Abstract: A method for making a three-dimensional object by means of layer-wise application and selective solidification of a pulverulent building material The method includes applying a layer of the pulverulent building material onto a build area by an application device The application device includes a recoating unit movable across the build area in an application direction. The method further includes solidification of the applied powder layer at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be made, and repeating the steps of applying and selective solidification until the object is completed. The pulverulent building material to be applied onto the build area is heated locally by a radiant heater before being applied.

Abstract: A polyamide powder is disclosed for use in a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object by selectively solidifying layers of the polyamide powder at the locations corresponding to the cross-section of the object in the respective layer by application of electromagnetic radiation. The polyamide powder of the invention is reclaimed after manufacturing of an object and, then is treated with water or water vapor and subsequently dried. After treatment, the powder preferably can have a molar weight Mn (numeric average) of more than about 20,000 g/mol and a Mw (weight average) of more than about 40,000 g/mol. Also, the powder preferably has an excess of carboxylic end groups relative to amino end groups of at least 4:1 up to at most 200:1.

Abstract: A transport unit for transporting an additively manufactured three-dimensional component including a transfer interface which can be closed in a substantially gastight manner for the three-dimensional component and/or a container containing the three-dimensional component and/or a platform carrying the three-dimensional component, which transfer interface is configured and disposed so that it cooperates with an output interface of an additive manufacturing machine which has manufactured the three-dimensional component within the framework of a component transfer as intended and when a connection is made as intended between the transfer interface and output interface a substantially gastight connection can be produced, and a storage chamber for storing the component and/or the container and/or the platform in a substantially gastight sealed state towards the outside.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer-by-layer application and selective solidification of a building material in powder form in a device. The method includes applying a powder layer of the building material to a build area on an application surface of the device by a recoater moving in a movement direction across the application surface, selectively solidifying the applied powder layer at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be manufactured, and repeating the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object is completed. A height of the applied powder layer is varied at least across a section of the powder layer along the movement direction of the recoater.

Abstract: A method for providing control commands for producing a number of three-dimensional objects by an additive layer-wise building device. The method can include a step of providing a computer-based model of the number of objects that geometrically describes the objects, a step of modifying the computer-based model such that for the geometric description of the number of objects a location is defined as a common origin of coordinates, and a step of generating control commands for a set of control commands for controlling the production of the number of objects by means of the additive layer-wise building device on the basis of the modified computer-based model.

Abstract: A calibration method serves for calibrating a manufacturing device for additively producing a three-dimensional object by applying layer by layer and selectively solidifying a building material. The manufacturing device comprises at least two scanning units, each of which is capable of directing a beam to different target points in the working plane, which are located within a scanning region assigned to the respective scanning unit, wherein the scanning regions region of the at least two scanning units overlap in an overlap area. At least a first of the at least two scanning units is assigned a first monitoring unit whose monitoring region extends to a target point of the first scanning unit and its proximity, wherein a change of a position of the monitoring region is carried out as a function of a change of a position of the target point.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object layer by layer by applying and selectively solidifying a constituent material in powder form layer by layer by supply of energy has the steps: applying a layer (32+33) of the powdery constituent material (11) having a pre-determined height (h) onto a support (6) or a previously at least selectively solidified layer of the constituent material, and supplying energy (14) from an energy source (13) into the applied layer at positions corresponding to the cross sectional area of the object to be manufactured for selectively solidifying the constituent material. The step of applying the layer having the pre-determined height (h) is subdivided into a step of applying a first partial powder layer (32) having a first height (h1) which is smaller than the pre-determined height (h), and a step of at least applying a second partial powder layer (33) having a second height (h2) which is smaller than the pre-determined height (h), wherein the total height.

