Generation and execution of melting paths in additive manufacturing

Abstract

A method for determining a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system includes: receiving geometric data corresponding to a surface of a powder layer; filling geometric data with melting points; assigning at least one processing action to each melting point; assigning a melting parameter and a preceding thermal characteristic to each processing action; generating a preliminary list; creating a revised order comprising a plurality of sequential unfilled items; and revising the order by identifying an earliest unfilled term, determining whether any processing action includes a preemptive thermal characteristic that satisfies the time of the earliest unfilled term, assigning a task to the earliest unfilled term; a process action is removed from the preliminary list that includes a preemptive thermal characteristic that satisfies a sequential time of the earliest unfilled term, the earliest unfilled term is classified as a filled term, and returned to identifying the earliest unfilled term.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to additive manufacturing processes and, more particularly, to generating and executing melt paths in additive manufacturing systems. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, additive manufacturing processes have become increasingly popular for producing parts for a variety of applications. For example, electron beam melting (EBM) is an additive manufacturing (AM) process that can be used to make precise three-dimensional (3D) metal parts from a digital model by melting powdered metal with a high-energy electron beam. Such parts can be made using additive processes in which successive layers of powdered metal are melted and solidified one after another. Existing melting strategies face problems in manufacturing parts with complex geometries, such as controlling the microstructure of the part, limiting or eliminating defects, and providing manufacturing efficiency for arbitrarily complex geometries. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] Figure 1 schematically depicts a side view of an illustrative additive manufacturing system according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0004] Figure 2 schematically depicts a detailed side view of a portion of an additive manufacturing system during an additive manufacturing process according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0005] Figure 3 schematically depicts a detailed side view of a portion of an additive manufacturing system during an additive manufacturing process according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0006] Figure 4 schematically depicts an illustrative additive manufacturing system including a computer system in accordance with one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0007] Figure 5A depicts a flow chart of an illustrative process for generating a melt path for an additive manufacturing system in accordance with one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0008] Figure 5B depicts a flow chart of an illustrative process for populating a revised processing order during generation of a melt path for an additive manufacturing system in accordance with one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0009] Fig. 6A schematically depicts illustrative first geometric data of an unprocessed material layer according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0010] Figure 6Bschematically depicts illustrative second geometric data of an unprocessed material layer according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0011] Fig. 7A schematically depicts illustrative third geometric data having adaptively spaced lines in accordance with one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0012] Figure 7B schematically depicts illustrative geometric data with adaptively spaced curves according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; and

[0013] Figure 8 An illustrative melt path within illustrative first geometric data of an unprocessed material layer is schematically depicted according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The present disclosure generally relates to apparatus, systems and methods for generating melt paths in 3D printing processes. Such 3D printing processes can include moving energy beam-based bonding and / or melting methods, including electron beam melting (EBM) additive manufacturing (AM) processes, and other 3D printing processes, including direct metal laser melting (DMLM), directed energy deposition (DED) and fused deposition modeling (FDM).

[0015] The present disclosure relates to these and other additive manufacturing methods that include a build file that specifies a moving source (deposition nozzle, electron beam, etc. features) that melts and / or solidifies a material having a certain local shape. Typically, computer-aided design (CAD) software can be used to design a 3D part and store the part in a CAD file. At least some additive manufacturing systems involve the accumulation of powdered material (e.g., metal powder) to make a part based on a CAD file. The method can produce complex parts from materials at reduced costs and improved manufacturing efficiency.

[0016] Electron beam additive manufacturing (which may also be referred to as electron beam melting) is an additive manufacturing process commonly used for metal parts. EBM utilizes raw materials in the form of metal powder or metal wire, which are placed under vacuum (e.g., in a vacuum-sealed build chamber). Generally speaking, the raw materials are fused together via electron beam heating (e.g., melting).

[0017] Embodiments described herein utilizing EBM generally obtain data from a 3D computer-aided design (CAD) model and use the data to place successive layers of raw material using a device that spreads the raw material, such as a powder dispenser. Successive layers are melted together using one or more electronically controlled electron beams. As described above, the process occurs within a vacuum-sealed build chamber, which makes the process suitable for manufacturing parts using reactive materials (e.g., titanium, tantalum, vanadium, zirconium, hafnium, and / or thorium) that have a high affinity for oxygen (e.g., a higher tendency to oxidize compared to other metals). In embodiments, the process operates at higher temperatures (up to about 1000° C.) relative to other additive manufacturing processes, which may result in differences in phases formed through solidification and solid-state phase transformations.

[0018] EBM is an additive manufacturing process that uses one or more electron beams to melt thin layers of metal powder to build 3D objects. Parts are built directly from files generated from CAD (computer-aided design) data. The files are converted to slice files by machine software, and the slice files can be uploaded to the machine for the build process. In an embodiment, the files can be converted to slice files and / or uploaded to the machine during or before the process. In an embodiment, the conversion of the files to slice files and / or uploading of the slice files to the machine can be performed by the machine or a computer separate from the machine. Electron beams are used to selectively melt thin layers of fine particles to produce objects that exhibit fine, dense and uniform properties. A fundamental challenge that still needs to be addressed in the 3D printing process is distortion mitigation. In addition, the build files contain potential problem areas within the three-dimensional printed parts. Analyzing and predicting these areas in an efficient and effective manner within the additive manufacturing system can ensure the integrity of the created objects.

[0019] EBM additive manufacturing processes can be used to create manufactured objects, such as single crystal parts for creating, for example, superalloy components. Single crystal parts can be produced in additive manufacturing processes using a single continuous melting path, controlling the gradient in the metal powder layer, and controlling the solidification rate of the molten metal powder. The embodiments described herein provide the generation and execution of a melting path that balances the thermal constraints within a complex shape and can therefore be used to produce single crystal parts with complex shapes and / or drive effective grain selection processes for single crystal parts. In an embodiment, generating such a melting path includes a thermally adaptive point-based melting strategy for creating components with complex geometries. In an embodiment, such a component includes a single crystal part of an alloy or superalloy. In an embodiment, a superalloy is an alloy that can withstand high temperatures and / or has high strength. In an embodiment, such a component includes a single crystal part of a nickel-based and / or cobalt-based superalloy. As non-limiting examples, such single crystal parts of superalloys may include PWA 1480 superalloy, SR99 superalloy, CMSX-4 superalloy, TMS-26 superalloy, Rene N5 superalloy, Rene N6 superalloy, Rene N15 superalloy, CM186LC superalloy, CMSX-10 superalloy, TMS-82 superalloy, TMS-162 superalloy, or other superalloys. In an embodiment, such a component comprises a single crystal part of a refractory alloy. As non-limiting examples, such single crystal parts of a refractory alloy may include a molybdenum-based refractory alloy, a tungsten-based refractory alloy, a tantalum-based refractory alloy, a molybdenum-based and tungsten-based refractory alloy, a molybdenum-based and tantalum-based refractory alloy, a tungsten-based and tantalum-based refractory alloy, or other refractory alloys.

[0020] At least some additive manufacturing systems use a beam device (e.g., a laser or electron beam) and a powder material (such as, but not limited to, powdered metal) to make a part. The electron beam melts the powder material in and around the area where the electron beam is incident on the powder material, thereby forming a molten pool. In some additive manufacturing systems, part quality may be affected by excessive heat and / or heat changes transferred to the metal powder by the electron beam within the molten pool. However, the present disclosure is not limited to combining and / or melting systems based on moving energy beams (e.g., EBM systems), but also includes, for example, selective laser melting (SLM), direct metal laser melting (DMLM), fused deposition modeling (FDM), selective laser sintering (SLS), 3D printing such as by inkjet, laser jetting and binder jetting, stereolithography (SLA), direct selective laser sintering (DSLS), electron beam sintering (EBS), laser engineered net shaping (LENS), laser net shaping manufacturing (LNSM), direct metal deposition (DMD), digital light processing (DLP), direct selective laser melting (DSLM) and other known processes. Therefore, it should be understood that although the present disclosure describes systems and methods related to EBM for purposes of explanation, the systems and methods described herein may be used with other additive manufacturing approaches without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0021] The present disclosure relates to a tool for generating a melting path of a beam (in an embodiment, an electron beam or a laser beam) for a given geometric slice of a surface (e.g., a surface layer of a build material) to melt at each location within the geometry with a controlled thermal history so as to achieve predefined material properties and avoid crack formation and other defects. In an embodiment, the melting path of the beam can be determined by a melting strategy including a processing order of processing actions, as will be described in further detail below.

[0022] When constructing an object via an additive manufacturing process, layers of building material (e.g., powdered metal) may be continuously deposited and processed on a building platform or on a previously processed layer of building material to iteratively build the object. The additive manufacturing method described herein includes processing a deposited layer of building material using a beam (e.g., an electron beam) to melt (and in some embodiments, preheat) the deposited layer, which may be cooled via the environment of the build chamber of the deposited layer or by a cooling mechanism (e.g., a fan). In an embodiment, the processing of the building material layer includes a melting strategy, the melting strategy includes a melting step (e.g., applying an electron beam to the layer), and in a further embodiment, includes a pre-melting step of preparing the layer for melting (e.g., heating by a processing beam or other mechanism), and a post-melting step (e.g., cooling via a fan or other mechanism, or reheating by a processing beam or other mechanism) to ensure that part or all of the layer conforms to the desired thermal distribution. In an embodiment, the post-melting step includes increasing or decreasing the cooling rate by providing a mechanism for cooling or heating the building material, for example, to ensure that the cooling rate of the building material conforms to the desired thermal distribution. In an embodiment, the post-melting step includes reheating the building material, for example, to prepare the building material for a subsequent melting step.

[0023] As described herein, a "thermal profile" is a change in temperature (and / or other thermal mass) of a region of build material (e.g., a portion of a layer or the entire layer) over time. Thus, an "expected" thermal profile is a thermal profile of the region that a melting strategy is intended or designed to apply to the region prior to processing, such as to ensure the expected structure of the region or to prevent the formation of defects in the region. The expected thermal profile may have upper and lower limits, thereby defining an expected range at any given point in time, within which the thermal mass (e.g., temperature) of the build material of the relevant region is expected to remain within the range, such as to prevent the formation of defects during the melting process. Thus, an "actual" thermal profile refers to, for example, the thermal profile of the build material of the region that actually occurs during the melting process of the layer including the region. In addition, a "predicted" thermal profile is a thermal profile based on certain discrete event modeling (e.g., by a thermal model). The predicted thermal profile can be used to predict the actual thermal profile of the region before, during, and / or after such a processing action (e.g., melting the build material of the region with a beam) based on a planned processing action on the region, such as to select a planned processing action that will apply an actual thermal profile within the limits of the expected thermal profile. Simply stated, a melt strategy including a processing order of processing actions may be considered and used to determine a predicted thermal distribution, and if the predicted thermal distribution is within the limits of the desired thermal distribution, then the processing order of the processing actions may be acceptable; otherwise, the processing order of the processing actions may be unacceptable because it introduces the possibility that the actual thermal distribution will not be within the limits of the desired thermal distribution.

[0024] When manufacturing objects with complex geometries (particularly single crystal parts) via an additive manufacturing process, small areas of a surface layer may be subjected to a process that applies a strict (e.g., with small error tolerances and / or small differences between limits) thermal profile, for example to achieve predefined material properties and avoid crack formation and other defects by controlling the solidification process of the surface layer. However, applying a strict thermal profile on the layer can be difficult because even if the layer is abstracted as a wire grid of defined points (each point having a separate thermal profile), other factors besides the heating and cooling times associated with the application of a processing beam (e.g., an electron beam) must be considered when generating a melting strategy for the layer. For example, a heating step of a melting strategy will result in heating of points to which the processing beam is not applied (e.g., due to heat diffusion). Therefore, generating a melting strategy that applies a sufficiently strict thermal profile so as to be able to create, for example, a single crystal part or other complex additively manufactured object with complex geometry, can include addressing and considering all thermal effects (e.g., the effects of the processing beam, other heating and / or cooling mechanisms, and ambient heating and / or cooling) to ensure that the strict thermal profile is met.

