Abstract: A device (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer-wise solidification of a building material at positions in the respective layers that correspond to the object is provided. The device has a machine frame (2, 3, 4, 5) and support legs (51) that are mounted at the machine frame and by which the device (1) is supported on a substrate. The support legs (51) are arranged such that a three-point support of the device (1) at the substrate is given and at least two support legs (51) are mounted at the machine frame such that they are adjustable in height.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 20, 2007
Date of Patent:
November 23, 2010
Assignee:
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Inventors:
Hans Perret, Thomas Halder, Siegfried Schimitzek
Abstract: A method is provided, in which three-dimensional objects are manufactured by layer-wise solidifying powdery synthetic material by impact of electromagnetic or particle radiation, wherein the powdery synthetic material has an anti-microbial property so that the manufactured objects comprise surfaces having an anti-microbial effect. The anti-microbial property is achieved by additives which are present in each powder grain. Such additives can be noble metals, for example argent. The manufactured objects are mainly used in particular in the food industry and in medical engineering.
Type:
Application
Filed:
April 7, 2010
Publication date:
October 28, 2010
Applicants:
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems, Arkema France, SA
Inventors:
Stoyan Frangov, Peter Walz, Gregory Filou
Abstract: A device (51) for applying layers or a powder material (71) by means of an application device (52) is described, wherein the application device (52) can be moved back and forth between two end positions in order to apply a layer of material (71) and the application device (52) comprises a blade (56) for removing excess material during the application of a layer of material (71). The device (51) is characterized by a material transport device (53), by which the material can be transferred from one side of the blade (56) to the other side of the blade. The device has the particular advantage that layers of material (71) can be applied without any loss of material and is particularly applicable in a laser sintering device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 21, 2006
Date of Patent:
October 26, 2010
Assignee:
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Inventors:
Hans Perret, Thomas Halder, Jochen Philippi, Peter Keller, Gerd Cantzler, Michael Göth
Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for calibrating an irradiation device of an apparatus for generatively manufacturing a three-dimensional object. The calibration includes steps of arranging an image converter plate (12) in or in parallel to a working plane of the apparatus, wherein the image converter plate (12) outputs detectable light (13), when the irradiation device irradiates predetermined positions of the image converter plate (12) with energetic radiation; of scanning the image converter plate (12) by the irradiation device; of detecting the detectable light (13) by a light detector (15); of determining coordinates of the irradiation device, when the detected light (13) is detected; of comparing the determined coordinates with predetermined reference coordinates; and of calibrating the irradiation device on the basis of a deviation between the determined coordinates and the reference coordinates.
Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for recycling of remaining powder from an equipment for generatively manufacturing three-dimensional objects (3), wherein, in addition to sieving of remaining powder (3a) or mixing the remaining powder (3a) with fresh powder, a further preparing step for modifying a characteristic of the resulting powder is performed.
Type:
Application
Filed:
January 20, 2010
Publication date:
August 5, 2010
Applicant:
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Inventors:
Martin Heugel, Michael Shellabear, Sven Pawliczek, Horst Maier
Abstract: In a method of providing a material amount for a generative manufacturing method, a three-dimensional object (2) is formed by selectively solidifying layers of a material at locations corresponding to the cross-section of the object (2) in the respective layers. It is the object of the present invention to provide a method, by which the quality of the manufactured objects is reproducibly recorded and, thus, further improved. Therefore, the method is characterized by the steps of: providing at least one first material amount, which is characterized by at least one feature; detecting data, which relate to the at least one feature of the first material amount; and storing data, which relate to the at least one feature of the first material amount.
Type:
Application
Filed:
December 1, 2009
Publication date:
June 24, 2010
Applicant:
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Inventors:
Thomas Mattes, Ludger Hümmeler, Markus Frohnmaier
Abstract: The present invention relates to metal powders mixtures which are intended for manufacturing precious metal products which have special designs and complex geometries, also including those which consist of several uninterrupted parts which are indivisibly but flexibly coupled to each other. From the powder mixture jewelry and other objets d'art are manufactured by making use of free form fabrication (FFF) technique. The invention also comprises jewelry and other ornamental products which are manufactured from the powder material in question using the FFF technique.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 19, 2006
Date of Patent:
June 22, 2010
Assignee:
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Inventors:
Lena Thorsson, Allan Hede, Björn Eklund
Abstract: A method is presented that makes possible the labelling of powders that can be applied as building material in a layer-additive manufacturing method such as a selective laser sintering method. To this effect the powder is mixed with at least one salt of a metal of the rare earths, wherein the salt has the property that it shows a luminescence when being irradiated with photons having a wavelength outside of the visible spectrum or with particle radiation. Thereby, parts that have been manufactured by means of the layer-additive manufacturing method can be identified with regard to the manufacturer, the place of manufacture or the manufacture date.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 19, 2009
Publication date:
June 10, 2010
Applicant:
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Inventors:
Peter Keller, Thomas Mattes, Mandy Gersch, Johann Oberhofer
Abstract: A device (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layerwise solidification of a building material at positions in the respective layers corresponding to the object is provided. The device comprises a machine frame (2, 3, 4, 5) and a building space (10) located in said machine frame, wherein in the building space (10) there are arranged: an application device (27) that applies layers of the building material onto a support device (26) and a previously solidified layer, respectively, by means of an application element (61); a dosage device (28, 29) that supplies building material from a building material accommodation region (23, 24) to the application device (27) for an application; and a heating device (31) for heating the applied layers of the building material. The building material accommodation region (23, 24) is limited by a wall that has a double-wall structure, so that a hollow space (34, 35) is formed therein.
