Abstract: A powder bed fusion apparatus in which selected areas of a powder bed are solidified in a layer-by-layer manner to form a workpiece, the powder bed fusion apparatus including a build chamber for maintaining an inert atmosphere or (partial) vacuum, a build sleeve located within the build chamber, a build platform for supporting the powder bed movable in the build sleeve, a powder applicator for forming powder layers of the powder bed and a radiation device for generating and steering a radiation beam across a surface of the powder bed to solidify areas of each layer, wherein the build sleeve is mounted in the build chamber to be tiltable to cause displacement of powder from the build sleeve through an opening in the build sleeve.

Abstract: A method controls an additive manufacturing apparatus, in which an object is built by consolidating material in a layer-by-layer manner. The method includes receiving commands to be executed by the additive manufacturing apparatus to cause the additive manufacturing apparatus to carry out a build of an object, wherein each command includes an identifier identifying a time during the build at which the command is to be executed, and executing each command on the additive manufacturing apparatus in accordance with the time identified by the associated identifier. Further, an apparatus and a data carrier carry out the method.

Abstract: A calibration device (30) for a machine tool is described that includes a base (36) attachable to a machine tool and a calibration artefact (32), such as a sphere of known radius. A deflection mechanism attaches the calibration artefact to the base and allows movement of the calibration artefact (32) relative to the base (36) when an external force is applied to the calibration artefact (32). The deflection mechanism also maintains the calibration artefact (32) in a defined rest position relative to the base (36) in the absence of an applied external force. A sensor (46) is provided for sensing the extent of movement of the calibration artefact (32) relative to the base (36). A method of using the device (30) with a reference tool to accurately determine a position of a calibration artefact (32) is also described.

Abstract: A method of scanning an object using an analogue probe mounted on a machine tool, so as to collect scanned measurement data along a nominal measurement line on the surface of the object, the analogue probe having a preferred measurement range. The method includes controlling the analogue probe and/or object to perform a scanning operation in accordance with a course of relative motion, the course of relative motion being configured such that, based on assumed properties of the surface of the object, the analogue probe will be caused to obtain data within its preferred measuring range, as well as cause the analogue probe to go outside its preferred measuring range, along the nominal measurement line on the surface of the object.

Abstract: An encoder apparatus comprising a scale and a readhead assembly comprising a scale signal receiver. The scale and the scale signal receiver are located within a protective housing which is configured to protect them from contamination located outside the protective housing and comprises a seal through which the scale signal receiver can be connected to a part outside the protective housing. The arrangement of the scale signal receiver inside the protective housing is independent of the scale and protective housing.

Abstract: A method of building a workpiece in an additive manufacturing process, in which the workpiece is built through layer-by-layer solidification of material. The method includes, for a bridging layer in which an area to be solidified bridges material solidified as separate islands in an immediately preceding layer, first, solidifying separated portions of the area, each separated portion connected with a different one of the islands of the preceding layer, and then solidifying material between the separated portions to join the separated portions together.

Abstract: This invention concerns a flow device for an additive manufacturing apparatus, in which material is consolidated in a layer-by-layer manner to build a part. The flow device comprises a first member having at least one inlet aperture therein and a second member having three or more downstream apertures therein. The first and second members are connected such that the downstream apertures of the second member are in fluid communication with the inlet aperture of the first member with a shortest fluid path from the inlet aperture to each downstream aperture being substantially the same.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a part with a contact probe mounted on a coordinate positioning machine. The method includes measuring a plurality of points on the part when both the part and contact probe are moving continuously between different positions within the coordinate positioning machine. The probe moves, relative to the part, along a scan path such that substantially coincident points that are closely located together along a curve or surface being measured are measured at relatively far apart positions in the machine and at relatively far apart positions along the scan path.

Abstract: A method of treating a movement disorder using deep brain stimulation, the method comprising the step of inserting a lead having at least one electrode into the brain of a subject, the lead being inserted along a trajectory from the occipito-temporal or occipito-parietal regions, passing laterally to the posterior horn of the lateral ventricle to contact the subthalamic nucleus, the zona incerta or the globus pallidus.

Abstract: A position encoder apparatus, including a scale having a series of position features; and a readhead configured to read the series of position features via a snapshot capture process. The snapshot capture process is adaptable so as to compensate for the relative speed between the scale and readhead.

Abstract: A module for an additive manufacturing apparatus including more than one optical train, each optical train providing a route for a laser beam to pass through the module and including steering optics for steering the laser beam towards the material to be consolidated as part of a layer-by-layer additive manufacturing process. The module is configured to deliver laser beams from the more than one optical trains through a single window in a build chamber of the additive manufacturing apparatus.