[0025] In an embodiment, the thermal profile is generally determined based on a temperature gradient, a solidification rate, and / or an epitaxial growth of a surface layer or a build material. In an embodiment, the error tolerance of the thermal profile is the difference between an upper temperature limit and a lower temperature limit of one or more melting points of the time value of the thermal profile. In an embodiment, the error tolerance of the thermal profile may vary depending on, for example, the composition of the build material, the type of process being performed, the size of the area associated with the point associated with the thermal profile, the type of object being produced, and / or other factors. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -1 K (Kelvin) and less than or equal to 10 3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error margin greater than or equal to 10 -1 K, 1K or more, 10K or more, 150K or more, 500K or more, or even 10 2 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance of less than or equal to 10 3 K, less than or equal to 500K, less than or equal to 150K, less than or equal to 10 2 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error margin of greater than or equal to 10 K, less than or equal to 10 K, or even less than or equal to 1 K. -1 K and less than or equal to 10 3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error margin greater than or equal to 10 -1 K and less than or equal to an error tolerance of 500 K. In an embodiment, the thermal distribution may include greater than or equal to 10 -1K and less than or equal to 150 K. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -1 K and less than or equal to 10 2 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error margin greater than or equal to 10 -1 K and less than or equal to 10 K. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 10 -1 K and less than or equal to 1 K. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 1 K and less than or equal to 10 3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 1K and less than or equal to 500K. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 1K and less than or equal to 150K. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 1K and less than or equal to 10 2 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 1K and less than or equal to 10K. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 10K and less than or equal to 10K. 3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 10K and less than or equal to 500K. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 10K and less than or equal to 150K. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 10K and less than or equal to 10 2 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error margin greater than or equal to 10 2 K and less than or equal to 10 3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error margin greater than or equal to 10 2 K and less than or equal to an error tolerance of 500 K. In an embodiment, the thermal distribution may include greater than or equal to 10 2 K and less than or equal to 150 K. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 150 K and less than or equal to 10 3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 150K and less than or equal to 500K. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 500K and less than or equal to 10 3 Error tolerance of K.

[0026] In an embodiment, the error tolerance may be associated with a temperature gradient. In an embodiment, any, some or all of the above error tolerances may alternatively correspond to units of K / mm (Kelvin / millimeter). Thus, in an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a temperature gradient greater than or equal to 10 -1 K / mm and less than or equal to 103 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance of greater than or equal to 10 -1 K / mm, greater than or equal to 1K / mm, greater than or equal to 10K / mm, greater than or equal to 150K / mm, greater than or equal to 500K / mm, or even greater than or equal to 10 2 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance of less than or equal to 10 3 K / mm, less than or equal to 500K / mm, less than or equal to 150K / mm, less than or equal to 10 2 K / mm, less than or equal to 10K / mm, or even less than or equal to 1K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance of greater than or equal to 10 -1 K / mm and less than or equal to 10 3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance of greater than or equal to 10 -1 K / mm and less than or equal to 500K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -1 K / mm and less than or equal to 150K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -1 K / mm and less than or equal to 10 2 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance of greater than or equal to 10 -1 K / mm and less than or equal to 10K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 10 -1 K / mm and less than or equal to 1K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 1K / mm and less than or equal to 10 3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 1 K / mm and less than or equal to 500 K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 1 K / mm and less than or equal to 150 K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 1 K / mm and less than or equal to 10 2 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 1 K / mm and less than or equal to 10 K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 10 K / mm and less than or equal to 10 3In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 10K / mm and less than or equal to 500K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 10K / mm and less than or equal to 150K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 10K / mm and less than or equal to 10 2 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance of greater than or equal to 10 2 K / mm and less than or equal to 10 3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance of greater than or equal to 10 2 K / mm and less than or equal to 500K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 2 K / mm and less than or equal to 150K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 150K / mm and less than or equal to 10 3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 150 K / mm and less than or equal to 500 K / mm. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include an error tolerance greater than or equal to 500 K / mm and less than or equal to 10 3 Error tolerance of K / mm.

[0027] In an embodiment, any, some or all of the above error tolerances may alternatively correspond to Kelvin / unit of length other than millimeter (e.g., micrometer). In an embodiment, any, some or all of the above error tolerances may alternatively correspond to the unit K / μm (Kelvin / micrometer). In an embodiment, any, some or all of the above error tolerances may alternatively correspond to the unit K / (10mm) (Kelvin / 10 millimeters). In an embodiment, any, some or all of the above error tolerances may alternatively correspond to the unit K / (100mm) (Kelvin / 100 millimeters). In an embodiment, any, some or all of the above error tolerances may alternatively correspond to the unit K / (250mm) (Kelvin / 250 millimeters). In an embodiment, any, some or all of the above error tolerances may alternatively correspond to the unit K / (500mm) (Kelvin / 500 millimeters). In an embodiment, any, some or all of the above error tolerances may alternatively correspond to the unit K / (750mm) (Kelvin / 750 millimeters). In an embodiment, any, some or all of the above error tolerances may instead correspond to the unit K / m (Kelvin / meter).

[0028] In embodiments, the curing speed of a thermal profile is the curing rate of a build material at one or more melting points over a time value of the thermal profile. In embodiments, the curing speed of a thermal profile may vary depending on, for example, the composition of the build material, the type of process being performed, the size of the area associated with the point associated with the thermal profile, the type of object being produced, the processing actions involving the thermal profile, and / or other factors. In embodiments, a thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 10 -4 mm / s (ie, millimeters / second) and less than or equal to 100 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -4 mm / s, greater than or equal to 10 -3 mm / s, greater than or equal to 10 -2 mm / s, greater than or equal to 10 -1 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed of less than or equal to 100 mm / s, less than or equal to 50 mm / s, less than or equal to 30 mm / s, less than or equal to 1 mm / s, less than or equal to 10 -1 mm / s, less than or equal to 10 -2 mm / s, or even less than or equal to 10 -3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 10 -4 mm / s and less than or equal to 100 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -4 mm / s and less than or equal to 50 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -4 mm / s and less than or equal to 30 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -4 mm / s and less than or equal to 1 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -4 mm / s and less than or equal to 10 -1 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 10 - 4 mm / s and less than or equal to 10 -2 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 10 -4 mm / s and less than or equal to 10 -3 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 10 -3mm / s and less than or equal to 100 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -3 mm / s and less than or equal to 50 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -3 mm / s and less than or equal to 30 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -3 mm / s and less than or equal to 1 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -3 mm / s and less than or equal to 10 -1 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 10 -3 mm / s and less than or equal to 10 -2 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 10 -2 mm / s and less than or equal to 100 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -2 mm / s and less than or equal to 50 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -2 mm / s and less than or equal to 30 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -2 mm / s and less than or equal to 1 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -2 mm / s and less than or equal to 10 -1 In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 10 -2 mm / s and less than or equal to 100 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -1 mm / s and less than or equal to 50 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 -1 mm / s and less than or equal to 30 mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include greater than or equal to 10 - 1In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 1mm / s and less than or equal to 100mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 1mm / s and less than or equal to 50mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 1mm / s and less than or equal to 30mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 30mm / s and less than or equal to 100mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 30mm / s and less than or equal to 50mm / s. In an embodiment, the thermal profile may include a curing speed greater than or equal to 50mm / s and less than or equal to 100mm / s.

[0029] The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and computer-readable media that can generate a thermally adaptive point-based melting strategy for a beam-based additive manufacturing process. Using the systems, methods, and computer-readable media described herein, a melting strategy can be generated and executed that provides controlled solidification of a surface layer, including in the context of controlled solidification of single crystal formation during an EBM additive manufacturing process and / or a nickel-based and / or cobalt-based superalloy process.

[0030] Typically, a beam-based additive manufacturing process begins with a deposition nozzle or other deposition device of an additive manufacturing system spreading a thin layer of metal powder on a building platform. Next, according to the generated melting strategy, a processing beam, and in an embodiment, other processing mechanisms (e.g., additional beams, fans, infrared heating, induction, or other heating / cooling mechanisms) are applied to the layer to melt and solidify the powder. Next, the additive manufacturing system builds an object, such as a part, in a layer-by-layer manner by using a processing beam (e.g., an electron beam or a laser beam) to melt or sinter the powder material. The powder to be melted by the processing beam is supplied by a reservoir and evenly spread on the building platform by a deposition nozzle or other deposition device. In an embodiment, multiple processing beams can be used to build different sections of the object being built. The processing beam sinters or melts the cross-sectional layer of the object being built. The building platform is then lowered, and another powder layer is spread on the building platform and the object being built, followed by continuous melting / sintering of the powder by the processing beam. Repeat this process until the object is completely built of the processed powder material.

[0031] The processing beam can be controlled by a computer system including a processor and a memory. As described in further detail below, the computer system determines the melting strategy for each layer and controls the processing beam (and in some embodiments, other processing mechanisms) to process the powder material according to the melting strategy. Each processing beam (and / or in some embodiments, other processing mechanisms, such as heating sources and / or cooling sources) can operate on different parts of the build platform and can be used to build different sections of the object. Since the object is built one layer at a time, the thermal gradient and / or strain on the object may cause the object to have various deformations, including, for example, pores in the object or cracks in the object. Therefore, it may be desirable to generate a melting strategy that reduces deformation so that the additive manufacturing system can produce, for example, single crystal parts with complex geometries or other complex additive manufacturing objects.

[0032] In order to build an object in multiple sections using a processing beam, there may be multiple processing beams calibrated to each other. That is, the impact of the processing beams may occur at predetermined locations on the building platform according to a broader melting strategy combining the processing of layers by multiple processing beams.

[0033] In embodiments disclosed herein, a thermal model may be used to predict changes in the predicted thermal distribution of a layer and / or a region of a layer over time, so that a melting strategy generated using the predicted thermal distribution may be designed so that the actual thermal distribution of the layer (e.g., the thermodynamic properties of the layer during processing of the layer) remains within the bounds of the desired thermal distribution. The thermal model may use the steps of the melting strategy (e.g., a pre-melting step, a melting step, or a post-melting step) as inputs based on time values ​​to describe the state and temperature of the surface. The thermal model may use geometric data to analogize the layer to a wire grid defining points and provide the thermal distribution of the layer point by point. The melting strategy may similarly use such geometric data to determine the processing steps point by point. Therefore, generating a melting strategy including pre-melting, melting, and / or post-melting steps for each point of the geometric data may include sequentially generating an order of these steps based on the changing thermal distribution resulting from one or more previous steps calculated according to the thermal model.

[0034] As described herein, the phrase "thermal model" includes any modeling mechanism (e.g., modeling software, modeling algorithms, or other mechanisms for determining thermal distribution). However, for the purposes of the embodiments described herein, any mechanism that can predict the thermal distribution of an area and / or the entirety of a powder bed and / or a surface layer of a powder bed may be used as a thermal model. Embodiments use only predicted thermal distributions of an area and / or the entirety of a powder bed and / or a surface layer of a powder bed, and embodiments may be independent of methods, mechanisms, or tools for creating such thermal distributions. In embodiments, the predicted thermal distribution includes predicted thermal characteristics associated with a time value and associated with one or more predetermined points of geometric data (e.g., coordinates corresponding to a defined spatial region).

[0035] In an embodiment, the thermal model includes heuristic constraints on time differences and distances between processing points. In an embodiment, the thermal model includes a finite element model of substrate and build environment temperature. In an embodiment, the thermal model includes a computational fluid dynamics model of molten pool behavior. In an embodiment, the thermal model includes a microstructure formation model. In an embodiment, the thermal model includes a machine learning model. In an embodiment, the thermal model includes a machine learning model that couples heat exposure to temperature. In an embodiment, the thermal model includes a machine learning model that couples heat exposure to microstructural response. In an embodiment, the thermal model includes a machine learning model that couples heat exposure to temperature and microstructural response. In an embodiment, the thermal model includes a neural network model. In an embodiment, the thermal model includes a neural network model that couples heat exposure to temperature. In an embodiment, the thermal model includes a neural network model that couples heat exposure to microstructural response. In an embodiment, the thermal model includes a neural network model that couples heat exposure to temperature and microstructural response.

[0036] In embodiments, thermal characteristics may include any, some, or all of the following: temperature ranges for points of geometric data (e.g., temperature ranges within which a build material melts or within which a build material is expected to have a temperature for melting); regional temperature ranges for at least some points of geometric data (e.g., temperature ranges for adjacent points that take into account heat diffusion from adjacent points or from a processed point after processing); temperature history over a time interval; material state (e.g., material state of a build material associated with a point); material phase (e.g., material phase of a build material associated with a point); time values ​​associated with predicted temperatures (as predicted by, for example, a thermal model); time values ​​associated with predicted temperature ranges (as predicted by, for example, a thermal model); time values ​​associated with predicted material states (as predicted by, for example, a thermal model); time values ​​associated with predicted material phases (as predicted by, for example, a thermal model); or combinations thereof.

[0037] The geometric data may be generated from a geometric model, which may use a generated or actual image of a layer, a build platform, or a part undergoing additive manufacturing to create an analog image of a surface layer of an object or a build platform undergoing manufacturing (e.g., geometric data) and fill the analog image with points. Figure 6A-6B As further described in detail, in embodiments, the points are simply defined by a grid of straight lines. In other embodiments, the lines may be adaptively spaced such that adjacent parallel lines defining the points are not equidistant from one another throughout the grid of lines. In further such embodiments, as described below with reference to Figure 7A-7BAs further described in detail, the points may be defined by adaptively spaced lines, adaptively spaced lines or curves that fill an area of ​​geometric data, a fixed pattern with adaptive spacing, or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the generated geometric data is a three-dimensional representation of a surface of an object. In an embodiment, the generated geometric data is a three-dimensional representation of a powder layer of a build material.

