Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling an irradiation system (20), the irradiation system (20) being used in a device (10) for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional workpieces and comprising at least three irradiation units (22a-d, 50), the method comprising the following steps: a) defining an irradiation region (30a-d) for each of the irradiation units (22a-d, 50), the irradiation regions (30a-d) each comprising a portion of an irradiation plane (28) which extends parallel to a carrier (16) of the device (10), and the irradiation regions (30a-d) being defined such that they overlap in a common overlap region (34); b) irradiating a raw material powder layer on the carrier (16) to produce a workpiece layer; c) arranging a further raw material powder layer on the already jetted raw material powder layer to produce a further workpiece layer. d) The invention also relates to a device for performing this method.

Abstract: We describe a method comprising: defining an irradiation section, in particular an irradiation stripe, on a material layer to be irradiated, in an additive layer manufacturing process, with an irradiation beam scanned across the material layer, and defining, within the irradiation section, two or more parallel or substantially parallel scanning vectors for said scanning of a said irradiation beam across the material layer, wherein all scanning vectors within the irradiation section are parallel or substantially parallel with respect to each other, wherein, based on said defining of the two or more parallel or substantially parallel scanning vectors, a line results which connects a first location, on the material layer, of a change in irradiation energy density of a said irradiation beam for a first one of the two or more parallel or substantially parallel scanning vectors and a second location, on the material layer, of a change in irradiation energy density of a said irradiation beam for a second one of the

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling an irradiation system (20), the irradiation system (20) being used in a device (10) for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional workpieces and comprising at least three irradiation units (22a-d, 50), the method comprising the following steps: a) defining an irradiation region (30a-d) for each of the irradiation units (22a-d, 50), the irradiation regions (30a-d) each comprising a portion of an irradiation plane (28) which extends parallel to a carrier (16) of the device (10), and the irradiation regions (30a-d) being defined such that they overlap in a common overlap region (34); b) irradiating a raw material powder layer on the carrier (16) to produce a workpiece layer; c) arranging a further raw material powder layer on the already jetted raw material powder layer to produce a further workpiece layer. d) The invention also relates to a device for performing this method.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (10) for producing a three-dimensional workpiece, comprising: a carrier (12) adapted to receive material (14) for producing the workpiece; at least one mobile production unit (24), a moving unit (18) that is adapted to move the mobile production unit (24) relative to the carrier (12) so as to position the mobile production unit (24) oppositely to different sections of the carrier (12); a sensing unit that is adapted to generate sensor signals relating to a relative arrangement of the mobile production unit (24) and the carrier (12); and a control unit that is configured to, in addition to the positioning of the mobile production unit (24) via the moving unit (18), provide at least one fine positioning function to compensate for an offset from a desired relative arrangement of the mobile production unit (24) and the carrier (18) based on the sensor signals generated by the sensing unit.

Abstract: We describe a calibration method for calibrating one or more optical elements of an additive layer manufacturing apparatus useable for producing a three-dimensional workpiece, the method comprising: projecting, using the one or more optical elements, an optical pattern onto a material in order to prepare, from said material, solidified material layers using an additive layer manufacturing technique to form a test sample; determining a geometry of the test sample; comparing the determined geometry with a nominal geometry to generate calibration data; and calibrating the one or more optical elements using said calibration data.

Abstract: A powder delivery device for providing raw material powder to a powder application device of a powder bed fusion apparatus is provided. The powder delivery device comprises a powder supply section configured to receive raw material powder, the powder supply section comprising an outlet for providing the raw material powder to the powder application device. The powder delivery device further comprises a first physical parameter determining unit arranged at a first location of the powder supply section and configured to determine a first physical parameter in the powder supply section, and a controller configured to determine whether the first physical parameter meets a first tolerance criterion, and a powder treatment unit. The controller is configured to instruct the powder treatment unit to perform a powder treatment in case it determines that the first physical parameter does not meet the first tolerance criterion.

