APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING 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 (3) which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam (4), wherein a detection device (13) is provided that is configured to detect splash particles (8-10) generated by at least partially evaporating build material (3) in a consolidation zone (7) in which the energy beam (4) irradiates the build material (3).

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 (3) which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam (4), characterized by a detection device (13) configured to detect splash particles (8-10) generated by at least partially evaporating build material (3) in a consolidation zone (7) in which the energy beam (4) irradiates the build material (3).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection device (13) is configured to detect and/or determine a spray characteristic of the splash particles (8-10) generated in the consolidation zone (7).

3. Apparatus according to claim, characterized in that the detection device (13) is configured to detect the size and/or an amount and/or a speed of the splash particles (8-10) and/or an impact (12) of a splash particle on a build plane (6) and/or a pattern of impacts (12) of splash particles (8-10) on the build plane (6).

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection device (13) is configured to determine a degree of evaporation of build material (3) in the consolidation zone (7).

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the detection device (13) is configured to determine the degree of evaporation via at least one algorithm, in particular an image analysis algorithm.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that a control unit (14) is configured to control at least one process parameter, preferably a parameter of the energy beam (4), in particular an energy beam power and/or an energy beam intensity, dependent on at least one detected splash particle (8-10) and/or a detected impact (12) of a splash particle (8-10) on a build plane (6) and/or a pattern of impacts (12) of splash particles (8-10) on the build plane (6) and/or the determined degree of evaporation.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the control unit (14) is configured to control the process parameter dependent on at least one ambient parameter.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the ambient parameter is or comprises a stream of gas, in particular process gas and/or oxygen, a temperature, in particular of the process region and/or the ambience and/or the consolidation zone (7).

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection device (13) is or comprises at least one optical measuring device, in particular an optical sensor.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by a display unit (15) configured to display a detected splash particle (8-10) and/or a detected impact (12) of a splash particle on a build plane (6) and/or a pattern of impacts (12) of splash particles (8-10) on the build plane (6) and/or a determined degree of evaporation to a user.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection device (13) is arranged off-axis with respect to a beam path of the energy beam (4).

12. Detection device (13) for an apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material (3) which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam (4), characterized in that the detection device (13) is configured to detect splash particles (8-10) generated by at least partially evaporating build material (3) in a consolidation zone (7) in which the energy beam (4) irradiates the build material (3).

13. Method for operating at least one 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 (3) which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam (4), characterized in that splash particles (8-10) generated by at least partially evaporating build material (3) in a consolidation zone (7) in which the energy beam (4) irradiates the build material (3) are detected.

14. Method for operating at least one 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 (3) which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam (4), characterized in that splash particles (8-10) generated by at least partially evaporating build material (3) in a consolidation zone (7) in which the energy beam (4) irradiates the build material (3) are detected, the method is performed on an apparatus (1) according to claim 1.

Description

[0023] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the FIGURE. The sole FIGURE is a schematic diagram showing a side view of an inventive apparatus.

[0024] The sole FIGURE 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 3 which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam 4. The energy beam 4 is generated by a beam generating unit 5, for example a laser beam source.

[0025] In this exemplary embodiment, the energy beam 4 is focused on a build plane 6 irradiating the build material 3 in a consolidation zone 7, wherein splash particles 8, 9 and 10 are generated, e.g. by at least partially evaporating the build material 3 in the consolidation zone 7. According to the depicted situation, the energy depleted in the build plane 6, in particular in the build material 3 located in the consolidation zone 7 of the build plane 6 that is irradiated with the energy beam 4, leads to an evaporation of a part of the build material 3. The respective partially evaporated build material 3 generates splash particles 8-10 that are moved outside the consolidation zone 7 onto the build plane 6 and thereby distributed in a process chamber of the apparatus 1. For example, the trajectories of the splash particles 8, 10 are depicted via dashed lines 11, wherein the splash particles 8, 10 create impacts 12, e.g. craters, when they impact on the surface of the build material 3 in the build plane 6 or the object 2 being built.

[0026] The apparatus 1 comprises a detection device 13 that is configured to detect the splash particles 8-10 generated in the manufacturing process, e.g. by the evaporation of the build material 3 in the consolidation zone 7. In particular, the detection device 13 is configured to monitor the entire build plane 6 as the energy beam 4 is configured to irradiate the build material 3 throughout the entire build plane 6.

[0027] The apparatus 1 further comprises a control unit 14 that is configured to control various process parameters of the manufacturing process of the three-dimensional objects 2, in particular it is possible to control the beam generating unit 5, particularly the energy beam intensity or the energy beam power of the generated energy beam 4. Futher parameters of the energy beam 4, such as a spot size of the energy beam 4 or a writing speed of the energy beam 4 may be varied as well, in particular to change the energy that is depleted in the build material 3 via the energy beam 4.

[0028] Upon a detection of splash particles 8-10 or the splash pattern the entirety of impacts 12 form on the surface of the build material 3 in the build plane 6 via the detection device 13 the corresponding process parameters can be adjusted via the control unit 14, wherein the energy depleted in the build material 3 can be regulated, particularly reduced, to reduce the degree of evaporation of the build material 3 so that the generation of splash particles 8-10 is avoided or reduced.

[0029] To detect the splash particles 8-10 the detection device 13 comprises an optical measuring device (not shown), wherein an image analysis algorithm is used to detect the generated splash particles 8-10. Thus, a spray characteristic of the splash particles 8-10 can be determined and/or detected in the consolidation zone 7. The splash particles 8-10 may be detected under a predefined angle to the build plane 6, e.g. in top view or in side view or in an arbitrary angle in between.

[0030] It is further possible to detect the amount and the size and the speed of the splash particles 8-10, i.e. the amount of build material 3 that is moved from the consolidation zone 7 due to the partial evaporation of build material 3. Further, impacts 12 of the splash particles 8-10, in other words the craters, on the build plane 6 can be detected. The single impacts 12 of splash particles 8-10 on the build plane 6, or the splash pattern the impacts 12 form on the build plane 6 can also be detected via the detection device 13. Therefore, the detection device 13 can determine whether or not predefined process quality parameters are met or whether a contamination of the build plane 6 (due to impacts 12 in the surface of the build material 3) is present. The control unit 14 can be used to (semi-)automatically control the various process parameters, in particular the energy beam power of the energy beam intensity to avoid the generation of splash particles 8-10. It is additionally possible to determine a position of an impact 12 on the build plane 6, in particular a relative position of an impact 12 of a splash particle 8-10 relative to at least one other impact 12 or relative to a consolidation zone 7.

[0031] The sole FIGURE further depicts that the apparatus 1 comprises a display unit 15 that is configured to display the detected splash particles 8-10 and the detected impacts 12 of splash particles 8-10, in particular the craters on the build plane 6 and the splash pattern of the impacts 12 of the splash particles 8-10 and the determined degree of evaporation to a user. For example, a value relating to an amount and/or a size of generated splash particles 8-10 can be displayed, as well as the specific part of the consolidation zone 7 in which the splash particles 8-10 are generated. Therefore, it is possible that alternatively or additionally the user can adjust various process parameters or can verify whether the process parameters set by the control unit 14 are suitable to ensure that a predefined process quality is met.