Abstract: The present invention relates to a frame (1) of a device for manufacturing a three-dimensional object (3). The device manufactures the three-dimensional object (3) by solidifying a powder or liquid building material (3a) layer by layer at locations in each layer corresponding to the cross-section of the object (3) to be manufactured in a building space. The building space is defined by the frame (1) and a platform (2) inside the frame (1), wherein the frame (1) comprises at the inner side facing the building space glass ceramic plates.
Abstract: A device (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer wise solidification of a building material at positions in the respective layers corresponding to the object is provided. The device comprises a building field, in which the solidification of the material in powder form takes place; an application element (61), that applies the building material in powder form in the form of a layer; and a drive mechanism (59) that moves the application element (61) across the building field in order to apply the layer of the building material. The drive mechanism (59) is configured such that for the application of layers it moves the application element (61) between a first end position on a first side of the building field and a second end position on an opposite second side of the building field on a circular path back and forth.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 20, 2007
Date of Patent:
March 30, 2010
Assignee:
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Inventors:
Hans Perret, Thomas Halder, Peter Keller, Thomas Mattes
Abstract: A building container (25) for a device (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer wise solidification of a building material in powder form at positions in the respective layers that correspond to the object is provided. A support device (26) is provided that is arranged in the building container (25) such that it is vertically movable, wherein the support device (26) has an upper side that forms a building platform (78), on which the three-dimensional object is generated layer wise. Between a circumferential outer edge of the building platform (78) and a circumferential inside wall (79) of the building container (25) a gap (80) is formed and a seal (81) is provided that is provided circumferentially at the building platform (78) and closes the gap (80). The seal is made from a ring of a flat flexible material having an outer diameter, which in a flat state is larger than the inner diameter of the inside wall (79).
Abstract: A device and a method for layerwise, generative production of three-dimensional objects are provided. Multiple objects are produced in parallel in distinct process chambers (11, 12, 13, 14) by means of successive application of layers of a building material and subsequent solidifying of a layer and interconnecting of the layer with the previously applied layer, respectively, by means of radiation. The radiation is supplied to a part of the process chambers by a radiation source which is arranged outside of the process chambers, while an application of a layer takes place in another part of the process chambers.
Abstract: An application device (27) for applying a layer of a building material in powder form in a device (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer-wise solidification of a building material at positions in the respective layers that correspond to the object is provided. An application element (61) that applies the building material in powder form in the form of a layer and a drive mechanism (59) that moves the application element (61) across a building plane (11) in order to apply the layer of the building material are provided. The drive mechanism (59) comprises an actuation piston cylinder system (69) and a brake piston cylinder system (70).
Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object (3) by applying and solidifying a powdery constituent material (3a) layer by layer at positions corresponding to the respective cross sectional area of the object (3) in the respective layer by exposure to a laser (7) or another energy source comprises a heating or cooling element (22) supplying heat to or removing heat away from the constituent material (3a) applied layer by layer. For smoothing the temperature distribution, an intermediate layer (23) having a highly anisotropic heat conductivity is provided.
Abstract: In a laser sintering method for producing a three-dimensional object wherein subsequent layers of the object to be formed are subsequently solidified on positions corresponding to the object, as a build-up material, a powder is used wherein the upper grain limit of the powder particles is below 100 ?m, the D0.5-value is below 55 ?m, the BET-surface is smaller than 5 m2/g and the grains of the powder basically have a spherical shape.
Type:
Application
Filed:
June 26, 2009
Publication date:
December 31, 2009
Applicant:
EOS GMBH ELECTRO OPTICAL SYSTEMS
Inventors:
Mandy Gersch, Frank Muller, Thomas Mattes, Peter Keller
Abstract: A three-dimensional object is manufactured from a powder of polymer material by selective sintering process by means of electromagnetic radiation of the powder, wherein the powder comprises a preselected polymer or copolymer and is subjected to selective sintering such that the manufactured three-dimensional object has a final crystallinity which is in such a range that the balance of properties, in particular mechanical properties including Young's modulus, tensile strength and elongation at break, is improved.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 18, 2009
Publication date:
December 17, 2009
Applicant:
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Inventors:
Martin Leuterer, Andreas Pfister, Frank Mueller, Alan Wood, Brian Wilson, Horst Sandner
Abstract: A device (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layerwise solidification of a building material at positions in the respective layers that correspond to the object is provided. The device comprises a machine frame (2, 3, 4, 5) and a building space (10) that is positioned in the machine frame; an energy source (6) that emits a beam (9) for selectively solidifying the building material; and a ventilator (54) that generates an airflow (T) for cooling the energy source (6). There are provided connecting channels (55), which lead the airflow (T) onto a partition wall (56) that is limiting the building space (10).
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.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 18, 2009
Publication date:
December 3, 2009
Applicant:
EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
Inventors:
Andreas Pfister, Frank Mueller, Martin Leuterer
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, wherein 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.