Abstract: A sealed encoder module for mounting onto a machine so as to measure relative displacement of first and second parts of the machine. The sealed encoder module can comprise, a scale, a readhead comprising a scale signal receiver, and an integral protective housing which encapsulates at least the scale and said scale signal receiver. The sealed encoder module can be configured to determine and output diagnostic information regarding a scale signal detected by the readhead.

Abstract: A coordinate positioning apparatus for inspecting an artefact. The coordinate positioning apparatus includes at least one moveable member moveable in at least one degree of freedom, and at least one motor and at least one bearing arrangement for facilitating said movement. At least a part of the at least one motor and/or at least one bearing arrangement are located inside a protective housing therefor. A ferromagnetic contamination trap comprising at least one magnet is provided and configured to attract and retain ferromagnetic contamination entering the protective housing.

Abstract: A coordinate positioning apparatus having first and second relatively moveable bodies, at least the first body having at least one sheet or plate of material arranged to provide a load-bearing structure having a plurality of planar load-bearing members and on which at least one member is mounted to the first body via a mount which is coupled to at least three, non-parallel planar load-bearing members of the first body, such that the planes of the at least three non-parallel planar load-bearing members intersect each other at a common point.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus comprising first and second relatively moveable members, and a linear motor comprising at least one elongate stator assembly and at least one armature assembly respectively mounted to the first and second moveable members for effecting relative movement of the first and second moveable members, configured so at to permit longitudinal expansion and/or contraction of the at least one elongate stator assembly and/or of the at least one armature assembly relative to its respective member.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus including a build chamber, build platform lowerable in the chamber so layers of flowable material can successively form across the platform, laser for generating a laser beam, scanning unit for directing the laser beam onto each layer to selectively solidify the material and a processor for controlling the scanning unit. The processor controls the scanning unit directs the laser beam to solidify a selected area of material by advancing the laser beam many times along a scan path. On each pass, the laser beam solidifies spaced apart sections of the scan path, each subsequent pass solidifying sections that are located between sections solidified on a previous pass. The processor controls the scanning unit to direct the laser beam to solidify selected area of material by solidifying sub-millimetre sized sections of non-continuously area and in an order such that consecutively solidified sections are spaced apart.

Abstract: This invention concerns apparatus for generating instructions for machines of a manufacturing chain used to manufacture a workpiece. The apparatus comprising a processor arranged to receive a model based definition (MBD) of a workpiece including geometric dimensions and tolerances; receive inputs setting an additive build design for building the workpiece based upon the geometric dimensions; generate additive instructions for an additive manufacturing machine of the manufacturing chain based upon the additive build design; determine a prospective intermediate workpiece product expected from an additive build in accordance with the additive build design; determine differences between the prospective intermediate workpiece product and the model based definition of the workpiece; and generate further instructions for at least one further machine of the manufacturing chain based upon the differences.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a magnetic substrate for an encoder scale. The method comprising the step of mechanically working the substrate, wherein the substrate is cooled prior to the mechanical working step. In one embodiment, a stainless steel substrate is used. The stainless steel may comprise an austenite (non-magnetic) phase and a martensite (magnetic) phase. Mechanically working and cooling in this manner increases the amount of magnetic (martensite) phase material that is formed, thereby improving the magnetic contrast when non-magnetic (austenite) marking are subsequently formed on the substrate by laser marking.

Abstract: An auto-focus system suitable for a spectroscopy system uses the same illumination beam as the exciting light for spectroscopy. This is focused to a spot or line focus on the sample. An image of the spot or line focus is directed to a detector via one or more pupils located eccentrically of the optical axis, so that the focus condition is indicated by displacement of the image on the detector. The spot or line focus on the sample provides contrast in the image to enable auto-focusing without the need to observe contrast over an area of the sample. A method of scanning the surface of a sample is also described, in which a topographical map of the sample is built in a pre-scan with an objective lens having a long working distance. This enables selection of an objective with a shorter working distance for a subsequent scan.

Abstract: An auto-focus system suitable for a spectroscopy system uses the same illumination beam as the exciting light for spectroscopy. This is focused to a spot or line focus on the sample. An image of the spot or line focus is directed to a detector via one or more pupils located eccentrically of the optical axis, so that the focus condition is indicated by displacement of the image on the detector. The spot or line focus on the sample provides contrast in the image to enable auto-focusing without the need to observe contrast over an area of the sample. A method of scanning the surface of a sample is also described, in which a topographical map of the sample is built in a pre-scan with an objective lens having a long working distance. This enables selection of an objective with a shorter working distance for a subsequent scan.