DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A THREE-DIMENSIONAL, SHAPED METAL BODY

Abstract

Metal field 3D printers discharge metal powder over a base plate and a directable laser subsequently welds relevant points. Iteration layer-by-layer results in a shaped body which is printed using a computer model as an individual piece for rapid prototyping. The metal powder discharge, subsequent welding and final multiple iteration, however, take time, making shaped body production time-consuming. A more rapid movement of the carriage does not accelerate the process, because of metal powder turbulence occurring in the metal powder. To solve this problem, a laser is carried along on the carriage such that the welding process can be carried out directly with the passing over of the carriage. Therefore, the carriage travels more rapidly without risking turbulence and multiple layer applications are thus possible in one pass, in particular by arranging parallel laser elements and material chambers across the whole carriage width passing over the base plate.

Claims

1. Apparatus for the production of a three-dimensional metallic shaped body, comprising a base plate that can be adjusted in height relative to a carriage (1), a carriage guide, a carriage (1) that runs in this carriage guide, traversing the base plate, having at least one material chamber (2, 3, 4) for discharge of metal powder above the base plate, and at least one laser element (5, 6, 7) for melting of discharged metal powder at certain points, wherein the carriage (1) has laser elements (5, 6) and material chambers (2, 3, 4) that alternate in the movement direction of the carriage (1), in an alternating sequence, wherein the laser elements (5, 6) are formed by multiple lasers by means of which points below the carriage (1) can be irradiated over the entire width of the carriage, and a material chamber (2, 3, 4) or a material chamber arrangement composed of multiple material chambers extends over the entire width of the carriage (1) and has one or more discharge openings for discharging the metal powder kept on hand in the material chamber(s) (2, 3, 4) below the entire width of the carriage (1).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser or lasers of a laser element (5, 6) either can themselves be adjusted in terms of direction or is/are oriented toward a deflection mirror that can be adjusted in terms of direction.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one vibration element for uniformization of the material discharge is associated with the material chamber(s) (2, 3, 4).

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one vibration element is an eccentric element or a piezoelectric vibration element.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one imaging device that is oriented at the weld points (9) below the carriage (1) irradiated by the at least one laser element (5, 6) and data-connected with an evaluation apparatus is associated with the carriage (1).

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein further laser elements (7) for point-type melting of discharged metal powder are disposed elevated above the base plate.

7. Method for the production of a three-dimensional metallic shaped body, wherein a carriage (1) that can be moved in a carriage guide above a base plate is provided with at least one material chamber (2, 3, 4) and discharges metal powder from the at least one material chamber (2, 3 4) while traversing the base plate, wherein a laser element (5, 6) adjacent to the at least one material chamber (2, 3, 4) is associated with the carriage (1), by means of which element the metal powder discharged above the base plate from the at least one material chamber (2, 3, 4) is melted at fusing points (9) above the base plate predetermined by a process computer data-connected with the laser elements (5, 6), and fused with surrounding material layers to produce a workpiece (8), wherein the laser elements (5, 6) are formed by multiple lasers, by means of which lasers points below the carriage (1) are irradiated in the entire carriage width, and a material chamber (2, 3, 4) or a material chamber arrangement composed of multiple material chambers extends over the entire width of the carriage (1), and discharges metal powder kept on hand in the material chamber(s) (2, 3, 4) by means of one or more discharge openings under the entire width of the carriage (1).

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein during the course of traversing the base plate, material chambers (2, 3, 4) disposed parallel to one another discharge metal powder in multiple layers, which powder is melted between consecutive layers, by means of laser elements (5, 6) disposed between adjacent material chambers (2, 3, 4), and fused to surrounding material layers to produce a workpiece (8).

9. Method according to claim 7, wherein metal powder is fused in a region above the base plate that has already been completely traversed by the carriage (1), by means of additional laser elements (7) disposed elevated above the base plate.

Description

[0026] The figures show:

[0027] FIG. 1, an apparatus for the production of a three-dimensional metallic shaped body in a lateral cross-sectional representation,

[0028] FIG. 2, an alternative apparatus for the production of a three-dimensional metallic shaped body in a lateral cross-sectional representation, and

[0029] FIG. 3, a further alternative apparatus for the production of a three-dimensional metallic shaped body in a lateral cross-sectional representation.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for the production of a three-dimensional metallic shaped body 8, which is produced, layer by layer, by means of laser sintering of a metal powder. The metal powder is applied layer by layer, wherein those points of a layer that are supposed to be connected with a workpiece 8 are melted at a fusing point 9 and fused to the workpiece 8. However, due to the uniform application of metal powder, the workpiece 8 keeps sinking further into the metal powder during this process, while only the uppermost edges continue to remain visible and accessible. The workpiece 8 is situated, in this regard, in the older metal powder layers 10 while a first metal powder layer 11 is being discharged from a first material chamber 2 of a carriage 1 at the moment being considered. In this regard, the carriage 1 moves in the direction of the arrow shown to the right of the carriage 1, and discharges metal powder from the material chamber 2, wherein a fusing point 9 is set in the first metal powder layer 11 immediately after application of the first metal powder layer 11. This is done using a first laser element 5 which is disposed on the carriage 1 between the first material chamber 2 and the second material chamber 3.

[0031] After an end point is reached, a second metal powder layer is applied to the first metal powder layer 11, using a second material chamber 3, during the return path of the carriage in the opposite direction of movement on this first metal powder layer 11, and is also fused at a fusing point, using the first laser element 5.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows an alternative to the aforementioned solution, in which a first material chamber 2 and a second material chamber 3 are also present, but in deviation from the aforementioned method, both material chambers 2, 3 used at the same time. A first metal powder layer 11 discharged from the first material chamber 2 is fused at the desired locations at the required fusing points 9 by the laser element 5, wherein the carriage 1 practically pulls a second metal powder layer 12 discharged from the second material chamber 3 along behind it. The fusing points 9 to be made in the second metal powder layer 12 are fused from an elevated laser element 7, as was provided in the state of the art. Although the carriage might have to wait at the end point in this configuration, at least two instead of just one metal powder layer 11, 12 are discharged in this way, in one pass, and thereby the speed of the method is clearly increased.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a consistent further development of the aforementioned exemplary solutions, with a carriage 1 having three material chambers 2, 3, 4, which in total discharge three metal powder layers 11, 12, 13. Fusing is undertaken by the laser elements 5, 6 between the material application of two adjacent layers; the last material chamber can optionally be reserved for the return path, according to the principle of the example in FIG. 1, or can apply a layer for an elevated laser element 7, which sets fusing points behind the carriage 1. In this regard, practically any expansion of the carriage 1 can be implemented, wherein material chambers and laser elements that can also be individually adjusted in height can be provided when using large layer thicknesses and application of very numerous layers per pass.

[0034] What is described above is an apparatus and a method for the production of a three-dimensional metallic shaped body, wherein one or more laser elements as well as one or more material chambers are carried along on the carriage, in order to perform as many work procedures as possible at the same time, even while the carriage is still moving, and thereby to save valuable time in the layer-by-layer construction of the workpiece.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

[0035] 1. carriage [0036] 2. first material chamber [0037] 3. second material chamber [0038] 4. third material chamber [0039] 5. first laser element [0040] 6. second laser element [0041] 7. elevated laser element [0042] 8. workpiece [0043] 9. fusing point [0044] 10. older metal powder layers [0045] 11. first metal powder layer [0046] 12. second metal powder layer [0047] 13. third metal powder layer