US 12,145,215 B2
Control method, control device and production apparatus
Andreas Hoppe, Luebeck (DE); Christiane Thiel, Luebeck (DE); Ann-Kathrin Otte, Luebeck (DE); Daniel Brueck, Luebeck (DE); Jan Wilkes, Luebeck (DE); and Dieter Schwarze, Luebeck (DE)
Assigned to Nikon SLM Solutions AG, Luebeck (DE)
Appl. No. 17/432,216
Filed by Nikon SLM Solutions AG, Luebeck (DE)
PCT Filed Mar. 2, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/055386
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 19, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/178216, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 10, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 001 522.3 (DE), filed on Mar. 4, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0193769 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B23K 26/342 (2014.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/322 (2021.01); B22F 10/366 (2021.01); B22F 12/41 (2021.01); B22F 12/45 (2021.01); B22F 12/49 (2021.01); B22F 12/70 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B23K 26/082 (2014.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B29C 64/268 (2017.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01)
CPC B23K 26/342 (2015.10) [B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/322 (2021.01); B22F 10/366 (2021.01); B22F 12/45 (2021.01); B22F 12/70 (2021.01); B23K 26/082 (2015.10); B29C 64/153 (2017.08); B29C 64/268 (2017.08); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B22F 12/41 (2021.01); B22F 12/49 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control method for controlling a multi-beam apparatus having one or more beam sources for producing a plurality of beams of a system for manufacturing a three-dimensional workpiece by means of an additive layer construction method, in which a solidifiable material for manufacturing the three-dimensional workpiece is applied in layers to a surface of a carrier and the solidifiable material in a respective layer is solidified by the plurality of beams at respective points of incidence of the plurality of beams on the solidifiable material,
wherein the points of incidence of the beams for solidifying selective regions of one of the layers of the solidifiable material for manufacturing the three-dimensional workpiece are each controlled substantially against a gas flow direction of a gas flow over the surface of the carrier;
wherein the control method comprises:
(a) dividing the material to be solidified in the respective layer into at least two sections, wherein two of the at least two sections extend in the gas flow direction of the gas flow prevailing over the two of the at least two sections at least partly in succession,
(b) dividing at least one of the two of the at least two sections into at least two surface pieces,
(c) assigning each of the surface pieces to precisely one specific beam, which solidifies the material to be solidified in the assigned surface piece,
(d) controlling the points of incidence of the beams such that, at one point in time at least during an exposure of the material to be solidified, the material to be solidified is solidified in at least two surface pieces, and a network of straight lines running between each centre point of the points of incidence to every other centre point of the points of incidence at no point in time during the exposure, in which all centre points of the points of incidence are located outside of a predetermined distance from one another, has a straight line parallel to the gas flow direction of the gas flow prevailing over the two of the at least two sections.