container for receiving building material in powder form and a filling chamber for filling in building material in powder form into the powder container. The powder discharge unit is configured to fluidise the building material in powder form in the powder container and the building material in powder form in the filling chamber independently of one another.

A three-dimensional printing system includes a motorized build platform, a material coating module, and a beam generation module. The beam generation module includes a laser beam formation unit, a scan module, and flat field focusing system. The laser beam formation unit includes a laser configured to output a laser beam. The scan module is configured to receive the laser beam and to scan the laser beam over a build plane that is above the motorized build platform. The flat field focusing system is configured to focus the laser beam across the laser beam and includes an input component and an output component. The input component is configured to receive the laser beam from the beam formation unit and to pass the laser beam to the scan module. The output component is configured to receive the laser beam from the scan module and pass the laser beam to the build plane.

A three-dimensional printing system includes a motorized build platform, a material coating module, and a beam generation module. The beam generation module includes a laser beam formation unit, a scan module, and flat field focusing system. The laser beam formation unit includes a laser configured to output a laser beam. The scan module is configured to receive the laser beam and to scan the laser beam over a build plane that is above the motorized build platform. The flat field focusing system is configured to focus the laser beam across the laser beam and includes an input component and an output component. The input component is configured to receive the laser beam from the beam formation unit and to pass the laser beam to the scan module. The output component is configured to receive the laser beam from the scan module and pass the laser beam to the build plane.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to additively manufacturing a three-dimensional structure. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, a plurality of stacked layers are deposited, and for one or more respective layers of the plurality of stacked layers, pores are formed within the layer by applying pulsed energy to the layer. The pulsed energy is used to create a space sealed within the layer and having an inner surface defined by material of the layer.