COVER ARRANGEMENTS FOR MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING THREE-DIMENSIONAL COMPONENTS

Abstract

The disclosure relates to cover assemblies for machines, as well as machines and methods for producing three-dimensional components by selectively solidifying a material by a beam acting on the material, including a build cylinder cover that sealingly closes an opening of the build cylinder for changing of the build cylinder, and including a process chamber cover associated with the build cylinder cover, which are detachably connected to one another via an interface, wherein the build cylinder cover and the process chamber cover are formed as a single handling unit for changing the build cylinder.

Claims

1. A cover arrangement for a machine for manufacturing a three-dimensional component by selectively solidifying a powdery building material by a beam acting on the building material, the cover arrangement comprising a construction cylinder cover, which, in a sealing manner, closes an opening of the construction cylinder for exchanging a construction cylinder, and a process chamber cover attached to the construction cylinder cover, which are detachably connected to one another by an interface, wherein the construction cylinder cover and the process chamber cover are formed as a single handling unit for exchanging the construction cylinder.

2. The cover arrangement of claim 1, wherein the interface between the construction cylinder cover and the process chamber cover is formed in a positive-locking manner, and the process chamber cover and the construction cylinder cover are aligned centrally with each other, by one or more complementary connecting elements.

3. The cover arrangement of claim 1, wherein the process chamber cover lies loosely on the construction cylinder cover.

4. The cover arrangement of claim 1, wherein the construction cylinder cover has a peripheral surface which is closed by a radially outwardly extending annular collar and the peripheral groove is provided above the annular collar.

5. The cover arrangement of claim 1, wherein the process chamber cover has a peripheral sealing surface, to which a shoulder connects.

6. The cover arrangement of claim 1, wherein the process chamber cover and the construction cylinder cover are transported in a moveable carrier.

7. The cover arrangement of claim 6, wherein the moveable carrier further comprises a chassis by which the construction cylinder cover and the process chamber cover are movable on a working surface of the process chamber.

8. The cover arrangement of claim 6, wherein the moveable carrier comprises a connection point, which is connectable to a gripper of an application and levelling device, and wherein the moveable carrier is positionable by the application and levelling device relative to the construction cylinder to be exchanged.

9. The cover arrangement of claim 6, wherein the carrier further comprises a base plate with a U-shaped, open-edge recess, by which the construction cylinder cover with the peripheral groove on the base plate is detachably received in the U-shaped, open-edge recess and is movable out of the latter.

10. The cover arrangement of claim 1, wherein a gripping device is arranged to manipulate both the process chamber cover and the construction cylinder cover.

11. The cover arrangement of claim 10, wherein the gripping device comprises at least two grippers, each comprising at least one gripping element, which engage in the peripheral groove of the construction cylinder cover.

12. The cover arrangement of claim 11, wherein the at least two grippers are controllable by a common drive from a gripping position into a rest position.

13. The cover arrangement of claim 11, wherein the gripping elements of the at least two grippers are controllable by a rotary movement for engaging in the peripheral groove of the construction cylinder cover by the drive.

14. The cover arrangement of claim 10, wherein the gripping device is movable in the process chamber parallel to the working plane, is changeable in height, or both.

15. A machine for manufacturing a three-dimensional component by selective solidification of a building material applied in layers by a beam acting on the building material, comprising at least one process chamber, which has at least one working surface aligned in an X-Y plane, to which at least one construction cylinder is exchangeably attached, in which a substrate plate is controlled in a moveable manner, and on which the three-dimensional component is produced; a beam source for generating the beam and at least one beam deflection device by which the at least one beam is deflected onto the building material to be consolidated in the construction cylinder; an application and levelling device that is movable above the working surface for applying the building material relative to the at least one construction cylinder; and a lifting device that moves the construction cylinder at least in a working plane of the working surface to an opening of the process chamber and comprises a piston, which moveably controls the substrate plate in the construction cylinder, wherein a cover arrangement of claim 1 is provided in the process chamber.

16. The machine of claim 15, wherein the cover arrangement in the process chamber is movable with the application and levelling device to the opening of the process chamber.

