DEVICE FOR PRODUCING THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS

Abstract

A device 1 for producing three-dimensional objects 2 by the successive solidifying of layers of a powdery, structural material 3 that is solidifiable by means of radiation, in particular electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation, at the points corresponding to the respective cross section of the object, in particular an SLM device or an SLS device having a housing 7, in which a process chamber 8 and at least one building chamber 5, 6 are disposed, having a supporting means 9 for supporting the object 2 inside the building chamber 5, 6, a metering chamber 4 for storing the structural material 3, a coating device 10 for applying the structural material 3 and an irradiation device 11 for irradiating the applied layers of the structural material 3.

Claims

1. A device (1) for producing three-dimensional objects (2) by the successive solidifying of layers of a powdery, structural material (3) that is solidifiable by means of radiation, in particular electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation, at the points corresponding to the respective cross section of the object, in particular an SLM device or an SLS device having a housing (7), in which a process chamber (8) and at least one building chamber (5, 6) are disposed, having a supporting means (9) for supporting the object (2) inside the building chamber (5, 6), a metering chamber (4) for storing the structural material (3), a coating device (10) for applying the structural material (3) and an irradiation device (11) for irradiating the applied layers of the structural material (3), wherein the coating device (10) is supported so as to be capable of displacement back and forth at least over the building chamber (5, 6), for which purpose the coating device (10) is supported at least unilaterally in a guiding means, characterized in that the aforementioned guiding device and/or a further guiding device for further elements that are capable of displacement inside the process chamber (8) is configured in particular as a suspended gantry (15, 25) disposed in the ceiling area (14) of the process chamber (8).

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the gantry (15, 25) has a plurality of guiding regions disposed above one another or next to one another for different moving elements.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the gantry (15, 25) is disposed exchangeably in the ceiling area (14) of the process chamber (8).

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the gantry (15, 25) is disposed displaceably beneath the ceiling area (14) of the process chamber (8).

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the gantry (15, 25) is configured so as to be capable of being withdrawn outwards in the manner of a drawer in particular through an opening in the process chamber (8).

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the gantry (15, 25) is disposed so as to be capable of being rotated at least partially beneath the ceiling area (14) of the process chamber (8).

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that one or a plurality of change/installation modules (15) for different elements that are capable of displacement are disposed on the gantry (15, 25).

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the gantry (15, 25) in its entirety or sections of the gantry are disposed in a non-horizontal position or are capable of being brought into such a position.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the gantry constitutes a basic gantry (25), on which one or a plurality of sub-gantries or change gantries (26) are disposed.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the at least one sub-gantry or change gantry (26) is disposed displaceably, rotatably or tiltably on the basic gantry (25).

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the sub-gantries or change gantries (26) are disposed in groups that are distributed or are capable of being distributed over the surface of the building space.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the guiding elements of a plurality of gantries (15, 25) are disposed inside one another in such a way that elements guided thereon that are capable of displacement back and forth in the process chamber (8) are capable of displacement over the entire region of the process chamber (8).

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the gantry (15, 25) and/or the at least one change gantry (26) is capable of adjustment by a motor.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the ceiling area (14) of the process chamber (8) above the gantry (15, 25) is of upwardly foldable or removable configuration.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the gantry (15, 25) is supported so as to be capable of being folded outwards through the opened ceiling area (14) of the process chamber (8).

Description

[0015] The invention is explained in more detail on the basis of illustrative embodiments.

[0016] In these embodiments:

[0017] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic cross-sectional representation of an inventive device having a metering chamber, two building chambers, an overflow container and a suspended gantry having a plurality of guiding regions disposed beneath the ceiling area;

[0018] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic partial cross-sectional representation of a ceiling area of a process chamber of an inventive device according to FIG. 1 having a suspended gantry, which is disposed exchangeably and displaceably;

[0019] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic partial cross-sectional representation of a ceiling area similar to FIG. 2, having a suspended, rotatably disposed gantry;

[0020] FIG. 4 depicts a partial cross-sectional representation through a ceiling area similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 having a suspended, rotatable and tiltable gantry;

[0021] FIG. 5 depicts a schematic partial cross-sectional representation of a ceiling area of an inventive device having a suspended basic gantry and a plurality of sub-gantries;

[0022] FIG. 6 depicts a schematic representation from the side of an inventive device, in which the ceiling area of the process chamber can be folded upwards and a suspended gantry is disposed on the upwardly folded ceiling area;

[0023] FIG. 7 depicts a representation similar to FIG. 6, wherein the ceiling area of the process chamber can be folded upwards and a gantry capable of being folded up separately can be folded outwards through the resulting ceiling opening.

[0024] The device 1 schematically represented in the figures in the drawings is used for producing three-dimensional objects 2 by the successive solidifying of layers of a powdery, structural material 3 that is solidifiable by means of radiation or particle radiation, which material is held in readiness in a metering chamber 4 of the device 1. The building process takes place in two building chambers 5, 6, wherein a device having only one building chamber or having more than two building chambers likewise lies within the scope of the invention.

