METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURING AT LEAST A PORTION OF A COMPONENT

Abstract

A method for additively manufacturing at least a portion of a component, in particular a component of a turbomachine. The method includes the following steps: a) depositing at least one powder layer of a component material in powder form layer by layer onto a component platform in the region of a buildup and joining zone; b) locally solidifying the powder layer by selectively irradiating the same using at least one high-energy beam in the region of the buildup and joining zone, forming a component layer; c) lowering the component platform by a predefined layer thickness; and d) repeating steps a) through c) until completion of the component portion or of the component. At least one contour portion of at least one component layer is irradiated in a step b1) at least once by at least one high-energy beam in a way that allows the solidified powder layer to be locally heated, but not melted, and, in a subsequent step b2), irradiated by at least one high-energy beam in a way that allows the solidified powder layer-to be locally melted in the region of the contour portion. In addition, a device for implementing such a method.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A method for additively manufacturing at least a portion of a component, the method comprising the following steps: a) depositing at least one powder layer of a component material in powder form layer by layer onto a component platform in a region of a buildup and joining zone; b) locally solidifying the powder layer by selectively irradiating the powder layer using at least one high-energy beam in the region of the buildup and joining zone, forming a component layer; c) lowering the component platform by a predefined layer thickness; and d) repeating steps a) through c) until completion of the component portion or of the component, wherein at least one contour portion of the at least one component layer is irradiated in a step b1) at least once by the at least one high-energy beam in a way that allows the solidified powder layer to be locally heated, but not melted, and, in a subsequent step b2), irradiated by the at least one high-energy beam in a way that allows the solidified powder layer to be locally melted in the region of the contour portion.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein step b1) is implemented at least twice before step b2) is carried out.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein a direction of movement of the at least one high-energy beam along the contour portion is reversed following each execution of step b1).

15. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein a direction of movement of the at least one high-energy beam along the contour portion is reversed following at least one execution of step b1).

16. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the at least one high-energy beam in step b1) and step b2) is operated at a power level that is reduced by up to 90%, or the at least one high-energy beam is moved in step b1) and step b2) at different velocities along the contour portion.

17. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein at least steps b1) and b2) are carried out in a protective gas atmosphere.

18. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein steps b1) and b2) are carried out for at least two different contour portions of the at least one contour portion.

19. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein steps b1) and b2) are carried out for all contour portions of the at least one contour portion of the one individual component layer of the at least one component layer, or for at least two component layers of the at least one component layer.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein steps b1) and b2) are carried out for each component layer of the at least one component layers.

21. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein steps b1) and b2) are carried out using at least one split high-energy beam or a plurality of high-energy beams of the at least one high-energy beam simultaneously on different contour portions.

22. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein an electron beam and/or a laser beam is used as the at least one high-energy beam (14).

23. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the component is a turbomachine component.

24. A device for additively manufacturing at least a portion of a component, the device comprising: at least one coating device for depositing at least one powder layer of a component material in powder form to a buildup and joining zone of a lowerable component platform; and at least one radiation source for generating at least one high-energy beam capable of locally solidifying the powder layer in the region of the buildup and joining zone to form a component layer; a control device designed to control the radiation source in a way that allows at least one contour portion of at least one component layer to be irradiated in one step at least once by the at least one high-energy beam in a way that allows the solidified powder layer to be locally heated, but not melted, and, in a subsequent step, irradiated by the at least one high-energy beam in a way that allows the solidified powder layer to be locally melted in the region of the contour portion.

25. The device as recited in claim 24 designed for implementing the method as recited in claim 12.

26. A component for a turbomachine manufactured at least regionally or completely by the method as recited in claim 12.

27. A compressor component or a turbine component comprising the turbine component as recited in claim 26.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the claims, the figures, and the Detailed Description. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the Specification, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the Detailed Description and/or shown solely in the figures may be used not only in the particular stated combination, but also in other combinations, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, variants of the present invention are also considered to have been included and disclosed herein that are not shown and explained explicitly in the figures, but proceed from and may be created by separate combinations of features from the stated variants. Variants and combinations of features are also considered to have been disclosed herein that, therefore, do not include all of the features of an originally formulated independent claim. In the drawing,

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an additively manufactured component layer, together with an enlarged detail view of a contour portion during irradiation by a high-energy beam;

[0018] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a component layer manufactured in accordance with the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 3 schematically shows an enlarged detail view of a contour portion shown in FIG. 2 during a first implementation of a method step b1);