[0038] The systems and methods described herein facilitate generating melting strategies, which in some embodiments include thermally adaptive point-based melting strategies for, for example, EBM processing, and can provide, for example, additive manufacturing of single crystal parts or other complex additively manufactured objects having complex geometries. Specifically, in one embodiment, the systems and methods described herein include: receiving geometric data corresponding to a surface of a powder layer within a build chamber of an electron beam additive manufacturing system; filling the geometric data with a plurality of points including a plurality of melting points; assigning at least one processing action to each of the plurality of melting points; assigning at least one melting parameter and at least one prerequisite thermal characteristic to each processing action for each melting point; generating a preliminary processing list including each processing action for each melting point; creating a revised processing order including a plurality of sequential unfilled items, wherein each unfilled item of the revised processing order is associated with a sequential time value; filling the revised processing order, the filling including: identifying the earliest unfilled item of the revised processing order, determining the preliminary processing list Whether any processing action in the processing actions of the table includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, assigning a task to the earliest unfilled item, wherein the task includes: a waiting period, or a processing action including a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item; if the task includes a processing action including a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, removing the processing action including the prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item from the preliminary processing list; classifying the earliest unfilled item as a filled item; and returning to identifying the earliest unfilled item if the preliminary processing list includes a processing action, or issuing a command to start a melting process if the preliminary processing list does not include a processing action.

[0039] Some embodiments involve the use of one or more electronic or computing devices. Such a device typically includes a processor or controller, such as a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microcontroller, a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic circuit (PLC), and / or any other circuit or processor capable of performing the functions described herein. The methods described herein may be encoded as executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium (including but not limited to a storage device and / or a memory device). When executed by a processor, such instructions cause the processor to perform at least a portion of the methods described herein. The above examples are exemplary and are therefore not intended to limit the definition and / or meaning of the term processor in any way.

[0040] All systems and processes discussed herein may be embodied in program code stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. Such media may include, for example, floppy disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, flash drives, magnetic tapes, and solid-state random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM) storage units. Therefore, embodiments are not limited to any particular combination of hardware and software.

[0041] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary additive manufacturing system 100 for performing additive manufacturing. The additive manufacturing system 100 includes an additive manufacturing machine 114. In one embodiment, the additive manufacturing machine 114 can be connected to a network 112, as described below with reference to Figure 4 As further described in detail, network 112 includes or is otherwise communicatively coupled to user input device 110 and computer system 106, such that user input device 110, computer system 106, and additive manufacturing machine 114 can be communicatively coupled to each other via network 112. In another embodiment, all of these components can be included in one device, and nothing in this disclosure should be considered to limit the various configurations that can be used. Computer system 106 can include, for example, a geometric model 103 that can generate geometric data such as a layer, a 3D model of a component in a build file 104 to be made by additive manufacturing system 100, and / or a thermal model 105 that can generate, for example, a thermal distribution of a layer. Executable instructions executed by processor 108 can include controlling the power output of beam devices 116A, 116B, and controlling position components 118A and 118B, position component 118A controlling the position of beam devices 116A, 116B, and position component 118B controlling the position of build platform 134.

[0042] Build platform 134 is a surface on which a powder bed 142 of a partially manufactured object 140 is successively placed in layers of build material (comprising, for example, powdered metal) to produce the additively manufactured object. The additively manufactured object is produced in a build chamber 150 defined by chamber walls 152 of additive manufacturing machine 114. Position assembly 118B may move build platform 134 (e.g., raise or lower build platform 134 (and thereby raise or lower partially manufactured object 140) relative to beam devices 116A, 116B) as layers of build material are initially deposited on build platform 134 and subsequently deposited on powder bed 142.

[0043] In an embodiment, either or both of the beam devices 116A, 116B include an electron beam accelerator (not shown) or other device capable of forming an electron beam. In other embodiments, either or both of the beam devices 116A, 116B include a laser. In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing machine 114 includes only a single beam device. In an embodiment, the additive manufacturing machine 114 includes two beam devices. In an embodiment, the additive manufacturing machine 114 includes three or more beam devices. In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing machine 114 includes only one of the positional assemblies 118A, 118B.

[0044] The components of the additive manufacturing system 100 are all connected via the network 112, and may also include position components 118A, 118B, a power system 120, a cooling source 121, a heating source 122, and a sensor 132. In an embodiment, either or both of the heating source 122 and the cooling source 121 are positioned above the building platform 134. In other embodiments, either or both of the heating source 122 and the cooling source 121 are positioned below the building platform 134. In an embodiment, the heating source 122 may include a heating lamp, a heating plate, a device that radiates energy (e.g., infrared waves) to heat the building material, a device that inductively heats the material, or another mechanism for heating the building material. In an embodiment, the cooling source 121 may include a fan, a cooling plate, or another mechanism for cooling the building material. The components of the additive manufacturing system 100 may communicate via a bus 138 and are connected to the user input device 110 and the computer system 106 via the network 112.

[0045] In an embodiment, the additive manufacturing system 100 is configured to make parts including medical parts, tools, and steel parts. In one embodiment, the additive manufacturing system 100 is configured to make aircraft parts, such as nozzles, etc. Materials suitable for forming such parts include, but are not limited to, gas atomized alloys of cobalt, iron, aluminum, titanium, nickel, and combinations thereof. In other embodiments, the building material of the partially manufactured object 140 may include any suitable type of powdered metal material. In yet other embodiments, the building material of the partially manufactured object 140 may include any suitable building material that enables the additive manufacturing system 100 to function as described, including, for example, but not limited to, ceramic powders, metal-coated ceramic powders, and thermosetting or thermoplastic resins.

[0046] Beam devices 116A, 116B are configured to generate a beam (e.g., an electron beam or a laser beam) of sufficient energy to at least partially melt the build material of powder bed 142. In one embodiment, beam devices 116A, 116B emit an electron beam. In another embodiment, beam devices 116A, 116B are yttrium-based solid-state lasers configured to emit a laser beam having a wavelength of approximately 1070 nanometers (nm). In other embodiments, beam devices 116A, 116B may include any suitable type of beam forming device that enables additive manufacturing system 100 to function as described herein. In one embodiment, for example, additive manufacturing system 100 may include a first beam forming device having a first power and a second beam forming device having a second power different from the first beam power, or at least two beam forming devices having substantially the same power output. In yet other embodiments, additive manufacturing system 100 may include any combination of beam forming devices that enable additive manufacturing system 100 to function as described herein. Figure 1 As shown, the additive manufacturing machine 114 may direct beams from the beam devices 116A, 116B across selected portions of the powder bed 142 to produce a solid component that forms a portion of the manufactured object 140 .

[0047] According to the melting strategy determined by the computer system 106, the beams of the beam devices 116A, 116B are directed onto the surface layer of the powder bed 142. In an embodiment, in order to determine the melting strategy, the computer system 106 must first generate geometric data. In order to generate the geometric data, the computer system 106 first receives image data of the partially manufactured object 140. The image data of the partially manufactured object 140 can be generated by a device (such as a sensor 132 or a camera (not shown)) positioned in or near the build chamber 150. The geometric model 103 can then generate geometric data corresponding to the surface of the partially manufactured object 140 in the build chamber 150 of the additive manufacturing system 100. The computer system 106 (using, for example, the geometric model 103) can then fill the geometric data with a plurality of points including a plurality of melting points. In an embodiment, the points filling the geometric data can be close together. In an embodiment, each point corresponds to an area defined by a line (or a curve in some embodiments). In an embodiment, the point can be a specific coordinate, but still corresponds to a spatial area (e.g., an area of ​​the surface layer 240 defined by the lines and / or curves of the geometric data), as described in further detail below.

[0048] In embodiments, the size of the region of space corresponding to the points may vary by, for example, changing the distance between the points that populate the geometric data. In embodiments, the distance between the points that populate the geometric data (and thus, in embodiments, the size of the region of space corresponding to the points) may vary within the geometric data as different layers of the partially manufactured object 140 are processed and / or as different objects are manufactured. In embodiments, the distance between the points that populate the geometric data may vary due to, for example, the composition of the building material of the partially manufactured object 140, the location of the points within the geometric data (e.g., in embodiments, the size of the region associated with points near the outer edge of the partially manufactured object 140 may be smaller than the size of the region associated with points within the interior of the partially manufactured object 140 because such points near the outer edge may be more densely packed than points within the interior), the desired quality of the partially manufactured object 140, the desired time threshold for manufacturing the partially manufactured object 140, and / or other factors.

[0049] In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm (i.e., micrometer) and less than or equal to 1 m (i.e., meter). In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm, greater than or equal to 10 μm, greater than or equal to 100 μm, greater than or equal to 1 mm (i.e., millimeter), greater than or equal to 10 mm, greater than or equal to 100 mm, greater than or equal to 250 mm, greater than or equal to 500 mm, or even greater than or equal to 750 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be less than or equal to 1 m, less than or equal to 750 mm, less than or equal to 500 mm, less than or equal to 250 mm, less than or equal to 100 mm, less than or equal to 10 mm, less than or equal to 1 mm, less than or equal to 100 μm, or even less than or equal to 10 μm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm and less than or equal to 1 m. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm and less than or equal to 750 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm and less than or equal to 500 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm and less than or equal to 250 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm and less than or equal to 100 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm and less than or equal to 10 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm and less than or equal to 100 μm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm and less than or equal to 10 μm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10 μm and less than or equal to 1 m. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10 μm and less than or equal to 750 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10μm and less than or equal to 500mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10μm and less than or equal to 250mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10μm and less than or equal to 100mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10μm and less than or equal to 10mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10μm and less than or equal to 1mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10μm and less than or equal to 100μm.In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100μm and less than or equal to 1m. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100μm and less than or equal to 750mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100μm and less than or equal to 500mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100μm and less than or equal to 250mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100μm and less than or equal to 100mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100μm and less than or equal to 10mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100μm and less than or equal to 1mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1mm and less than or equal to 1m. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1mm and less than or equal to 750mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1mm and less than or equal to 500mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1mm and less than or equal to 250mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1mm and less than or equal to 100mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1mm and less than or equal to 10mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10mm and less than or equal to 1m. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10mm and less than or equal to 750mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10mm and less than or equal to 500mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10mm and less than or equal to 250mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10mm and less than or equal to 100mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100mm and less than or equal to 1m. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100 mm and less than or equal to 750 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100 mm and less than or equal to 500 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100 mm and less than or equal to 250 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 250 mm and less than or equal to 1 m. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 250 mm and less than or equal to 750 mm.In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 250 mm and less than or equal to 500 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 500 mm and less than or equal to 1 m. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 500 mm and less than or equal to 750 mm. In an embodiment, the distance between the points of the filled geometric data may be greater than or equal to 750 mm and less than or equal to 1 m.

[0050] In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 1m 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm. 2 , greater than or equal to 10μm 2 , greater than or equal to 100μm 2 , greater than or equal to 1mm 2 , greater than or equal to 10mm 2 , greater than or equal to 100mm 2 , greater than or equal to 250mm 2 , greater than or equal to 500mm 2 , or even greater than or equal to 750mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be less than or equal to 1 m 2 , less than or equal to 750mm 2 , less than or equal to 500mm 2 , less than or equal to 250mm 2 , less than or equal to 100mm 2 , less than or equal to 10mm 2 , less than or equal to 1mm 2 , less than or equal to 100μm 2 , or even less than or equal to 10μm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 1m 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 750mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 500mm 2In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 250mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 100mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 10mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 1mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 100μm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 1 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 10μm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 1m 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 750mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 500mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 250mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 100mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 10mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 1mm2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 10 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 100μm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 1m 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 750mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 500mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 250mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 100mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 10mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points filling the geometric data may be greater than or equal to 100 μm. 2 And less than or equal to 1mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 1 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 1m 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 1 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 750mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 1 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 500mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 1 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 250mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 1 mm.2 And less than or equal to 100mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 1 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 10mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 10 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 1m 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 10 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 750mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 10 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 500mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 10 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 250mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 10 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 100mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 100 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 1m 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 100 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 750mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 100 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 500mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 100 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 250mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 250 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 1m 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 250 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 750mm 2In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 250 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 500mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 500 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 1m 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 500 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 750mm 2 In an embodiment, the area represented by any, some or all of the points in the fill geometry data may be greater than or equal to 750 mm. 2 And less than or equal to 1m 2 .

[0051] As used herein, "melting points" refers to at least a subset of points generated in the geometric data that correspond to areas of a surface (e.g., a surface layer) of a partially manufactured object 140 that must be processed prior to depositing a subsequent layer of build material. Figure 2 , the melting point may include each point of the geometric data corresponding to the surface layer 240 of the powder bed 142. The surface layer 240 is the unprocessed build material that must be processed before the subsequent build material layer is deposited. Figure 2 In the embodiment of the present invention, the surface layer 240 of the powder bed 142 covers the entire powder bed 142, so each point of the geometric data is a melting point. Figure 3 In alternative embodiments, the surface layer 240 may alternatively be Figure 3 240 does not span the entire powder bed 142 as in the embodiment of FIG. 240. In this case, the melting points will only include points corresponding to the geometric data of surface layer 240, and not include points that instead correspond to the geometric data of lower layers of powder bed 142, such as lower processing layer 246. Lower processing layer 246 includes a layer of build material deposited and processed prior to depositing surface layer 240, and thus, while lower processing layer 246 may be exposed (e.g., not covered by a subsequent layer of build material), lower processing layer 246 has been processed and therefore does not include a melting point.

