阅读说明：本技术 使用多镜扫描仪的增材制造 (Additive manufacturing using a multi-mirror scanner ) 是由 戴维·马萨尤基·石川 保罗·J·斯蒂芬斯 阿耶·M·乔希 于 2018-06-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：增材制造设备包含：平台；分配器,所述分配器在所述平台上输送进料的复数个连续层；光源,所述光源产生一个或多个光束；第一检流计镜扫描仪,定位所述第一检流计镜扫描仪以将第一光束引导至所述复数个连续层的最顶层上；第二检流计镜扫描仪,定位所述第二检流计镜扫描仪以将第二光束引导至所述复数个连续层的所述最顶层上；和控制器,所述控制器经配置以使得所述第一检流计镜扫描仪引导所述第一光束以预热或热处理所述最顶层的区域,并且使得所述第二检流计镜扫描仪引导所述第二光束以熔融所述最顶层的所述区域。(Additive manufacturing apparatus comprising: a platform; a distributor that delivers a plurality of successive layers of feed material on the deck; a light source that generates one or more light beams; a first galvanometer mirror scanner positioned to direct a first beam onto a topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers; a second galvanometer mirror scanner positioned to direct a second beam onto the topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers; and a controller configured to cause the first galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the first beam to preheat or thermally treat a region of the top-most layer, and to cause the second galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the second beam to melt the region of the top-most layer.)

1. An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a platform;

a distributor that delivers a plurality of successive layers of feed material on the deck;

a light source that generates one or more light beams;

a first galvanometer mirror (galvo mirror) scanner positioned to direct a first beam of light onto a topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers;

a second galvanometer mirror scanner positioned to direct a second beam onto the topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers; and

a controller configured to cause the first galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the first beam to preheat or thermally treat a region of the top-most layer and to cause the second galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the second beam to melt the region of the top-most layer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the first galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the first beam to preheat the region of the powder bed prior to melting the region by the second beam.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the first galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the first beam to thermally treat the region of the powder bed after the region is melted.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the first galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the first beam to preheat the region before melting the region by the second beam and to thermally treat the region after melting the region.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of heating lamps positioned above the powder bed, wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of heating lamps to at least partially preheat the region of the powder bed.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of heating lamps to at least partially heat treat the region of the powder bed after the region is melted.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of heating lamps to: partially preheating the region of the powder bed prior to melting of the region and at least partially heat treating the region of the powder bed after melting of the region.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a polygon mirror scanner positioned to direct a third beam of light onto a topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers on the platform.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to control the polygon laser scanner such that the third beam at least partially thermally processes the area of the powder bed after the area is melted.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to control the polygon laser scanner such that the third beam at least partially preheats the area of the powder bed before the area melts.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause the first mirror galvanometer scanner to direct the first beam to follow a first path on the topmost layer of feedstock material and to cause the second mirror galvanometer scanner to direct the second beam to follow a second path on the topmost layer of feedstock material.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the first or second galvanometer mirror scanners to direct the first or second beams to trace a path along a perimeter of an object being fabricated to fuse the perimeter of the object.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to control the second galvanometer mirror scanner to separately melt an interior of the object.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to control the first galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the first beam to trace the path along the perimeter of the object.

15. A method of additive manufacturing, comprising the steps of:

dispensing a plurality of successive layers of feed material on the platform;

for each layer

Preheating or thermally treating a region of the layer by directing a first beam onto the layer using a first galvanometer mirror scanner; and

melting the region of the layer by directing a second beam onto the layer using a second galvanometer mirror scanner.

Technical Field

This document relates to additive manufacturing, also referred to as 3D printing.

Background

Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as solid freeform or 3D printing, refers to a manufacturing process that builds three-dimensional objects by continuously dispensing raw materials (e.g., powders, liquids, suspensions, or molten solids) into two-dimensional layers. In contrast, conventional machining techniques involve a subtractive process (process) in which objects are cut from a blank (e.g., a block of wood, plastic, or metal).

