Abstract: A calibration method includes positioning the coating unit in a first measuring position and detecting a first position reference value with respect to the reference point and a first measuring point associated with the coating unit at the first measuring position, positioning the coating unit in a second measuring position by moving the coating unit in the direction of movement and detecting a second position reference value with respect to the reference point and a second measuring point associated with the coating unit at the second measuring position, and determining a correction value for the first application element and/or the second application element from the detected first position reference value and the detected second position reference value.

Abstract: A method for making a three-dimensional object by means of layer-wise application and selective solidification of a pulverulent building material The method includes applying a layer of the pulverulent building material onto a build area by an application device The application device includes a recoating unit movable across the build area in an application direction. The method further includes solidification of the applied powder layer at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be made, and repeating the steps of applying and selective solidification until the object is completed. The pulverulent building material to be applied onto the build area is heated locally by a radiant heater before being applied.

Abstract: A method for producing a three-dimensional object on a support by applying layer by layer and selectively solidifying a building material in powder form. The method includes lowering the support to a predetermined height below a working plane, applying a layer of the building material in powder form in the working plane, selectively solidifying the applied powder layer at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be produced and repeating the steps of lowering, applying and selectively solidifying until the object is completed. By doing so, the quantity of applied building material in powder form is reduced in a section in an actively controlled way or substantially no building material in powder form is applied in a section in an actively controlled way.

Abstract: A powder discharge unit for equipping and/or upgrading a device for generatively manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a selective layer-by-layer solidification of building material in powder form includes a powder container for receiving building material in powder form and a filling chamber for filling in building material in powder form into the powder container. The powder discharge unit is configured to fluidise the building material in powder form in the powder container and the building material in powder form in the filling chamber independently of one another.

Abstract: A powder discharge module serves for a recoating device of an additive manufacturing device. A powder discharge module has a powder container for receiving the building material in powder form, and the powder container includes a supply opening for supplying the building material in powder form to the powder container and a discharge section facing the working plane, the discharge section having at least a first discharge device for discharging building material in powder form and at least one fluidization zone for fluidizing the building material in powder form using a gas in the powder container. The powder container further includes a first flow reduction element provided in the powder container.

Abstract: A method for producing a three-dimensional object by layer-wise applying and selectively solidifying a building material in powder form includes the steps of applying a layer of the building material over a working plane and selectively solidifying the layer at positions that correspond to a cross-section of the object to be produced by introducing energy and repeating the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object is completed. By doing so, the application step is carried out such that the application device moves at least twice over an area to be coated without an intermediate irradiation, and the step of selectively solidifying is carried out with an irradiation device that emits a radiation suited to solidify the building material.

Abstract: A device for producing three-dimensional components of a powdery powder material by layered application of the powder material and partial solidification of the powder material of a layer by selectively irradiating points of the layer corresponding to a cross section of the component to be produced by means of at least one energy beam. The device includes a construction container for accommodating the powder material, a coating device for the layered application of the powder material, an overflow container for accommodating an unused material residue of a production process, and an intermediate container for accommodating the unused material residue of an application process and furthermore for delivery to the overflow container.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for generatively manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer-by-layer application and selective solidification of a building material includes applying a layer of the building material within a build area by means of a recoater moving in a recoating direction across the build area, selectively solidifying the applied layer of the building material at points corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be manufactured by means of a solidification device, and repeating the steps of applying and solidifying until the three-dimensional object is completed. A local action confined to a region between the recoating unit moving across the build area and the solidification device and/or compaction device moving behind the recoating unit across the build area is performed on the applied layer of the building material.

Abstract: A device includes a recoater that can be moved in an application direction across a build area, the recoater having at least a first recoating unit for applying a layer of the building material to the build area and a solidification device that can be moved in the application direction across the build area, the solidification device having at least a first solidification unit for selectively solidifying the applied layer of the building material at positions that correspond to a cross-section of the object to be produced. The device can repeat the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object is completed. The recoater includes at least a second recoating unit that is arranged at the other side of the first solidification unit than the first recoating unit with respect to the application direction.