[0052] Reference again Figure 2 ,exist Figure 2In the embodiment of the present invention, the treatment of the surface layer 240 includes applying the beam 216 of the beam device 116A to the surface layer 240. In an embodiment, the beam 216 is an electron beam. In an embodiment, the beam 216 is a laser beam. The beam 216 heats the surface layer 240 so that the building material of the surface layer 240 can be melted and solidified in a desired shape. As described above, the treatment can also include a pre-melting step (e.g., pre-heating the surface layer 240 by the beam device 116A, 116B or by the heating source 122) and a post-melting step (e.g., by the cooling source 121, the heating source 122, the beam device 116A, one or two of 116B, or by environmental effects to affect or change the cooling rate of the surface layer 240, or by the beam device 116A, one or two of 116B or by the heating source 122 to reheat the surface layer 240). However, the entire surface layer 240 is not processed simultaneously; rather, at any given point in time, the processed region 244 is being processed (e.g., by the beam 216) while the unprocessed region 242 is not being processed. However, the processing of the processed region 244 may still have an effect on the vicinity of the unprocessed region 242 (e.g., due to heat diffusion). In addition, and as described above, the surface layer 240 may have a strict desired thermal distribution, and different regions of the surface layer 240 may have different desired thermal distributions. Therefore, in order to generate a melting strategy that brings the actual thermal distribution of the surface layer 240 during processing within the bounds of the desired thermal distribution of the surface layer 240, the computer system 106 may associate the desired thermal distribution with each melting point of the geometric data. When the computer system 106 iteratively generates the successive (in time) processing steps of the melting strategy, by associating the desired thermal distribution with each melting point of the geometric data, the computer system 106 may model the thermal characteristics of each melting point using the thermal model 105 so that the prerequisite thermal characteristics of the thermal distribution of each melting point are not violated due to the impact of such successive processing steps.

[0053] refer to Figure 4, the computer system 106 may include at least one processor 108 that executes executable instructions to operate the additive manufacturing system 100. The computer system 106 may include, for example, a calibration model in the memory component 102 and a build file 104 associated with the additively manufactured object. The calibration model may include, but is not limited to, a desired thermal distribution, including, for example, an expected or desired melt pool size and temperature under a given set of operating conditions of the additive manufacturing system 100 (e.g., the power of the beam devices 116A, 116B). The build file may include build parameters for controlling one or more components of the additive manufacturing system 100. The build parameters may include, but are not limited to, the power of the beam devices 116A, 116B, and the position and / or orientation of the beam devices 116A, 116B relative to the build platform 134. In other embodiments, the computer system 106 and the additive manufacturing machine 114 may be combined into a single device that operates as the computer system 106 and the additive manufacturing machine 114 as described herein.

[0054] In one embodiment, computer system 106 includes memory component 102 and processor 108 coupled to memory component 102. Processor 108 may include one or more processing units, such as but not limited to a multi-core configuration. In one embodiment, processor 108 includes a field programmable gate array (FPGA). In other embodiments, processor 108 may include any type of processor that enables computer system 106 to function as described herein. In some embodiments, executable instructions are stored in memory component 102. Computer system 106 may be configured to perform one or more executable instructions described herein by programming processor 108. For example, processor 108 may be programmed by encoding an operation as one or more executable instructions and providing the executable instructions in memory component 102. In one embodiment, memory component 102 is one or more devices capable of storing and retrieving information, such as but not limited to executable instructions or other data. Memory component 102 may include one or more tangible, non-temporary, computer-readable media, such as but not limited to random access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM, static RAM, solid state disk, hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM, electrically erasable programmable ROM, or non-volatile RAM memory. The above memory types are exemplary, and are thus not limiting as to the types of memory usable for storage of a computer program.

[0055] The user input device 110 includes a memory component 130, a processor 124, a display device 126, and an input device 128, as described in more detail herein. The memory component 130, the processor 124, the display device 126, and the input device 128 (e.g., a keyboard or other input device) are all connected and communicate with each other via a bus 136.

[0056] Processor 124 may include any processing component configured to receive and execute instructions (such as from memory component 130). Input device 128 may include a keyboard, mouse, printer, camera, microphone, speaker, touch screen, and / or other device for receiving input and outputting information. Network 112 may include any wired or wireless network hardware, such as a modem, a local area network (LAN) port, a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) card, a WiMax card, mobile communication hardware, and / or other hardware for connecting to other networks and / or devices (such as Figure 1 Other hardware for communicating with the additive manufacturing machine 114).

[0057] The memory component 130 can be configured as a volatile and / or non-volatile computer readable medium, and thus can include random access memory (including SRAM, DRAM, and / or other types of random access memory), flash memory, registers, compact disks (CDs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), and / or other types of storage components. In addition, the memory component 130 can be configured to store operating logic. The network 112 is also included in the additive manufacturing system 100 and can be implemented as a bus or other interface to facilitate communication between components of the additive manufacturing system 100.

[0058] The build file 104 may contain instructions for operating the additive manufacturing machine 114, and in particular the beam devices 116A, 116B. The file may include instructions and parameters, for example, to set the beam power to a number of watts, set the velocity of the beam to a predetermined millimeters per second, and set the spot size, among other variables. In addition, the build file 104 may include the desired thermal profile for each melting point of each layer of the additively manufactured object.

[0059] The computer system 106 is configured to control one or more components of the additive manufacturing system 100 based on build parameters associated with the build file 104, for example, stored within the computer system 106. In one embodiment, the computer system 106 is configured to control the additive manufacturing machine 114 based on the build file associated with the additively manufactured object of the additive manufacturing system 100.

[0060] The computer system 106 may also be configured to control other components of the additive manufacturing system 100, including but not limited to the beam devices 116A, 116B. For example, in one embodiment, the computer system 106 controls the power output of the beam devices 116A, 116B based on the generated melting strategy and the desired thermal distribution associated with the build file 104. In some embodiments, the computer system 106 may include a presentation interface coupled to the processor 124, or the computer system 106 may display a user interface on the display device 126 using the user input device 110. The user interface presents information to the user, such as but not limited to the operating conditions of the additive manufacturing system 100. In one embodiment, the presentation interface includes a display adapter (not shown) coupled to a display device (such as but not limited to a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, or an "electronic ink" display). In some embodiments, the presentation interface includes one or more display devices. Additionally or alternatively, the presentation interface includes an audio output device (not shown), such as but not limited to an audio adapter or a speaker (not shown).

[0061] In some embodiments, the computer system 106 includes a user input interface, or a user input device 110 may be used instead. In one embodiment, the user input device 110 is coupled to the processor 108 and receives input from a user. The user input device 110 may include, for example, but not limited to, a keyboard, a pointing device, a mouse, a stylus, a touch-sensitive panel (such as, but not limited to, a touchpad or a touch screen), and / or an audio input interface (such as, but not limited to, a microphone). A single component (e.g., a touch screen) may function as both the display device 126 and the user input device 110 presenting the interface.

[0062] In one embodiment, the network 112 is configured to be communicatively coupled to one or more other devices, such as, but not limited to, the computer system 106, the user input device 110, and the additive manufacturing machine 114. Each of these devices may include, for example, but not limited to, a wired network adapter, a wireless network adapter, a mobile telecommunications adapter, a serial communication adapter, or a parallel communication adapter. The network 112 may receive data signals from or transmit data signals to one or more remote devices.

[0063] In one embodiment, the computer system 106 is also configured to operate at least in part as a data acquisition device and monitor the operation of the additive manufacturing system 100 during the production of the additively manufactured object. For example, in one embodiment, the computer system 106 receives and processes electrical signals from the additive manufacturing machine 114 during the additive manufacturing of the additively manufactured object, including, for example, image data from a sensor 132 (including, for example, a camera) of the additively manufactured object. The computer system 106 can store information associated with the additively manufactured object (such as image data) to, for example, generate geometric data of a surface of a portion of the manufactured object.

[0064] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, processing settings, steps and parameters (such as beam duration, beam power, beam spot diameter, beam shape, beam movement and / or beam movement speed of the beam, spot size of the beam, heating parameters of the beam or heating source, cooling parameters of the beam, heating source or cooling source and / or other variables) are set to specific quantities in the build file 104 and can be associated with a specific point or multiple points of each layer of the additively manufactured object.

[0065] It should be noted that any of the methods described herein may include the additional step of providing a system including different software modules embodied on a computer-readable storage medium; the modules may include, for example, any or all of the elements depicted in the block diagrams and / or described herein; for example, but not limited to, a geometry compensation module. Then, as described above, the method steps may be performed using different software modules and / or submodules of the system executed on one or more hardware processors. Furthermore, a computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium having code adapted to be implemented to perform one or more of the method steps described herein, including providing a system having different software modules.

[0066] Figure 5A -B depicts a method for providing an additive manufacturing system (e.g., an electron beam additive manufacturing system) (such as Figure 1-4 The additive manufacturing system 100 shown generates a process 500 for a melting strategy.

[0067] refer to Figure 5A And as Figure 1-3As shown, process 500 begins at block 501 by receiving geometric data corresponding to a surface layer 240 of a powder bed 142 within a build chamber 150 of an additive manufacturing system 100. In embodiments, the geometric data is received by computer system 106 and received from a sensor 132 (including, for example, a camera). In embodiments, the geometric data is a graphical, mathematical, or other digital representation of a surface of a partially manufactured object 140, powder bed 142, and / or surface layer 240 at a certain moment in time (e.g., after depositing surface layer 240 and before processing surface layer 240). In embodiments, the geometric data is generated by geometric model 103 based on, in some such embodiments, image data received from sensor 132, and in further such embodiments, the image data corresponds to a surface of a partially manufactured object 140, powder bed 142, and / or surface layer 240 during additive manufacturing (e.g., after depositing surface layer 240 and before processing surface layer 240).

[0068] Process 500 continues at block 502 with filling the geometric data with a plurality of points including a plurality of melting points. In an embodiment, the plurality of melting points includes each point in the plurality of points. In other embodiments, the plurality of melting points is a subset of the plurality of points (e.g., only includes points in the plurality of points corresponding to surface layer 240). In an embodiment, a point may be a coordinate of the geometric data associated with the center of an area defined by a line and / or curve.

[0069] In an embodiment, computer system 106 populates the geometric data with a plurality of points including a plurality of melting points. In some such embodiments, geometric model 103 populates the geometric data with a plurality of points including a plurality of melting points.

[0070] In an embodiment, the geometric data includes a grid of lines defining a plurality of points in a two-dimensional representation of a surface of the portion of the manufactured object 140. Fig. 6A , the illustrative first geometric data 610 corresponds to Figure 2 A portion of the surface layer 240 is depicted. Fig. 6A In the embodiment of , the first geometric data 610 is populated with a plurality of points, such as points 611, 612, defined by a grid of evenly spaced (eg, having a constant distance from adjacent parallel lines) parallel and perpendicular lines. Fig. 6A In an embodiment, each of the plurality of points of the first geometric data 610 (e.g., points 611, 612) corresponds to an area of ​​the surface layer 240 (as defined by the lines of the first geometric data 610). In an embodiment, each point corresponds to a small area of ​​the surface layer 240. Fig. 6A Each point depicted in the first geometry data 610 corresponds to the surface layer 240, and thus each point in the first geometry data 610 is a melting point.

[0071] However, reference Figure 6B, the illustrative second geometric data 620 corresponds to a surface of a portion of the manufactured object 140, including Figure 3 The surface layer 240 and the lower treatment layer 246 are depicted. Figure 6B In the embodiment of the present invention, the melting point 621 is a melting point because the melting point 621 corresponds to an area of ​​the surface layer 240 (as defined by the lines of the second geometric data 620). However, unlike the plurality of points of the first geometric data 610, not all of the plurality of points of the second geometric data 620 are melting points. For example, the non-melting point 622 is not a melting point because the non-melting point 622 corresponds to an area of ​​the lower processing layer 246, not to an area of ​​the surface layer 240. Since the area of ​​the non-melting point 622 only includes the lower processing layer 246, and since the lower processing layer 246 has been processed at the time corresponding to the geometric data 620 (e.g., the time when the image data used to generate the geometric data was acquired), the area of ​​the non-melting point 622 has been previously processed and is therefore not a melting point.