Abstract: A device for calibrating an irradiation system of an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece includes a control unit to control the irradiation system so as to irradiate a radiation beam onto an irradiation plane according to a calibration pattern. The device also includes a sensor arrangement arranged in the irradiation plane to output signals to the control unit in response to being irradiated with the radiation beam according to the calibration pattern. The control unit generates a digital image of an actual irradiation pattern produced by the radiation beam incident on the sensor arrangement based on the signals output by the sensor arrangement, compares the digital image of the actual irradiation pattern with a digital image of a reference pattern so as to determine a deviation between the actual irradiation pattern and the reference pattern, and calibrates the irradiation system based on the determined deviation between the actual irradiation pattern and the reference pattern.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing three-dimensional workpieces, The device comprises a carrier for receiving raw material powder and a radiation unit for selectively radiating the raw material powder applied to the carrier with electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation in order to produce on the carrier a workpiece made of the raw material powder by a generative layering construction process. The device also comprises a vertical movement means, which is designed to move the radiation unit vertically relative to the carrier, and a cylinder construction wall, which extends substantially vertically and which constitutes a lateral delimitation for the raw material powder applied to the carrier, wherein the cylinder construction wall is designed to increase its vertical height during the construction process.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (10) for producing a three-dimensional workpiece, comprising: a carrier (12) adapted to receive material (14) for producing the workpiece; at least one mobile production unit (24), a moving unit (18) that is adapted to move the mobile production unit (24) relative to the carrier (12) so as to position the mobile production unit (24) oppositely to different sections of the carrier (12); a sensing unit that is adapted to generate sensor signals relating to a relative arrangement of the mobile production unit (24) and the carrier (12); and a control unit that is configured to, in addition to the positioning of the mobile production unit (24) via the moving unit (18), provide at least one fine positioning function to compensate for an offset from a desired relative arrangement of the mobile production unit (24) and the carrier (18) based on the sensor signals generated by the sensing unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling an irradiation system (20), the irradiation system (20) being used in a device (10) for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional workpieces and comprising at least three irradiation units (22a-d, 50), the method comprising the following steps: a) defining an irradiation region (30a-d) for each of the irradiation units (22a-d, 50), the irradiation regions (30a-d) each comprising a portion of an irradiation plane (28) which extends parallel to a carrier (16) of the device (10), and the irradiation regions (30a-d) being defined such that they overlap in a common overlap region (34); b) irradiating a raw material powder layer on the carrier (16) to produce a workpiece layer; c) arranging a further raw material powder layer on the already jetted raw material powder layer to produce a further workpiece layer. d) The invention also relates to a device for performing this method.

Abstract: The application relates to a device for producing three-dimensional workpieces, the device including: a structural surface designed to receive a molding compound; and an irradiation arrangement designed to selectively irradiate the molding compound on the structural surface with electromagnetic radiation, in order to produce a workpiece by means of generative layer construction, where the irradiation device comprises a plurality of irradiation units, the irradiation units being designed to irradiate an individual region of the structural surface respectively associated with the irradiation units, and where the beams emitted by the irradiation units respectively have a cross-sectional surface corresponding to between approx. 2% and approx. 170% of the surface of the respectively associated individual region. The application also relates to the use of such a device and to a method for producing three-dimensional workpieces by means of such a device.

Abstract: A powder delivery device for providing raw material powder to a powder application device of a powder bed fusion apparatus is provided. The powder delivery device includes a powder supply section configured to receive raw material powder, the powder supply section comprising an outlet for providing the raw material powder to the powder application device. The powder delivery device further includes a first physical parameter determining unit arranged at a first location of the powder supply section and configured to determine a first physical parameter in the powder supply section, a control unit configured to determine whether the first physical parameter meets a first tolerance criterion, and a powder treatment unit, wherein the control section is configured to instruct the powder treatment unit to perform a powder treatment in case it determines that the first physical parameter does not meet the first tolerance criterion.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional workpiece is provided, the apparatus including a carrier for receiving a raw material powder, at least a first irradiation device for selectively irradiating an electromagnetic or particle radiation beam onto raw material powder being deposited on at least one build area of the carrier in order to produce a workpiece made of the raw material powder by an additive layer construction method, and at least a first and a second powder application device configured to simultaneously deposit raw material powder onto the same build area to produce a sequence of raw material powder layers on top of one another, wherein the irradiation device is configured to irradiate a section of the build area between the powder application devices.

Abstract: A device for calibrating an irradiation system of an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece includes a control unit to control the irradiation system so as to irradiate a radiation beam onto an irradiation plane according to a calibration pattern. The device also includes a sensor arrangement arranged in the irradiation plane to output signals to the control unit in response to being irradiated with the radiation beam according to the calibration pattern. The control unit generates a digital image of an actual irradiation pattern produced by the radiation beam incident on the sensor arrangement based on the signals output by the sensor arrangement, compares the digital image of the actual irradiation pattern with a digital image of a reference pattern so as to determine a deviation between the actual irradiation pattern and the reference pattern, and calibrates the irradiation system based on the determined deviation between the actual irradiation pattern and the reference pattern.