Apparatus for laser materials processing

Abstract

An apparatus for laser materials processing including a laser (4) for generating a laser beam and a laser head (5) which is movable along at least one spatial direction and is connected to the laser via a light guide, and which emits a laser beam (7) capable of processing a material. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for selective laser melting or selective laser sintering having an apparatus for laser materials processing.

Claims

1. An apparatus for laser materials processing comprising: a stationary laser for generating a laser beam; a movable laser head, the laser head translationally movable along at least two independent spatial directions and within or along a plane and connected to the stationary laser via cable, the cable containing a light guide, the laser head emitting a laser beam capable of processing a material; the laser head including a suction device creating a suction flow parallel to a direction of the laser beam; and a temperature conditioning device including an induction coil.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the laser is a fiber laser.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the suction device creates a suction flow offset from the laser beam.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the suction flow is concentric with the laser beam.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the induction coil is disposed around the laser beam.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the induction coil is disposed concentrically around the laser beam.

7. An apparatus for selective laser melting or selective laser sintering comprising the apparatus as recited in claim 1.

8. A method of producing a three dimensional product with the apparatus of claim 1, comprising: providing a platform on which a semi-finished product is positioned; placing powder onto the semifinished product; moving the movable laser head translationally along at least two independent spatial directions and within or along a plane to bond the powder to the semifinished product using the laser beam according to a desired contour of the three-dimensional product to be produced; and repeating the placing and moving steps to build up, layer by layer, the three-dimensional product to be produced.

9. A method of producing a three dimensional product with the apparatus of claim 1, comprising: moving the movable laser head translationally along at least two independent spatial directions and within or along a plane, such that the laser beam creates a melted region in a processing plane to build up, layer by layer, the three-dimensional product to be produced.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The enclosed drawings show purely schematically in

(2) FIG. 1: a schematic view of an apparatus for selective laser melting; and in

(3) FIG. 2: a perspective view of a detail of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) Other advantages, characteristics and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to this exemplary embodiment.

(5) FIG. 1 shows, purely schematically, an apparatus 1, such as may be used for selective laser melting for additively manufacturing a component. Apparatus 1 includes a lifting table 2, on the platform of which is positioned a semi-finished product 3 on which material is deposited in layers to produce a three-dimensional component. To this end, powder 10 located in a powder reservoir above a lifting table 9 is pushed by a wiper 8 onto semi-finished product 3 layer by layer and subsequently bonded to the existing semi-finished product 3 by melting or sintering by means of the laser beam 7 of a laser 4. Laser beam 7 bonds the powder material in a powder layer to semi-finished product 3 according to the desired contour of the component to be produced, which makes it possible to produce any desired three-dimensional shape. In order to prevent unwanted reactions with the surrounding atmosphere during melting or sintering, the process takes place in a sealed chamber provided by a housing 11 of apparatus 1 and, in addition, an inert gas atmosphere is provided, for example, to prevent oxidation of the powder material during deposition or the like. The inert gas used may, for example, be nitrogen which is provided via a gas supply.

(6) In accordance with the present invention, laser 4 has a laser head 5 which is movable two-dimensionally along a plane parallel to the processing plane 12 of the build chamber. Laser head 5 is connected by a cable 6 to stationary laser beam generating unit 13. Cable 6 contains a light guide for conveying the laser beam from laser beam generating unit 13 to laser head 5, as well as supply and control lines for delivering energy to laser head 5 and controlling the movement as desired.

(7) FIG. 2 is a in perspective view of the laser head 5 of the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1, again showing stationary laser beam generating unit 13 and flexible cable 6 for laser head 5. As shown in the view of FIG. 2, laser head 5 is movable along spatial directions X and Y above processing plane 12. The laser beam (not specifically shown in FIG. 2) creates an irradiation or melting region 17 in processing plane 12, in which the powder material is locally selectively melted to build up a three-dimensional object. The direction in which the component is built up layer by layer is indicated by the Z arrow.

(8) Laser head 5 includes an induction coil 16 which is provided as a heating device for pre- and/or post-heating the region around melting region 17.

(9) In addition to the induction coil 16 for inductive heating, laser head 5 further includes a suction device 15 capable of drawing gas from the region between processing plane 12 and laser head 5. The heat input by the laser beam can cause the formation of fumes at melting region 17. Such fumes can potentially prevent the unhindered introduction of the laser beam power into the powder in processing plane 12. Suction device 15 allows the fumes to be drawn in directly from melting region 17, making it possible to prevent or reduce attenuation of the laser beam by the fumes. By annular suction around the laser beam, it is possible to largely prevent the laser beam from being affected by the fumes drawn off.

(10) Pre-heating and/or post-heating of the melted material by means of the induction coil can prevent the processed material from cracking due to excessively rapid melting and cooling.

(11) Since laser head 5 can be moved to any point above processing plane 12 by translational movements along the X direction and the Y direction, so that the laser beam can accordingly melt the powder material directly underneath, it is possible to build up, layer by layer, a component of any desired shape. Since laser head 5 receives the laser beam from a light guide and emits it directly above melting region 17, the shape of the beam is not altered (e.g., ellipsoidally distorted) by deflection mirrors.

(12) Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that it is not intended to be limited thereto and that modifications may be made by omitting individual features or by combining features in different ways, without departing from the protective scope of the appended claims. The present disclosure encompasses any combination of any of the individual features presented herein.