Method and apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object
First Claim
1. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by laser sintering, whereby said object is produced by successive solidification of layers of a powder material at points corresponding to a cross-section of said object using radiation for solidifying said powder material,said apparatus comprisingsupport means having a substantially plane upper side for supporting said object,a material applying device for applying a layer of said material onto said upper side or onto another layer formed on said upper side,said material applying device comprising a coating device and a drive for displacing said coating device in a direction parallel to said upper side of said support means,said coating device having a first side face, a second side face, a base surface parallel to said upper side and facing the same, a first edge portion between said first side face and said base surface, said first edge portion having a first slope with respect to said base surface, and a second edge portion between said second side face and said base surface, said second edge portion having a second slope with respect to said base surface, said second slope being smaller than said first slope, anda solidification device solidifying a layer of said material by irradiation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by laser sintering the object is produced by successive solidification of layers of a powder material at points corresponding to a cross-section of said object using radiation for solidifying said powder material. The apparatus includes a support having a substantially plane upper side for supporting the object, a material applying device for applying a layer of the material onto the upper side or onto another layer formed on the upper side, and a solidification device for solidifying a layer of the material by irradiation. The material applying device has a coating device and a drive for displacing the coating device in a direction parallel to the upper side of the support. The coating device has a first side face, a second side face, a base surface parallel to the upper side and facing the same, a first edge portion between the first side face and the base surface, the first edge portion including a first angle of inclination with the base surface, and a second edge portion between the second side face and the base surface, the second edge portion including a second angle of inclination with the base surface, the second angle of inclination being smaller than the first angle of inclination.
259 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object by laser sintering, whereby said object is produced by successive solidification of layers of a powder material at points corresponding to a cross-section of said object using radiation for solidifying said powder material,
said apparatus comprising support means having a substantially plane upper side for supporting said object, a material applying device for applying a layer of said material onto said upper side or onto another layer formed on said upper side, said material applying device comprising a coating device and a drive for displacing said coating device in a direction parallel to said upper side of said support means, said coating device having a first side face, a second side face, a base surface parallel to said upper side and facing the same, a first edge portion between said first side face and said base surface, said first edge portion having a first slope with respect to said base surface, and a second edge portion between said second side face and said base surface, said second edge portion having a second slope with respect to said base surface, said second slope being smaller than said first slope, and a solidification device solidifying a layer of said material by irradiation.
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19. A method of producing a three-dimensional object by successive solidification of layers of a building material at points corresponding to a cross-section of said object by irradiation, said method comprising the following steps:
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a) forming and solidifying a layer of said material; b) smoothing and compacting said solidified layer; c) applying said building material to said solidified layer; d) solidifying said applied material at points corresponding to a respective cross-section of said object; and e) repeating steps b) to d) for forming subsequent layers of said object to produce said three-dimensional object.
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Specification