Thermal Insulation Fastening System

Abstract

A device for producing a component using an additive process is disclosed. In an embodiment a device includes an element for producing a component and an assembly for at least partially receiving the element, wherein the component is additively built up on the element, and/or wherein the assembly comprises a putty for thermal insulation and/or fastening of the element.

Claims

1. A device for producing a component using an additive process, the device comprising: an element for producing the component; and an assembly for at least partially receiving the element, wherein the component is additively built up on the element, and/or wherein the assembly comprises a putty for thermal insulation and/or fastening of the element.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the element is embedded by the putty and therefore mechanically fastened.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the putty has a coefficient of thermal expansion which is equal to or higher than that of the element.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of the putty is lower than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the element , and/or wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of the component is different than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the element.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein material properties of the component are inhomogeneous, and/or wherein the putty is a composite of a ceramic component and a non-ceramic component.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the additive process comprises selective laser melting (SLM) or selective laser sintering (SLS).

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is located within a work space of the additive process, and wherein the component is produced within the work space.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the putty comprises a thermal insulation configured to preserve unprocessed powder from heat during the additive process.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the element is treated with a mixture of various heat conducting and anticorrosive additives, and/or wherein the putty is coated with a surface sealing material prior to starting the additive process.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein a heat conducting foil/material/tub enables a fastening and/or positioning of the element , and/or wherein a foil is disposed between the element and the component so that the component and the element are separated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Further details and advantaged of the invention will be apparent from the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which show

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a device for selective laser melting (SLM); and

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a device having a measuring system 16 (camera/laser/gauge) for positioning.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a device for selective laser melting, wherein a powder depot 14 having a lift table 6 is provided. In order to supply a powder 5, the lift table is driven upwards, whereby a metered amount of powder 5 can be transferred by a wiper 4 from the powder depot 14 to the area 15, in which the component is fused by a precisely introduced laser beam. The next layer is created by the machine table 7 being lowered and by the wiper 4 filling a new layer of powder 5 into the resulting depression. By means of a laser 1, a laser irradiation 3 results in certain locations of the powder bed 12. In said locations of the powder bed 12 a molten bath/microstructural change of the powder 5 results, which leads to a solidification after cooling. Thus a component of the desired shape may be produced. After a laser irradiation process the machine table 7 is again lowered and the resulting depression is again filled up with powder from the powder depot 14 by means of the wiper 4. The process is repeated for so long until the component 13 is completed. Next the component 13 is removed from the area 15 and cleansed from powder.

[0039] The device comprises a heat conducting mold 8, which can be formed as a tub or a heat conducting foil/material. In the tub 8 an element 11 can be disposed, which can constitute a part of the completed component or which can only be provided for heat conduction to the component 13. In any case the element 11 serves for heat of the machine table 7 being directed to the component 13, so that the additive/SLM/SLS process may be used. The tub 8 is filled with a thermal insulation and/or a bedding putty 9, which is insulating from heat. Furthermore, in addition a thermal insulation and/or a bedding putty 9 may be provided, which is additionally/also heat-insulating. By means of the putty 9, which can be present as a curable composite, it is ensured, that the powder 12, which is not necessary for production of the component 13, is not heated and thus can be reused for subsequent production cycles without reduction in quality.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a device, wherein a camera 16 localizes the position of the element 11, so that the mirror 2 can adjust the laser beam 3 in such a way that the component is in fact produced on the element 11, and not next to it, by the additive process.

[0041] The advantages of the device result from the powder 12 not being damaged and thus being available for subsequent production processes. Moreover the component 13 is directly applied onto the element 11, which, with the component 13, constitutes the complete component to be created or which can be removed from the component 13 in a simple manner. A complex removal for example by disc grinding the component 13 from the machine table can be omitted.

[0042] It shall be mentioned, that the term comprise does not preclude additional elements or process steps, just as the term a and an does not preclude multiple elements and steps.

[0043] The reference numerals are used for convenience of understanding only and are not to be considered as limiting, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0044] 1 laser

[0045] 2 mirror

[0046] 3 laser beam

[0047] 4 wiper

[0048] 5 powder

[0049] 6 lift table

[0050] 7 machine table

[0051] 8 heat conducting foil/material/tub

[0052] 9 putty, e.g. a curable putty

[0053] 11 element/hybrid component (semi-finished component)

[0054] 12 powder bed

[0055] 13 component built up in layers

[0056] 14 powder depot

[0057] 15 area for producing the desired component

[0058] 16 camera/laser/gauge