US 11,691,342 B2
Powder bed fusion apparatus and methods
David Roberts McMurtry, Stancombe (GB); Christopher John Sutcliffe, Liverpool (GB); Robin Geoffrey Weston, Alsager (GB); Paul Campton, Cheltenham (GB); David John Whitton, Bristol (GB); and David Beeby, Wotton-under-Edge (GB)
Assigned to RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-under-Edge (GB)
Filed by RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-under-Edge (GB)
Filed on Aug. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/407,917.
Application 17/407,917 is a continuation of application No. 16/483,263, granted, now 11,123,924, previously published as PCT/GB2018/050435, filed on Feb. 20, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 1702800 (GB), filed on Feb. 21, 2017; application No. 1702801 (GB), filed on Feb. 21, 2017; and application No. 17195111 (EP), filed on Oct. 6, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0379828 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/321 (2017.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01); B29C 64/245 (2017.01); B29C 64/241 (2017.01); B29C 64/268 (2017.01); B29C 64/205 (2017.01); B29C 64/371 (2017.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/73 (2021.01); B22F 12/88 (2021.01); B22F 10/68 (2021.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B22F 12/33 (2021.01); B22F 12/80 (2021.01); B22F 12/30 (2021.01); B22F 12/82 (2021.01); B22F 12/37 (2021.01); B22F 10/32 (2021.01)
CPC B29C 64/321 (2017.08) [B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/68 (2021.01); B22F 10/73 (2021.01); B22F 12/88 (2021.01); B29C 64/205 (2017.08); B29C 64/241 (2017.08); B29C 64/245 (2017.08); B29C 64/268 (2017.08); B29C 64/371 (2017.08); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12); B22F 10/32 (2021.01); B22F 12/30 (2021.01); B22F 12/33 (2021.01); B22F 12/37 (2021.01); B22F 12/80 (2021.01); B22F 12/82 (2021.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.08)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A powder bed fusion apparatus for building an object in a layer-by-layer manner, the powder bed fusion apparatus comprising a build platform movable within a build sleeve to define a build volume, the build platform for supporting a powder bed within the build volume, an irradiation device arranged to generate an energy beam and a scanner arranged to steer the energy beam to irradiate powder of the powder bed to selectively fuse the powder bed and a mechanical manipulator arranged to engage with the object and/or a build substrate, to which the object is attached, to tilt the object such that powder is freed from the object, wherein the mechanical manipulator comprises an end effector positionable to receive the object and/or the build substrate when conveyed from the build sleeve such that the object and/or the build substrate attach to the end effector, wherein subsequent movement of the end effector tilts the object.