Apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object layer by layer

US8083513B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems · DE

Inventors

• Jesus Montero-Escuder · Munich, DE
• Jochen Weidinger · Birkenfeld, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 21, 2007
• Grant date: Dec 27, 2011
• Expiry date: Mar 31, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P10/25
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object (3) by solidifying a powdery constituent material layer by layer at the positions corresponding to the profile of the object (3) to be manufactured in the corresponding layer, by the action of a laser or another energy source comprises a support (2) on which the object (3) is formed and an applicator (6, 7) for applying a layer of the constituent material onto the support or a layer at least partially solidified in advance. The applicator (6, 7) has a receiving device (40) for receiving a applying module such as a blade module (30). The receiving device (40) is formed in a way so that the applying module (30) can be exchangeably inserted into and removed from the receiving device (40) in a way that a predetermined position of the applying module (30) in the receiving device (40) is reproducibly determined.