Abstract: A method for producing a support structure in the additive manufacturing of a component, includes: a) providing a geometry for the component having a region to be supported, b) providing a support structure for the region of the component, c) defining an irradiation pattern for an irradiation of layers of a raw material for the support structure, wherein surface vectors for an irradiation for a structure of the component extend into a region of the support structure, wherein common surface vectors are defined for the component and for the support structure, and d) selective irradiation of layers of the raw material for the component and the provided support structure according to the defined irradiation pattern.

Abstract: A method of additive manufacturing includes a) providing a component geometry with a hole and, b) selectively irradiating a powder bed with an energy beam according to the geometry in a layerwise manner, wherein in layers of the component including the hole, the respective regions which define the hole are irradiated with the energy beam such that a supporting structure is generated in the hole having a lower rigidity than a structure of the component. The supporting structure is used for counteracting stress or distortion during the additive buildup. A computer program product and apparatus correspond to the method.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of calculating a gap distance between a support structure and a component which is to be build up additively by powder bed fusion, includes: a) providing a component design of the component, b) selecting at least on support surface of the component based on the provided component design and a process analysis, wherein the support surface requires support during the buildup, c) providing a support design of a support structure for supporting the component during the buildup, d) recording CAM-data for the buildup of the component, and, e) calculating an optimal gap distance to be hold during the buildup between the support structure and the support surface, wherein the calculation is based on the selected support surface and the recorded CAM-data, wherein the gap distance is further rated to be large enough to avoid a structural connection between the support surface and the support structure.