Wayland Additive Limited

Martyn Hussey

Ian Laidler

Matthew Harvey

Jakob Van Den Berg

A powder bed fusion apparatus arranged to irradiate a powder bed using a charged particle beam is provided, the apparatus comprising a neutralising particle source operable to provide neutralising particles of an opposite charge to the charged particle beam, and a neutralising particle focusing system arranged to weakly focus a beam of the neutralising particles from the neutralising particle source on to the powder bed in the vicinity of the irradiation position of the charged particle beam on the powder, such that the neutralising particles neutralise charging of the powder bed by the charged particle beam. A method of additive manufacture using a powder bed fusion apparatus is also provided, wherein a part is formed as a series of layers, each layer being formed by scanning the charged particle beam over a layer of the powder bed to melt the powder according to a predetermined pattern.

Growing community of inventors

Manchester, United Kingdom

Martyn Hussey