Abstract: A method of manufacturing an article, including taking an article formed in an initial state via an additive manufacturing process and performing a second manufacturing process to transform the article into a second state, which includes mounting the article in a holding device, processing at least one first feature on the article, which includes processing at least one set of mounting features on the article, re-mounting the article via the at least one set of mounting features, and then processing at least one second feature on the article.

Abstract: A method of determining the sub-divisional error of an encoder apparatus that is configured to measure the position of relatively moveable parts of an apparatus on which an inspection device for inspecting an artefact is mounted. The method includes causing the inspection device to obtain measurements which includes relatively moving the relatively moveable parts of the apparatus, and using the measurements to determine the encoder apparatus' sub-divisional error.

Abstract: A method is provided of controlling a coordinate positioning machine to separate a retaining module from a releasably coupled task module, the retaining module being provided on a movable part of the machine, and the method including: moving the retaining module to place the task module into engagement with a storage port for holding the task module; and moving and simultaneously rotating the retaining module to separate the retaining module from the task module with a tilting action of the retaining module.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting a coordinate positioning apparatus accessory, such as a tool setter, to the workpiece mounting surface of a coordinate positioning apparatus, the workpiece mounting surface having a slot formed in it. The apparatus includes an insert for inserting into the slot of the workpiece mounting surface, and a mount attachable to a coordinate positioning apparatus accessory. The insert includes structure to fix the insert within the slot; the insert is substantially contained within the slot when inserted therein. The mount includes at least one protruding member for engaging the insert when contained within the slot, thereby fixing the mount, and therefore any coordinate positioning apparatus accessory attached to the mount, to the workpiece mounting surface of the coordinate positioning apparatus.

Abstract: A transmission Raman spectroscopy apparatus has a light source for generating a light profile on a sample, a photodetector having at least one photodetector element, collection optics arranged to collect Raman scattered light transmitted through the sample and direct the Raman light onto the at least one photodetector element and a support for supporting the sample. The support and light source are arranged such that the light profile can be moved relative to the sample in order that the at least one photodetector element receives Raman scattered light generated for different locations of the light profile on the sample.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus builds a part by selectively consolidating flowable material in a layer-by-layer building process. The apparatus has an inert gas vessel having a build chamber a layering device for depositing layers of material in the build chamber; a scanner for delivering an energy beam to selected areas of each layer to consolidate flowable material of the layer, a gas flow circuit for generating an inert gas flow through the build chamber and a cooling device arranged to cool an internal surface of the gas flow circuit to generate cooled inert gas. The gas flow circuit is arranged such that the cooled inert gas can be delivered into the build chamber.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus including a scanner for directing a laser beam on to layers of flowable material to selectively solidify the material to form an object in a layer-by-layer manner. The scanner includes an optical component operable under the control of a first actuator to reflect the laser beam over a first range of angles in a first dimension and the or a further optical component operable under the control of a second actuator to reflect the laser beam over a second range of angles in the first dimension, wherein the second actuator provides a faster dynamic response but a smaller range of movement of the laser beam than the first actuator.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a part including selective laser melting of a powder including a steel alloy containing, by weight, 16% to 19% chromium and 12.2% to 13.5% nickel, wherein the powder is substantially non-magnetic.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a contact probe having a contact element includes measuring with the contact probe a first geometric property of a calibrated artifact and a second geometric property of the or a further calibrated artifact. The first and second geometric properties are such that a deviation between a measured value and the expected value, resulting from a difference between an effective diameter of the contact element and an assumed diameter used for determining the measured value, has the opposite sign for each of the first and second geometric properties. The method further includes identifying a difference in the effective diameter of the contact element from the assumed diameter including comparing deviations of the measured value to the expected value for each of the first and second geometric properties to determine whether there is a difference in the deviations.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus comprises a processing chamber (100) defining a window (110) for receiving a laser beam and an optical module (10) The optical module is removably-mountable to the processing chamber for delivering the laser beam through the window. The optical module contains optical components for focusing and steering the laser beam and a controlled atmosphere can be maintained within the module.

Abstract: Methods are described for measuring series of nominally identical production workpieces on a dimensional measuring apparatus such as a coordinate measuring machine. One master workpiece of the series is calibrated, to provide correction values which are used to build an error map of the measuring apparatus. This map is used to correct measurements not only of subsequent nominally identical workpieces of the same series, but also of multiple different subsequent series of different workpieces. Each subsequent series also has a master workpiece which is calibrated and used to further build the error map. As this process is repeated over time, the error map becomes more and more densely populated. In due course, it becomes possible to dispense with the use of a calibrated master workpiece, because measurements can be corrected using error values which already exist in the error map.

