Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printing system includes a print engine and a controller. The print engine includes a motorized build platform, a coating apparatus, and a beam forming unit. The controller is configured to perform the following steps: (a) receiving a virtual 3D body, (b) processing the 3D body to define a plurality of N slices, the N slices individually representing intersections of the 3D body with the slice, (c) processing the N slices to represent solid portions of the 3D body with vectors, the vectors defining contours and hatching patterns, the vectors individually bounded by two endpoints, (d) for the individual slices, analyzing a scan speed error for one or more of the plurality of vectors, and (e) for the individual slices, moving some of the endpoints when the scan speed error exceeds a predetermined threshold to provide a speed corrected slice.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional article is provided for a system including a powder handling module containing stored metal powder. The stored metal powder includes used metal powder that was previously part of the metal powder loaded into a print engine during a previous fabrication process. The method includes (1) loading a volume of the metal powder into an agitation device, (2) operating the agitation device until an avalanche angle of the metal powder is modified to within a specified range to provide a volume of usable metal powder, (3) loading the usable metal powder into a three-dimensional print engine, and (4) operating the print engine to fabricate a the three-dimensional article. This process improves coating quality within the print engine. Improving coating quality improves dimensional accuracy of the three-dimensional article along with reducing defects resulting from coating artifacts.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing a three-dimensional article includes a controller. The controller is configured to: (a) receive an input file defining a solid body; (b) slice the solid body into horizontal slices; (c) analyze the sliced body to identify downward-facing slice regions, a downward-facing slice region intersects with a downward-facing surface of the solid body; (d) for the individual slices, define a contour region to span a Boolean union between a default lateral peripheral contour and the downward-facing slice region; and (e) for the individual slices, define a hatch region that spans a Boolean difference between the slice and the contour region.

Abstract: A three-dimensional printing system for manufacturing a three-dimensional article includes a build chamber, an overflow chamber adjacent to the build chamber, a motorized build plate, a powder coater including a vibration generator, a lateral movement mechanism coupled to the powder coater, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform a process to remove accumulated powder from surfaces of the powder coater according to the steps: (1) operate the lateral movement mechanism to position the powder coater over a location outside of the build chamber; (2) operate the vibration generator to shake the accumulated powder into the location outside of the build chamber. The location outside of the build chamber can be defined by the overflow chamber.

Abstract: A system for forming a three-dimensional (3D) article includes a powder dispenser, a fusing apparatus, and a controller. The plurality of energy beams include at least a first beam and a second beam. The controller is configured to operate the powder dispenser to dispense a layer of powder and to operate the fusing apparatus to selectively fuse the layer of powder. Operating the fusing apparatus includes operating the first beam to fuse a first hatch pattern over a first area of the layer of powder and operate at least the second beam to fuse a contour that bounds the hatch pattern. The contour is formed from N scans along the contour. N is an integer that is at least equal to one. N is determined by a lateral alignment uncertainty between at least two of the energy beams.

Abstract: A system for forming a three-dimensional (3D) article includes a powder dispenser, a fusing apparatus, and a controller. The plurality of energy beams include at least a first beam and a second beam. The controller is configured to operate the powder dispenser to dispense a layer of powder and to operate the fusing apparatus to selectively fuse the layer of powder. Operating the fusing apparatus includes operating the first beam to fuse a first hatch pattern over a first area of the layer of powder and operate at least the second beam to fuse a contour that bounds the hatch pattern. The contour is formed from N scans along the contour. N is an integer that is at least equal to one. N is determined by a lateral alignment uncertainty between at least two of the energy beams.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional article includes: (1) Loading a metal platen into a build chamber, the metal platen defines an upper surface; (2) Performing concurrent processes including operating a movement mechanism to vertically translate the platen, operating a laser system to impinge a radiation beam upon the upper surface of the platen, and receiving a signal from an acoustic sensor that is positioned within the build chamber; (3) Analyzing the signal including determining a height of optimal laser convergence for the platen; and (4) Based upon the analysis, adjusting the laser convergence height to a build plane height.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a device for calibrating at least one scanning system (4, 5, 17) when producing an object (8) by additive manufacturing, wherein the coordinates of one or several reference positions are measured in the relative coordinate system of each scanning system (4, 5, 17), after which the calibration of each of the scanning systems is adapted starting from the measured coordinates of the reference positions.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for manufacturing at least one thin-walled structure (1,11,13,17,18), whereby this structure is built layer by layer by applying successive powder layers extending substantially horizontally and by moving an energy beam over each of these powder layers according to a predetermined pattern so as to make said powder melt and subsequently make it solidify or sinter, such that successive layers connected to each other of said thin-walled structure (1,11, 13,17,18) are formed which extend according to a horizontal cross section of this thin-walled structure (1, 11,13,17,18).