[0072] return Figure 5A In block 502, in an embodiment, multiple points of geometric data may be adaptively spaced apart, rather than, for example, Fig. 6A -B. The adaptively spaced points do not maintain a constant distance between adjacent points, instead, the distance between adjacent adaptively spaced points may vary from point to point in the plurality of points of the geometric data. By adaptively spacing, the plurality of points of the geometric data may correspond to a non-planar surface, such as in an embodiment where the surface of the partially manufactured object 140 is non-planar, by, for example, adapting to the topography of the surface of the partially manufactured object 140 and / or the surface layer 240. In addition, by adaptively spacing, each of the plurality of points of the geometric data may be able to correspond to an adjustable size area to account for, for example, the same desired thermal distribution of areas that would correspond to the plurality of points if the points were uniformly spaced. In some such embodiments, at least one of the plurality of melting points includes a plurality of different points in the plurality of points, such that a single melting point may correspond to several of the plurality of points by, for example, discontinuing at least one line and / or curve of the geometric data. In addition, by adaptively spacing, the plurality of points of the geometric data may improve the processing efficiency of the melting process, such as by eliminating or combining melting points. Furthermore, by being adaptively spaced, the plurality of points of the geometric data can improve control of a microstructure (e.g., a single crystal alloy or superalloy component), for example, by providing a greater number of melting points in an area requiring higher precision processing. In an embodiment, filling the geometric data with a plurality of adaptively spaced points comprises at least one of: adaptively spacing lines in the geometric data; adaptively spacing lines or curves that fill an area of ​​the geometric data; generating a fixed pattern with adaptive spacing, wherein the fixed pattern adaptively fills an area of ​​the geometric data; or a combination thereof.

[0073] In one embodiment, filling the geometric data with a plurality of adaptively spaced points includes adaptively spacing lines in the geometric data. Fig. 7A , the illustrative third geometric data 710 corresponds to Figure 2 A portion of the surface layer 240 depicted, and includes adaptively spaced lines defining a plurality of points of the third geometric data 710. Like the lines of the geometric data 610, 620, the lines of the third geometric data 710 are straight. However, the lines of the third geometric data 710 do not define uniformly spaced points, and further, the sizes of the areas of the points of the third geometric data 710 are also uneven. Instead, the parallel lines of the geometric data 710 do not share a constant spacing with each other, resulting in, for example, the area of ​​the first point 711 being smaller than the area of ​​the second point 712. In addition, not all lines of the third geometric data 710 are continuous; for example, the melting point 713 includes an area, and if the line 714 is continuous, the area will be divided into two areas and associated points. However, as described above, in an embodiment, a plurality of areas corresponding to a plurality of points (e.g., having the same desired thermal distribution) may instead correspond to a single melting point, such as the melting point 713. In embodiments, the adaptively spaced lines may not reflect the spacing or pattern of the geometric data 710; rather, embodiments may include any combination of adaptively spaced lines and / or discontinuous lines, depending on factors such as the structure of the surface of the partially manufactured object 140, the desired thermal distribution of the area of ​​the geometric data, and other contextual factors.

[0074] In one embodiment, filling the geometric data with a plurality of adaptively spaced points includes adaptively spacing a curve of the geometric data. Figure 7B , the illustrative fourth geometric data 720 corresponds to Figure 2A portion of the surface layer 240 depicted, and includes adaptively spaced curves defining a plurality of points of the fourth geometric data 720. Unlike the lines of the geometric data 610, 620, 710, the fourth geometric data 720 includes curves instead. The curves of the fourth geometric data 720 are adaptively spaced so that each curve does not define uniformly spaced points, and the size of the area of ​​the points of the fourth geometric data 720 is uneven. For example, the area of ​​the first point 721 is smaller than the area of ​​the second point 722. In addition, not all curves of the fourth geometric data share the same curvature; for example, the curve 723 has a different curvature from the curve 724. However, in other embodiments, all curves of the geometric data may have the same curvature. In an embodiment, the geometric data includes a combination of curves and lines. In an embodiment, some curves of the geometric data may be discontinuous, for example, to enable a melting point to include multiple points by merging the areas of such points together. In embodiments, the curves of the geometric data may form a disk (not shown), wherein in certain such embodiments, each curve defines a circular or oval shape by, for example, extending about a center point in a single continuous arc, rather than extending from one point to another. For example, in embodiments, curve 723 may extend radially about a center point, defining a circle.

[0075] In one embodiment, filling the geometric data with a plurality of adaptively spaced points comprises generating a fixed pattern with adaptive spacing. In some such embodiments, the fixed pattern adaptively fills an area of ​​the geometric data. In an embodiment, the fixed pattern comprises at least one of a triangular shape, a quadratic shape, a pentagonal shape, a hexagonal shape, or any other polygonal shape. In an embodiment, the fixed pattern comprises either or both of a line and a curve.

[0076] In some embodiments, the geometric data includes using a reference Figure 6A-6B and Figure 7A-7B A plurality of adaptively spaced points of any combination of the described spacing mechanisms, lines, and curves. In an embodiment, the curves and / or lines may not end on the edge of the geometric data. In a further embodiment, the curves and / or lines may be used to create shapes that define areas and associated points in combination with or without other curves and / or lines. In an embodiment, the lines and / or curves of the geometric data contact at least one of: a boundary of the geometric data; a central axis of the geometric data; or a line parallel to a coordinate axis of a plurality of coordinate axes, each of which is perpendicular to the central axis; or a combination thereof.

[0077] In some embodiments, the geometric data is not a two-dimensional representation of the surface of the partially manufactured object 140, but is three-dimensional (comprising, for example, voxels).

[0078] In the embodiments, as shown below Figure 7BAs further described in detail, filling the geometric data with a plurality of adaptively spaced points comprises dividing the geometric data with at least partially overlapping disks, wherein each of the at least partially overlapping disks represents an area affected by the processing action of processing a melting point of the disk (the melting point corresponds to at least a portion of the disk). In an embodiment, the size of the at least partially overlapping disks may vary. In an embodiment, the at least partially overlapping disks may include one or more melting points. In some such embodiments, the size of the melting point may vary between and / or within the disk, while in other such embodiments, the size of the melting point may be constant between and / or within the disk. In an embodiment, the melting point is located at the center of the disk. In some embodiments, the melting point occupies the entire disk. In such an embodiment, one or more melting points may overlap with one or more other melting points.

[0079] return Figure 5A , and if Figure 2 and Fig. 6A As shown, process 500 continues at block 503 by assigning at least one processing action to each of the plurality of melting points. In an embodiment, computer system 106 assigns at least one processing action to each of the plurality of melting points. In an embodiment, computer system 106 receives the processing actions from build file 104. In some such embodiments, computer system 106 converts the processing actions associated with the points of the build geometry data of build file 104 into processing actions associated with the melting points of the geometry data of block 501.

[0080] In an embodiment, each processing action of each melting point includes a pre-melting action, a melting action, or a post-melting action. Therefore, in different embodiments, a specific melting point of geometric data can be assigned to no pre-melting action, one pre-melting action, or multiple pre-melting actions. Similarly, in different embodiments, a specific melting point of geometric data can be assigned to no melting action, one melting action, or multiple melting actions. In addition, in different embodiments, a specific melting point of geometric data can be assigned to no post-melting action, one post-melting action, or multiple post-melting actions. In an embodiment, the number of each type of processing actions assigned to the melting point (including whether any processing actions of this type are assigned) is determined (e.g., by the computer system 106) according to the expected thermal distribution of the melting point (according to, for example, the build file 104). In addition, in an embodiment, each processing action of each melting point includes a heating action (e.g., applied by a heating source 122 or by one of the beam devices 116A, 116B) or a cooling action (e.g., applied by a cooling source 121). In an embodiment, the heating action can apply a heating rate on the build material of the area associated with the melting point. In an embodiment, the heating action may increase the heating rate of the build material in the area associated with the melting point. In an embodiment, the heating action may reduce the cooling rate of the build material in the area associated with the melting point. In an embodiment, the cooling action may impose a cooling rate on the build material in the area associated with the melting point. In an embodiment, the cooling action may increase the cooling rate of the build material in the area associated with the melting point. In an embodiment, the cooling action may reduce the heating rate of the build material in the area associated with the melting point.

[0081] In an embodiment, the pre-melting action includes heating the build material of the region of surface layer 240 associated with the melting point to prepare the build material for melting. In an embodiment, not heating the build material within build chamber 150 before exposure to, for example, beam 216 may impact the build material (e.g., due to heating the build material too quickly), and such impact may cause solidification defects in the build material. In contrast, by preheating the build material via one or more pre-melting actions, the build material may experience a smaller rate of temperature change during processing in the melting step (e.g., by beam 216), thereby reducing the likelihood of impact and / or forming deformations in the build material. In an embodiment, the pre-melting action is performed by heating source 122. In an embodiment, the pre-melting action is performed by one or both of beam devices 116A, 116B. In an embodiment, the duration, intensity, applied time-varying temperature gradient, and other aspects of the pre-melting action may be determined (e.g., by computer system 106) as melting parameters based on the desired thermal profile of the build material of the region to which the melting point of the pre-melting action is assigned. In an embodiment, the pre-melting action is applied by either or both of the heating source 122 and / or the beam 216 .

[0082] In an embodiment, the melting action includes processing the build material of the area associated with the melting point of the surface layer 240 to melt the build material (e.g., by heating the build material to a melting temperature). In an embodiment, processing the area may include contacting the area with the beam 216. As described above, in an embodiment, the beam 216 may be an electron beam or a laser beam. In an embodiment, processing the melting point by the beam 216 includes contacting the entire area of ​​the melting point with the beam 216. In an embodiment, processing the melting point by the beam 216 includes contacting only a portion of the area of ​​the melting point with the beam 216. By processing the build material of the area of ​​the melting point, the beam 216 may heat such build material to a melting temperature so that the build material of the area of ​​the melting point can solidify. In an embodiment, the duration, intensity, applied time-varying temperature gradient and other aspects of the melting action may be determined (e.g., by the computer system 106) as melting parameters according to the desired thermal distribution of the build material of the area of ​​the melting point to which the melting action is assigned. In an embodiment, the melting action is applied by the beam 216.

[0083] In an embodiment, the post-melting action includes cooling the build material of the region of the surface layer 240 associated with the melting point, including applying a cooling rate, or increasing (e.g., by a cooling step) or decreasing (e.g., by a heating step) the cooling rate of the build material of the region of the surface layer 240 associated with the melting point. In an embodiment, the post-melting action includes reheating the build material of the region of the surface layer 240 associated with the melting point, including applying a heating rate, or increasing (e.g., by a cooling step) or decreasing (e.g., by a heating step) the heating rate of the build material of the region of the surface layer 240 associated with the melting point. In an embodiment, depending on the desired thermal profile of the melting point, it may be necessary to control the cooling of the build material of the region of the melting point to ensure that the build material of the region of the melting point maintains the actual thermal profile (e.g., by increasing or decreasing the cooling rate of the build material) within the limits defined by the desired thermal profile throughout the cooling process (e.g., to prevent defects from forming in the build material). In an embodiment, the post-melting action is performed by cooling source 121, by heating source 122, and / or by one or both of beam devices 116A, 116B. In embodiments, depending on the desired thermal profile of the melting point, it may be necessary to reheat the building material in the region of the melting point to prepare the building material in the region of the melting point for a subsequent processing action (e.g., a subsequent melting step). In embodiments, the duration, intensity, applied time-varying temperature gradient, and other aspects of the pre-melting action may be determined (e.g., by computer system 106) as melting parameters based on the desired thermal profile of the building material in the region of the melting point to which the post-melting action is assigned.

[0084] In an embodiment, the processing action includes only a melting action. In an embodiment, the processing action includes only a pre-melting action. In an embodiment, the processing action includes only a post-melting action. In an embodiment, the processing action includes only a pre-melting action and a melting action. In an embodiment, the processing action includes only a melting action and a post-melting action. In an embodiment, the processing action includes only a pre-melting action and a post-melting action. In an embodiment, the processing action includes only a heating action. In an embodiment, the processing action includes only a cooling action.

[0085] Furthermore, in embodiments, and as will be described in further detail below, a similar type of processing action (e.g., a pre-melting action) may be different from each other processing action of that type to which each melting point of that type of processing action is assigned. Conversely, in embodiments, the quality of each processing action of a similar type may vary depending on the desired thermal profile to which the melting point of the processing action is assigned.

[0086] In an embodiment, one or more pre-melting actions may occur before, during and / or after one or more melting actions. In an embodiment, one or more pre-melting actions may occur before, during and / or after one or more post-melting actions. In an embodiment, one or more melting actions may occur before, during and / or after one or more pre-melting actions. In an embodiment, one or more melting actions may occur before, during and / or after one or more post-melting actions. In an embodiment, one or more post-melting actions may occur before, during and / or after one or more pre-melting actions. In an embodiment, one or more post-melting actions may occur before, during and / or after one or more melting actions.

