Abstract: A method of compensating for sample misalignment in an optical measurement apparatus (40), comprises the steps of: determining an expected response from a detector (58) in said optical measurement apparatus given a particular set of parameters defining a path that light can take through the optical measurement apparatus from a source (42), via a sample (50), to the detector (58); measuring a response from the detector for the sample under test; and refining the set of parameters until the expected response and the measured response converge so as to determine the set of parameters giving rise to the measured response.

Abstract: A method for locating the centre of a beam profile, comprises the steps of: providing a beam profile; selecting one or more strips through the beam profile; identifying distinct regions of intensity along the one or more strips and labelling them consistently; calculating a combined average intensity for each labelled region, using data from the one or more strips; plotting the average intensity against the labelled regions and comparing the results with a plot of the actual intensity obtained by taking a cross-section through the centre of at least one of the one or more strips; and optimising the location of the centre of at least one of the one or more strips so as to obtain the best fit between the average intensity plot and the actual intensity plot to thereby identify the centre of the beam profile.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus has an emission device to emit X-rays and a detection device to detect X-rays. A detector collimator is located between the patient space and the detection device. The emission device and detection device operate while translating along a displacement axis, to take a plurality of acquisitions. The imaging apparatus has a setting device to modify a dimension of a collimator slit.

Abstract: An X-ray detecting apparatus for the detection and localisation of ionising X-ray or gamma radiation in radiography, the apparatus comprising: an X-ray detector including: conversion means for converting incident x-ray photons of an incident x-ray photon beam into detectable electrical charges; and amplification means for amplifying the electrical charges in the detector by an non-linear amplification gain factor the non-linear amplification gain being characterised by a decrease in amplification gain at high fluxes of incident x-ray photons; and amplification gain adjustment means configured to vary the amplification gain of the amplification means according to the emission parameters of an x-ray source providing the incident x-ray photon beam for the radio-graphic examination to be performed and/or the transmitted beam received by the detector from the x-ray source via the subject being imaged. A radiographic imaging device and a method of operating the radiographic imaging device are also presented.

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 arranged in the machine frame. 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 applied layer, respectively, by an application element (61); a dosage device (28, 29) that provides building material for the application device (27) for an application, and a heating device (31) for heating the applied layers of the building material. The application element (61) and/or the dosage device (28, 29) and/or the heating device (31) are removable from the building space (10) without a tool.

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: Described are powders for use in the production of three-dimensional structures or molded bodies by means of layered manufacturing methods, and methods for the economical production thereof. The powders have the particularity that they have a good flow behavior, on the one hand, and that they are simultaneously configured such that the molded body produced with the powder in rapid prototyping has substantially improved mechanical and/or thermal characteristics. In accordance with a particularly advantageous embodiment, the powder comprises a first fraction that is present in the form of substantially spherical powder particles and that is formed by a matrix material, and at least one further fraction in the form of strengthening and/or reinforcing fibers that are preferably embedded into the matrix material.

Abstract: A method and means for determining the thickness, or curvature, of a thin film or stack of thin films disposed on the surface of a substrate having a curvature comprising generating a beam of radiation, focusing the beam through the one or more films onto a surface of the substrate, measuring the intensity across the reflected beam as a function of the angle of incidence of a plurality of rays derived from the focussed beam, determining the path of each of the plurality of rays and determining the thickness, or curvature of the film, or films, from the angular dependent intensity measurement.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object is disclosed, in which the object is solidified layer by layer by solidifying a building material by means of a beam of a gas laser at locations in each layer corresponding to the cross section of the object, wherein the power of the laser is measured and the power of the laser is controlled according to the measured value. The power measurement takes place in a time window, in which a change of the power occurs, and an input control signal of the laser is controlled according to the measured values.

Abstract: By a temper treatment a polyaryletherketone powder is processed such that it is particularly suited for the use in a method for a layer-wise manufacturing of a three-dimensional object. To this effect the powder is tempered at a temperature that is at least 20° C. above the glass transition temperature for at least 30 minutes before it is used as building material.

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. A feed (96) that supplies the building material to a building space (10) in the device (1) and at least two filler portions (98a, 98b) that are provided at the feed (96) and are independent from one another are provided, wherein one connector (99a, 99b) is provided for each building material supply container (100a, 100b) in order to supply the building material from outside of the device (1).

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. The quality of the manufactured objects is reproducibly recorded, thus, improving the method. At least one first material amount of a powder is provided, which is characterized by at least one feature. Data is detected, which relates to the at least one feature of the first material. Then, the data is stored, which relates to the at least one feature of the first material. Thus, the method can provide an identifiable powder amount used in manufacturing each layer of the object.

Abstract: A radiographic imaging device includes a gas avalanche detector detecting and locating X-ray or gamma ray ionizing radiation.

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. A feed (96) that supplies the building material to a building space (10) in the device (1) and at least two filler portions (98a, 98b) that are provided at the feed (96) and are independent from one another are provided, wherein one connector (99a, 99b) is provided for each building material supply container (100a, 100b) in order to supply the building material from outside of the device (1).

Abstract: By a temper treatment a polyaryletherketone powder is processed such that it is particularly suited for the use in a method for a layer-wise manufacturing of a three-dimensional object. To this effect the powder is tempered at a temperature that is at least 20° C. above the glass transition temperature for at least 30 minutes before it is used as building material.

Abstract: There are provided a device and a method for layer-wise generative manufacturing of three-dimensional objects by selective solidification of a solidifiable building material in liquid or powder form. By a rotational movement of the building region (2), in which the objects are manufactured, with respect to a material application device (7) for applying layers of the building materials and a solidification arrangement (1) the material application device (7) and the solidification arrangement (1) can be used simultaneously at different places in the building region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of generatively manufacturing a three-dimensional object (3) by means of a device, comprising the following steps: a) layerwise applying a powdery material (11) onto a support (5) of the device or a previously applied layer; b) selectively solidifying the powdery material (11) by energetic radiation (8?) at locations corresponding to the cross-section of the object (3) in the layer, c) repeating the steps a) and b) until the object (3) is completed. The object (3) has at least one cavity (13), which opens to an opening (14) at the surface of the object (3), and the powdery material (11) is solidified such that a broaching member (12) is formed, which extends in the cavity (13) and can be withdrawn through the opening (14) from the cavity. The invention also relates to an associated method of generating a data set of the three-dimensional object (3).

Abstract: A device (1) for mixing powder (17) for a device for manufacturing a three-dimensional object comprises a stirring device (4) as well as a pressure-fluid-supply device for fluidizing the powder (17). A device (100) for manufacturing three-dimensional objects (503) is adapted to be connected to the device (100) for mixing powder (17) and it forms a system together with the device (1) for mixing powder (17).

Abstract: In a device for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by subsequently solidifying a solidifiable material (9) layerwise at the positions corresponding to the cross-section of the object an inner container (201) is inserted in a building container (112) that is present in a building space (3), which inner container can be exchanged. Thereby costs can be saved, because the inner container (201) can have a very simple design.

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.