[0025] Customary devices of this kind exhibit a housing 7, in which a process chamber 8 are disposed with the building chambers 5 and 6. A supporting means, which is of height-adjustable configuration and can be moved downwards in the course of the building process, is allocated to the building chambers 5, 6 in each case. The structural material 3 from the metering chamber 4 is applied by means of a coating device 10 in layers inside the building chambers 5, 6 and is caused to melt by an irradiation device 11, for example comprising a laser 12 and a scanner 13, such that the object 2 is produced after cooling and curing of the melt.

[0026] Disposed in the ceiling area 14 of the process chamber 8 is a suspended gantry 15, which has a guiding device, for example for the coating device 10, a scanner 13 that is capable of displacement, or further elements that are capable of displacement, for example sensors, powder feeds, diode arrays, powder extractors, air injector nozzles, etc., that can be disposed in a freely displaceable manner.

[0027] It is possible in principle, on a gantry 15, to provide a plurality of guiding regions 16 disposed above one another or disposed next to one another for different movable elements of the aforementioned kind.

[0028] It can be appreciated from the illustrative embodiment represented in FIG. 2 that the gantry 15 is arranged exchangeably in the ceiling area 14 of the process chamber 8. Guiding rails 17, into which the holding elements 18 can be inserted, are attached to the underside of the ceiling for this purpose directly in the ceiling area, such that the gantry 15 beneath the ceiling area 14 of the process chamber 8 is displaceable as a whole or is capable of being withdrawn outwards in the manner of a drawer through an opening in the process chamber 8. The guiding rails 17 and the holding elements 18 of the gantry can be similarly configured by drawer guides.

[0029] In the illustrative embodiment represented in FIG. 3, it can be appreciated that the gantry 15 is disposed so as to be capable of being rotated at least partially beneath the ceiling area 14 of the process chamber. One or a plurality of change/installation modules 19 can also be provided within the scope of the invention in a displaceable manner on the gantry 15, wherein the change/installation modules 19 are perforated plates or elements provided with snap-action latching connections, for example, such that sensors, scanners and the like can be provided in a simple manner on the change/installation modules 19.

[0030] In the illustrative embodiment represented in FIG. 4, furthermore, it can be seen that the gantry 15 or at least sections of the gantry 15 can be tilted into a non-horizontal position or can be disposed from the outset in a suchlike inclined position.

[0031] FIG. 5 depicts a more complex configuration of a gantry 15, which consists of a basic gantry 25 and a plurality of sub-gantries or change gantries 26. The basic gantry 25 is configured in such a way that it is able to carry a plurality of sub-gantries or change gantries 26, which can themselves also be disposed displaceably on the basic gantry 25. Different elements such as sensors, coaters, scanners, extractors and the like are then in turn disposed displaceably on the change gantries or sub-gantries 26, for example over the aforementioned installation modules. This combination of at least one basic gantry and a plurality of change gantries or sub-gantries 26 results in a multiplicity of installation and displacement possibilities for elements that are movable or displaceable independently of one another, for example sensor elements, scanners, coaters and the like.

[0032] The sub-gantries or change gantries 26 can also be positioned rotatably or tiltably in each case on the basic gantry 25 according to FIGS. 3 and 4. Change gantries or sub-gantries 26 can be disposed in a manner in which they are distributed or are capable of being distributed over the surface of the building space 8 or also the process chamber 8. The basic gantry 25 or the plurality of gantries and/or change gantries or sub-gantries 26 are capable of adjustment by a motor, such that a process-controlled automatic adjustment of the gantries 15, 25 and the elements attached thereto is possible.

[0033] FIGS. 6 and 7 depict two embodiments, in which the ceiling area 14 of the process chamber 8 is configured in an upwardly foldable manner, such that either a gantry 15 attached to the ceiling area (FIG. 6) is folded up with the ceiling area 14 and is then exposed for servicing purposes or for re-equipment with suitable elements or, according to FIG. 7, the ceiling area 14 is folded up separately and the gantry 15 can then be folded up separately. It should be noted that each gantry in FIG. 1, in FIG. 2 and FIGS. 6 and 7 can be configured displaceably, rotatably, tiltably, as a single gantry or a multiple gantry, as a basic gantry having sub-gantries and the like. For the sake of simplicity, it has been resolved not to represent a basic gantry having sub-gantries, for example in FIGS. 6 and 7. It is nevertheless within the scope of the invention to provide suchlike complex gantries beneath a folding cover, wherein the ability of these gantries to rotate and to tilt also lies within the scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

[0034] 1 device [0035] 2 object [0036] 3 structural material [0037] 4 metering chamber [0038] 5 building chamber [0039] 6 building chamber [0040] 7 housing [0041] 8 process chamber [0042] 9 supporting means [0043] 10 coating device [0044] 11 irradiation device [0045] 12 laser [0046] 13 scanner [0047] 14 ceiling area [0048] 15 gantry [0049] 16 guiding region [0050] 17 guiding rails [0051] 18 holding elements [0052] 19 change/installation module [0053] 25 basic gantry [0054] 26 sub-gantries or change gantries