17. The machine of claim 15, wherein the cover arrangement comprises a construction cylinder lid for closing an opening of the construction cylinder and a process chamber cover for closing the opening in the working surface of the process chamber.

18. The machine of claim 15, wherein a lifting seal is provided below the working surface and assigned to the opening of the process chamber, wherein the lifting seal is pressurised and engages with a wall of the construction cylinder or the process chamber cover in a sealing manner.

19. The machine of claim 15, wherein a bearing point of the cover arrangement is provided in a common longitudinal central axis of at least two openings in the process chamber for arranging construction cylinders.

20. A method for exchanging a construction cylinder in a machine for manufacturing a three-dimensional component by selectively solidifying a building material applied in layers by means of a beam acting on the building material, the method comprising placing a construction cylinder cover onto an opening of a construction cylinder to exchange the construction cylinder located in a process chamber; removing the construction cylinder from the process chamber, wherein a cover arrangement of claim 1 is positioned in a working position for an opening of the process chamber, to which the construction cylinder to be exchanged is assigned; lifting the construction cylinder in the direction of the process chamber; closing the opening of the construction cylinder by the construction cylinder cover; lowering the construction cylinder in the opposite direction to the process chamber; and closing the opening of the process chamber by the process chamber cover.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising, before positioning the cover arrangement for opening the process chamber, inserting the substrate plate with the component into the construction cylinder.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein, during the lifting movement of the construction cylinder towards the cover arrangement or after the lifting movement, an annular suction device at least partially surrounding the opening of the process chamber is activated, which has fluid nozzles or an annular channel which are alternately subjected to a pressure and a vacuum from a suction device.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein, after the construction cylinder has been lifted and the construction cylinder has been closed by the construction cylinder cover, holding the position of the construction cylinder and moving the carrier out of the working position until the construction cylinder and the process chamber cover are released relative to the carrier.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising guiding the construction cylinder with the construction cylinder cover positioned thereon out of the process chamber by a lifting movement, moving the construction cylinder below the working surface, and closing the opening of the process chamber by the process chamber cover.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising, during the lifting movement of the construction cylinder out of the process chamber, opening the lifting seal abutting the construction cylinder until the process chamber cover closes the opening of the process chamber and, after the opening of the process chamber is closed, closing the lifting seal such that it abuts the process chamber cover in a sealing manner.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein, at least during the lifting movement of the construction cylinder from the process chamber, the process chamber is subjected to an overpressure.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the overpressure is about 20 mbar to 50 mbar.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein, in an exchange position, in which the construction cylinder is lowered relative to the working surface and separated from the process chamber cover, removing the closed construction cylinder with the component contained therein, and supplying an empty construction cylinder with a construction cylinder cover arranged thereon for a subsequent working process.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0035] The invention and other advantageous embodiments and developments of the same are described and explained in more detail in the following using the examples depicted in the drawings. The features to be taken from the description and drawings can be applied individually or in any combination according to the invention.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a machine for manufacturing three-dimensional components.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a schematic detailed view of a construction cylinder during a working process for manufacturing a three-dimensional component.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cover arrangement as described herein.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of the cover arrangement according to FIG. 3.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a carrier of the cover arrangement as according to FIG. 3.

[0041] FIGS. 6 to 11 are schematic sectional views of successive working steps to close the construction cylinder and an opening of the process chamber for a subsequent exchange of the construction cylinder in the machine according to FIG. 1.

[0042] FIG. 12 is a schematic side view that depicts the exchanging of the construction cylinders.

[0043] FIG. 13 is a schematically enlarged detailed view of a construction cylinder cover located on the construction cylinder.

