Device and Method for Applying Layers of a Powder Material Onto a Surface

• US 20070298182A1
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
• Original Assignee: EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
• Inventors: Perret, Hans, Halder, Thomas, Philippi, Jochen, Keller, Peter, Cantzler, Gerd, Goth, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,820,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/427.3
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/37 of powder bed aspects, e.g. density
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/73 of powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/13 to preheat the material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/224 for motion along a direction within the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/50 Means for feeding of material, e.g. heads
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/67 Blades
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/001 Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/29 by profiling or strickling the material in open moulds or on moulding surfaces in rotary moulds B28B1/02; by means of profiled rollers B28B3/12, B28B3/123
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/20 Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

A device (51) for applying layers or a powder material (71) by means of an application device (52) is described, wherein the application device (52) can be moved back and forth between two end positions in order to apply a layer of material (71) and the application device (52) comprises a blade (56) for removing excess material during the application of a layer of material (71). The device (51) is characterized by a material transport device (53), by which the material can be transferred from one side of the blade (56) to the other side of the blade. The device has the particular advantage that layers of material (71) can be applied without any loss of material and is particularly applicable in a laser sintering device.

Claims

1. Device for applying layers of a powder material (71, 73;

115) comprising an application device (8;

52;

101), which can be moved back and forth between two end positions in order to apply a layer of material (71, 73;

115) and which comprises a blade (56;

105) for removing excess material (72) when generating a layer of material (71, 73;

115), characterized by

a material transport device (11;

53;

102),which is adapted to transfer material from one side of the blade (56;

105) to the other side of the blade.

2. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a material feeding device (9, 10;

54;

104) that comprises a supply container (10) for the material and is formed such that the supply of material to a feeding region is automatically interrupted, when there is a predetermined amount of material in the feeding region.

3. Device according to claims 1, wherein the material transport device (11) comprises a conveyor roller (53), which is rotatable around an axis (59), for the transfer of material from the one side to the other side of the blade (56).

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein a mechanics (61, 62, 62′

, 63, 63′

, 64) is provided, by which the movement (B) of the application device (52) is coupled to the rotation of the conveyor roller (53) such that by a singular back and forth movement of the application device (52) material is transported from one side of the blade (56) to the other side of the blade (56) by means of the conveyor roller (53).

5. Device according to claim 3, wherein the conveyor roller (53) comprises two paddles (60, 60′

) that are mirror-symmetrical to the axis of rotation of the conveyor roller (53).

6. Device according to claim 3, wherein the conveyor roller (53) is a roller having at least one chamber that is formed such that it is a recess, by which through a rotation of the roller material is transported from one side of the blade to the other side of the blade by means of the chamber.

7. Device according to claim 3, wherein a trough (65) is provided that is adapted to the shape of the conveyor roller and accommodates a part of the conveyor roller.

8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the trough (65) comprises a heating for pre-heating the material in the trough (65).

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein the transport device (11) is a fluidization device (102), by which gas can be blown into the material such that the material fluidizes and flows from one side of the blade (105) to the other side of the blade (105), when the application device (101) is in a predetermined position.

10. Device according to claim 1, wherein the transport device (11) is a fluidization device, by which the material is vibrated such that the material fluidizes and flows from one side of the blade to the other side of the blade, when the application device is in a predetermined position.

11. Device according to claim 1, wherein at each of the two sides of the construction field that correspond to the two end positions of the application device, a transport device (11;

53;

102) is provided.

19. Device for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by solidifying layers of a material at positions corresponding to the respective cross-section of the object by means of a device for applying layers of a powder material according to claims 1.

12. Method for applying layers of a powder material (71, 73;

115) by means of an application device (52;

101) that can be moved between two end positions in order to apply a layer of material and that comprises a blade (56;

105), having the steps;

(a) applying a layer of material onto a surface by means of the application device (52;

101), wherein in the process the blade removes the excess material (72) and shoves it out of the construction field (55), characterized in that the method comprises the following step;

(b) transferring material from a side of the blade that is facing away from the construction field to the other side of the blade of the application device that is facing the construction field.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein material from a supply container (10) is fed to a feeding area at the side of the construction field (55;

107) via a material feeding device (54, 104).

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein in step (b) the material is transferred from the feeding area at the side that is facing away from the construction field (55;

107) to the other side of the blade of the application device (52;

101) that is in an end position or near an end position, which is facing the work area.

15. Method according to claim 13, wherein in the step (a) the excess material (72) is shoved into the feeding area by the blade (56;

105).

16. Method according to claim 13, wherein the feeding of material into the feeding area is stopped when there is a predetermined amount of material in the feeding area.

17. Method according to claim 12, wherein in step (b) the transfer of material is effected by a rotatable conveyor roller (53).

18. Method according to claims 12, wherein in step (b) the transfer of material is effected by fluidizing the material by means of a fluidization device (102).