Abstract: Disclosed is a method of generating a ceiling gas stream in the course of the generative manufacturing of a three-dimensional object in a process chamber by a layer-by-layer application and selective solidification of a building material within a build area arranged in the process chamber. The process chamber has a chamber wall having a process chamber ceiling lying above the build area. A ceiling gas stream of a process gas is passed through the process chamber which is streaming from the process chamber ceiling towards the build area in a controlled manner. In the course of this, the ceiling gas stream is supplied to the process chamber through ceiling inlets formed in the process chamber ceiling such that the ceiling gas stream is directed substantially perpendicularly to the build area downwards onto the build area as it exits the ceiling inlets.

Abstract: A method and a control data generating device (54, 54?) for generating control data (BSD, PSD) for an additive manufacturing device (1) are described, wherein build-up material (13) is built up and selectively solidified. For this purpose, irradiating the build-up material (13) on a build field (8) with at least one energy beam (AL) takes place, wherein an impingement surface (22) of the energy beam (AL) is moved on the build field (8) in order to melt the build-up material (13) in a target area (?Z) in and around the impingement surface (22). For generating the control data (BSD, PSD), optimization criteria (OK) and/or secondary and/or boundary conditions (WB) relating to a local target temperature distribution (TV) in the target area (?Z) of the build-up material (13) are defined so that melting of the build-up material (13) is effected as heat conduction welding.

Abstract: An exposure optics serves as an equipping and/or retrofitting optics for a device for producing a three-dimensional object by selectively solidifying building material, layer by layer. The exposure optics includes at least a first object-sided lens system having a first focal length f1 and a second image-sided lens system having a second focal length f2, which lens systems can be arranged in the beam path of the radiation emitted by the radiation source. The focal plane of the first lens system and the focal plane of the second lens system coincide in a plane between the two lens systems. The focal length f1 of the first lens system is equal to or greater than the focal length f2 of the second lens system. The exposure optics is designed and can be arranged such that the electromagnetic radiation is incident substantially perpendicular on the working surface.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing process includes applying a layer of a building material on a building support or an already applied and selectively solidified layer and selectively solidifying the applied layer by electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation. All positions in the layer that correspond to a cross-section of the object 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 includes an inner region and a surface region. The step of applying a layer and the step of selectively solidifying the layer are repeated until all cross-sections of the object are solidified. At least a portion of the surface region is scanned at least twice before scanning of the inner region starts.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by layer-wise application and selective solidification of a building material with the step of applying a layer of the building material on a building base within a build area and with the step of selectively solidifying the applied layer by solidifying an area of the applied layer which corresponds to the cross-section of the object in the layer in order to produce a solidified area in the layer. The steps of applying and selectively solidifying are repeated until the three-dimensional object is completed. At least once during manufacturing the three-dimensional object, a sub-area that is only a predetermined portion of the solidified area is after-treated. The sub-area is located substantially inside the solidified area.

Abstract: A device for an adjustment of a heater control includes a nominal parameter provision unit designed such that it provides at least one nominal parameter value, an actual parameter detection unit designed such that it is able to detect for at least one of the nominal parameter values the corresponding actual parameter value in a heater control or in an 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 that automatically changes at least one control parameter value, if a predefined difference between the nominal parameter value and its corresponding actual parameter value is exceeded.

Abstract: A measuring system (40) serves for equipping or retrofitting a device (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object (2) by selective layerwise solidification of a building material (15). The device (1) includes an irradiator (18) for selectively irradiating a layer of the building material (15) applied in a working plane (7) of the device (1) at locations corresponding to a cross-section of the object (2) to be manufactured for solidifying the irradiated locations. The irradiator (18) comprises at least two irradiation units (31), preferably laser arrays, and each irradiation unit (31) can be projected onto a pixel in the working plane (7) and can be at least switched on and off.

Abstract: The invention relates to a manufacturing device for the additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object and a corresponding method. The object is manufactured by applying a building material in layer-wise form and selectively solidifying the building material at points corresponding to the cross-section of the object. The points are scanned with at least one exposure area, and, during operation, a movable gas inlet approaches a reference process point and/or a target flow supply zone assigned to the reference process point for the flow supply with the process gas, and the process gas is discharged via a stationary gas outlet.

