Materialise N.v.

Layerwise Nv

3d Systems, Inc.

Sam Coeck

Jonas Van Vaerenbergh

Nachiketa Ray

Brawley Valkenborgs

Jan Plas

Kurt Renap

Tom Craeghs

Michel Janssens

Rudy Raeymaekers

Piet Van Den Ecker

Gokula Krishna Muralidharan

Karel Lietaert

Anh Dung Nguyen

Tristan Kuypers

A three-dimensional (3D) printing system includes a print engine and a controller. The print engine includes a motorized build platform, a coating apparatus, and a beam forming unit. The controller is configured to perform the following steps: (a) receiving a virtual 3D body, (b) processing the 3D body to define a plurality of N slices, the N slices individually representing intersections of the 3D body with the slice, (c) processing the N slices to represent solid portions of the 3D body with vectors, the vectors defining contours and hatching patterns, the vectors individually bounded by two endpoints, (d) for the individual slices, analyzing a scan speed error for one or more of the plurality of vectors, and (e) for the individual slices, moving some of the endpoints when the scan speed error exceeds a predetermined threshold to provide a speed corrected slice.

Three dimensional printing system with speed optimized vector processing system

A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional article includes: (1) Loading a metal platen into a build chamber, the metal platen defines an upper surface; (2) Performing concurrent processes including operating a movement mechanism to vertically translate the platen, operating a laser system to impinge a radiation beam upon the upper surface of the platen, and receiving a signal from an acoustic sensor that is positioned within the build chamber; (3) Analyzing the signal including determining a height of optimal laser convergence for the platen; and (4) Based upon the analysis, adjusting the laser convergence height to a build plane height.

Three-dimensional printing system with laser convergence calibration based upon acoustic analysis

A manufacturing system for fabricating a three-dimensional article includes a housing, a sensor within the housing, a coater, a removable powder module (RPM) with a platen, a laser system, and a controller. A method of operating the manufacturing system includes installing the RPM into the housing, forming pillars onto the platen, positioning the top surfaces of the pillars a distance D below a build plane, installing a calibration plate onto the top surfaces of the pillars, and then calibrating the laser system using the sensor. The sensor can include one or more of an optical sensor and an acoustic sensor.

Calibration method for powder fusion system

An apparatus for layered manufacture of a three-dimensional product includes a build chamber having a window, a build platform within the build chamber, a calibration device that is physically separated from the build chamber, an optical system including a beam source and a scanning apparatus, and a mobile base. The mobile base is configured to position the scanning apparatus at two spaced part positions including a () production position and a () calibration position. At the production position the scanning apparatus is configured to receive an energy beam from the beam source and to reflect and scan the energy beam through the window and to a build surface over the build platform to create a layer of the three-dimensional product. At the calibration position the scanning apparatus is configured to reflect the energy beam to the calibration device but not through the window.

Apparatus for additive manufacturing of a product with a calibration device and method for calibration of an apparatus of this kind

A system () and method for monitoring a recoating mechanism (A,B) in an additive manufacturing environment is provided. Various embodiments involve the use of a control computer (-) to receive data based on a thermal image of a recoating mechanism (A,B) from an imaging device () configured to capture thermal image. The control computer (-) further determines a value of a property of the thermal image, wherein the property is related to an amount of powder in the recoating mechanism. The control computer (-) further determines at least one of if the value indicates an error related to the amount of powder in the recoating mechanism (A,B), and an action to take with respect to the recoating mechanism (A,B) that is based on the value.

System and method for monitoring and recoating in an additive manufacturing environment

A three dimensional printing system includes a laser system, a beam splitter, a pinhole, a sensor, and a controller. The laser system emits a light beam of varying diameter carrying at least 100 watts of optical power along an optical path. The laser has an imaging plane along the optical path which can be coincident or close to a focal plane at which the beam has a minimum diameter. The beam splitter is positioned along the optical path to receive the beam and to transmit most of the optical power and to reflect remaining optical power. The pinhole is positioned along the optical path at the imaging plane to receive the reflected beam having a minimal diameter. The controller is configured to analyze a signal from the sensor to determine intensity and distribution parameters for the light beam.

Sensor system for directly calibrating high power density lasers used in direct metal laser melting

A system and method for calibrating a laser scanning system is provided. Various embodiments involve the use of a calibration plate with reference markings which is positioned to receive a directed beam in a set of known laser scanner positions. The directed beam forms a laser spot on the calibration plate, and the laser spot is captured using an image acquisition assembly such as a digital camera along with a motorized mount. The movement of the image acquisition assembly may be coordinated with the movement of the laser scanner to track the laser spot across the plate. After photographing various positions, actual laser spot coordinates are deduced from their position relative to the known positions of the reference markings.

System and method for calibrating a laser scanning system

The present invention relates to a new and improved stereolithography method and system for generating a three-dimensional object by forming successive, adjacent, cross-sectional laminae of that object, thereby providing an object being specially processed to reduce differential shrinkage.

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Vertrijk, Belgium

Sam Coeck