Abstract: A measurement scale device includes at least one scale marking, wherein the or each scale marking includes at least one periodic nanostructure that represents scale device information.

Abstract: This invention concerns a gauge artifact including a base for mounting on a table of a coordinate positioning machine and a platform including at least two portions having a nominally identical geometric property. The platform is locatable relative to the base in at least two positions such that each of the at least two portions having the nominally identical geometric property can be presented at a common location relative to the base. The platform may be arranged such that the positions of the portions having a nominally identical geometric property can be interchanged by movement of the platform between at least two distinct positions. The positions may be interchanged through rotation of the platform. The invention also concerns a method of checking a coordinate measuring machine.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus has a build chamber, a build platform lowerable in the build chamber such that layers of flowable material can be successively formed across the build platform, a laser for generating a laser beam, a scanning unit for directing the laser beam onto each layer to solidify the material in selected areas and a processor for controlling the scanning unit. The processor is arranged to control the scanning unit to direct the laser beam to solidify material of a layer along a scan path, the laser beam advanced along at least a section of the scan path in an opposite direction to a direction in which the laser beam is advanced along a corresponding section of a corresponding scan path of a previous layer. The scan path may be a border scan path extending around a border of one of the selected areas of the layer.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus including a build chamber containing a support for supporting a material bed, a layering device for forming layers of the material bed, a laser or electron beam source for generating a laser or electron beam, a device for steering the laser or electron beam to solidify selected areas of each layer to form a part and a microwave or radio wave source controllable to generate a microwave or radio wave field to differentially heat the material bed based upon the selected areas.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus including a chamber, a build platform movable in the chamber such that layers of flowable material can be successively formed across the build platform, a unit for generating an energy beam for solidifying the flowable material, a scanning unit for directing the energy beam onto selected areas of each layer to solidify the material in the selected areas and a getter for absorbing oxygen, nitrogen and/or hydrogen from atmosphere in the chamber.

Abstract: A readhead is provided for reading an absolute scale, optionally a passive magnetic scale, that encodes a series of data bits. The readhead includes a plurality of sensors, such as an array of Hall sensors, for producing a plurality of sensor signals. A plurality of signal combiners are also provided to receive at least two of the sensor signals and produce therefrom a combined sensor signal. A plurality of data bit extractors are arranged to receive at least two combined sensor signals and to determine the value of a data bit encoded in an associated absolute scale. The readhead also comprises an incremental signal generator for generating at least one incremental signal from the combined sensor signals produced by a plurality of the signal combiners. In this manner, both absolute and incremental position is measured.

Abstract: A method of estimating background radiation in spectral data. The method may comprise, iteratively, fitting an analytical curve, such as a spline curve, to reference data, determining an allowable deviation of the reference data from the analytical curve and clipping data points of the reference data or the spectral data that are more than the allowable deviation above the analytical curve to provide the reference data for the next iteration until termination criterion is met. The reference data is initially based upon the spectral data. The method may comprise generating estimates of background radiation of the spectral data, each estimate based upon fitting a different order polynomial to the spectral data, and selecting an order of polynomial to use for estimating background radiation and/or one of the estimates of the background radiation. The method may further comprise estimating the noise in the spectral data from the reference data.

Abstract: A series of nominally identical production workpieces are measured on a workshop coordinate measuring apparatus. They are corrected using correction values generated by comparing coordinate values of a reference workpiece measured on the workshop apparatus with corresponding values derived from external measurements. To reduce the care and skill required, the external measurements are used to determine reference values of a geometric property of a feature of the reference workpiece, rather than coordinate values corresponding directly to those made on the workshop apparatus. Corresponding coordinate values are then generated from knowledge of the perfect form of the feature of the reference workpiece.

Abstract: An ultrasound inspection apparatus for use with coordinate positioning apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a base module that is attachable to the moveable member of the coordinate positioning apparatus. The base module comprises an ultrasound transducer and a first connector portion. A plurality of coupling modules are also provided that each include a second connector portion that is releasably attachable to the first connector portion of the base module. The coupling modules also include a coupling element, which may be a sphere of self-lubricating material such as a hydro-gel, for contacting and acoustically coupling to an object to be inspected. This allows different coupling modules to be attached to the base module to perform different ultrasound inspection tasks.