Abstract: A swap platform support for an additive layer-wise building device, which is configured to produce at least one three-dimensional object on a swap platform (121) by solidifying layer by layer a building material in powder form at positions that correspond to the at least one object in the respective layers comprises a clamping device (115, 116) for detachably fixing a position of the swap platform (121) with respect to the position of the swap platform support, a temperature control system (111) configured to supply heat energy to at least a portion of its environment and/or to remove heat energy from at least a portion of its environment and a pressing device (112) which is suited to press at least a part of the temperature control system (111) against a swap platform (121) when the swap platform is clamped in the clamping device (115, 116).

Abstract: The invention refers to a method of generating a ceiling gas stream (44) in the course of the generative manufacturing of a three-dimensional object (2) in a process chamber (3) by a layer-by-layer application and selective solidification of a building material (13) within a build area (10) arranged in the process chamber. In the course of this, the process chamber has a chamber wall (4) having a process chamber ceiling (4a) lying above the build area (10). According to the invention, at least temporarily before and/or during and/or after the manufacturing of the object (2), a ceiling gas stream (44) of a process gas is passed through the process chamber (3) which is streaming from the process chamber ceiling (4a) towards the build area (10) in a controlled manner.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method of generatively manufacturing a three-dimensional object (2) in a process chamber (3) of a generative manufacturing apparatus (1) by a layer-by-layer application and selective solidification of a building material (13) within a build area (10) arranged in the process chamber. In the course of this, while the object is being manufactured, a process gas is supplied to the process chamber by means of a gas supply device and is discharged from the process chamber via an outlet (42a, 42b). According to the invention, the gas supply device is designed and/or arranged relatively to the build area and/or controlled such that a gas stream (40) of the process gas streaming through the process chamber is shaped in such a manner that a substantially elongate oval impingement area (A3) of the gas stream (40) is generated within the build area (10).

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method for densifying or compacting powder material in the supply bin of an additive manufacture machine to improve the quality of the object being made. For example, a removable or portable apparatus can be applied to the surface of the supply bin once the bin has been filled. The apparatus can include a vibrational component that agitates the underlying powder to compact the material. The apparatus can then be removed during the remainder of the additive manufacturing process, which then follows in its normal course. A vacuum can also be used the remove of air or other gases that are emitted during the compaction process, for example, as voids are filled during densification.

Abstract: A method for the production of a three-dimensional object (3) by layer-wise solidifying a building material (11) in powder form by means of electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation comprises a step of applying a layer of the building material (11) on a building support (2) or an already applied and selectively solidified layer and a step of selectively solidifying the applied layer by means of electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation, wherein all positions in the layer that correspond to a cross-section of the object (3) are scanned by electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation such that at these positions the powder is melted at least at its surface. At least one cross-section comprises an inner region (63) and a surface region (60).

Abstract: A three-dimensional object is manufactured by selective sintering by means of electromagnetic radiation, wherein the powder comprises a polymer or copolymer having at least one of the following structural characteristics: (i) at least one branching group in the backbone chain of the polymer or copolymer, provided that in case of the use of polyaryletherketones (PAEK) the branching group is an aromatic structural unit in the backbone chain of the polymer or copolymer; (ii) modification of at least one end group of the backbone chain of the polymer or copolymer; (iii) at least one bulky group within the backbone chain of the polymer of copolymer, provided that in case of the use of polyaryletherketones (PAEK) the bulky group is not selected from the group consisting of phenylene, biphenylene, naphthalene and CH2— or isopropylidene-linked aromatics; (iv) at least one aromatic group non-linearly linking the backbone chain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of a three-dimensional object (2) by way of layered solidification of a powder construction material (11) by way of electromagnetic radiation, in particular laser radiation, having the steps: scanning points, which correspond to a cross section of the object (2) to be produced, of an applied layer of the powder construction material (11) with an electromagnetic beam (22) from a radiation source (21) for purposes of selectively solidifying the powder construction material (11), conducting a gas flow (33) across the applied layer during the scanning with the electromagnetic beam (22) and performing an irregularity determination with regard to the presence of a process irregularity with regard to at least one process parameter during the production, wherein during the scanning by way of the electromagnetic beam (22), the scanning process at at least one present point of the cross section to be solidified is interrupted on the basis of a result of the i