[0087] Reference again Figure 5A , and if Figure 2 and Fig. 6A As shown, the process 500 continues at block 504 by assigning at least one melting parameter and at least one prerequisite thermal characteristic to each processing action of each melting point. In an embodiment, the at least one melting parameter is assigned to each processing action of each melting point by the computer system 106. In an embodiment, the at least one prerequisite thermal characteristic is assigned to each processing action of each melting point by the computer system 106. In an embodiment, the at least one melting parameter is assigned to each processing action of each melting point based on a desired thermal distribution of the build material of the area of ​​the surface layer 240 associated with the melting point. In an embodiment, the at least one prerequisite thermal characteristic is assigned to each processing action of each melting point based on a desired thermal distribution of the build material of the area of ​​the surface layer 240 associated with the melting point.

[0088] As described herein, a "melting parameter" is one or more quantities associated with a processing action. In embodiments, the melting parameters include the duration, intensity, applied time-varying temperature gradient, and other aspects of the processing action. In embodiments, the melting parameters are determined (e.g., by computer system 106) based on a desired thermal profile of the build material for a region to which a melting point of the post-melting action is assigned (as determined, for example, by build file 104). In an embodiment, the melting parameters of the treatment action (e.g., a pre-melting action or a melting action) applied by the beam 216 include a beam duration parameter (e.g., the amount of time that the beam 216 contacts the build material of an area of ​​the surface layer 240 associated with a melting point to which the treatment action is assigned), a beam power parameter (e.g., the power of the beam 216), a beam spot diameter parameter (e.g., the spot size of the beam 216 measured on the surface layer 240), a beam shape parameter (e.g., the shape of the intensity distribution at the intersection between the beam 216 and the plane of the surface layer 240), a beam movement parameter (e.g., a local beam movement of the beam 216 on the surface layer 240, the local beam movement being around an area of ​​the surface layer 240 associated with a melting point to which the treatment action is assigned or around a melting point to which the treatment action is assigned), a beam movement speed parameter (e.g., the speed of one or more beam movements of the beam movement parameter), or at least one of a combination thereof.

[0089] As described herein, a "prerequisite thermal characteristic" for a process action is a set of one or more conditions of a build material (e.g., a build material of a region of surface layer 240 associated with a melting point to which the process action to which the prerequisite thermal characteristic is assigned) that must be satisfied before the process action is applied to the build material. In an embodiment, the prerequisite thermal characteristics are determined (e.g., by computer system 106 and / or using build file 104) based on a desired thermal profile of the build material of the region of surface layer 240 associated with a melting point to which the process action to which the prerequisite thermal characteristic is assigned. In an embodiment, the prerequisite thermal characteristic of the processing action of the melting point includes at least one of the following: a melting point temperature range of the melting point (e.g., a temperature range in which the build material melts or is expected to have a temperature for melting); a regional temperature range of at least some points within a predefined range of the melting point (e.g., a temperature range of adjacent points that takes into account heat diffusion of adjacent points or the melting point after processing); a material state of the melting point (e.g., a material state of the build material associated with the melting point); a material phase of the melting point (e.g., a material state of the build material associated with the melting point); a time value associated with a predicted temperature of the melting point (as predicted by, for example, a thermal model); a time value associated with a predicted temperature range of the melting point (as predicted by, for example, a thermal model); a time value associated with a predicted material state of the melting point (as predicted by, for example, a thermal model); a time value associated with a predicted material phase of the melting point (as predicted by, for example, a thermal model); or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the prerequisite thermal characteristic may be zero or otherwise contradict the condition of the build material (e.g., for the pre-melting action). In an embodiment, when generating a melt strategy, it is determined that thermal model 105 satisfies the prerequisite thermal characteristics, and thermal model 105 determines the thermal characteristics of the build material for each consecutive processing action of the processing sequence of the melt strategy (e.g., based on the regions associated with the melting points) based on the previous processing actions and the predicted thermal effects of such processing actions. In an embodiment, such prediction of the thermal effects of the processing actions may include considering a portion or all of surface layer 240, rather than on a melting point by melting point basis, due to the impact of the thermal characteristics (e.g., temperature) of the build material of the region associated with one melting point on the build material of the nearby regions associated with other melting points (e.g., due to heat diffusion).

[0090] return Figure 5A, process 500 continues at box 505, generating a preliminary processing list including each processing action for each melting point. In an embodiment, computer system 106 generates the preliminary processing list. In an embodiment, the preliminary processing list is a sequential list of each processing action assigned at box 503. In an embodiment, the preliminary processing list also includes any or all of the melting points to which the processing actions are assigned, at least one melting parameter assigned to the processing actions, and / or at least one prerequisite thermal characteristic of each processing action. In an embodiment, the order of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list is random, organized by type of processing actions (e.g., all pre-melting actions, then all melting actions, then all post-melting actions), organized by melting points (e.g., all processing actions for the first melting point, then all processing actions for the second melting point, etc.), or some combination thereof. In some embodiments, generating the preliminary processing list includes sorting each processing action for each melting point according to a sorting strategy. In some such embodiments, the sorting strategy includes a heat spreading strategy, a heat positioning strategy, or a combination thereof.

[0091] As used herein, a "heat spreading strategy" is a sequencing strategy that sequences processing actions so that heat is uniformly or substantially uniformly spread throughout a build material, such as in surface layer 240. A particular heat spreading strategy is a uniform random sequencing among all or a subset of melting points.

[0092] As used herein, a "heat localization strategy" is a strategy for sequencing process actions such that heat diffusion is localized to specific areas of a build material (e.g., in surface layer 240). A particular heat localization strategy is to localize heat diffusion to specific areas of a build material (e.g., in surface layer 240) by increasing the distance to a given reference point (e.g., one of the melting points) or along a space-filling curve or line (e.g., as shown in FIG. 24A ). Figure 6A-6B , Figure 7A-7B The sorting processing action of the geometric data (curves or lines) described in the above.

[0093] return Figure 5A, processing 500 continues at box 506 to create a revised processing order including a plurality of sequential unfilled items. In an embodiment, each unfilled item is associated with a sequential time value (e.g., one or more milliseconds between each unfilled item). In an embodiment, computer system 106 creates a revised processing order. As described herein, a "revised processing order" is a melting strategy that includes an order of sequential items. Once filled, as described in further detail below, the revised processing order includes an order of filled items, the order including instructions related to all processing actions (e.g., processing actions assigned in box 503) for processing a layer of build material (e.g., surface layer 240), and when compared to the expected thermal distribution of the area, the filled items in the revised processing order are sorted according to the predicted thermal distribution of the area resulting from such processing actions (e.g., to create a processing order with a predicted thermal distribution within the boundaries of the expected thermal distribution). As will be described in further detail below, the revised processing order can be iteratively populated to first determine (and populate into the revised processing order) a processing action that occurs first in time, second determine (and populate into the revised processing order) a second processing action that occurs second in time, and so on, so that the heat distribution caused by such processing actions can be iteratively predicted. Once all processing actions required to process a layer of build material have been populated into the revised processing order, the revised processing order can be executed (e.g., by the additive manufacturing system 100) as a melting strategy for melting and solidifying the layer of build material. As described herein, an "unfilled item" of a revised processing order is a placeholder item in the revised processing order to which a task (e.g., a processing action or a waiting period, as will be described in further detail below) is assigned. Once a task is assigned to an unfilled item, it is no longer an unfilled item and becomes a filled item.

[0094] In an embodiment, each sequential time value of each item of the revised processing order may be equal. In other embodiments, the sequential time values ​​of some or all items of the revised processing order may be different. For example, in an embodiment, the sequential time value of the first item of the revised processing order may be 1 μs, and the sequential time value of the second item of the revised processing order may be 1 ms, so that the first item and the second item together correspond to a time period of 1001 μs. In an embodiment, the sequential time values ​​of the items of the revised processing order may be different from the sequential time values ​​of the items of different revised processing orders due to, for example, the composition of the building material of the partially manufactured object 140, the expected quality of the partially manufactured object 140, the processing actions of the revised processing order, and / or other factors. In an embodiment, the sequential time values ​​of the items of the revised processing order may be different between any, some, or all items of the revised processing order due to, for example, the processing actions assigned to the items of the sequential time values, the points associated with the processing actions assigned to the items of the sequential time values, the material types within the spatial regions corresponding to the items of the sequential time values, and / or other factors.

[0095] In an embodiment, the sequential time value of the item of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 1 μs (i.e., microseconds) and less than or equal to 100 ms (i.e., milliseconds). In an embodiment, the sequential time value of the item of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 1 μs, greater than or equal to 10 μs, greater than or equal to 100 μs, greater than or equal to 1 ms, or even greater than or equal to 10 ms. In an embodiment, the sequential time value of the item of the revised processing order may be less than or equal to 100 ms, less than or equal to 10 ms, less than or equal to 1 ms, less than or equal to 100 μs, or even less than or equal to 10 μs. In an embodiment, the sequential time value of the item of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 1 μs and less than or equal to 10 ms. In an embodiment, the sequential time value of the item of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 1 μs and less than or equal to 1 ms. In an embodiment, the sequential time value of the item of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 1 μs and less than or equal to 1 ms. In an embodiment, the sequential time value of the item of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 1 μs and less than or equal to 100 μs. In an embodiment, the sequential time values ​​of the items of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 1μs and less than or equal to 10μs. In an embodiment, the sequential time values ​​of the items of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 10μs and less than or equal to 10ms. In an embodiment, the sequential time values ​​of the items of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 10μs and less than or equal to 1ms. In an embodiment, the sequential time values ​​of the items of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 10μs and less than or equal to 100μs. In an embodiment, the sequential time values ​​of the items of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 100μs and less than or equal to 10ms. In an embodiment, the sequential time values ​​of the items of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 100μs and less than or equal to 1ms. In an embodiment, the sequential time values ​​of the items of the revised processing order may be greater than or equal to 1ms and less than or equal to 10ms.

[0096] Process 500 continues at block 507 by populating the revised processing order. In an embodiment, block 507 includes sub-process 500A, such as Figure 5B As mentioned above, the processing order is the order of processing actions used to perform the melting process in the melting strategy. Figure 8 , the processing sequence guides the melting path 800 along the surface layer 240 according to the coordinate scheme of the geometric data 610. In an embodiment, the melting path 800 is the path of the processing beam along the surface of the surface layer 240. In some such embodiments, the processing beam is an electron beam or a laser beam. In other embodiments, the melting path 800 is a sequence of processing actions performed by other processing mechanisms (such as cooling source 121 and heating source 122).

[0097] like Figure 8As shown, melt path 800 starts at point 801, travels to point 802, then travels to point 803, then travels to point 804, then travels to point 805, then travels to point 806, then travels to point 807, and continues onward. In embodiments, the melt path is not a continuous motion, but rather the processing mechanism (e.g., a beam) can stop at each point in the melt path for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., according to the melting parameters of the processing action at that point, as will be described in further detail below). In embodiments, such as in embodiments where melt path 800 is the melt path of a beam, the melt path can be continuous (e.g., such as Figure 8 , only travels from one point to an adjacent point) because, for example, the beam cannot be quickly turned off and on. In other embodiments, such as in embodiments where the melt path 800 is a melt path of a heating source or a cooling source, the melt path may be discontinuous. In some embodiments where the processing order of the melting strategy includes some combination of any or all of pre-melting actions, melting actions, and post-melting actions, certain intervals of the processing list may include a continuous melt path (e.g., intervals of the processing list including melting actions), while other intervals may be discontinuous (e.g., intervals of the processing list including pre-melting actions and / or post-melting actions). In an embodiment, the processing order may include multiple melt paths. In such an embodiment, multiple processing actions may occur simultaneously in the processing order. Such an example includes an additive manufacturing machine with multiple beam devices. In such an embodiment, the processing action of each beam device may include a continuous melt path, while each beam device includes a separate melt path. In an embodiment, certain processing actions (e.g., melting actions and post-melting actions) may occur simultaneously (e.g., on different regions of the surface layer 240), in which case, at a given point in time, a continuous melting path (e.g., of the beam 216) and a discontinuous melting path (e.g., of the cooling source 121) may both exist.

[0098] By populating the revision processing order, a melt strategy may be generated to perform a melt process according to the revision processing order. In particular, the melt strategy may include performing processing actions of the revision processing order in the melt process according to a sequential order of such processing actions within the revision processing order.

[0099] refer to Figure 5B, subprocess 500A begins at subblock 507A, identifying the earliest unpopulated item of the revised processing order. As described herein, in accordance with the sequential order of the items of the revised processing order, the "earliest" unpopulated item of the revised processing order is the first item of the revised processing order that has not yet been assigned a task. In an embodiment, the earliest unpopulated item is identified by computer system 106. In an embodiment, during a first iteration of subprocess 500A, the revised processing order includes only unpopulated items, so the earliest unpopulated item of the revised processing order (e.g., the item with the earliest sequential time value) is the first item of the revised processing order. In an embodiment, after several iterations of subprocess 500A, the revised processing order includes several populated items (e.g., processing actions), so the earliest unpopulated item of the revised processing order will not be the first item of the revised processing order.