[0044] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment for positioning the cover arrangement to open the process chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a machine 11 for manufacturing a three-dimensional component 12 by successively solidifying layers of a powdery building material 29. This machine 11 includes a machine frame 14 and a beam source 15 arranged on the machine frame 14, for example, in the form of a laser source. This beam source 15 emits a beam 16, which is deflected and guided via a beam deflection device 18 onto a working plane 20 of a working surface 21 in a process chamber 22. The beam deflection device 18 can be designed in the form of one or more controllable mirrors, e.g., in the form of a scanner. Below the working plane 20, a construction cylinder 24 having a substrate plate 25 is provided, which can be moved within the construction cylinder 24 in order to structurally create the three-dimensional component 12 on it. A storage chamber 27 is provided adjacent to the construction cylinder 24, through which powdery building material 29 is provided. A collecting chamber 28 is provided opposite the construction cylinder 24. An application and levelling device supplies powdery building material 29 to the construction cylinder 24 from a starting position on the right depicted in FIG. 1. Unneeded building material 29 is transferred into the collecting chamber 28 (left end position) by means of the application and levelling device 30, such that it can in turn be processed and used again.

[0046] The building material 29 preferably consists of a metal or ceramic powder. Other material suitable and used for laser melting and laser sintering can also be used. The process chamber 22 is can be hermetically sealed. It is filled with protective gas or an inert gas for manufacturing the three-dimensional component 12, in order to avoid oxidation when melting the building material 29.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged and more detailed view of the construction cylinder 24. The construction cylinder 24 includes a cylindrical wall 31, within which the substrate plate 25 can be moved up and down by a lifting device 32, wherein from this lifting device 32, only a piston rod 33 and a piston 34 acting on the substrate plate 25 are depicted. The substrate plate 25 and the piston 34 are detachably connected to each other by a clamping system. The construction cylinder 24 is interchangeably supported by a bracket 36. The construction cylinder 24 is aligned and fixed to the bracket 36 by an indexation 37. This indexation 37 is detachable for exchanging the construction cylinder 24.

[0048] A gas seal 38 and a powder seal 39 can be provided between the substrate plate 25 and the piston 34 to seal the construction cylinder 24 at the bottom. An opening 41 of the construction cylinder 24 is connected to the working surface 21 of the process chamber 22, e.g., flush with it, in a working position for manufacturing component 12. A lifting seal 42 engages with the outer periphery of the opening 41 below the working plane 20. By means of this lifting seal 42, an opening 46 in the process chamber 22 to the construction cylinder 24, e.g., to the wall 31 of the construction cylinder 24, is sealed in a gastight and powder-tight manner. This lifting seal 42 is activated in a sealing arrangement. By way of example, it is pressurized by means of a medium. In a deactivated state, this lifting seal 42 has a larger inner periphery. This allows the construction cylinder 24 to be moved downwards.

[0049] To increase the productivity of such a machine 11, the component 12 is not removed individually from the machine 11. Instead, the construction cylinder 24 with the component 12 provided within, and the unsolidified building material 29 surrounding the component 12, is removed from the machine 11, to insert an empty construction cylinder 24 into the machine 11, such that after this exchanging process, manufacturing with a new component 12 can take place immediately in the newly replaced construction cylinder 24. A component 12 can also be manufactured in an adjacent construction cylinder 24 during the exchanging process.

[0050] For this exchanging of the construction cylinder 24 or removing the construction cylinder 24 containing the component 12 and the still hot building material 29, a cover arrangement 51 is provided, which is depicted in perspective in FIG. 3. A schematic sectional view along the line in FIG. 3 is depicted in FIG. 4, from which the construction of the cover arrangement 51 having a construction cylinder cover 52 and a process chamber cover 53 can be seen. In this sectional view, a carrier 57 of the cover arrangement 51 is not depicted. FIG. 5 depicts a schematic arrangement from above of a process chamber cover 53 having a construction cylinder cover 52, which are accommodated by the carrier 57.

[0051] The process chamber cover 53 rests on the construction cylinder cover 52. The process chamber cover 53 is connected to the construction cylinder cover 52 by a positive-locking interface 54. The positive-locking interface 54 can, for example, be formed by two complementary connecting elements 55, 56. This can be, for example, a conical projection 55 which engages in a recess 56. In some embodiments, the positive-locking interface 54 also allows the process chamber cover 53 to be aligned with the construction cylinder cover 52 with respect to their longitudinal center axes. For example, the two covers 52, 53 are aligned symmetrically to each other and lie in a common central axis.

