Concept Laser GmbH

A method for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects includes generating a laser beam with a laser beam source. A primary laser beam emitted along a beam path is generated using a first polarization direction of the laser beam unmodulated by a modulation device positioned downstream of the laser beam source, and a secondary laser beam emitted along the beam path is generated by modulating a second polarization direction of the laser beam via the modulation device. The primary laser beam and the secondary laser beam are coupled and directed, via a deflection device positioned downstream of the modulation device, onto a powder build material supported by a build platform.

A method for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects includes generating a laser beam with one or more laser beam sources and modulating the laser beam via one or more modulation devices to generate a modulated beam based on a set of one or more defined parameters where the modulated beam is directed onto a build plane. One or more sensor devices detect first data corresponding to one or more measured parameters of the modulated beam and second data corresponding to reflected radiation from the build plane. The set of the one or more defined parameters is modified based on the first data and the second data.

An apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects includes a build platform configured to support a powder bed, a laser beam source configured to generate a laser beam, and one or more metamaterial optical devices disposed downstream of the laser beam source. A controller is operably coupled to the one or more metamaterial optical devices for controlling the one or more metamaterial optical devices to perform one or more optical functions including scanning the laser beam over the powder bed, shaping the laser beam, splitting the laser beam, focusing the laser beam, defocusing the laser beam, or superpositioning two or more different phase mask functions.

A method for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects includes modulating a first and second sets of modulation segments of a modulation device to respective different first and second modulation states. The first set of modulation segments is addressed via one or more laser beams. The one or more laser beams are switched from addressing the first set of modulation segments to addressing the second set of modulation segments via at least one of steering the one or more laser beams from the first set of modulation segments to the second set of modulation segments or switching from a first laser beam source generating the one or more laser beams addressing the first set of modulation segments to a second laser beam source generating the one or more laser beams addressing the second set of modulation segments. The one or more laser beams are directed onto a powder bed.

A build unit for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects may include an energy beam system, an irradiation chamber, an inertization system having a return manifold configured to evacuate a process gas from the irradiation chamber. The return manifold includes a plurality of return manifold bodies and return manifold inlet disposed at a bottom of the irradiation chamber. The plurality of return manifold bodies includes one or more return manifold pathways downstream of the return manifold inlet. The plurality of return manifold bodies also includes one or more recapture pathways positioned to receive the process gas into the one or more return manifold pathways that flows past the return manifold inlet.

An additive manufacturing system may include an irradiation device configured to emit an energy beam having a manufacturing power level selected to additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object by irradiating a powder material, and a controller configured to perform one or more beam alignment operations when irradiating the powder material. The irradiation device may include a beam source, one or more beam positioning elements, a beam splitter configured to split a measurement beam from the energy beam, and one or more beam sensors configured to determine one or more parameters of the measurement beam. The one or more beam alignment operations may include determining position information of the energy beam based on the one or more parameters of the measurement beam, and aligning the energy beam with an optical axis of the irradiation device by adjusting a position of the one or more beam positioning elements based on the position information.

A system for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, comprising one or more working stations, which are provided for performing at least one working process in the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, at least one freely positionable mobile storage unit comprising a rack-like storage device comprising at least one storage room provided for storing at least one powder module, especially for the purpose of conveying the powder module between different working stations of the system, and at least one driverless, freely movable mobile conveying unit comprising a receiving device provided for receiving at least one mobile storage unit for the purpose of conveying the storage unit between different working stations of the system.

Apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, wherein a position determination device is provided that is adapted to determine position data relating to a position of at least one part of at least one object based on a detection of a reflected part of an energy beam or a measurement beam that is reflected at the at least one part of the at least one object.

An additive manufacturing system for additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object includes a beam generation device and a first lens array disposed downstream from the beam generation device. The first lens array divides an energy beam received from the beam generation device into a plurality of beam segments. An optical modulator is disposed downstream from the first lens array and is modulated to reflect or transmit one or more beamlets from the plurality of beam segments incident on the optical modulator. A second lens array is disposed downstream from the optical modulator where the one or more beamlets are incident upon the second lens array. A focusing lens assembly is disposed downstream from the second lens array. The one or more beamlets projected from the second lens array become incident on the focusing lens assembly, and the focusing lens assembly converges the one or more beamlets in a target plane.

Disclosed herein are particulate separation systems including a filter device that separates particulates from a particulate-laden stream generated by an additive manufacturing apparatus. A collection container is also included which is fluidly connected to the filter device and receives the particulates separated from the particulate-laden stream. A fill level sensor is further included which is fluidly connected to the collection container and detects a pressure change from displacement of an inert gas by the particulates received in the collection container.