[0100] Subprocess 500A continues at subblock 507B by determining whether any of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list include a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item. In an embodiment, computer system 106 determines whether any of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list include a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item. In an embodiment, thermal model 105 determines whether any of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list include a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item. In an embodiment, determining whether any of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list include a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item includes comparing the thermal characteristic to the prerequisite thermal characteristics of at least some of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list. Reference Figure 2In some such embodiments, the thermal characteristic is a thermal characteristic of a build material of a region of surface layer 240 associated with a melting point assigned to at least one of at least some of the process actions assigned the prerequisite thermal characteristic. In an embodiment, the thermal characteristic is determined by thermal model 105. In an embodiment, determining whether any of the process actions of the preliminary process list include the prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item includes predicting the thermal characteristics of some or all of the melting points (e.g., by thermal model 105) based on (e.g., by modeling effects) any and / or all of the process actions assigned to the fill items of the revised process order. In some such embodiments, predicting the thermal characteristics includes predicting direct effects of the process actions assigned to the fill items of the revised process order (e.g., heating caused by a pre-melting step or a melting step or cooling caused by a cooling step), indirect effects of the process actions assigned to the fill items of the revised process order (e.g., via heat diffusion from the processed build material), and / or environmental effects (e.g., ambient cooling of the build material). In an embodiment, in determining subblock 507A, the process actions of the preliminary process list are considered in the order in which they are listed in the preliminary process list. In other embodiments, the processing actions of the preliminary processing list are considered in any order when determining subblock 507A.

[0101] In cases where the melt path must be continuous (such as Figure 8 In embodiments of the invention (e.g., melt paths 800 of the present invention), determining whether any of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list include a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item can include only considering processing actions that have melting points adjacent to the melting points of processing actions for the item of the revised processing order that immediately precedes the earliest unfilled item. In embodiments including multiple melt paths (e.g., each item of the revised processing order has multiple processing actions), such limiting of determination can be performed on a melt path by melt path basis such that each melt path is continuous but also discrete from the other melt paths. In some such embodiments, at subblock 507B, determining whether any of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list include a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item includes determining multiple such processing actions.

[0102] Subprocess 500A continues at subblock 507C, assigning the task to the earliest unfilled item. In an embodiment, the earliest unfilled item changes with each iteration of subprocess 500A (e.g., when the revised processing order is filled with processing actions from the preliminary processing list). In an embodiment, the task includes: a waiting period; or a processing action that includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item. In some such embodiments, the processing action is a processing action determined in subblock 507A. In an embodiment, if none of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list are determined to include a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, the task includes a waiting period. In an embodiment, the task includes a waiting period only if none of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list include a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item. In an embodiment, the task includes a processing action if a processing action in the processing actions in the preliminary processing list is determined to include a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item.

[0103] As described herein, a "waiting period" is an instruction (e.g., an instruction of additive manufacturing machine 114) that instructs a processing device (e.g., any or all of beam devices 116A, 116B, cooling source 121, and / or heating source 122) to do nothing for the sequential time value associated with the earliest unfilled item to which the waiting period is assigned, or to perform a uniform processing action (e.g., uniformly heating or cooling with, for example, cooling source 121 or heating source 122) on some or all surface layers (e.g., surface layer 240) for the sequential time value associated with the earliest unfilled item to which the waiting period is assigned (e.g., causing one or more melting points to meet or come closer to meeting a prerequisite thermal condition for at least one of the one or more melting points). When performing a melting process according to a revised processing order, at a time equal to the sequential time value of the item of the revised processing order to which the waiting period is assigned, the additive manufacturing machine will stop processing activities (e.g., by refraining from applying any processing actions to the build material) or perform a uniform processing action until a time equal to the sequential time value of a subsequent item of the revised processing order. In an embodiment, assigning tasks to unfilled items may change the time values ​​of sequential unfilled items, for example, taking into account the time required to complete a processing action or the time of a waiting period before a prerequisite thermal characteristic of a processing action is satisfied. In an embodiment, such as in an embodiment with multiple melt paths, a task includes multiple processing actions that occur at the same time value of the earliest unfilled item. In an embodiment, the computer system 106 assigns the tasks.

[0104] Subprocess 500A optionally continues at optional subblock 507D, removing from the preliminary processing list the processing action that includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item. In an embodiment, optional subblock 507D includes, if (and in some embodiments, only if) the task includes a processing action that includes a thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, removing from the preliminary processing list the processing action that includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item. In an embodiment, optional subblock 507D may only occur if it is determined at subblock 507B that the processing action of the preliminary processing list includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value. By removing the assigned processing action from the preliminary processing list, it is ensured that the processing action does not occur twice (unless required) in a subsequent melt process performed according to the revised processing order, because the processing action has been assigned to an item of the revised processing order and does not need to be considered in subsequent iterations (if any) of subprocess 500A. In an embodiment, computer system 106 removes the processing action from the preliminary processing list.

[0105] The subprocess 500A continues at subblock 507E by classifying the earliest unfilled item as a filled item. In an embodiment, the computer system 106 classifies the earliest unfilled item as a filled item. By classifying the earliest unfilled item as a filled item, in subsequent iterations (if any) of the subprocess 500A, the (previous) earliest unfilled item will no longer be the earliest unfilled item, and thus, in these subsequent iterations (if any) of the subprocess 500A, the subprocess 500A can continue to fill items of revised processing order with later time values.

[0106] In an embodiment, if the preliminary processing list includes processing actions (e.g., if not all processing actions of the preliminary processing list have been assigned to unpopulated items, as shown in sub-box 500C, and subsequently removed from the preliminary processing list, as shown in optional sub-box 500D), then sub-process 500A returns to sub-box 507A. In such an embodiment, sub-process 500A will iterate between any, some, or all of sub-boxes 507A, 507B, 507C, 507D, 507E until all processing actions of the preliminary processing list are assigned to unpopulated items, as shown in sub-box 500C, and subsequently removed from the preliminary processing list, as shown in optional sub-box 500D.

[0107] Subprocess 500A continues at optional subblock 507F where a command is issued to start a melt process according to the revised process order. In an embodiment, optional subblock 507F includes, if (and in an embodiment, only if) the preliminary process list does not include a process action, issuing a command to start a melt process according to the revised process order. In an embodiment, optional subblock 507F includes issuing a command to start a melt process according to the revised process order as a melt strategy. In an embodiment, the revised process order is a melt strategy that determines a melt process. In an embodiment, the melt process includes processing a build material (e.g., Figure 2 The surface layer 240 is a material of construction. Figure 2 In some such embodiments, the computer system 106 issues a command to start the melting process according to the revised processing order. In some such embodiments, the computer system 106 issues a command to the additive manufacturing machine 114 to start the melting process according to the revised processing order.

[0108] In an embodiment, optional sub-block 507F occurs in real time (i.e., just after or shortly after the revision process order is completed, and sub-process 500A proceeds through optional sub-block 507E instead of reaching sub-block 507A). In other embodiments, the revision process order is pre-calculated or pre-estimated, for example, by pre-populating the revision process order in sub-blocks 507A-507E, storing the revision process order, and later retrieving the stored revision process order to issue a command to start a melt process according to the stored revision process order.

[0109] refer to Figure 5A -B, and as Figure 2 As shown, after optional sub-box 507F of sub-process 500A, process 500 optionally continues at optional box 508, performing a melting process according to the revised process order. In an embodiment, the additive manufacturing machine 114 performs a melting process according to the revised process order. In an embodiment, the melting process executes the revised process order as a melting strategy. In an embodiment, the melting process is performed to solidify the surface layer 240. In an embodiment, the melting process is performed to solidify the surface layer 240 and form an alloy. In an embodiment, the melting process is performed to solidify the surface layer 240 and form a single crystal superalloy. In some such embodiments, the superalloy is at least one of a nickel-based superalloy, a cobalt-based superalloy, or a combination thereof.

[0110] In embodiments, additive manufacturing system 100 iteratively repeats process 500 and / or sub-process 500A. In some such embodiments, additive manufacturing system repeats process 500 after depositing some or all layers of build material of partially manufactured object 140 and / or before depositing subsequent layers of build material of partially manufactured object 140.

[0111] Exemplary technical effects of the methods and systems described herein include the ability to generate advanced thermally adaptive point-based melting strategies for additive manufacturing, thereby enabling additive manufacturing of additively manufactured objects with strictly desired thermal profiles, such as single crystal parts with complex geometries.

[0112] Exemplary embodiments of programs, apparatus, systems, and methods for generating melting strategies for additive manufacturing systems, including electron beam additive manufacturing systems, are described in detail above. The programs, apparatus, systems, and methods are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather the operations of the methods and the components of the systems can be used independently and separately from other operations or components described herein. For example, the programs, apparatus, systems, and methods described herein can have other industrial or consumer applications and are not limited to practice with single crystal parts having complex geometries as described herein. Instead, one or more embodiments can be implemented and utilized in conjunction with other industries.

[0113] Although specific features of various embodiments of the present disclosure may be shown in some drawings but not in other drawings, this is for convenience. According to the principles of the present disclosure, any feature of the drawings may be referenced and / or claimed in combination with any feature of any other drawings.

[0114] This written description uses examples to disclose embodiments, including the best mode, and also enables any person skilled in the art to practice the embodiments, including making and using any device or system and any combined method. The patentable scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims and may include other examples that occur to a person skilled in the art. If these other examples have structural elements that are not different from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that are not substantially different from the literal language of the claims, these other examples are intended to fall within the scope of the claims. The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functions, and operations of possible implementations of the systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each box in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of a code including one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the box may occur in an order other than that noted in the figure. For example, depending on the functions involved, two boxes shown in succession may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or the boxes may sometimes be executed in reverse order. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified functions or actions, or by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0115] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive, meaning that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

[0116] The embodiments described herein are for illustration purposes only. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodiments can be practiced by modifying and altering the embodiments described above.

[0117] This written description uses examples to explain the disclosure, including the best mode, and also to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, including making and using any device or system and performing any combined methods. The patentable scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. These other examples are intended to fall within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that do not differ substantially from the literal language of the claims.

[0118] Further aspects of the disclosure are provided by the subject matter of the following clauses:

[0119] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system, comprising the following steps: receiving geometric data corresponding to a surface layer of a powder bed within a build chamber of the additive manufacturing system; filling the geometric data with a plurality of points including a plurality of melting points; assigning at least one processing action to each of the plurality of melting points; assigning at least one melting parameter and at least one prerequisite thermal characteristic to each processing action for each melting point; generating a preliminary processing list including each processing action for each melting point; creating a revised processing order including a plurality of sequential unfilled items, wherein each unfilled item of the revised processing order is associated with a sequential time value; and filling the revised processing order, wherein the filling includes: identifying the earliest unfilled item of the revised processing order, determining any processing action in the processing actions of the preliminary processing list whether it includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, assigning a task to the earliest unfilled item, wherein the task includes: a waiting period, or the processing action that includes the prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, if the task includes the processing action that includes the prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, removing the processing action that includes the prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item from the preliminary processing list, classifying the earliest unfilled item as a filled item, and if the preliminary processing list includes a processing action, returning to identifying the earliest unfilled item, or if the preliminary processing list does not include a processing action, issuing a command to start melting processing according to the revised processing order.

[0120] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein determining whether any of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item includes comparing the thermal characteristic with the prerequisite thermal characteristics of at least some of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list.

[0121] The method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the thermal characteristics are determined by a thermal model.

[0122] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the thermal model includes at least one of: a finite element model of substrate and build environment temperatures; a computational fluid dynamics model of melt pool behavior; a microstructure formation model; a machine learning model; a machine learning model that couples thermal exposure to temperature; a machine learning model that couples thermal exposure to microstructure response; a machine learning model that couples thermal exposure to temperature and microstructure response; a neural network model; a neural network model that couples thermal exposure to temperature; a neural network model that couples thermal exposure to microstructure response; a neural network model that couples thermal exposure to temperature and microstructure response; or a combination thereof.

[0123] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the prerequisite thermal characteristics for each processing action of each melting point include at least one of the following: the melting point temperature range of the melting point; the regional temperature range of at least some points within the predefined range of the melting point; a time value associated with the predicted temperature or predicted temperature range of the melting point; the temperature history within a time interval of the melting point; the material state of the melting point; the material phase of the melting point; the time value associated with the predicted temperature of the melting point; the time value associated with the predicted temperature range of the melting point; the time value associated with the predicted material state of the melting point; the time value associated with the predicted material phase of the melting point; or a combination thereof.

[0124] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the at least one melting parameter for each processing action includes at least one of the following: a beam duration parameter; a beam power parameter; a beam spot diameter parameter; a beam shape parameter; a beam movement parameter; a beam movement speed parameter; or a combination thereof.

[0125] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein each processing action for each melting point comprises a pre-melting action, a melting action or a post-melting action.

[0126] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein each processing action for each melting point comprises a heating action or a cooling action.

[0127] The method for generating a melt strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising performing the melt process according to the revised process order.

[0128] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein performing the melting process causes the surface layer to solidify.