[0052] The construction cylinder cover 52 and the process chamber cover 53 are provided together on a carrier 57. This carrier 57 includes a base plate 58 for accommodating them. This base plate 58 has a U-shaped recess 59, which is open at the edge. This U-shaped recess 59, which is open at the edge, serves for the detachable reception of the construction cylinder cover 52. This has a peripheral groove 61, which engages with the U-shaped recess 59 of the base plate 58. The U-shaped recess 59 has a filling region 60 which is wider than the peripheral U-shaped groove 61 to enable the cylinder cover 52 to be centered independently for being arranged in a correct position in the open-edge U-shaped recess 59.

[0053] The carrier 57 also has a chassis 63. The chassis 63 can, for example, include two axes, which are aligned parallel to each other, and accommodate rollers. The U-shaped recess 59, which is open at the edges, is aligned in the direction of travel of the carrier 57.

[0054] The construction cylinder cover 52 has a peripheral surface 65, e.g., cylindrical or conical peripheral surface 65, which is delimited by a radially outwardly projecting annular collar 66. The conical peripheral surface 65 is opposite the annular collar 66 and is assigned to the peripheral groove 61.

[0055] A connection point 64 can be provided on an outer side of the carrier 57 or on an outer side of a cover plate 71. This connection point 64 is used for coupling the cover assembly 51 to the application and levelling device 30, in order to control a movement of the cover assembly 51 from a parking position into a working position aligned with the opening 46 of the process chamber 22.

[0056] The process chamber cover 53 rests on the construction cylinder cover 52, said process chamber cover having a peripheral sealing surface 67 with the same radial extension as the peripheral groove 61 or protruding against it. The peripheral sealing surface 67 of the process chamber cover 53 is delimited by a shoulder 68, which forms a support surface when the process chamber cover 53 is positioned in the opening 46 of the working surface 21.

[0057] The carrier 57 also has the cover plate 71, which is positioned above the U-shaped, open-edge recess 59. The distance of the cover plate 71 from the base plate 58 corresponds to the distance or is slightly greater than the distance of the peripheral groove 61 on the construction cylinder cover 52 and an upper side of the process chamber cover 53.

[0058] In the following, the function of the cover arrangement 51 is explained in more detail according to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 when the construction cylinder 24 is exchanged with the process chamber 22 using FIGS. 6 to 12.

[0059] Starting from an arrangement of the substrate plate 25 in the construction cylinder 24 according to FIG. 2, the substrate plate 25 is first inserted into the construction cylinder 24 in preparation for exchanging the construction cylinder 24. Such a lowered position of the substrate plate 25 is depicted in FIG. 6. During or after the lowering movement of the substrate plate 25, the application and levelling device 30 is coupled to the cover arrangement 51. For this purpose, a schematically depicted connection point 64 can be provided. Subsequently, by means of a linear traverse movement of the application and levelling device 30, the cover arrangement 51 is positioned from a stowage position in the process chamber 22 to the opening 46 of the process chamber 22. This is depicted in FIG. 6.

[0060] The construction cylinder 24 is slightly lowered during the activated lifting seal 42. At the same time, an overpressure in the process chamber 22 can prevail. Additionally, an annular suction device 47, which surrounds the opening 46 and is depicted in more detail in FIG. 7, can be activated to fluidize any building material 29 still adhering in the edge region of the opening 46. This annular suction device 47 can be formed by several ducts, which merge below the lifting seal 42 into a radially circulating annular duct 48. The supplied medium is then blown radially according to arrow 49 across the edge of the opening of the construction cylinder 24 into its interior. The annular suction device 47 is subsequently deactivated.

[0061] The construction cylinder 24 is lifted as shown in FIG. 8 by means of the lifting device 32 and moved into the process chamber 22. The opening 41 of the construction cylinder 24 accommodates the construction cylinder cover 52. The construction cylinder 24 fixes the construction cylinder cover 52 and the process chamber cover 53, while the carrier 57 is moved sideways such that the covers 52, 53 are released from the carrier 57 due to the U-shaped recess in the base plate 58.

