Abstract: An additive manufacturing machine includes an energy beam system configured to emit an energy beam utilized in an additive manufacturing process, and first and second optical elements utilized by, or defining a portion of, the energy beam system and/or an imaging system of the additive manufacturing machine. The imaging system monitors one or more operating parameters of the additive manufacturing process. A light source is configured to emit an assessment beam that follows an optical path incident upon the first and second optical elements. One or more light sensors detect a reflected beam that is either internally reflected by the first optical element or reflectively propagated between the first and second optical elements. A control system determines, based at least in part on assessment data comprising data from the one or more light sensors, whether at least one of the first and second optical elements exhibits an optical anomaly.

Abstract: A build unit for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects may include an energy beam system having one or more irradiation devices respectively configured to direct one or more energy beams onto a region of a powder bed, and an inertization system including an irradiation chamber defining an irradiation plenum, one or more supply manifolds, and a return manifold. The one or more supply manifolds may include a downflow manifold configured to provide a downward flow of a process gas through at least a portion of the irradiation plenum, and/or a crossflow manifold configured to provide a lateral flow of the process gas through at least a portion of the irradiation plenum. The return manifold may evacuate process gas from the irradiation plenum. While irradiating the region of the powder bed, the process gas may flow through the one or more supply manifolds, into the irradiation plenum, and into the return manifold.

Abstract: An adjustment to an irradiation parameter corresponding to a first irradiation unit and/or a second irradiation unit of an irradiation device of an additive manufacturing apparatus may be performed based at least in part on a simulation. The simulation may include simulating generation of a plurality of first calibration patterns by the first irradiation unit and a plurality of second calibration patterns by the second irradiation unit with a simulated change to the irradiation parameter of the irradiation device, and determining a calibration quality value based at least in part on position information relating to the plurality of first calibration patterns and the plurality of second calibration patterns. The calibration quality value may include an indication as to whether a calibration quality of the apparatus would be improved as a result of the adjustment to the irradiation parameter.

Abstract: An apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects may include at least one calibration unit, at least one irradiation device, and a determination device. The least one calibration unit may include at least one calibration region arranged in the beam guiding plane, and the at least one calibration region may include a plurality of sub-regions differing in respect of at least one optical property. The at least one irradiation device may be configured to guide a plurality of energy beams across the at least one calibration region comprising the plurality of sub-regions, and a plurality of calibration signals may be generated by the plurality of sub-regions being irradiated with the plurality of energy beams. The determination device may be configured to determine the plurality of calibration signals and to determine a calibration status of the irradiation device based at least in part on the determined plurality of calibration signals.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing machine includes an energy beam system situated in a fixed position relative to a reference plane coinciding with an expected location of a build plane, an energy beam system with an irradiation device configured to generate an energy beam and to direct the energy beam upon the build plane, and a position measurement system configured to determine a position of the build plane. A position measurement assembly includes one or more position sensors, and one or more mounting brackets configured to attach the one or more position sensors to an energy beam system of an additive manufacturing machine. The position measurement assembly is configured to determine a position of a build plane with the energy beam system situated in a fixed position relative to a reference plane coinciding with an expected location of the build plane.

Abstract: A method of additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object may be performed using an irradiation sequence that is based at least in part on a predicted location of one or more fume plumes emitted from the powder material when irradiated by a plurality of energy beams. An exemplary method may include determining, with a computing device, an irradiation sequence for selectively consolidating powder material using an energy beam system of an additive manufacturing machine, and providing control commands, from the computing device to the energy beam system, configured to cause the energy beam system to emit a plurality of energy beams to selectively consolidate the powder material.

Abstract: Apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects (2) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material (3) which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam (6, 6?) generated via an irradiation device (4), wherein the irradiation device (4) comprises at least one beam guiding unit (7, 7?) that is adapted to guide the energy beam (6, 6?) across a build plane (9) in which build material (3) is applied to be irradiated, wherein the at least one beam guiding unit (7, 7?) is arranged behind a point of impact (20) of the energy beam (6, 6?) in the build plane (9), in particular all possible points of impact (20), with respect to a streaming direction (16) of the gas stream (13) streaming over the build plane (9).

Abstract: A method of additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, and/or a method of controlling one or more irradiation parameters of the energy beam system, may include determining an irradiation setting using an irradiation control model and outputting an irradiation control command to an energy beam system based at least in part on the irradiation setting. The irradiation control model may be configured to determine the irradiation setting based at least in part on a power density factor and/or an irradiation vector factor. The irradiation control command may be configured to change one or more irradiation parameters for additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object. An additive manufacturing system may include an energy beam system and a control system that includes an irradiation controller. The irradiation controller may include a control module configured to perform such a method.

Abstract: A method of additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object may include allocating irradiation of respective ones of a plurality of sequential layers of construction material between a first region and a second region based at least in part on a first irradiation time and/or a second irradiation time. Irradiation of the first region is allocated to a first scanner and the first irradiation time is indicative of a time required for the first scanner to irradiate the first region with respect to at least one of the plurality of sequential layers of construction material. Irradiation of the second region is allocated to a second scanner and the second irradiation time is indicative of a time required for the second scanner to irradiate the second region with respect to at least one of the plurality of sequential layers of construction material. The first irradiation time and the second irradiation time may be at least approximately the same.

Abstract: An optical system may include a first optical assembly and a first scan field expansion assembly. The first optical assembly may include or may be configured as a first flat-field lens. The first flat-field lens may have a first nominal scan field with a first flat focal plane. The first scan field expansion assembly may include one or more first field-expanding optical elements configured to provide a first expanded scan field coinciding with the first flat focal plane. The first expanded scan field may have a cross-sectional width and/or area that exceeds a corresponding cross-sectional width and/or area of the first nominal scan field. A method of additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object may include directing a first energy beam through the first optical assembly, and directing the first energy beam through the first scan field expansion assembly.

