APPARATUS FOR ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS

Abstract

Apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (2) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which apparatus (1) comprises a process chamber (3) with at least one build plane (4) in which build material is directly irradiatable, characterized by at least one safety device (14) adapted to determine at least one chemical and/or at least one physical parameter, wherein the safety device (14) is adapted to control an access state of the process chamber (3) dependent on the determined chemical and/or physical parameter.

Claims

1. Apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (2) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which apparatus (1) comprises a process chamber (3) with at least one build plane (4) in which build material is directly irradiatable, characterized by at least one safety device (14) adapted to determine at least one chemical and/or at least one physical parameter, wherein the safety device (14) is adapted to control an access state of the process chamber (3) dependent on the determined chemical and/or physical parameter.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one chemical and/or physical parameter is or comprises a parameter relating to an atmosphere in the process chamber (3) and/or a process parameter and/or a temperature of at least one region of the process chamber (3).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the parameter relating to an atmosphere in the process chamber (3) is a ratio of process gas and/or a ratio of fine particles in the atmosphere and/or a temperature of the gas in the atmosphere and/or a chemical composition of the gas.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the safety device (14) is adapted to control the access state to grant a user access to the process chamber (3) dependent on a defined value, in particular with the determined parameter below a defined value.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the safety device (14) is adapted to determine the temperature of at least one surface of the build plane (4), in particular a last irradiated part of the build plane (4) and/or a last applied layer of build material.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the safety device (14) is adapted to control a locking status of at least one opening (12), in particular a door, in the process chamber (3).

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the safety device (14) is adapted to control a movement of at least one carrying device carrying the build plane (4) to another apparatus or to another region of the apparatus (1), in particular a handling chamber.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the safety device (14) comprises at least one non-contact sensor (15, 19, 21).

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one non-contact sensor (15, 19, 21) is or comprises an infrared sensor (15, 19, 21) and/or a pyrometer and/or a camera.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor (15, 19, 21) is arranged in or at an opening (12) of the process chamber (3).

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor (15, 19, 21) is arranged in a gas flow channel (11), preferably in a suction channel and/or a discharge channel, in particular a funnel (18) of the gas flow channel, connected to the process chamber (3).

12. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two sensors (15, 19, 21) are provided to determine the same parameter, in particular two sensors (15, 19, 21) with different measuring principles.

13. Safety device (14) for an apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, in particular an apparatus (1) according to claim 1 which apparatus (1) comprises a process chamber (3) with at least one build plane (4) in which build material is directly irradiated, characterized in that the safety device (14) is adapted to determine at least one chemical and/or at least one physical parameter, wherein the safety device (14) is adapted to control an access state of the process chamber (3) dependent on the determined chemical and/or physical parameter.

14. Method for operating at least one apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which apparatus (1) comprises a process chamber (3) with at least one build plane (4) in which build material is directly irradiated, characterized in that at least one chemical and/or at least one physical parameter is determined, wherein an access state of the process chamber (3) is controlled dependent on the determined parameter.

15. Method for operating at least one apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which apparatus (1) comprises a process chamber (3) with at least one build plane (4) in which build material is directly irradiated, characterized in that at least one chemical and/or at least one physical parameter is determined, wherein an access state of the process chamber (3) is controlled dependent on the determined parameter, characterized in that the method is performed on an apparatus (1) according to claim 1.

Description

[0034] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the Fig. The sole Fig. is a schematic diagram showing an inventive apparatus.

[0035] The sole Fig. shows an apparatus 1 for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects 2 by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source. The apparatus 1 comprises a process chamber 3 in which a build plane 4 is arranged, wherein build material that is arranged in the build plane 4 can directly be irradiated by an energy beam 5, for example a laser beam.

[0036] Optionally, the apparatus 1 comprises a dose module 6 and a build module 7 as well as an overflow module 8. Build material can be provided by the dose module 6, wherein an application unit 9 is used to convey build material from a dose plane 10 to the build plane 4. The apparatus 1 further comprises a gas flow channel 11 through which process gas can be streamed into the process chamber 3.

[0037] To provide service personnel or users access to the process chamber 3, the apparatus 1 comprises an opening 12 which functions as access point through which a user may gain access to and interact with components in the process chamber 3. With the opening 12 in a locked state, in which the opening 12 is sealed with a door 13, the service personnel or the user cannot access the process chamber 3.

[0038] As the additive manufacturing process is performed inside the process chamber 3, the process environment may pose a hazard to the health of a user or service personnel as, for example, an inert gas is used as process gas that may additionally be tempered. The process gas may further be charged with residues, in particular particles, such as non-consolidated build material, smoke or smolder. Another potential hazard to the health are high temperatures, in particular heated surfaces inside the process chamber 3 that are heated to temperatures that can cause harm if they are directly contacted, in particular touched. For example, the energy beam 5 irradiating the build material in the build plane 4 heats the build material due to the energy depletion. As, for example, a metal powder is used as build material, defined temperatures are required to melt or sinter the build material.

