An optical module for a machine for machining workpieces and/or for producing molded bodies by way of location-selective solidification of material powder into contiguous regions by a laser beam includes a housing for releasably fastening the optical module to the machine and a collimation optics changer releasably arranged in the housing, having at least two collimation optics which can be moved into a beam path of the laser beam for collimating the laser beam. The collimation optics changer has a mechanism for automatically changing the collimation optics.

A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include creating, by a 3D printer contained within an enclosure, a part having a weight greater than or equal to 2,000 kilograms. A gas management system may maintain gaseous oxygen within the enclosure atmospheric level. In some embodiments, a wheeled vehicle may transport the part from inside the enclosure, through an airlock, as the airlock operates to buffer between a gaseous environment within the enclosure and a gaseous environment outside the enclosure, and to a location exterior to both the enclosure and the airlock.

A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include creating, by a 3D printer contained within an enclosure, a part having a weight greater than or equal to 2,000 kilograms. A gas management system may maintain gaseous oxygen within the enclosure atmospheric level. In some embodiments, a wheeled vehicle may transport the part from inside the enclosure, through an airlock, as the airlock operates to buffer between a gaseous environment within the enclosure and a gaseous environment outside the enclosure, and to a location exterior to both the enclosure and the airlock.

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 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 device and a method for the coating of lenses. The lenses which are to be coated are arranged in pairs over parallel tubular targets such that they each overlap both a homogeneous and an inhomogeneous removal region of the target and the lenses rotated so that an especially uniform coating can be achieved.

A microscope is a microscope that switches an observation method between the bright-field observation and the fluorescence observation. The microscope includes an objective that irradiates a sample with excitation light and converts fluorescence from the sample into a parallel light flux, a beam splitter that splits fluorescence and excitation light from each other, and a collective lens that is arranged in such a manner that it is freely set in and removed from an optical path between the beam splitter and the objective, that has a positive power, and that is set in the optical path for fluorescence observation and is removed from the optical path for bright-field observation.

An optical member that refracts a light beam to diverge or focus the light beam, includes: at least three pairs of opposing surfaces. Each of the three pairs of opposing surfaces include a lens. Curvatures of the lenses at one side surfaces of the respective three pairs of surfaces are all the same, or curvatures of the lenses at one side surfaces of respective pairs of at least two pairs of the three pairs of surfaces are different from each other, and respective shortest distances between optical axes of the lenses at the one side surfaces of respective pairs of the at least two pairs of surfaces, and reference sides which are each any one of respective sides surrounding surfaces including the lenses are different from each other.

A method and an apparatus of a powder bed fusion additive manufacturing system that enables a quick change in the optical beam delivery size and intensity across locations of a print surface for different powdered materials while ensuring high availability of the system. A dynamic optical assembly containing a set of lens assemblies of different magnification ratios and a mechanical assembly may change the magnification ratios as needed. The dynamic optical assembly may include a transitional and rotational position control of the optics to minimize variations of the optical beam sizes across the print surface.

A method and an apparatus of a powder bed fusion additive manufacturing system that enables a quick change in the optical beam delivery size and intensity across locations of a print surface for different powdered materials while ensuring high availability of the system. A dynamic optical assembly containing a set of lens assemblies of different magnification ratios and a mechanical assembly may change the magnification ratios as needed. The dynamic optical assembly may include a transitional and rotational position control of the optics to minimize variations of the optical beam sizes across the print surface.