Laser operating machine for additive manufacturing by laser thermal treatment, in particular by fusion, and corresponding method

Abstract

A laser operating machine for additive manufacture of objects, via a process of laser thermal treatment of metal powders, in particular via fusion, comprises a movement structure (11), which is mobilein a working space (100) that comprises a working surface (110), said machine operating according to a first cartesian system of axes of movement (X, Y, Z) and being configured for supporting a moving element (12) comprising one or more nozzles (34) for emitting jets of powder to be treated thermally onto a working substrate (100, 110), and an optical laser assembly (20) for conveying a laser beam (L) to form a laser spot (S) focused on said working substrate (100, 110) in order to carry out thermal treatment of said powders. According to the invention, said moving element (12) comprises: anupper portion (12a) associated in a fixed way to said movement structure (11), said optical laser assembly (20) being set in said upper portion (12a); and a lower portion (12b), set in which is a tool-carrier frame (30), arranged on which are said one or more nozzles (34) for emitting jets of powder, and in that said nozzles (34) are arranged on said frame (30) so that longitudinal axes (U) thereof form an angle of inclination (beta) with respect to said vertical axis (I) such that jets (PJ) of said nozzles (34) intersect in a powder-deposition point (PD), said machine (10) comprising actuatormeans for varying said angle of inclination (beta) of said longitudinal axes (U) of said one or more nozzles (34); said optical laser assembly (20) being set in the moving element (12) so as to sendthe laser beam (L) onto the working surface (110) passing within perimeter defined by said plurality of nozzles (34) emitting jets of powder.

Description

technical field [0001] The present disclosure relates to a laser-operated machine for the additive manufacturing of objects by laser heat treatment process of metal powders, in particular by fusion, comprising: a mobile structure movable in a working space comprising a working surface , the machine operates according to an axis of movement of a first Cartesian coordinate system and is configured to support a moving element comprising one or more nozzles for emitting a jet of powder to be heat-treated; a working substrate and an optical laser assembly for delivering a laser beam to form a laser spot focused on the working substrate for performing thermal treatment on the powder. [0002] Various embodiments can be applied to thermal control of the fusion profile during fusion and to the orientation of the nozzle to avoid obstacles and vary the parameters of the powder deposition point. Background technique [0003] The additive manufacturing process by laser fusion consists ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, the freedom to set the energy profile of the laser beam with respect to the pre- and post-heating zones is limited by the presence of frames and nozzles, which do not allow the orientation of the laser beam in every position

May interfere with nozzle and powder jet

Furthermore, such constraints mean that the relative position and orientation between the deposition path and the nozzle changes depending on the position along the path itself, and this may affect the deposition itself quantitatively and qualitatively.

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