Apparatus and process for producing a three-dimensional shaped body

• US 20050116391A1
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Company KG (Trumpf GmbH + Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Company KG (Trumpf GmbH + Company KG)
• Inventors: Hammann, Gerhard, Renz, Bernd Hermann, Hutfless, Joachim, Lindemann, Markus
• Application Number:
  US10/940,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20050116391A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/497
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/32 of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/73 of powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/22 Driving means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/49 Scanners
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/50 Means for feeding of material, e.g. heads
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/70 Gas flow means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/84 Parallel processing within single device
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/182 in parallel batches
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/357 Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and a process for producing a three-dimensional shaped body by successive consolidation of layers of a pulverulent build-up material, which can be consolidated by means of electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation, at locations corresponding to the respective cross section of the shaped body, having a beam source for generating a focussed beam and a deflection device for diverting the focussed beam onto the layer which is to be consolidated, having a carrier in a build-up chamber, adjacent to a process chamber, for receiving the shaped body which is to be formed, wherein at least two working stations are formed by in each case one process chamber, the process chambers are hermetically locked off and are each designed to be separate from one another, and the deflection device and the at least two working stations can be positioned in a working position with respect to one another.

Claims

1. Apparatus for producing a three-dimensional shaped body by successive consolidation of layers of a pulverulent build-up material, which is consolidated by means of electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation, at locations corresponding to the respective cross section of the shaped body, having a beam source for generating a beam and a beam-deflection device for deflecting the beam onto the layer which is to be consolidated, having a carrier in a build-up chamber, arranged in a process chamber, for receiving the shaped body which is to be formed, characterized

in that at least two process chambers are provided,

in that each process chamber is hermetically locked off and is in each case designed to be separate from the adjacent process chamber, and

in that the beam-deflection device and the at least two process chambers are positioned in a processing position with respect to one another.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that each process chamber has an extraction means for build-up material that has not been consolidated, which extraction means comprises at least one barrier device.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a fan is provided for the at least two process chambers, and at least one barrier device is provided in the extraction means between the fan and each process chamber.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the process chamber has at least one inlet opening, which is closable by a barrier device.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the barrier device is provided in at least one outlet opening, which is in communication with a build-up chamber, with a powder trap.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the barrier device is provided with a nozzle for manual extraction.

7. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that each barrier apparatus is actuated separately or jointly as a group for each process chamber by means of a control and arithmetic unit.

8. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the barrier device is designed as a pinch valve and actuated pneumatically, electrically, electromagnetically or hydraulically.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the process chamber is hermetically sealed and is accessible through a closable opening which faces towards the beam-deflection device and has a region which transmits the electromagnetic radiation.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a feed device, at least after the feeding of pulverulent build-up material, is arranged at least in a position which closes off the process chamber.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the process chamber has at least one inlet nozzle leading into the process chamber and at least one extraction nozzle which leads away from the process chamber.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the extraction nozzle is provided for leading away shielding or inert gas from the process chamber.

13. Apparatus according to one claim 1, characterized in that at least one seal is provided between the carrier and a peripheral wall, surrounding the carrier, of the build-up chamber.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the seal is formed from a graphite material.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the peripheral wall, facing towards the carrier, of the build-up chamber and at least the seal arranged in the carrier or a peripheral surface, facing towards the build-up chamber, of the carrier includes a material pairing which produces wear at the seal or the peripheral surface of the carrier.

16. Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the surface hardness of the peripheral wall of the build-up chamber is designed to be greater than that of the build-up material.

17. Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the building platform, adjacent to an end face or close to the end face, has a stripper element, which bears against the peripheral wall of the build-up chamber, as seal.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the stripper element is designed as a felt ring.

19. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the extraction means, assigned to the process chamber, for build-up material that has not been consolidated comprises at least a separation device and a filter.

20. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that there is a fan for the at least two process chambers, which fan is in each case connected downstream of a separation device and filter belonging to the process chamber.

21. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that each process chamber comprises a separate store and feed device for the build-up material.

22. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the beam-deflection device is arranged displaceably between the at least two process chambers.

23. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least two process chambers are displaced with respect to the beam-deflection device.

24. Process for producing a three-dimensional shaped body, in particular using an apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that in a first process chamber a layered build-up is carried out by successive consolidations of layers of a pulverulent build-up material, which is consolidated by means of electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation, to produce a shaped body, and at least a cooling, an extraction of build-up material that has not been consolidated, a removal of the finished component, a conversion or setting-up for the production of a new shaped body is carried out in at least a second process chamber.

25. Process according to claim 24, characterized in that, after production of a shaped body has been completed in a process chamber, the beam-deflection device is displaced to the at least one further process chamber, which has previously been converted or set up for the production of a shaped body by layered build-up.

26. Process according to claim 24, characterized in that shielding or inert gas flows through each process chamber at least during the successive consolidation of layers for the production of a shaped body.

27. Process according to claim 24, characterized in that barrier devices of the at least one further process chamber are held in a closed position at least during the extraction of build-up material that has not been consolidated or the cooling of a produced shaped body in a process chamber.