General Electric Company

General Electric Technology Gmbh

Ansaldo Energia IP UK Limited

Mikhail Pavlov

Herbert Brandl

Donnell Eugene Crear

Felix Martin Gerhard Roerig

Dean Andrew Snelling

Matthias Hoebel

Kassy Moy Hart

Thomas Etter

Tiffany Muller Craft

Juan Vicente Haro Gonzalez

Marcel Koenig

Roman Engeli

Kamilla Koenig-Urban

Julius Schurb

Kevin Peter Harvey

Felix Roerig

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a test structure for additive manufacture and related methods for emitter alignment. A test structure according to the disclosure can include: a body having a reference surface, wherein the body is formed with a first beam scanner of the AM system; and a plurality of calibration features defined on the reference surface of the body, wherein each of the plurality of calibration features includes an alignment surface positioned at an offset distance relative to the reference surface, and wherein each of the plurality of calibration features is formed with a second beam scanner of the AM system different than the first beam scanner.

Test structure for additive manufacture and related method for emitter alignment

An applicator repair system for an additive manufacturing (AM) system, and an AM system including the same are disclosed. The applicator repair system includes a repair device including a repair element configured to repair a damaged applicator element on an applicator of an AM system. The damaged applicator element is configured to distribute a layer of raw material on a build platform of the AM system. The repair device is positioned within a processing chamber of the AM system. A damaged applicator controller may be provided that is configured to cause repair of the damaged active applicator in response to the damaged applicator being identified as damaged.

Applicator repair for additive manufacturing system

A method for manufacturing a mechanical component by additive manufacturing which includes at least one layering sequence of depositing a powder material and locally melting and resolidifying the powder material. In each layering sequence, a solid layer of solidified material is formed, wherein the solid layers jointly form a solid body. An annealing sequence subsequent to at least one layering sequence includes, locally heating at least a region of the solid body in effecting a local heat input to the immediately beforehand manufactured solid layer which was formed by the immediately precedent layering sequence, with temperature being is maintained below a melting temperature of the material.

Method for manufacturing a mechanical component

A component includes a body, and an interface in the body defining a first and second portion of the body made by different melting beam sources of a multiple melting beam source additive manufacturing system during a single build. The component also includes a channel extending through the body. The channel includes an interface-distant area on opposing sides of the interface, each interface-distant area having a first width. The channel also includes an enlarged width area fluidly communicative with the interface-distant areas and spanning the interface, the enlarged width area having a second width larger than the first width. Any misalignment of the melting beams at the interface is addressed by the enlarged width area, eliminating the problem of reduced cooling fluid flow in the channel.

Additive manufactured component with enlarged width area in channel at melting beams' field interface

Additive manufacturing systems (AMS) are disclosed. The AMS may include a movable build platform, and a calibration system operably connected to the build platform. The calibration system may include a reflective element operably coupled to the build platform, a first calibration model positioned above and vertically offset from the reflective element, and a first camera substantially aligned with the first calibration model. The first camera may be visually aligned with the reflective element to capture a first reflective image of the first calibration model as reflected by the reflective element. The calibration system may also include at least one computing device operably connected to the build platform and the first camera, and configured to calibrate the build platform by: adjusting an actual inclination of the build platform in response to determining the first reflective image differs from a predetermined image of the first calibration model.

Calibration systems for calibrating build platforms of additive manufacturing systems and related program products

Additive manufacturing systems (AMS) are disclosed. The AMS may include a build plate positioned directly on a movable build platform, and a recoater device positioned above the build plate. The recoater device may include a blade. Additionally, the AMS may include a calibration system operably connected to the recoater device. The calibration system may include at least one measurement device coupled or positioned adjacent to the recoater device, and at least one computing device operably connected to the measurement device(s). The computing device(s) may be configured to calibrate the recoater device by adjusting a height of the blade of the recoater device relative to a reference surface of a component of the AMS in response to determining a pre-build distance between the blade of the recoater device and the reference surface differs from a desired distance. The pre-build distance may be determined using the measurement device(s).

Calibration systems for calibrating recoater devices of additive manufacturing systems and related program products

Additive manufacturing systems are disclosed. The additive manufacturing system may include a sintering device configured to sinter a powder material to form a component, and an actuator coupled to the sintering device. The actuator may adjust a position of the sintering device. Additionally, the system may include at least one computing device operably connected to the actuator and the sintering device. The at least one computing device may control a movement of the sintering device by performing processes including determining an exposure pattern for the sintering device for sintering the powder material based on a geometry of the component. The exposure pattern may include at least one exposure track extending between two sides of the component. The computing device(s) may also perform processes including moving the sintering device, using the actuator, in the determined exposure pattern to sinter the powder material to form the component.

Control system of additive manufacturing systems for controlling movement of sintering devices and related program products

A damaged applicator identifier system for an additive manufacturing (AM) system, and AM system including the same are disclosed. The damaged applicator identifier system may include a damaged applicator identifier determining whether the active applicator is damaged by identifying a non-planar surface in a layer of raw material on a build platform of the AM system after formation of the layer by the active applicator. A damaged applicator controller is configured to cause replacement or repair of the damaged, active applicator in response to the damaged applicator identifier identifying the damaged, active applicator.

Damaged applicator identifier system for additive manufacturing system

The invention refers to a method for selective laser melting additive manufacturing a three-dimensional metallic or ceramic article/component entirely or partly. The method includes successively building up said article/component layer by layer directly from a powder bed of a metallic or ceramic base material by means of remelting the layers with a high energy laser beam, moving repetitively across the areas, which are to be solidified. The movement of the laser beam is made of a superposition of a continuous linear movement and at least one superimposed oscillation with a determined frequency and amplitude. The oscillation is created by a beam deflection device and the same beam deflection device is also used for linear positioning movement.

Growing community of inventors

Dietikon, Switzerland

Mikhail Pavlov