[0062] Subsequently, the construction cylinder 24 is lowered, e.g., simultaneously with the substrate plate 25, as depicted in FIG. 9. Before this, the lifting seal 42 is deactivated. In a first phase of the lifting movement out of the process chamber 22, the process chamber cover 53 closes the opening 46 of the process chamber 22. The lifting seal 42 is activated, whereby the opening 46 of the process chamber 22 is sealed. The assumption of this position, depicted in FIG. 10, can in turn be monitored by at least one sensing element. Subsequently, a further lifting movement of the construction cylinder 24 or the bracket 36 is controlled in order to detach the process chamber cover 53 from the construction cylinder cover 52 due to the positive-locking interface 54. Meanwhile, the carrier 57 can be moved to a stowage position within the process chamber 22.

[0063] In a further exchange phase as shown in FIG. 11, the indexation 37 on the bracket 36 of the lifting device 32 is detached. The piston 34 of the lifting device 32 can then be lowered further such that the piston 34 detaches from the substrate plate 25. The bracket 36 is held in an exchange position, such that the construction cylinder 24 can be removed from the bracket 46 with a handling device. The construction cylinder 24 is thus closed. The hot component 12 and the heated building material 29 remain in the construction cylinder 24.

[0064] This removal of the construction cylinder 24 from the machine 11 and a simultaneous supplying of an empty or new construction cylinder 24 are depicted in FIG. 12. After placing the empty construction cylinder 24 on the bracket 36, the steps described above are carried out in reverse order to prepare the construction cylinder 24 for a subsequent work process to manufacture a three-dimensional component 12.

[0065] FIG. 13 depicts a schematically enlarged detailed view of a construction cylinder cover 24 resting on the construction cylinder 24. The construction cylinder cover 52 can be provided in a self-centering manner on the upper opening edge of the wall 31 of the construction cylinder 24 by means of the peripheral surface 65, which is, for example, conically formed. The annular collar 66, which protrudes radially from the peripheral surface 65, can rest on one end face of the wall 31 of the construction cylinder 24 and form a seal. For example, a layer of sealing and heat-resistant material may be provided on the annular collar 66. The annular collar 66 forms an axial seal 69 or an edge seal with the end face of the wall 31 of the construction cylinder 24. In addition, the peripheral surface 65 can also be designed as a conical peripheral surface and also have a sealing effect.

[0066] FIG. 14 shows an alternative embodiment of the cover arrangement 51. In this embodiment, a gripping device 81 is provided instead of the moveable carrier 57. This gripping device 81 can be provided to be stationary in the process chamber 22. Alternatively, this gripping device 81 can be moved by means of the linear axis of the application and levelling device 30 within the process chamber 22. This gripping device 81 can include three grippers 83, which are provided for engaging in the peripheral groove 61 of the construction cylinder 52. The grippers 83 are can be aligned at the same distance from the cover arrangement 51, such that, for example, three grippers 83 ensure a secure reception of the cover arrangement 51. The grippers 83 are, for example, aligned in an isosceles triangle. A drive 87, for example a belt, cable, chain or toothed belt drive, which includes a motor 84, can be provided for driving the gripper elements 85 together. In this way, gripping elements 85 can be transferred simultaneously into a gripping position in which they engage in the peripheral groove 61 or, after positioning the construction cylinder cover 52 in the opening 41 of the construction cylinder 24, to be guided out of the peripheral groove 61.

[0067] The procedure and mode of operation for exchanging a construction cylinder 24 is analogous to the above-mentioned FIGS. 6 to 12. If this gripping device 81 is arranged above the process chamber 22, the gripping device 81 only moves vertically towards and then away from the construction cylinder 24. In a stowage position, the cover arrangement 51 is thus lifted from the working surface 21 in such a way that the application and levelling device 30 on the working surface 21 can be moved completely across the opening 22 of the working plane 20.

Other Embodiments

[0068] It is to be understood that while the invention has been described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof, the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. Other aspects, advantages, and modifications are within the scope of the following claims.