Abstract: A method for characterizing particle objects comprises generating a radiation beam, illuminating with the radiation beam an observation region transited by a particle object, collecting an interference image determined by an interference between a transmitted fraction and a part of the scattered fraction of the radiation beam that propagates around the direction of the optical axis, collecting a part of the scattered fraction that propagates at the scattering angle, and measuring at least one scattered radiation intensity value determined by the part of the scattered fraction, calculating, from the interference image, a pair of independent quantities that define the complex field of the first part of the scattered fraction, calculating, starting from the pair of independent quantities, a theoretical value of scattered radiation intensity, and comparing the measured value with the theoretical scattered radiation intensity value.

Abstract: Disclosed is a manufacturing device for the additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object, wherein the object is manufactured by applying a building material layer by layer and selective solidification of the building material, at points in each layer which are assigned in this layer to the cross-section of the object. The points are scanned with at least one exposure area. The movable gas outlet is assigned during operation to a reference process point and/or a target flow supply zone of the movable gas outlet assigned to the reference process point for the flow supply with the process gas and/or the target ventilation zone of the movable gas outlet.

Abstract: A recoating unit for equipping and/or retrofitting a device for producing a three-dimensional object by means of selectively solidifying, layer by layer, of a building material in powder form. The recoating unit is configured, depending on its movement in the first direction or in its opposite direction, to receive building material in that chamber that is the trailing chamber in the respective direction of movement and to spread the building material received in the respective trailing chamber to a uniform layer by means of the respective trailing recoating element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-assisted method for examining an input data set of a generative layer building device, including comparing at least one parameter value in a computer-based model of an object that is to be produced using the generative layer building device, to a limiting parameter value which is an extreme value for the parameter able to be obtained in a method for producing the object, and particularly an extreme value for the parameter that can be obtained in a process-stable manner.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plastic powder for use as a building material for the additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object by selective solidification of the building material at the points corresponding to the cross-section of the three-dimensional object in the respective layer by exposure to radiation, wherein the plastic powder comprises polymer-based particles and an additive for imparting biodegradability in an amount of 0.05 to 5% by weight based on the weight of the polymeric components in the polymer-based powder. Further disclosed is a method for the production of such powder, methods for the production of three dimensional objects using such powder as well as three dimensional objects, which have been prepared accordingly, as well as the use of corresponding additives to impart biodegradability to three dimensional objects, which have been prepared accordingly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of determining a quality indicator of an object that has been manufactured by layer-wise additive manufacturing. The method includes providing a first dataset that is assigned to a process monitoring device, detecting a relative frequency of occurrence of a process irregularity in a layer and of assigning a grade indicator value to the solidified object cross-section in a layer according to the detected relative frequency, generating a second dataset, in which a grade indicator value is assigned to the object cross-section in each of said several layers following upon one another, and determining a quality indicator by using the second dataset (or several further datasets).

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of preoperative planning to correct spine misalignment of a patient, comprising a step of making a translation and a rotation, in a sagittal plane, of each vertebra of a set of several cervical and/or thoracic and/or lumbar imaged spine vertebrae, so that said set of imaged vertebrae presents afterwards, in the sagittal plane, the same cervical lordosis and/or the same thoracic kyphosis and/or the same lumbar lordosis as a model adapted for said patient, wherein it also comprises, before said step of making said translation and said rotation in a sagittal plane: a step of making a translation and a rotation, in a coronal plane, of each vertebra of said set of several cervical and/or thoracic and/or lumbar imaged spine vertebrae, so that said set of imaged vertebrae becomes straight in said coronal plane, and of making a rotation, in an axial plane, of each vertebra of said set of several cervical and/or thoracic and/or lumbar imaged spine vertebrae, so that said set of image

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object comprises a layer application device (16) for applying a building material layer by layer, an energy input unit (20) which comprises a carbon monoxide laser (21) and a radiation supply unit for supplying laser radiation of the carbon monoxide laser to positions in each layer that are assigned to the cross-section of the object in this layer, and a laser power modification device (27) adapted to effect an increase of the power per unit area incident on the building material within a time period that is smaller than 300 ?s and/or larger than 50 ns, when the laser power is increased and/or to effect a reduction of the power per unit area incident on the building material within a time period that is smaller than 100 ?m and/or larger than 100 ns, when the laser power is decreased.

