Building cylinder arrangement for a machine for the layer-by-layer production of three-dimensional objects

Abstract

A building cylinder arrangement (1) for a machine (70) for the layer-by-layer production of three-dimensional objects (71) by laser sintering or laser melting of powdered material (74), with a substantially cylindrical shell-shaped main body (2) and a piston (4) that can move on an inner side of the main body (2) along a cylinder axis (3) of the main body (2), wherein the piston (4) has on its upper side a substrate (21) for the growing of the three-dimensional objects (71), is characterized in that the main body (2) comprises a substantially cylindrical shell-shaped insulating body (5), whichforms at least the inner side of the main body (2), wherein the insulating body (5) consists of a material with a specific thermal conductivity Lamuda IK, where Lamuda IK is equal to or smaller thans 3 W/(m*K), in that the piston (4) is formed with an upper part (12) and a lower part (14), wherein the upper part (12) comprises the substrate (21), and wherein the lower part (14) has a cooling device (18), in particular a system of cooling water channels, and in that a first seal (20) of elastomer material is provided on the lower part (14) and is used to provide a gas-tight seal for the lowerpart (14) of the piston (4) with respect to the inner side of the main body (2). The invention proposes a building cylinder arrangement with which improved gas-tight sealing between the piston and the main body can be achieved even at high temperatures (for instance above 500 degrees).

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a construction cylinder assembly for a machine for layer-by-layer production of three-dimensional objects by laser sintering or laser melting of powder-like materials, said construction cylinder assembly having a base body substantially in the form of a cylindrical shell and capable of being moved along the inner side of the base body The cylinder axis of the basic body moves the piston, wherein the piston has a substrate for the growth of the three-dimensional object on its upper side. Background technique [0002] A cylinder assembly of this construction is known from EP 2 732 890 A2. [0003] By fabricating three-dimensional objects layer by layer with the aid of laser sintering or laser melting (also known as "selective laser sintering", selective laser sintering, or "selective laser melting", selective laser melting), it is possible to manufacture objects that cannot be achieved using conventional technologies Geometry (t...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Temperature gradients can easily lead to deformations of the piston or the piston rings or also the basic body, which are practically not corrected, which can lead to leaks or even jamming of the piston

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