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: A manufacturing method for generatively manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer-by-layer application and selective solidification of a building material. The method includes applying a layer of the building material to a build area by a recoater and selectively solidifying the applied layer of the building material at points corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be manufactured by a solidification device. The steps of applying and solidifying are repeated until the three-dimensional object is completed. A heating element locally introduces thermal energy into the newly applied layer of the building material and/or into the layer of the building material which is already selectively solidified. In the course of this, the thermal energy released by the heating element is adjustable depending on the position of this point in the build area.

Abstract: A calibration method includes positioning the coating unit in a first measuring position and detecting a first position reference value with respect to the reference point and a first measuring point associated with the coating unit at the first measuring position, positioning the coating unit in a second measuring position by moving the coating unit in the direction of movement and detecting a second position reference value with respect to the reference point and a second measuring point associated with the coating unit at the second measuring position, and determining a correction value for the first application element and/or the second application element from the detected first position reference value and the detected second position reference value.

Abstract: A recoating unit (40) serves for equipping or retrofitting a device (1) for additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object (2) by selectively solidifying a building material (15), preferably a powder, layer by layer. The device (1) comprises a recoater (16) movable across a build area (8) for applying a layer (31b, 32b) of the building material (15) within the build area (8) and a solidification device (20) for selectively solidifying the applied layer (31b, 32b) at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object (2) to be manufactured. The device (1) is formed and/or controlled to repeat the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object (2) is completed.

Abstract: A method for producing a three-dimensional object by layer-wise applying and selectively solidifying a building material in powder form includes the steps of applying a layer of the building material over a working plane and selectively solidifying the layer at positions that correspond to a cross-section of the object to be produced by introducing energy and repeating the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object is completed. By doing so, the application step is carried out such that the application device moves at least twice over an area to be coated without an intermediate irradiation, and the step of selectively solidifying is carried out with an irradiation device that emits a radiation suited to solidify the building material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing three-dimensional components of a powdery powder material by layered application of the powder material and partial solidification of the powder material of a layer by selectively irradiating points of the layer corresponding to a cross section of the component to be produced by means of at least one energy beam, comprising a construction container for accommodating the powder material, comprising a coating device for the layered application of the powder material, comprising an overflow container for accommodating an unused material residue of a production process, comprising an intermediate container for accommodating the unused material residue of an application process and furthermore for delivery to the overflow container. The invention also relates to a production method with the above device.

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: A manufacturing method for generatively manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer-by-layer application and selective solidification of a building material includes applying a layer of the building material within a build area by means of a recoater moving in a recoating direction across the build area, selectively solidifying the applied layer of the building material at points corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be manufactured by means of a solidification device, and repeating the steps of applying and solidifying until the three-dimensional object is completed. A local action confined to a region between the recoating unit moving across the build area and the solidification device and/or compaction device moving behind the recoating unit across the build area is performed on the applied layer of the building material.

Abstract: A method for producing a three-dimensional object on a support by applying layer by layer and selectively solidifying a building material in powder form. The method includes lowering the support to a predetermined height below a working plane, applying a layer of the building material in powder form in the working plane, selectively solidifying the applied powder layer at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be produced and repeating the steps of lowering, applying and selectively solidifying until the object is completed. By doing so, the quantity of applied building material in powder form is reduced in a section in an actively controlled way or substantially no building material in powder form is applied in a section in an actively controlled way.

Abstract: A powder discharge unit for equipping and/or upgrading a device for generatively manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a selective layer-by-layer solidification of building material in powder form includes a powder container for receiving building material in powder form and a filling chamber for filling in building material in powder form into the powder container. The powder discharge unit is configured to fluidise the building material in powder form in the powder container and the building material in powder form in the filling chamber independently of one another.

Abstract: A device includes a recoater that can be moved in an application direction across a build area, the recoater having at least a first recoating unit for applying a layer of the building material to the build area and a solidification device that can be moved in the application direction across the build area, the solidification device having at least a first solidification unit for selectively solidifying the applied layer of the building material at positions that correspond to a cross-section of the object to be produced. The device can repeat the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object is completed. The recoater includes at least a second recoating unit that is arranged at the other side of the first solidification unit than the first recoating unit with respect to the application direction.