Abstract: A build unit for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects may include an energy beam system having one or more irradiation devices respectively configured to direct one or more energy beams onto a region of a powder bed, and an inertization system including an irradiation chamber defining an irradiation plenum, one or more supply manifolds, and a return manifold. The one or more supply manifolds may include a downflow manifold configured to provide a downward flow of a process gas through at least a portion of the irradiation plenum defined by the irradiation chamber, and/or a crossflow manifold configured to provide a lateral flow of the process gas through at least a portion of the irradiation plenum defined by the irradiation chamber. The return manifold may evacuate or otherwise remove process gas from the irradiation plenum defined by the irradiation chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional component 14 by means of an additive construction method in which the component 14 is constructed by solidifying construction material 9 that can be solidified using radiation 18, especially a selective laser melting method or a selective laser sintering method, in which the component 14 is produced by successively solidifying construction material 9 that can be solidified using the impact of radiation 18 by melting or sintering, comprising the following features: providing an additive construction apparatus 1, especially an SLM apparatus or an SLS apparatus, comprising a process chamber 3, a construction platform 7 for carrying the construction material 9, and a radiation source arranged above the construction platform 7 for generating a point-type or linear energy input for creating a melting or sintering section in the construction material 9, providing a sensor apparatus 31 for selective detection of created melting or sintering secti

Abstract: A device (1) for the generative production of a three-dimensional object (2) by selectively solidifying construction material layers made of solidifiable construction material (3) layer by layer in a successive manner using at least one laser beam (5), comprising at least one device (4) for generating at least one laser beam (5) in order to selectively solidify individual construction material layers made of solidifiable construction material (3) layer by layer. The device (4) comprises at least one laser diode element (10) that is arranged or can be arranged directly over the construction plane (9) on which solidified construction material layers or construction material layers to be solidified are selectively formed and is designed to generate a laser beam (5) directed directly onto the construction plane, and/or the device (4) comprises at least one laser diode element (10) and at least one optical element (27).

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for the additive manufacturing of at least one three-dimensional object (2) by selectively compacting layer by layer at least one compactible building material (3) by means of at least one energy beam (5) generated by at least one radiation generating device (4), comprising at least one radiation generating device (4) for generating at least one energy beam (5) for compacting at least one compactible building material (3), at least one coating device (8) for carrying out at least one coating operation to apply a defined building material layer (9) of at least one compactible building material (3) to a building plane (10) or to a building material layer (9) of at least one compactible building material (3) that has previously been applied in the course of carrying out a previous coating operation, and also at least one recording device (11) for recording layer information describing.

Abstract: A device (1) for the additive production of three-dimensional objects (2) by successive, layered, selective irradiation and accompanying successive, layered, selective solidification of construction material layers of a construction material (3) that can be solidified by means of an energy beam, comprising: a plurality of irradiation devices (6 and 7), which are designed to generate an energy beam, a control device (16), which is designed to generate control information controlling the operation of the irradiation devices (6 and 7) and to control the operation of the irradiation devices (6 and 7) on the basis of generated control information, wherein the control device (16) is designed to generate first control information in order to control the operation of a first irradiation device, on the basis of which the first irradiation device generates a first energy beam (4a) for the successive, layered, selective solidification of a construction material layer.

Abstract: Apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects (2) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material (3) which can be consolidated by means of at least one energy beam (4), which apparatus (1) comprises an irradiation device (5) with at least one beam guiding element (7) on which the energy beam (4) is partially reflected, wherein a first beam part (10) extends between the beam guiding element (7) and a build plane (18) of the apparatus (1) and a second beam part (11) is transmitted through or scattered at the beam guiding element (7), wherein a determination device (12) is provided that is adapted to determine at least one parameter of the second beam part (11).

Abstract: Sensor values captured by a sensor device are determined, one or more regions of a three-dimensional component having a deviation from an intended value are determined based at least in part on build coordinates for additively manufacturing the three-dimensional component corresponding to the sensor values, and a quality of the three-dimensional component is evaluated based at least in part on the one or more regions of the three-dimensional component having a deviation from the intended value. The sensor values correspond to an electromagnetic spectrum emitted by a melt pool formed by exposing a powder bed to a beam of radiation emitted from a laser apparatus, with the beam of radiation generating the melt pool in a melt region of the powder bed.

Abstract: An irradiation assembly for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects may include an irradiation device and a magnetic mounting device configured to displaceably support the irradiation device. The irradiation device may include one or more illumination elements respectively configured to emit an energy beam. The magnetic mounting device may include a magnetic slider element coupled to the irradiation device and a magnetic stator element couplable to a housing structure of an additive manufacturing machine. The magnetic stator element may include a displacement track configured to guide the magnetic slider element along a movement path above at least a portion of a construction plane of the additive manufacturing machine while the one or more illumination elements respectively emit the energy beam to selectively irradiate build material at specified regions of the construction plane.

Abstract: Build material handling unit (2) for a powder module (3) for an apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, which apparatus is adapted to successively layerwise selectively irradiate and consolidate layers of a build material (4) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, wherein the build material handling unit (2) is coupled or can be coupled with a powder module (3), wherein the build material handling unit (2) is adapted to level and/or compact a volume of build material (4) arranged inside a powder chamber (5) of the powder module (3) by controlling the gas pressure inside the powder chamber (5).

Abstract: Methods of determining at least one parameter of an irradiation device of an apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects may include generating an energy beam and guiding the energy beam across a structured test surface, generating a signal by detecting radiation that is emitted from the test surface, and determining the at least one parameter based on a frequency spectrum of the signal.