DEVICE FOR THE ADDITIVE PRODUCTION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL COMPONENTS

• US 20170368640A1
• Filed: 01/12/2016
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Concept Laser GmbH (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Cl Schutzrechtsverwaltungs Gmbh
• Inventors: HERZOG, Frank, BECHMANN, Florian, BOKKES, Tobias, ZEULNER, Fabian
• Granted Patent: US 11,179,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/31 Calibration of process steps or apparatus settings, e.g. before or during manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/366 Scanning parameters, e.g. hatch distance or scanning strategy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/368 Temperature or temperature gradient, e.g. temperature of the melt pool
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/80 Data acquisition or data processing
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/85 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/22 Driving means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/41 characterised by the type, e.g. laser or electron beam
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/44 characterised by the configuration of the radiation means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/49 Scanners
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2203/11 temperature, temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/034 Observing the temperature of the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/046 Automatically focusing the laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/082 Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/342 Build-up welding
• 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 17/0081 Process control
• 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 64/393 : for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 : Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 : for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

Device for the additive production of three-dimensional components (2), namely a laser melting device or laser sintering device, in which a component (2) is produced by successive solidifying of individual layers (3) made from solidifiable construction material, by the effect of radiation (4), through melting of the construction material (5), wherein the dimensions and/or temperature of the melt area (6) generated by a point-shaped or line-shaped energy input can be captured by a sensor device (8) of a process monitoring system, and sensor values for evaluation of a component quality can be deduced therefrom, wherein the radiation (9) created by the melt area and used for the generation of the sensor values passes through the scanner used for the melt energy input, and is guided from there to the sensor device (8) of the process monitoring system, wherein an optical focus tracking device (20) is arranged in the radiation path used for generation of the sensor values between the scanner (10) and the sensor device (8) of the process monitoring system, which optical focus tracking device can be controlled by electronic machine data for focus tracking.

Claims

1. A device for the additive production of three-dimensional components (2), namely a laser melting device or a laser sintering device, in which a component (2) is produced by successive solidification of individual layers (3) of construction material that can be solidified as a result of the impact of radiation (4) by melting on the construction material (5), wherein the melting section (6) created by a point-type or linear energy input can be detected using a sensor device (8) of a process monitoring system regarding its dimension shape and/or regarding its temperature, and sensor values for evaluating a component quality can be derived therefrom, wherein the radiation (9) created by the melting section and used for the generation of the sensor values penetrates the scanner employed for the melting energy input, and is directed to the sensor device (8) of the process monitoring system by said scanner, characterized in that in the optical path used for the generation of the sensor values between the scanner (10) and the sensor device (8) of the process monitoring system an optical focus tracking device (20) is arranged that can be actuated by electronic machine data to track focus.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical path of the device at least comprising the radiation source and the scanner is provided with an optical adjustment device (30) to adjust the melting beam focus.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a focus adjustment of the melting beam (4) is carried out by mechanically moving the construction plane (7).

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine data are or comprise the scanner actuation data of the PC scanner actuation card.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine data are or comprise data derived from construction process parameters.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the focus tracking optics has at least one optical focusing element that can be moved by a motor.

7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the focusing element is formed as a lens set that can be moved by a motor.

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the focus adjustment of the process monitoring system can be performed by the focus tracking optics prior to the focus adjustment of the melting beam directed to the layer of powder.

9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor device (8) comprises a plurality of photosensitive elements (15, 16) that can selectively or collectively be brought into the beam of the process monitoring system.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a sensor of the process monitoring system is designed for a wavelength range of 780-950 nm.

11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a sensor is designed for a wavelength range of around 1,200 nm.

12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic signals derived from several sensors are processed in parallel in a process monitoring system.

13. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the focus tracking of the focus tracking device is formed for the compensation of the melting beam exiting the melting beam focus adjustment of the scanner.