[0020] FIG. 4 schematically shows an enlarged detail view of the contour portion shown in FIG. 2 during a second implementation of method step b1); and

[0021] FIG. 5 schematically shows an enlarged detail view of the contour portion shown in FIG. 2 during a method step b2).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of an additively manufactured component layer 10 of a turbomachine component 100, such as turbine or compressor component, for a thermal gas turbine together with an enlarged detail view of a contour portion 12 during irradiation by a high-energy beam 14. To produce component layer 10, a powder layer 16 of a component material in powder form is initially deposited in layers in a generally known manner onto a component platform 400 shown schematically in the region of a buildup and joining zone 18. Powder layer 16 is subsequently locally solidified in that it is selectively irradiated by at least one high-energy beam 14, for example a laser beam, in the region of buildup and joining zone 18, forming component layer 10. The component platform is subsequently lowered by a predefined layer thickness, after which the mentioned steps are repeated until a component region or a complete component is finished. In the enlarged detail view, it is discernible that, upon irradiation of powder layer 16 in accordance with the arrows indicated along contour line 20, particles 16 adhere to the surface of component layer 10 and are melted in the process, respectively adhere to the surface. This leads to very rough surfaces which, in turn, negatively affect the strength of component layer 10 and require complex postprocessing, which, to some extent, is not possible, in particular for inner surface regions. The beam 14 is created by a radiation source 200, shown schematically, which is controlled by a control device 300.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view of a component layer 10 manufactured in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 is clarified in the following in connection with FIG. 3 through 5, which each schematically show enlarged detail views of contour portion 12 shown in FIG. 2 during the method steps characterized in FIG. 2 by arrows b1 and b2. Contour portion 12, which is required to have a high surface quality, is irradiated here in a first step b1 by at least one high-energy beam 14 in a way that allows solidified powder layer 16 to be locally heated, but not quite remelted. To this end, high-energy beam 14 is moved rapidly and with low linear energy along contour line 20 in contour portion 12 in accordance with first arrow b 1. Here, the sudden local heating at the surface of component layer 10 leads to a buildup of pressure of the generally optional protective gas (for example, argon), which fills an installation space of a device (not shown) used for implementing the method. This state is shown in FIG. 3. In a second step b1, counter line 20 is subsequently irradiated again in the opposite direction by high-energy beam 14 without any melting of component layer 10 occurring. This is shown in FIG. 4. It is discernible that the directly adjacent powder particles 16 are forced away from the surface or contour line 20 by the protective gas due to the resulting pressure surge. In a subsequent step b2, in which the direction of the high-energy beam is once again reversed, so that the irradiation takes place in the same direction as in first step b1, contour line 20 is then irradiated by high-energy beam 14 in a way that allows the solidified powder layer to be locally melted in the region of contour portion 12 using conventional parameters. This is shown in FIG. 5. At this stage, there are no more particles 16 in the melt pool, thereby reliably preventing adhesion and ensuring a high surface quality. Subsequently thereto, the described steps may be successively implemented along further contour portions 12 or along entire contour line 20. In steps b1 (2×) and b2, high-energy beam 14 is operated at a constant power, for example, at 300 W, however, moved at different velocities. In each of the two steps b1, high-energy beam 14 is moved at approximately 10 m/s, while, in step b2, it is moved more slowly, for example, at 1 m/s. The energy input and thus the heating or melting are hereby controlled. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of high-energy beams 14 may be used for executing steps b1 and b2. It may also be provided for a plurality of high-energy beams 14 to be used to process a plurality of contour portions 12 at the same time. In addition, the mentioned steps b1 and b2 may be performed as needed for a plurality of component layers 10 or for every component layer 10. In this manner, smooth surfaces are already achieved during the additive manufacturing process, thereby advantageously eliminating the need for additional postprocessing. Even inner or enclosed surfaces are also directly accessible. Further advantages reside in that any contamination caused by chemical agents or other foreign materials may be ruled out, and there is no risk of unwanted removal of material (dimensional accuracy). Moreover, the strength of the resulting component is advantageously enhanced.

[0024] The parameter values indicated in the documents for defining process and measuring conditions for characterizing specific properties of the subject matter of the present invention are also considered as included within the scope of the present invention, even in the context of deviations—caused, for example, by measurement errors, system errors, DIN tolerances and the like.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0025] 10 component layer [0026] 12 contour portion [0027] 14 high-energy beam [0028] 16 powder layer [0029] 18 joining zone [0030] 20 contour line [0031] 100 turbomachine component [0032] 200 radiation source [0033] 300 control device [0034] 400 platform