Eos Gmbh Electro Optical Systems

Mandy Gersch

Andreas Pfister

Thomas Mattes

Peter Keller

Johann Oberhofer

Florian Pfefferkorn

Frank Müller

Andreas Hotter

Daniel Froehlich

Verena Galitz

Anton Mayer

Ilhan Tuncer

Sybille Fischer

A method for producing a powder comprising at least one polymer for use in a method for the additive manufacture of a three-dimensional object is described. The method includes the step of mechanically treating the powder in a mixer with at least one rotating mixing blade, wherein the powder is exposed to a temperature Tand Tis at least 30° C. and is below the melting point Tof the polymer (determined according to DIN EN ISO 11357) if the polymer is a semi-crystalline polymer, or wherein Tis at least 30° C. and wherein Tis at most 50° C. above the glass transition temperature Tof the polymer (determined according to DIN EN ISO 11357) if the polymer is a melt-amorphous polymer. Compared to a time before the start of the treatment, it may be achieved that after the treatment, the bulk density of the powder is increased by at least 10% (or in the case of polymer, copolymer or polymer blend of polyamide at least 2% and more) and the BET surface area is decreased by at least 10%, and optionally also the pourability is improved by at least 10%.

Method for producing a powder comprising at least one polymer and such a type of powder

A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object by selectively solidifying layers of a powdery material () at the locations corresponding to the cross-section of the object () in the respective layers by impact of electromagnetic radiation () is provided, where in a plastic powder, preferably polyamide, is used as powder, wherein the non-solidified powder (') is subjected to a treatment by water or water vapour at increased temperatures after manufacturing the object, subsequently dried and thereafter used again to build-up a new object.

Method and device of layerwise manufacturing a three-dimensional object of a powdery material

A method is presented that makes possible the labelling of powders that can be applied as building material in a layer-additive manufacturing method such as a selective laser sintering method. To this effect the powder is mixed with at least one salt of a metal of the rare earths, wherein the salt has the property that it shows a luminescence when being irradiated with photons having a wavelength outside of the visible spectrum or with particle radiation. Thereby, parts that have been manufactured by means of the layer-additive manufacturing method can be identified with regard to the manufacturer, the place of manufacture or the manufacture date.

Method for identifying laser sintering powders

A polyamide powder is disclosed for use in a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object by selectively solidifying layers of the polyamide powder at the locations corresponding to the cross-section of the object in the respective layer by application of electromagnetic radiation. The polyamide powder of the invention is reclaimed after manufacturing of an object and, then is treated with water or water vapor and subsequently dried. After treatment, the powder preferably can have a molar weight Mn (numeric average) of more than about 20,000 g/mol and a Mw (weight average) of more than about 40,000 g/mol. Also, the powder preferably has an excess of carboxylic end groups relative to amino end groups of at least 4:1 up to at most 200:1.

A method for coating the surfaces of three-dimensional objects with a coating agent is provided, which method is characterized by a blasting of the three-dimensional object, wherein a grainy blasting material that has been mixed with the coating agent is used as blasting medium.

Method for coating objects, in particular such objects that have been manufactured by a generative manufacturing method

In a laser sintering method for producing a three-dimensional object wherein subsequent layers of the object to be formed are subsequently solidified on positions corresponding to the object, as a build-up material, a powder is used wherein the upper grain limit of the powder particles is below 100 &#x3bc;m, the D-value is below 55 &#x3bc;m, the BET-surface is smaller than 5 m/g and the grains of the powder basically have a spherical shape.

Rounded-particle plastic powder in particular for application in laser sintering, method for production of such a powder and laser sintering process using such a powder

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Ulm, Germany

Mandy Gersch