[0129] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the melting process is performed to form at least one of the following: an alloy; a single crystal alloy; a single crystal superalloy; a nickel-based superalloy; a cobalt-based superalloy; a single crystal refractory alloy; a molybdenum-based refractory alloy; a tungsten-based refractory alloy; a tantalum-based refractory alloy; or a combination thereof.

[0130] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein points of the plurality of points are adaptively spaced.

[0131] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein filling the geometric data with a plurality of adaptively spaced points comprises at least one of: adaptively spacing lines in the geometric data; adaptively spacing curves that fill an area of ​​the geometric data; generating a fixed pattern with adaptive spacing, wherein the fixed pattern adaptively fills an area of ​​the geometric data; or a combination thereof.

[0132] The method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein each melting point of the plurality of melting points comprises one or more different points of the plurality of points.

[0133] A method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the task includes the waiting period only if no processing action in the preliminary processing list includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item.

[0134] The method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the generating of the preliminary process list comprises sorting each process action of each melting point according to the sorting strategy.

[0135] The method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the sequencing strategy comprises a heat spreading strategy, a heat localization strategy, or a combination thereof.

[0136] The method for generating a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the additive manufacturing system is an electron beam additive manufacturing system.

[0137] An additive manufacturing system, comprising: a processor; a memory component, the memory component storing logic, which, when executed by the processor, causes the system to: receive geometric data corresponding to a surface layer of a powder bed within a build chamber of the additive manufacturing system; fill the geometric data with a plurality of points including a plurality of melting points; assign at least one processing action to each of the plurality of melting points; assign at least one melting parameter and at least one prerequisite thermal characteristic to each processing action for each melting point; generate a preliminary processing list including each processing action for each melting point; create a revised processing order including a plurality of sequential unfilled items, wherein each unfilled item of the revised processing order is associated with a sequential time value; and fill the revised processing order, the filling comprising: identifying the earliest unfilled item of the revised processing order, determining the earliest unfilled item of the preliminary processing list, Whether any of the processing actions includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, assigning a task to the earliest unfilled item, wherein the task includes: a waiting period, or the processing action includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, if the task includes the processing action including the prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, removing the processing action including the prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item from the preliminary processing list, classifying the earliest unfilled item as a filled item, and if the preliminary processing list includes a processing action, returning to identifying the earliest unfilled item, or if the preliminary processing list does not include a processing action, issuing a command to start melting processing according to the revised processing order.

[0138] An additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein determining whether any of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item includes comparing the thermal characteristic with the prerequisite thermal characteristics of at least some of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list.

[0139] The additive manufacturing system of any preceding clause, further comprising a thermal model.

[0140] An additive manufacturing system as described in any preceding clause, wherein the thermal characteristic is determined by a thermal model.

[0141] An additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the thermal model includes at least one of: a finite element model of substrate and build environment temperatures; a computational fluid dynamics model of melt pool behavior; a microstructure formation model; a machine learning model; a machine learning model that couples thermal exposure to temperature; a machine learning model that couples thermal exposure to microstructure response; a machine learning model that couples thermal exposure to temperature and microstructure response; a neural network model; a neural network model that couples thermal exposure to temperature; a neural network model that couples thermal exposure to microstructure response; a neural network model that couples thermal exposure to temperature and microstructure response; or a combination thereof.

[0142] An additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the prerequisite thermal characteristics for each processing action of each melting point include at least one of the following: a melting point temperature range of the melting point; a regional temperature range of at least some points within a predefined range of the melting point; a time value associated with a predicted temperature or a predicted temperature range of the melting point; a temperature history within a time interval of the melting point; a material state of the melting point; a material phase of the melting point; a time value associated with the predicted temperature of the melting point; a time value associated with a predicted temperature range of the melting point; a time value associated with a predicted material state of the melting point; a time value associated with a predicted material phase of the melting point; or a combination thereof.

[0143] An additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the at least one melting parameter of each processing action includes at least one of the following: a beam duration parameter; a beam power parameter; a beam spot diameter parameter; a beam shape parameter; a beam movement parameter; a beam movement speed parameter; or a combination thereof.

[0144] An additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein each processing action of each melting point comprises a pre-melting action, a melting action or a post-melting action.

[0145] An additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein each processing action of each melting point comprises a heating action or a cooling action.

[0146] The additive manufacturing system of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the system further performs the melting process according to the revised process order.

[0147] An additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the melting process is performed to solidify the surface layer.

[0148] An additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the performance of the melting process forms at least one of the following: an alloy; a single crystal alloy; a single crystal superalloy; a nickel-based superalloy; a cobalt-based superalloy; a single crystal refractory alloy; a molybdenum-based refractory alloy; a tungsten-based refractory alloy; a tantalum-based refractory alloy; or a combination thereof.

[0149] An additive manufacturing system as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein points of the plurality of points are adaptively spaced.

[0150] An additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein filling the geometric data with a plurality of adaptively spaced points comprises at least one of: adaptively spacing lines in the geometric data; adaptively spacing curves that fill an area of ​​the geometric data; generating a fixed pattern with adaptive spacing, wherein the fixed pattern adaptively fills an area of ​​the geometric data; or a combination thereof.

[0151] The additive manufacturing system of any preceding clause, wherein each melting point of the plurality of melting points comprises one or more different points of the plurality of points.

[0152] The additive manufacturing system of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the task includes the waiting period only if none of the process actions of the preliminary process list includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item.

[0153] The additive manufacturing system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the generating of the preliminary processing list comprises sorting each processing action of each melting point according to a sorting strategy.

[0154] The additive manufacturing system of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the sequencing strategy comprises a heat spreading strategy, a heat localization strategy, or a combination thereof.

[0155] An additive manufacturing system as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the additive manufacturing system is an electron beam additive manufacturing system.

[0156] A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to: receive geometric data corresponding to a surface layer of a powder bed within a build chamber of an additive manufacturing system; populate the geometric data with a plurality of points including a plurality of melting points; assign at least one processing action to each of the plurality of melting points; assign at least one melting parameter and at least one prerequisite thermal characteristic to each processing action for each melting point; generate a preliminary processing list including each processing action for each melting point; create a revised processing order including a plurality of sequential unpopulated items, wherein each unpopulated item of the revised processing order is associated with a sequential time value; and populate the revised processing order, the populating comprising: identifying the earliest unpopulated item of the revised processing order, determining the earliest unpopulated item of the preliminary processing list, and whether any processing action in the work includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, assigning a task to the earliest unfilled item, wherein the task includes: a waiting period, or the processing action includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, if the task includes the processing action including the prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, removing the processing action including the prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item from the preliminary processing list, classifying the earliest unfilled item as a filled item, and if the preliminary list includes a processing action, returning to identifying the earliest unfilled item, or if the preliminary list does not include a processing action, issuing a command to start melting processing according to the revised processing order.

[0157] A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein determining whether any of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item includes comparing a thermal characteristic with the prerequisite thermal characteristics of at least some of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list.

[0158] The non-transitory computer readable medium of any preceding clause, wherein the thermal characteristic is determined by a thermal model.

[0159] A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the thermal model comprises at least one of: a finite element model of substrate and build environment temperature; a computational fluid dynamics model of molten pool behavior; a microstructure formation model; a machine learning model; a machine learning model that couples thermal exposure to temperature; a machine learning model that couples thermal exposure to microstructure response; a machine learning model that couples thermal exposure to temperature and microstructure response; a neural network model; a neural network model that couples thermal exposure to temperature; a neural network model that couples thermal exposure to microstructure response; a neural network model that couples thermal exposure to temperature and microstructure response; or a combination thereof.

[0160] A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the prerequisite thermal characteristics of each processing action for each melting point include at least one of the following: a melting point temperature range for the melting point; a regional temperature range for at least some points within a predefined range for the melting point; a time value associated with a predicted temperature or a predicted temperature range for the melting point; a temperature history within a time interval for the melting point; a material state of the melting point; a material phase of the melting point; a time value associated with a predicted temperature for the melting point; a time value associated with a predicted temperature range for the melting point; a time value associated with a predicted material state for the melting point; a time value associated with a predicted material phase for the melting point; or a combination thereof.

[0161] A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the at least one melting parameter of each processing action includes at least one of the following: a beam duration parameter; a beam power parameter; a beam spot diameter parameter; a beam shape parameter; a beam movement parameter; a beam movement speed parameter; or a combination thereof.

[0162] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any of the preceding clauses, wherein each processing action of each melting point comprises a pre-melting action, a melting action, or a post-melting action.

[0163] The non-transitory computer readable medium of any of the preceding clauses, wherein each processing action of each melting point comprises a heating action or a cooling action.

[0164] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any preceding clause, wherein when executed by the computing device, the logic further causes the computing device to perform the melt process according to the revised processing order.

[0165] The non-transitory computer readable medium of any preceding clause, wherein performance of the melting process causes the surface layer to solidify.

[0166] A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the execution of the melting process forms at least one of the following: an alloy; a single crystal alloy; a single crystal superalloy; a nickel-based superalloy; a cobalt-based superalloy; a single crystal refractory alloy; a molybdenum-based refractory alloy; a tungsten-based refractory alloy; a tantalum-based refractory alloy; or a combination thereof.

[0167] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any preceding clause, wherein points in the plurality of points are adaptively spaced.

[0168] A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein filling the geometric data with the plurality of adaptively spaced points comprises at least one of: adaptively spacing lines in the geometric data; adaptively spacing curves that fill an area of ​​the geometric data; generating a fixed pattern with adaptive spacing, wherein the fixed pattern adaptively fills an area of ​​the geometric data; or a combination thereof.

[0169] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any preceding clause, wherein each melting point of the plurality of melting points comprises one or more different points of the plurality of points.

[0170] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the task includes the waiting period only if no processing action in the preliminary processing list includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item.

[0171] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the generating of the preliminary processing list comprises sorting each processing action of each melting point according to a sorting strategy.

[0172] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any preceding clause, wherein the sequencing strategy comprises a heat spreading strategy, a heat localization strategy, or a combination thereof.

[0173] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any preceding clause, wherein the additive manufacturing system is an electron beam additive manufacturing system.

Claims

1. A method for determining a melting strategy for an additive manufacturing system, characterized in that The method comprises: receiving geometric data corresponding to a surface layer of a powder bed within a build chamber of the additive manufacturing system; populating the geometric data with a plurality of points including a plurality of melting points; assigning at least one processing action to each melting point in the plurality of melting points; assigning at least one melting parameter and at least one prerequisite thermal characteristic to each processing action of each melting point; generating a preliminary processing list including each processing action for each melting point; creating a revised processing order including a plurality of sequential unfilled items, wherein each unfilled item of the revised processing order is associated with a sequential time value; and Filling the revision processing order, the filling comprising: identifying the earliest unfilled item of said revised processing order, determining whether any of the processing actions of the preliminary processing list includes a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, Assigning a task to the earliest unfilled item, wherein the task comprises: Waiting period, or comprising said processing action satisfying a prerequisite thermal characteristic of said sequential time value of said earliest unfilled item, if the task includes the processing action including a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item, removing the processing action including the prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item from the preliminary processing list, classifying the oldest unfilled item as a filled item, and If the preliminary process list includes a process action, returning to identifying the oldest unfilled item, or if the preliminary process list does not include a process action, issuing a command to begin a melt process according to the revised process order.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in, Determining whether any of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list include a prerequisite thermal characteristic that satisfies the sequential time value of the earliest unfilled item includes comparing a thermal characteristic with the prerequisite thermal characteristics of at least some of the processing actions in the preliminary processing list.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that in, The thermal characteristics are determined by a thermal model.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: in, The prerequisite thermal characteristics of each processing action for each melting point include at least one of the following: The melting point temperature range of the melting point; a regional temperature range of at least some points within the predefined range of the melting point; a time value associated with the predicted temperature or predicted temperature range of the melting point; the temperature history during the time interval of the melting point; The material state of the melting point; The material phase of the melting point; a time value associated with the predicted temperature of the melting point; a time value associated with the predicted temperature range of the melting point; a time value associated with a predicted material state of the melting point; a time value associated with the predicted material phase of the melting point; or Its combination.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in, The at least one melting parameter of each processing action comprises at least one of the following: beam duration parameter; Beam power parameters; Beam spot diameter parameters; beam shape parameters; beam movement parameters; beam movement speed parameter; or Its combination.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in, Each processing action for each melting point includes a pre-melting action, a melting action, or a post-melting action.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in, Each processing action for each melting point includes a heating action or a cooling action.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further includes performing the melt process according to the revised process order.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that in, The melting process is performed to solidify the surface layer.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that in, The melting process is performed to form at least one of the following: alloy; Single crystal alloys; Single crystal superalloys; Nickel-based superalloys; Cobalt-based superalloys; Single crystal refractory alloys; Molybdenum-based refractory alloys; Tungsten based refractory alloys; Tantalum-based refractory alloys; or a combination thereof.

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