Abstract: A method for producing an orthosis includes at least the steps of receiving patient data of at least one body part of a patient, wherein the body part is borne substantially without a holding apparatus during the reception, ascertaining and/or receiving reference coordinates of virtual and/or physical target objects on the body part, wherein the body part is borne substantially without a holding apparatus during the ascertainment and/or reception and wherein the target objects represent at least one location on the surface of the body part that is representative for attaching the orthosis on the body part, individually fitting a digital orthosis model on the basis of the patient data and the reference coordinates, and manufacturing the orthosis on the basis of the digital orthosis model that is fitted in this way.

Abstract: An exposure control device (31) serves for equipping and/or retrofitting a generative layer-wise building device (1). The latter comprises an exposure device (20) which emits electromagnetic radiation (22) or particle radiation and is configured to irradiate positions to be solidified in a layer in such a way that after cooling they exist as an object cross-section or part of the same. The exposure control device (31) has a first data output interface (36), at which control commands can be output to the exposure device (20). The control commands which are output specify one of a plurality of exposure types wherein an exposure type is defined by a predetermined combination of a radiation energy density to be emitted by the exposure device (20) and a scanning pattern with which the radiation (22) is being directed to a region of a layer of the building material (15).

Abstract: A recoating unit (40) serves for equipping or retrofitting a device (1) for additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object (2) by selectively solidifying a building material (15), preferably a powder, layer by layer. The device (1) comprises a recoater (16) movable across a build area (8) for applying a layer (31b, 32b) of the building material (15) within the build area (8) and a solidification device (20) for selectively solidifying the applied layer (31b, 32b) at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object (2) to be manufactured. The device (1) is formed and/or controlled to repeat the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object (2) is completed.

Abstract: A recoating unit (40) serves for equipping or retrofitting a device (1) for additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object (2) by selectively solidifying a building material (15), preferably a powder, layer by layer. The device (1) comprises a recoater (16) movable across a build area (8) for applying a layer (31b, 32b) of the building material (15) within the build area (8) and a solidification device (20) for selectively solidifying the applied layer (31b, 32b) at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object (2) to be manufactured. The device (1) is formed and/or controlled to repeat the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object (2) is completed. The recoating unit (40) comprises at least two recoating rollers (41, 42) spaced apart from each other in a first direction (B1) and extending into a second direction transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to the first direction.

Abstract: A device for an adjustment of a heater control in an additive manufacturing device, in which a heater control regulates the heating of an applied building material layer by means of a heating device (17) up to a work temperature (TA) comprises: a nominal parameter provision unit (201) designed such that it provides at least one nominal parameter value, meaning the setpoint of a controlled variable and/or its change with time and/or the setpoint of a heater parameter and/or its change with time, an actual parameter detection unit (202) designed such that it is able to detect for at least one of the nominal parameter values the corresponding actual parameter value in the heater control or in the additive manufacturing device, wherein an actual parameter value is the actual value of a controlled variable and/or the actual value of its change with time and/or the actual value of a heater parameter and/or the actual value of its change with time, and a control change unit (203) that automatically changes at lea

Abstract: A computer-based method of providing control commands of a control command set for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by means of an additive manufacturing device comprises at least the following steps: a step (S1) of allocating input data that represent at least a partial surface of the object to be manufactured, wherein the partial surface has an initial surface texture, which is defined by a set of initial texture parameter values (201, 501, 601) that characterize the geometry of the initial surface texture, a step (S2, S31, S31a, S31b) of determining a set of target texture parameter values (203, 503, 603) that differ from the set of initial texture parameter values, and a step (S4, S40, S41) of generating control commands of a control command set, by which control commands said partial surface can be manufactured by means of said additive manufacturing device with a surface texture that is defined by the set of target texture parameter values (203, 503, 603).