Device for treating powder for a device which produces a three-dimensional object device for producing a three-dimensional object and method for the production thereof

• US 7,153,463 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2002
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
• Original Assignee: EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
• Inventors: Halder, Thomas, Leuterer, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): THEISEN, MARY LYNN F
• Application Number:
  US10/467,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20050074550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 264/308
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/34 of powder characteristics, e.g. density, oxidation or flowability
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/73 of powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/57 Metering means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/67 Blades
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/004 Filling molds with powder feeding material to presses in general B30B15/302
• 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 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/10 Pre-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 425/02 Fluidized bed

Abstract

A device for treating powder for a device for producing a three-dimensional object by means of a generative manufacturing process, in particular by means of laser sintering, is provided, having a supply container (1) for the powder with a base (2) and a side wall (3), characterised in that a chamber, which has a wall (4) which is permeable to a fluid medium towards the container interior, is provided in the container (1), and in that a device (9) for supplying a fluid medium into the chamber is provided.

Claims

1. A process for producing a three-dimensional object by means of a generative manufacturing process, in which the object is built up by sequential application of layers of a powder material and solidification of the layers at points corresponding to the cross-section of the object, the process comprising fluidizing the powder in a supply container prior to solidification of a layer by supplying a fluid medium to the supply container to effect fluidization, the process further comprising the step of controlling and/or regulating at least one of a variant selected from the group consisting of a temperature, a pressure and a volume flow of the fluid medium.

2. The process according to claim 1, comprising fluidizing the powder before the entire construction process.

3. The process according to claim 1, comprising fluidizing the powder before application of a layer.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the fluid medium is a gas.

5. The process according to claim 1, further comprising controlling or regulating the temperature of the fluid medium.

6. The process according to claim 1, further comprising moistening the powder or chemically treating the powder via the supplying of fluid medium.

7. The process according to claim 1, further comprising providing a filling container connected upstream of a coater and fluidizing the powder in the filling container.

8. The process according to claim 7, further comprising metering the powder into the coater and fluidizing the powder before the metering step.

9. A process for producing a three-dimensional object by means of a generative manufacturing process, in which the object is built up by sequential application of layers of a powder material and solidification of the layers at points corresponding to the cross-section of the object, the process comprising fluidizing the powder in a supply container prior to solidification of a layer by supplying a fluid medium to the supply container to effect fluidization and controlling or regulating the temperature of the fluid medium.

10. A process for producing a three-dimensional object by means of a generative manufacturing process, in which the object is built up by sequential application of layers of a powder material and solidification of the layers at points corresponding to the cross-section of the object, the process comprising fluidizing the powder in a supply container prior to solidification of a layer by supplying a fluid medium to the supply container to effect fluidization and moistening the powder or chemically treating the powder via the supplying of fluid medium.