Abstract: A method for producing a powder comprising at least one polymer for use in a method for the additive manufacture of a three-dimensional object is described. The method includes the step of mechanically treating the powder in a mixer with at least one rotating mixing blade, wherein the powder is exposed to a temperature TB and TB is at least 30° C. and is below the melting point Tm of the polymer (determined according to DIN EN ISO 11357) if the polymer is a semi-crystalline polymer, or wherein TB is at least 30° C. and wherein TB is at most 50° C. above the glass transition temperature Tg of the polymer (determined according to DIN EN ISO 11357) if the polymer is a melt-amorphous polymer.

Abstract: A method for post-treating a three-dimensional object (2) produced by selectively solidifying, layer by layer, of a building material (15) in powder form and/or unsolidified building material (13) in which the three-dimensional object (2) is embedded, wherein the three-dimensional object (2) produced and/or the unsolidified building material (13) are treated with a liquid (33). The liquid (33) comprises a liquid carrier substance and at least one further substance that reduces the surface tension of the carrier substance.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object (2) in an additive manufacturing apparatus (1) by a layer-wise selective solidification of building material (13) by means of an irradiation with laser radiation, wherein: in a process chamber (3) repeatedly a layer of building material is applied on a previously selectively solidified building material layer and is scanned with laser radiation at positions corresponding to the cross-section of the object in this layer, the laser radiation is generated by means of a laser light source (21) and is directed onto the building material layer via a number of optical components, wherein an optics compartment that is encased by an optics compartment housing (20a) accommodates the optical components, is characterized in that a defined gas atmosphere is maintained inside of the optics compartment, wherein the relative humidity of the defined gas atmosphere is kept below 3%.

Abstract: A control method serves for controlling at least one solidification device of an additive manufacturing device for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by means of an additive layer build method in which at least one object is manufactured by repeated application of a layer of a building material, to a build area and by selective solidification of the applied layer at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be manufactured, wherein a gas having a plurality of flow directions which essentially are not aligned in the same direction flows across the build area.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-assisted method for generating a control data set for an additive layer manufacturing device. In a first step, a layer data set is accessed, wherein points are marked in the data model which correspond to an object cross-section and at which the bid-up material should be solidified. In a second step, the layer data set is modified in such a way that for at least a portion of the object cross-section, the number of beams required for solidifying the build-up material inside said portion is determined preferably automatically, according to quality specifications of the portion and/or a manufacturing time of the object. In a third step, the modified layer data set is provided as a control data set for the additive layer manufacturing device.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object by selectively solidifying layers of a powdery material (3a) at the locations corresponding to the cross-section of the object (3) in the respective layers by impact of electromagnetic radiation (7a) is provided, where in a plastic powder, preferably polyamide, is used as powder, wherein the non-solidified powder (3a?) is subjected to a treatment by water or water vapour at increased temperatures after manufacturing the object, subsequently dried and thereafter used again to build-up a new object.

Abstract: A process for 3D printing a material by successively solidifying layers of the material to form a cross section of an object. The process includes providing a layer of the material, preheating the material to a preheating temperature, below the temperature at which the material is solidified, and solidifying a layer of the material by electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation. In the solidification step, during a predetermined period of time starting with the beginning of the solidification step, the heat introduced per unit area is reduced over time and can be described by a function which decreases monotonously depending on the time.

Abstract: A recoater for applying a building material in a device for manufacturing a three-dimensional object within a build area by solidifying layers of the building material at the points corresponding to the respective cross-section of the object is suitable for applying a building material layer by moving across the build area in a movement direction. The recoater comprises a first scanning device including a first line sensor, for capturing at least a subarea of the build area.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for generatively manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer-by-layer application and selective solidification of a building material. The method includes applying a layer of the building material to a build area by a recoater and selectively solidifying the applied layer of the building material at points corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be manufactured by a solidification device. The steps of applying and solidifying are repeated until the three-dimensional object is completed. A heating element locally introduces thermal energy into the newly applied layer of the building material and/or into the layer of the building material which is already selectively solidified. In the course of this, the thermal energy released by the heating element is adjustable depending on the position of this point in the build area.

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: Method for calibrating an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by layer-wise selective solidification of building material with the step of generating an substantially periodic first modulation pattern in a first sub-area of the build area, the step of generating an substantially periodic second modulation pattern in a second sub-area of the build area, wherein in the overlap zone, the first modulation pattern and the second modulation pattern form an substantially periodic superposition pattern, whose period is larger than the period of the first modulation pattern and the period of the second modulation pattern, the step of detecting the superposition pattern, and the step of determining the deviation of the position of the superposition pattern on the build area from a reference position.

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.