PLANT FOR ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURING AT LEAST ONE THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT

Abstract

Plant (1) for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object, comprising at least one process station (2) for an additive manufacturing process, wherein at least one functional component (4, 5), preferably a lifting device for a powder module (7), of the process station (2) is at least partially enclosed by a housing structure (3) of the process station (2), wherein the process station (2) is coupled or can be coupled with at least one powder module (7), wherein the housing structure (3) comprises at least one opening (6) for loading and/or unloading the at least one powder module (7) into or from the process station (2), wherein a platform (8) is provided that is arrangeable or arranged adjacent to the at least one opening (6), wherein the platform (8) comprises at least one positioning unit (10) with at least one positioning surface for positioning a module carrier (12) which is adapted to carry the at least one powder module (7)

Claims

1. Plant (1) for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object, comprising at least one process station (2) for an additive manufacturing process, wherein at least one functional component (4, 5), preferably a lifting device for a powder module (7), of the process station (2) is at least partially enclosed by a housing structure (3) of the process station (2), wherein the process station (2) is coupled or can be coupled with at least one powder module (7), wherein the housing structure (3) comprises at least one opening (6) for loading and/or unloading the at least one powder module (7) into or from the process station (2), characterized by a platform (8) arrangeable or arranged adjacent to the at least one opening (6), wherein the platform (8) comprises at least one positioning unit (10) with at least one positioning surface for positioning a module carrier (12) which is adapted to carry the at least one powder module (7).

2. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one positioning unit (10) is coupled or can be coupled with a corresponding positioning unit (11) of the module carrier (12).

3. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one positioning unit (10, 11) is built as or comprises a recess and/or a protrusion, in particular cone-shaped or pyramid-shaped.

4. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one positioning unit (10, 11) is movable in at least one direction, preferably movable with respect to three machine axis.

5. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one positioning unit (10) is arranged on an upper surface (9) of the platform (8) or in a receiving section (20) of the platform (8) arranged in a recess (21) in the platform (8).

6. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the platform (8) is mechanically decoupled from the process station (2), in particular mounted or mountable to the ground.

7. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the process station (2) comprises at least one door unit (18) with at least one door element (19) assigned to the at least one opening (6), wherein the door unit (18) is adapted to move the at least one door element (19) between an opened position in which the at least one door element (19) does not cover the at least one opening (6) and a closed position in which the at least one door element (19) covers the at least one opening (6).

8. Plant according to claim 7, characterized in that the at least one door element (19) is built as roller door, preferably comprising a plurality of lamellae, in particular aluminum lamellae.

9. Plant according to claim 7, characterized in that the at least one door unit (18) is adapted to move the at least one door element (19) vertically, preferably downwards in opening (6) direction and upwards in closing direction.

10. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the platform (8) comprises at least one railing (13) at least partially encompassing an upper surface (9) of the platform (8), preferably arranged on a side of the platform (8) facing away from the process station (2).

11. Plant according to claim 10, characterized in that the railing (13) comprises at least one rail unit (14) movable between an opened and a closed position, preferably pivotable through 90, wherein the rail unit (14) blocks a passageway formed by the upper surface (9) of the platform (8) in the opened position.

12. Plant according to claim 10, characterized in that the at least one rail unit (14) comprises at least one rail element (15), preferably two rail elements (15) built as swing doors, in particular pivotable to opposing directions.

13. Plant according to claim 11, characterized in that the at least one rail unit (14) is adapted to actively move into the opened position and/or into the closed position and/or is movable manually into the opened position and/or into the closed position and/or the movement of the at least one rail unit (14) from the opened position into the closed position is supported via at least one support unit, preferably a spring unit.

14. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the module carrier (12) comprises at least one moving means, in particular a guiding rail, preferably a roller conveyor, for moving the at least one powder module (7) received in the module carrier (12) through the at least one opening (6) into the housing structure (3) of the process station (2) and/or for moving the at least one powder module (7) from the housing structure (3) into the module carrier (12).

15. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the plant (1), in particular the process station (2) or the module carrier (12), comprises a loading means (22) for generating a movement of the at least one powder module (7) into the process station (2) or from the process station (2).

16. Plant according to claim 15, characterized in that the loading means (22) comprises an active loading element, preferably a motor or a pneumatic cylinder, or a loading opening (6) via which a loading movement of the at least one powder module (7) can be generated, which loading opening (6) is preferably arranged on a side of the module carrier (12) facing away from the process station (2) with the module carrier (12) in a loading position.

17. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the process station (2) is an apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects or a pre-processing station or a post-processing station.

18. Platform (8) for a plant (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, comprising a process station (2), in particular a process station (2) according to claim 1, wherein at least one functional component (4, 5) of the process station (2) is at least partially enclosed by a housing structure (3) of the process station (2), wherein the process station (2) is coupled or can be coupled with at least one powder module (7), wherein the housing structure (3) comprises at least one opening (6) for loading and/or unloading the at least one powder module (7) into or from the process station (2), characterized that the platform (8), preferably front steps, is arrangeable or arranged adjacent to the at least one opening (6), wherein the platform (8) comprises at least one positioning unit (10) with at least one positioning surface for positioning a powder module (7) carrier which is adapted to carry a powder module (7).

