Eos of North America, Inc.

Ankit Saharan

Erling Richard LaSalle, Iii

A standard powder bed fusion additive manufacture apparatus is provided with a device to modify the building space, including the powder feed for the building space, yielding a reduction in the active build area, with a concomitant reduction in the adjacent powder supply. A retrofit kit or assembly which is quickly emplaced on the existing equipment with little modification of the regular building space is provided, and is therefore readily removable when the building space is to be returned to its original condition. One advantage is the relatively quick manner in which the building space can be modified. A reduced area build piston is slideably received in a shaft depending from a cover that is emplaceable on the unmodified build area. The build piston moves with the pre-existing build platform. A like arrangement is provided for the feed container.

Modifying a building space in an apparatus for powder bed additive manufacturing a three-dimensional object

Disclosed is an apparatus for and method of determining spreading behavior of a powder material during an additive manufacturing process. The method deposits a powder mound, moves a spreader to distribute a layer of powder over a build supported on a build area, operates an energy source to cast intercept the powder mound in the path of the source and onto an optical sensor during displacement of the powder mound, and analyzes an output of the optical sensor to identify features relating to the spreading behavior of the powder.

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Novi, MI, United States of America

Ankit Saharan