A variety of additive processes may be used in additive manufacturing. Some methods melt or soften materials to produce layers, e.g., Selective Laser Melting (SLM) or Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), while other methods use different techniques (e.g., Stereolithography (SLA)) to solidify the liquid material. These processes may differ in the manner in which the layers are formed to produce the final object and the compatible materials used in the process.

In some forms of additive manufacturing, a powder is placed on a table and a laser beam traces (trace) a pattern onto the powder to fuse the powder together to form a shape. Once the shape is formed, the table is lowered and a new powder layer is added. This process is repeated until the part is completely formed.

Disclosure of Invention

This document describes techniques related to additive manufacturing.

In one aspect, an additive manufacturing apparatus includes: a platform; a distributor that delivers a plurality of successive layers of feed material on the deck; a light source that generates one or more light beams; a first galvanometer mirror (galvo mirror) scanner positioned to direct a first beam of light onto a topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers; a second galvanometer mirror scanner positioned to direct a second beam onto the topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers; and a controller configured to cause the first galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the first beam to preheat or thermally treat a region of the top-most layer, and to cause the second galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the second beam to melt the region of the top-most layer.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a perspective cross-sectional view of an example additive manufacturing system.

Fig. 2A is a schematic diagram of a top view of an energy delivery system, including an example optical engine.

Fig. 2B is a schematic diagram of a side view of the optical engine of fig. 2A.

Fig. 2C is a schematic diagram of a front view of the optical engine of fig. 2A.

FIG. 2D is a schematic diagram of a side view of another optical engine.

Fig. 3A-3D are schematic diagrams of exemplary polygons and scan paths.

Fig. 4A is a schematic diagram of a top view of an example optical device.

Fig. 4B is another schematic diagram of a top view of an exemplary optical device.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary active optical assembly.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

Implementations may include one or more of the following features.

A controller may be configured to control the first galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the first beam to preheat the region before melting the region by the second beam and to thermally treat the region after melting the region. The controller may be configured to control the second galvanometer mirror scanner to direct the first beam to thermally treat the region of the powder bed after the region is melted. A plurality of heating lamps may be positioned above the powder bed. A controller may be configured to control the plurality of heating lamps to at least partially preheat the region of the powder bed. The controller may be configured to control the plurality of heating lamps to at least partially heat treat the region of the powder bed after the region is melted.

A polygon mirror scanner may be positioned to direct a third beam onto a topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers on the platform. A controller may be configured to control the polygon laser scanner such that the third beam at least partially thermally processes the area of the powder bed after the area is melted. A controller may be configured to control the polygon laser scanner such that the third beam at least partially preheats the area of the powder bed before the area melts. The light source may be a laser and the energy beam may be a laser beam. The controller may be configured to cause the first mirror galvanometer scanner to direct the first beam to follow a first path on the topmost layer of the feedstock material and to cause the second mirror galvanometer scanner to direct the second beam to follow a second path on the topmost layer of the feedstock material.

In another aspect, an additive manufacturing apparatus comprises: a platform; a distributor that delivers a plurality of successive layers of feed material on the deck; one or more energy sources providing preheating, melting, and thermal treatment of a layer of feed material, the one or more energy sources configured to provide melting of selectable voxels (voxels) of the feed material; and a controller. The controller is configured to: storing a plurality of predetermined unit process recipes, each unit process recipe comprising scan path data indicating a path for an energy beam to follow to process one or more voxels of the feed within a unit having a plurality of voxels, wherein different unit process recipes have different paths for the energy beam; receiving data describing a region of a layer of the feed material to be melted; determining a combination of a plurality of non-overlapping cells substantially covering the area, each cell of the plurality of cells having an associated unit process recipe selected from the plurality of predetermined unit process recipes; and causing the one or more energy sources to sequentially process the plurality of cells, and for each cell, causing the one or more energy sources to generate an energy beam and causing the energy beam to follow a first path for the cell process recipe associated with the cell.