Aconity Gmbh

Andreas Görres

Yves-Christian Hagedorn

Yves Hagedorn

Lutz Lübbert

Hendrik Blom

A calibration method for a system for powder bed-based generating of three-dimensional components by means of electromagnetic radiation, in particular such as a PBLS system, having a radiation source deflection unit and a raisable and lowerable carrier plate, above which a component is built, where, in order to calibrate the radiation source deflection unit, at least one virtual reference mark is used and, by means of a detector, a target-actual deviation between the virtual reference mark and a beam of the radiation source deflection unit is determined. An improved calibration method is achieved in that the at least one virtual reference mark is projected on a reference surface, which can travel vertically by means of the raisable and lowerable carrier plate, and independently of the vertical position thereof.

Calibration method for a system for powder bed-based generating of three-dimensional components by means of electromagnetic radiation

A bottom-up powder conveying mechanism for a powder bed-based laser melting (PBLM) system includes a powder reservoir having a movable floor operable as a piston to convey powder towards an upper opening in the powder reservoir opposite the floor and through the upper opening to a working plane of the PBLM system. The bottom-up powder conveying mechanism further includes an external reservoir connected, via a sloping conduit, to the powder reservoir for conducting powder to the powder reservoir. The powder reservoir includes a side wall with a lower opening that is lower than the upper opening in the powder reservoir and through which the powder reservoir can be filled with the powder. The lower opening is connected in a gas-tight and releasable manner to the sloping conduit in order to be able to conduct the powder in a gravity-driven manner from the external reservoir into the powder reservoir.

Bottom-up powder conveying mechanism for an L-PBF system, L-PBF system and method for retrofitting and operating an L-PBF system

The invention relates to a powder application unit () for a PBLS system (), wherein the powder application unit () comprises an application medium which is movably mounted parallel to a working plane of the PBLS system () in order to be able to move powder along the working plane, wherein a distance of the application medium to the working plane can be modified in that the application medium is mounted about a swivel axis (S) in a swiveling manner in order to be able to swivel the application medium away from the working plane. In order to provide an improved powder application unit, according to the invention the powder application unit () has a means for swiveling the application medium which is designed and which interacts with the application medium such that the application medium is first unswiveled in a work position during outward travel and then, during the continued travel along a predetermined route, is swiveled against the work position and, during an opposite return travel along the predetermined route, is unswiveled in the work position. The invention further relates to a method for applying two successive powder layers in a PBLS method.

Powder application unit for a PBLS system and method for applying two successive powder layers in a PLBS method

A powder bed-based laser melting ('PBLM') system comprising a process chamber having a chamber floor forming a working plane, and a powder application unit arranged in a working position in the process chamber and above the chamber floor during ongoing operation. The powder application unit is movably attached to a support structure such that the powder application unit can be moved at least partially between the working position and a rest position. The chamber floor is easily accessible with at least one component of the powder application unit arranged immovably in the working position during operation. In a particular embodiment a rail-shaped linear drive and/or a guide of the powder application unit configured as guide rails is positioned further away from the chamber floor in the rest position, and/or between the rest position and the working position, than in the working position in the ongoing operation of the PBLM system.

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Aachen, Germany

Andreas Görres