[0039] To reduce potential hazards to the health of the user or service personnel, the apparatus 1 comprises a safety device 14 that is adapted to determine at least one chemical and/or at least one physical parameter. Dependent on the determined chemical and/or physical parameter the safety device 14 is adapted to control the access state of the process chamber 3, in particular by controlling the access state (locking state) of the door 13.

[0040] The safety device 14 is connected with a temperature sensor 15, for example a camera or a pyrometer or an infrared sensor that is directed towards the build plane 4. In other words the temperature of the build plane 4, in particular build material arranged in a consolidation zone of the build plane 4 can directly be measured via the temperature sensor 15. Of course, it is possible to have more than one temperature sensor 15 provided to ensure a redundancy of the temperature measurement and to cover more than one region in the build plane 4 or other surfaces or components inside the process chamber 3. Preferably, the additional temperature sensor relies on a different measurement principle. With the temperature sensor 15 built as a camera or pyrometer it is possible to spatially resolve the temperature of different regions of the build plane 4, for example a consolidation zone 16 and at least one adjacent zone 17 adjacent to the at least one consolidation zone 16.

[0041] The temperature sensor 15 is also adapted to determine the temperature of other surfaces inside the process chamber 3 or other components inside the process chamber 3, such as the application unit 9. The determined temperature values of the corresponding surfaces or components inside the chamber 3 can be sent to the safety device 14 or the safety device 14 is adapted to receive the determined temperature values, respectively. As can further be derived from the Fig., the temperature sensor 15 is arranged in the gas flow channel 11, in particular at a funnel 18 arranged at an opening of the process chamber 3. The inclination of the surface of the funnel 18 (relative to the build plane 4) the temperature sensor 15 is attached to allows for a direct measurement of the temperature in the build plane 4, as described before.

[0042] Further, an environmental sensor 19 is assigned to the safety device 14. The environmental sensor 19 is adapted to determine at least one chemical and/or physical parameter of the atmosphere 20 inside the process chamber 3. In particular, the environmental sensor 19 is adapted to determine a temperature of the process gas inside the process chamber 3 and a chemical composition of the process gas and a ratio of fine particles the process gas is charged with.

[0043] Additionally, a process parameter sensor 21 is assigned to the safety device 14, wherein the process parameter sensor 21 is adapted to determine at least one process parameter, such as a process step that is currently performed in the apparatus 1 and further process parameters relating to components of the apparatus 1, such as heating parameters, in particular a temperature of a heating element or irradiation parameters, such as an energy beam power.

[0044] Dependent on the chemical and/or physical parameter(s) that are determined via the temperature sensor 15, the environmental sensor 19 or the process parameter sensor 21 that can be received via the safety device 14, the safety device 14 is adapted to control the access state of the opening 12. Thus, the safety device 14 is connected with a door lock 22 the door 13 sealing the opening 12 can be locked with.

[0045] Therefore, the safety device 14 is adapted to monitor whether the at least one chemical and/or physical parameter is within an allowable range or meets (falls below) the defined corresponding value. For example, a temperature value of the surfaces and the components inside the process chamber 3 can be defined, in particular 51 C. If the temperature of one of the components or of one of the surfaces that are monitored via the temperature sensor 15 exceeds 51 C., the safety device 14 controls the access state of the process chamber 3 in that a user or service personnel is not granted access to the process chamber 3. To control the access state of the process chamber 3, the safety device 14 adjusts the locking state of the door lock 22 to prevent the opening 12 from being opened.

[0046] Accordingly, if one of the environmental parameters determined via the environmental sensor 19 or one of the process parameters determined via the process parameter sensor 21 are not within the corresponding allowable range or do not meet the corresponding defined value, the safety device 14 restricts the access to the process chamber 3 accordingly. The safety device 14 therefore, controls the access state of the process chamber 3 in that a locking state of the door lock 22 is controlled in that the opening 12 cannot be opened and therefore, a user or service personnel does not gain access to the process chamber 3. If the corresponding parameter meets the defined value or falls within the allowable range, in particular all determined parameters, the safety device 14 is adapted to control the locking state of the door lock 22 accordingly, in that the door 13 is unlocked. With the door 13 in an unlocked state, the user may open the door 13 and gain access to the process chamber 3.

[0047] The safety device 14 further is adapted to control a movement of the build plane 4, in particular a movement of the dose module 7 (or a carrying device of the dose module 7 carrying the build plane 4). As described before, if at least one of the chemical and/or physical parameters does not meet the corresponding defined value or is not within the allowable range, the safety device 14 can control the movement of the dose module 7 or the build plane 4, respectively, in that the build plane 4 is not moveable into another apparatus or into another region of the apparatus 1.

[0048] Thus, the safety device 14 ensures that a user or service personnel does not gain access to the process chamber 3 unless the process environment inside the process chamber 3 meets predefined requirements. Especially, it is ensured that by gaining access to the process chamber 3 and interacting with the inside of the process chamber 3 the user or service personnel is not exposed to a hazardous environment.

[0049] Of course, the inventive method can be performed on the inventive apparatus 1.