19. Method for operating a plant (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, comprising a process station (2), in particular a process station (2) according to claim 1, wherein at least one functional component (4, 5) of the process station (2) is at least partially enclosed by a housing structure (3) of the process station (2), wherein the process station (2) is coupled or can be coupled with at least one powder module (7), wherein the housing structure (3) comprises at least one opening (6) for loading and/or unloading the at least one powder module (7) into or from the process station (2), wherein a platform (8), preferably front steps, is arranged adjacent to the at least one opening (6), wherein the method comprises the steps: moving a module carrier (12) carrying a powder module (7) to the platform (8) lowering the module carrier (12) onto a positioning unit (10) of the platform (8) positioning the module carrier (12) via the positioning unit (10) provided by the platform (8) moving the powder module (7) into the process station (2) or from the process station (2) into the module carrier (12).

Description

[0052] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the FIG. The FIG. are schematic diagrams, wherein

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an inventive plant according to a first embodiment;

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the inventive plant of FIG. 1 in a first situation;

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the inventive plant of FIG. 1 in a second situation;

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the inventive plant of FIG. 1 in a third situation;

[0057] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an inventive plant according to a second embodiment.

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a plant 1 for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object (not shown). The plant 1 comprises a process station 2 for an additive manufacturing process, which is built as additive manufacturing apparatus in this embodiment. The following description can arbitrarily be transferred to other types of process stations 2, such as pre-processing stations or post-processing stations. The process station 2 comprises a housing structure 3 that encloses at least one functional component of the process station 2, such as a functionality assembly 4, a lifting device 5 and the like. The functionality assembly 4 may, inter alia, comprise a consolidation unit, such as an irradiation device, a stream generating device, an application device via which build material may be applied in a build plane and dependent on the type of process station further functional components of the process station, such as a glovebox, a build material removal unit, pre-processing units and others.

[0059] Further, it can be derived from FIG. 1, that the process station 2 comprises three openings 6, e.g. for different types of powder modules 7, in particular dose modules, build modules and overflow modules, through which openings 6 a powder module 7 may be loaded into the process station 2 or unloaded from the process station 2, as will be described with respect to the FIGS. 2-5 below. In front of the process station 2 a platform 8 is arranged that comprises an upper surface 9 which is used as passageway or walking area for service personnel, e.g. for interacting with the process station 2 via the human machine interface, a process chamber window, a glovebox or the like (not shown).

[0060] The platform 8 further comprises positioning units 10, in particular four positioning units 10 arranged in advance to each of the openings 6. In other words, each opening 6 has four positioning units 10 arranged in front of the openings 6. The positioning units 10 can be coupled with positioning units 11 of at least one module carrier 12, wherein the positioning units 10, 11 provide a positioning surface for the corresponding positioning units 10, 11. In other words, the positioning units 10, may be built as cone-shaped recesses in the upper surface 9 of the platform 8, whereas the positioning unit 11 may be built as corresponding cone-shaped protrusions 11, wherein both positioning units 10, 11 correspond to each other in that they may be coupled for positioning the module carrier 12 in front of the respective opening 6. Thus, a defined relative position may be generated by placing the module carrier 12 in front of the respective opening 6 in that the module carrier 12 is lowered onto the positioning surface provided via the positioning units 10.

[0061] The platform 8 further comprises a railing 13 that prevents personnel from falling off the platform 8. The railing 13 comprises three rail units 14 with two rail elements 15 each that can be moved from a closed position to an opened position and vice versa. Of course, it is also possible to provide only one rail element 15, e.g. extending over the width of the module carrier 12. In the situation that is depicted in FIG. 1, the rail units 14 are arranged in a closed position, as no module carrier 12 is arranged on the platform 8. If the module carrier 12 is moved towards one of the openings 6 of the process station 2, for example via a mobile unit 16, such as a fork lift, the rail units 14 may be moved to the opened position, actively or passively, e.g. by being pushed via the module carrier 12 coming in contact with the rail elements 15. Hence, the rail elements 15 may be pivoted around a pivot axis 17 (FIG. 2) and may therefore, be moved to an opened position. Thus, the module carrier 12 may be placed in front of the openings 6 and coupled with the positioning units 10, as described before.