Abstract: A method for providing control data for a generative layer construction device includes accessing layer data records that have data models of buildup material layers to be selectively solidified, where a base surface region of an object cross section exists in at least one layer data record, where in at least one of p layers below the base surface region, no solidification of buildup material is specified. The method further includes changing the layer data record such that a temporal sequence for scanning the associated object cross section with energy radiation is specified such that at least one portion of the base surface region is scanned before all other parts of the object cross section; and a third step, where the changed layer data record is provided for the generation of a control data record for the device.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer-by-layer application and selective solidification of a building material by exposure to a radiation. A hollow body is arranged in a process chamber above a build area which hollow body substantially extends from the build area in a direction of an upper side of the wall of the process chamber. Gas is supplied to the process chamber in such a manner and gas is discharged from the process chamber in such a manner that a lower pressure exists in the region of the process chamber lying within the hollow body than in the region of the process chamber lying outside the hollow body.

Abstract: A method of training a detection system is able to acquire volume image data in an additively manufactured object for the detection of process irregularities, and comprises the steps of: a) receiving process irregularity data referring to a selected location within an additively manufactured reference object in which selected location a predefined process irregularity occurred during the additive manufacture of the object, b) acquiring volume image data of a volume of the reference object comprising at least the selected location by said detection system, c) identifying within the volume image data characteristic data which represent a difference between the volume image data of the selected location in comparison with the volume image data of at least one other location of the reference object and/or of a number of other additively manufactured objects in which no process irregularity has occurred and/or no process irregularity is suspected, d) assigning to the predefined process irregularity the characteris

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-assisted method for examining an input data set of a generative layer building device, comprising at least the following step: —comparing at least one parameter value in a computer-based model of an object that is to be produced using said generative layer building device, to a limiting parameter value which is an extreme value for the parameter able to be obtained in a method for producing the object, and particularly an extreme value for the parameter that can be obtained in a process-stable manner.

Abstract: Novel tools and techniques in a telecommunication network are provided for implementing a data link layer control plane that may comply with the Ethernet standard and with sub-millisecond transmission control capabilities across multiple dis-similar technologies and bandwidth links. The framework provides a dynamic modular traffic control function insertion, removal, mapping function by having interpreter functions in the protocol agents that can map states and commands to sub-service chain functions that are configured per path and quality of service (QoS) flows. The control protocol provides high levels of resiliency and reliability by having a replicating function that transmits the same control protocol frames across multiple links simultaneously. The agents are multi-chassis capable and support hitless service impacts for administrative changes. Control plane messages may be encoded as a data plane frame and be transmitted at a high rate using the data plane.

Abstract: A flow device serves for a device (1) for producing a three-dimensional object (2) by a layer-wise selective solidification of a building material (15) at locations corresponding to the cross-section of the object (2) to be produced in the respective layer by irradiation by means of an energetic radiation (22, 22?), the device comprising a gas conveying device for generating a gas stream (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55) and a process chamber (3) with a build area (8) for building the object (2). The process chamber (3) comprises at least a first gas inlet (31, 32) for introducing a gas stream into the process chamber (3), and a first gas outlet (34) and a second gas outlet (33) spaced from the first gas outlet (34) for discharging a gas stream from the process chamber (3).

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: Disclosed is an additive manufacture material made from polymers and designed to be biodegradeable in a landfill or oceanic environment. The material may be made of bio-based polymers made from caster beans, cellulose, corn, starch, sugarcane, etc., such as nylon 11, bio-based polyethylene, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanote, polyvinyl acetate, etc., to which is added microorganism, such as a bacteria, an enzyme or other additive to facilitate/accelerate the decomposition of the polymer in an environment where the object made through AM has been disposed, e.g., discarded after useful life. The microorganism or other additives that facilitate/accelerate the decomposition of polymers can also be added to petroleum-based, non bio-based polymers.

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.