NIKON SLM SOLUTIONS AG

We describe a method comprising: defining an irradiation section, in particular an irradiation stripe, on a material layer to be irradiated, in an additive layer manufacturing process, with an irradiation beam scanned across the material layer, and defining, within the irradiation section, two or more parallel or substantially parallel scanning vectors for said scanning of a said irradiation beam across the material layer, wherein all scanning vectors within the irradiation section are parallel or substantially parallel with respect to each other, wherein, based on said defining of the two or more parallel or substantially parallel scanning vectors, a line results which connects a first location, on the material layer, of a change in irradiation energy density of a said irradiation beam for a first one of the two or more parallel or substantially parallel scanning vectors and a second location, on the material layer, of a change in irradiation energy density of a said irradiation beam for a second one of the two or more parallel or substantially parallel scanning vectors, wherein the first scanning vector and the second scanning vector are neighboring scanning vectors, wherein a distance between the first location and the second location is smaller than (i) a distance between the first location and a third location of a change in irradiation energy density of a said irradiation beam for the second one of the two or more parallel or substantially parallel scanning vectors and/or (ii) a distance between the second location and a fourth location of a change in irradiation energy density of a said irradiation beam for the first one of the two or more parallel or substantially parallel scanning vectors, and wherein an angle, which differs from 90 degrees (a) irrespectively of a geometry of a workpiece to be produced using the additive layer manufacturing process, and (b) irrespectively of an orientation of the two or more parallel or substantially parallel scanning vectors with respect to an orientation of the irradiation section, is formed (i) between the first scanning vector and the line, and/or (ii) between the second scanning vector and the line.

We describe a system for use in an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional workpiece using an additive layer manufacturing technique, the system comprising: an irradiation unit configured to selectively irradiate an irradiation plane with an irradiation beam, and a control unit coupled to the irradiation unit and configured to control the irradiation unit to modulate, as a function of a local process parameter when producing the three-dimensional workpiece, an irradiation beam property of the irradiation beam.

We describe a system for simulating process monitoring by a sensor system in an additive layer manufacturing, in particular selective laser melting, process used to solidify material from which a three-dimensional workpiece is to be produced, wherein the system comprises: a data input coupleable to a data output of the sensor system and configured to receive, from the sensor system, sensor data relating to the process monitored by the sensor system, wherein the data input is further configured to receive one or more input parameters (i) relating to the additive layer manufacturing process and/or (ii) associated with an additive layer manufacturing apparatus used for the additive layer manufacturing process and/or (iii) associated with the process monitoring and/or the sensor system; and a processing unit coupled to the data input and configured to generate, from the sensor data and the one or more input parameters, a model for simulating said process monitoring.

A resource management system ( 39 ) manages a supply of resource material and/or resource items to a plurality of at least two additive manufacturing machines ( 3 ) for additive manufacturing. The resource management system ( 39 ) includes a control unit ( 41 ) that is configured to receive a signal indicative of a demand for resource material and/or resource items of any of the additive manufacturing machines ( 3 ). The control unit ( 41 ) is configured to schedule the supply of demanded resource material and/or resource items according to a predetermined prioritization scheme for resolving demand conflicts.

We describe a device for calibrating an irradiation system of an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional workpiece, the irradiation system comprising an irradiation unit for selectively irradiating an irradiation beam onto an irradiation plane, wherein the device comprises: a control unit configured to control the irradiation system to irradiate the irradiation beam onto the irradiation plane, and an optical detection unit coupled to the control unit, wherein the optical detection unit comprises an optical detector and an objective lens for optically detecting a portion of the irradiation plane, wherein the optical detection unit is configured to detect a position of a spot of the irradiation beam on the irradiation plane, wherein the objective lens is adapted to be arranged, with respect to an irradiation beam path of the irradiation beam, between the optical detector and an irradiation beam scanner of the irradiation system, wherein the optical detection unit is configured to detect the position of the spot of the irradiation beam in multiple focal planes based on a focal length of the optical detection unit being adjustable, wherein the optical detection unit is configured to output a signal to the control unit in response to the optical detection unit detecting the position of the spot of the irradiation beam on the irradiation plane, and wherein the control unit is configured to control the irradiation system based on the signal output from the optical detection unit to the control unit.

The invention relates to a lifting apparatus for a carrier device of a system for the additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional workpiece. The lifting apparatus comprises a base element, at least one first spindle attached to the base element, a lifting platform and at least one second spindle attached to the lifting platform. Further, the lifting apparatus comprises at least one intermediate frame comprising at least one first driving device for vertically moving the intermediate frame relative to the first spindle and the base element and at least one second driving device for vertically moving the second spindle and the lifting platform relative to the intermediate frame.

A calibration method for a printing system configured to produce a three-dimensional workpiece is provided. A first image of a first portion of a calibration plate is obtained, a position of at least a part of a calibration mark of the calibration plate is detected in the first image, an irradiation system of the printing system irradiates, with a laser beam, a point on the first portion of the calibration plate, a second image of the first portion is obtained, a position of a spot of light formed by the laser beam is detected in the second image, and the printing system is calibrated based on the detected position of the at least one part in the first image and the detected position of the spot of light in the second image. A corresponding printing system is also provided.

An additive manufacturing facility ( 1 ) includes an additive manufacturing machine ( 3 ) with a process chamber ( 5 ), a plurality of load items ( 7, 9, 11 ), and a loading system ( 14 ) for positioning the load items from a first loading zone ( 15 ) to a second loading zone ( 17 a,b ). The second loading zone is above and/or below the process chamber. The loading system includes a lifting column ( 21 ), a support arm ( 23 ) and a load item carrier ( 25 ). The support arm is coupled to the lifting column for vertical lifting and lowering along the lifting column. The load item carrier is coupled to the support arm for being moved along a defined horizontal path relative to the lifting column. The first loading zone is located in a front side area ( 31 ) of the loading system and the second loading zone is located in a rear side area ( 33 ) of the loading system.

The invention relates to a method for controlling an irradiation system ( 20 ), the irradiation system ( 20 ) being used in a device ( 10 ) for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional workpieces and comprising at least three irradiation units ( 22 a - d , 50 ), the method comprising the following steps: a) defining an irradiation region ( 30 a - d ) for each of the irradiation units ( 22 a - d , 50 ), the irradiation regions ( 30 a - d ) each comprising a portion of an irradiation plane ( 28 ) which extends parallel to a carrier ( 16 ) of the device ( 10 ), and the irradiation regions ( 30 a - d ) being defined such that they overlap in a common overlap region ( 34 ); b) irradiating a raw material powder layer on the carrier ( 16 ) to produce a workpiece layer; c) arranging a further raw material powder layer on the already jetted raw material powder layer to produce a further workpiece layer. d) The invention also relates to a device for performing this method.

The invention relates to a method for controlling an irradiation system ( 20 ), the irradiation system ( 20 ) being used in a device ( 10 ) for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional workpieces and comprising at least three irradiation units ( 22 a - d, 50 ), the method comprising the following steps: a) defining an irradiation region ( 30 a - d ) for each of the irradiation units ( 22 a - d, 50 ), the irradiation regions ( 30 a - d ) each comprising a portion of an irradiation plane ( 28 ) which extends parallel to a carrier ( 16 ) of the device ( 10 ), and the irradiation regions ( 30 a - d ) being defined such that they overlap in a common overlap region ( 34 ); b) irradiating a raw material powder layer on the carrier ( 16 ) to produce a workpiece layer; c) arranging a further raw material powder layer on the already jetted raw material powder layer to produce a further workpiece layer. d) The invention also relates to a device for performing this method.