[0062] In FIG. 2 a cross-sectional view onto the process station 2 and the platform 8 is depicted in a situation in which the module carrier 12 carrying the module 7 is placed on the upper surface 9 of the platform 8. As can be derived from FIG. 2, the process station 2 comprises a door unit 18 with a movable door element 19 which is arranged in a closed position in the situation that is depicted in FIG. 2. Hence, the door element 19 of the door unit 18 covers the opening 6 through which the module 7 can be loaded into the process station 2, in particular into the interior of the housing structure 3 of the process station 2. Further, it can be derived that the rail unit 14 is arranged in an opened position, wherein the rail elements 15 are pivoted through 90 compared to the situation that is depicted in FIG. 1. In this position, it is prevented that personnel can interact with the interior of the process station 2, as the module carrier 12 is placed directly in front of the opening 6. Therefore, service personnel may not come in contact with movable parts, such as the module 7 being moved into the process station 2 or movable parts inside the process station 2, such as the lifting unit 5.

[0063] For loading the module 7 from the module carrier 12 into the process station 2, the door element 19 can be moved via the door unit 18 to the opened position, as depicted in FIG. 3. In this exemplary embodiment the door element 19 is comprised of a plurality of lamellae, such as a roller shutter which can be opened by rolling the lamellae downwards. After the door unit 18 is in the opened position, e.g. the door element 19 is rolled up, the module 7 can be moved from the module carrier 12 into the process station 2. FIG. 4 depicts that after the module 7 has been moved into the housing structure 3 of the process station 2, e.g. loaded into the process station 2, the door element 19 of the door unit 18 can be moved to the closed position in which the door element 19 covers the opening 6. Hence, after the door element 19 has been shut, the module carrier 12 can be moved away from the platform 8 and the rail unit 14 can be moved to the closed position, as depicted in FIG. 1. Hence, FIG. 4 depicts the situation in which the module carrier 12 has already been removed from the process station 2 and the rail unit 14 is in that the closed position.

[0064] Of course, after the processing of the powder module 7 is finished, the powder module 7 may be removed from the process station 2 by reversing the procedure depicted in the FIGS. 2-4, e.g. by arranging an empty module carrier 12 in front of the opening 6, moving the door element 19 into the opened position, moving the powder module 7 into the module carrier 12 and closing the door element 19 again. Afterwards, the module 7 may be transported inside the module carrier 12 away from the platform 8.

[0065] FIG. 5 shows an inventive plant 1 according to a second embodiment, wherein the general setup of the process station 2 is the same as depicted in the FIGS. 1-4. Therefore, same numerals are used for the same parts. In the embodiment that is depicted in FIG. 5, the platform 8 comprises a receiving section 20 in which the positioning units 10 are arranged. Hence, the module carrier 12 partially encompasses the platform 8, as the receiving section 20 is arranged in a recess 21 of the platform 8. Advantageously, it is not necessary that the positioning units 10 are arranged on the upper surface 9 of the platform 8, but it is possible to arrange the positioning units 10 in the receiving section 20 arranged in the recess 21 which is accessible via a side of the platform 8 facing away from the process station 2. Further, it is depicted that the positioning units 10 are built as protrusions and the positioning unit 11 of the module carrier 12 are built as recesses. Of course, an arbitrary combination of positioning units 10, 11 built as recesses and/or protrusions is possible also with the setup depicted in FIGS. 1-4. Of course, the embodiment depicted in FIG. 5 can also be combined with a railing 13, as described with respect to the embodiments depicted in the FIGS. 1-4.

[0066] As can also be derived from FIG. 5, the plant 1 comprises a loading means 22 arranged in the module carrier 12 or coupled with the module carrier 12, respectively. Via the loading means 22 it is possible to generate a movement of the powder module 7 in loading direction or unloading direction, e.g. for moving the powder module 7 which is received/carried inside the module carrier 12 into the process station 2 or to generate the movement of the powder module 7 arranged in the process station 2 into the module carrier 12. In particular, it is possible to load and unload the powder module 7 via the loading means 22, of course while the door element 19 is in an opened position. Further, it is possible that the module carrier 12 depicted in the FIGS. 1-4 also comprises a loading means 22. Further, the loading means 22 may also be arranged in the process station 2 for generating a movement of the powder module 7 from the module carrier 12 into the process station 2 or from the process station 2 into the module carrier 12. Hence, the movement of the powder module 7 in loading direction and unloading direction may be generated via the loading means 22, wherein the loading means 22 may be arranged in the process station 2 or in the at least one module carrier 12.

[0067] Further, the platform 8 throughout the depicted embodiments may be mounted to the ground and mechanically decoupled from the process station 2, wherein it is advantageously possible that mechanical vibrations or even impacts or shocks introduced via the module carrier 12 being placed on the positioning surfaces provided via the positioning units 10, 11 is not transferred to the process station 2. Further, movements of personnel caused by walking on the upper surface 9 of the platform 8 are also not transferred to the process station 2, which is, for example, built as additive manufacturing apparatus. Therefore, the process performed on the process station 2 is not negatively influenced by mechanical movements of the platform 8.

[0068] Of course, the inventive method may be performed on the inventive plants 1 depicted in the FIGS. 1-5. All details, features and advantages described with respect to the individual embodiments are fully transferable and can arbitrarily combined and exchanged.