Apparatus for manufacturing three-dimensional objects

• US 9,815,242 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2014
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FIT AG
• Original Assignee: FIT AG
• Inventors: Fruth, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Minskey, Jacob T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Darnell, Baileigh K
• Application Number:
  US14/913,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20160214318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/362 for preheating
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/364 for post-heating, e.g. remelting
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/13 to preheat the material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/33 translatory in the deposition plane
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/45 Two or more
• 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 64/295 Heating elements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/30 Auxiliary operations or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/364 Conditioning of environment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/251 Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046
• 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 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

An apparatus and a method are provided for manufacturing three-dimensional objects by selective solidification of a build material applied in layers. A heating element having at least two functional openings is used to improve the manufacturing process and in particular to optimize heat input. One of the at least two functional openings serves as a material passthrough and another of the at least two functional openings simultaneously serves as a radiation passthrough. An additional heating and/or cooling device serves to control the temperature of build material applied through the material passthrough.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing three-dimensional objects by selective solidification of a build material applied in layers, the apparatus comprising:

a build platform on which at least one three-dimensional object is to be generated in layers, said build platform being disposed in an X-Y plane;

a heating element for inputting thermal energy into the build material, said heating element at least partly overlying said build platform;

a drive device for generating a relative motion between said build platform and said heating element in at least one of an X or Y direction;

said heating element having at least two simultaneously usable functional openings formed therein, one of said at least two functional openings being embodied as a material passthrough and another of said at least two functional openings being embodied as a radiation passthrough; and

an additional device for heating or for heating and cooling to control a temperature of the build material applied through said material passthrough.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said additional device for heating or for heating and cooling includes a heat source constructed to furnish thermal energy.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein one of said at least two functional openings is embodied simultaneously or exclusively as a heating opening for an additional input of thermal energy.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said heat source of said additional device for heating or for heating and cooling is disposed in an immediate vicinity of said functional opening serving as a material passthrough or at an edge of said functional opening serving as a material passthrough.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said additional device for heating or for heating and cooling includes a cooling element constructed to extract thermal energy.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein one of said at least two functional openings is embodied simultaneously or exclusively as a cooling opening for an extraction of thermal energy.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said cooling element of said additional device for heating or for heating and cooling is disposed in an immediate vicinity of said functional opening serving as a material passthrough or at an edge of said functional opening serving as a material passthrough.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said additional device for heating or for heating and cooling is disposed in an immediate vicinity of said functional opening serving as a material passthrough or at an edge of said functional opening serving as a material passthrough.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said additional device for heating or for heating and cooling is constructed to furnish a temperature-controlled gas flow.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said additional device for heating or for heating and cooling furnishes said temperature-controlled gas flow at least one of through one of said at least two functional openings or at a material application site.

11. A method for manufacturing three-dimensional objects by selective solidification of a build material applied in layers, the method comprising the following steps:

generating at least one three-dimensional object in layers on a build platform disposed in an X-Y plane;

inputting thermal energy into the build material by using a heating element at least partly overlying the build platform;

generating a relative motion between the build platform and the heating element in at least one of an X or Y direction by using a drive device;

allowing build material and radiation energy to simultaneously pass through at least two functional openings in the heating element; and

using an additional device for heating or for heating and cooling to heat or to heat and cool the build material applied through one of the at least two functional openings serving as a material passthrough.

12. An apparatus for manufacturing three-dimensional objects by selective solidification of a build material applied in layers, the apparatus comprising:

a build platform on which at least one three-dimensional object is to be generated in layers, said build platform being disposed in an X-Y plane;

a heating element for inputting thermal energy into the build material, said heating element at least partly overlying said build platform;

a drive device for generating a relative motion between said build platform and said heating element in at least one of an X or Y direction;

said heating element having at least two simultaneously usable functional openings formed therein, one of said at least two functional openings being embodied as a material passthrough and another of said at least two functional openings being embodied as a radiation passthrough; and

an additional device for at least one of heating or cooling to control a temperature of the build material applied through said material passthrough, said additional device for at least one of heating or cooling including a heat source constructed to furnish thermal energy.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein one of said at least two functional openings is embodied simultaneously or exclusively as a heating opening for an additional input of thermal energy.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said heat source of said additional device for at least one of heating or cooling is disposed in an immediate vicinity of said functional opening serving as a material passthrough or at an edge of said functional opening serving as a material passthrough.