US 12,303,975 B2
Analyzer system for aligning and focusing an energy beam in a three-dimensional printer
Michael Birk Binnard, Belmont, CA (US)
Assigned to Nikon Corporation, (JP)
Filed by Nikon Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Aug. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/893,901.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/245,024, filed on Sep. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0081971 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. B22F 10/36 (2021.01); B22F 12/37 (2021.01); B22F 12/41 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01)
CPC B22F 10/36 (2021.01) [B22F 12/37 (2021.01); B22F 12/41 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B22F 2203/00 (2013.01)] 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A processing machine for building an object from a material, the processing machine comprising:
a build platform;
a platform mover assembly that is configured to move the build platform about a platform movement axis;
a material supply that supplies material to build the object on the build platform;
an irradiation device which irradiates at least a portion of the material with an energy beam to form the object from the material on the build platform; and
an analyzer system that is configured to monitor the energy beam, the analyzer system including an alignment component;
wherein the platform mover assembly changes a spacing between the build platform and the irradiation device along the platform movement axis, and
wherein a first spacing between the build platform and the irradiation device along the platform movement axis is larger than a second spacing between the alignment component and the irradiation device along the platform movement axis when the platform mover assembly changes the spacing between the build platform and the irradiation device.