System comprising a device for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects from powder-like building material

Abstract

The invention relates to a device 1 for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects 2 from powder-like building material 3 by introducing radiation energy, in particular a laser sintering and / or laser melting device, with at least one housing 4 with a process chamber 5 in which a build space or an exchangeable container 6 with a height-adjustable build platform is arranged, onto which the powder-like building material 3 intended for solidification by means of radiation energy can be applied, characterized by a memory chip 16 that can be removed from the process chamber 5 of the device 1 with the exchangeable container 6 and / or the built object 2 and can be read by means of an electronic reading device.on which the manufacturing data belonging to the additive manufacturing process and / or subsequent processing steps and / or processing stations for the automatic control of processing equipment 7 - 11 and / or transport routes 12 and / or storage positions 8 and / or data for controlling active elements of the swap body itself are stored.

Description

The invention relates to a system comprising a device for generatively producing three-dimensional objects from powder-like construction material with the introduction of radiation energy, having the further features of claim 1. Such devices are referred to in particular as laser sintering or laser melting installations and have a housing with a process chamber, in which an installation space or a replaceable container with a construction platform which can be displaced in height is arranged.During the construction process, a thin layer of powder-like construction material is applied to the construction platform and subsequently solidified in regions corresponding to a predetermined structure of the component to be produced. This process is continued by recoating the previous powder layer or consolidated part layer until the three-dimensional component of layered construction is completed under the effect of radiation.In such devices, it has already become known to use so-called interchangeable containers which can be moved into a process chamber in order to carry out the construction process and, after completion of the construction process, can be removed again from the process chamber with the object located therein. These interchangeable containers are then moved into a so-called unpacking station or further processing station and the workpiece is further processed there accordingly.Such a device is disclosed, for example, in DE 10 2009 036 153 A1.Further devices for producing three-dimensional objects are known from the documents GB 2 472 846 A, DE 603 20 588 T2, DE 10 2007 048 385 B3, DE 10 2009 015 130 A1, US 2014 / 0 178 588 A1, and US 2009 / 0 173 443 A1.The object of the invention is to further develop a device with the features of the preamble of claim 1 in such a way that after the construction process a customer assignment, an analysis and / or a further transport and / or a targeted further processing of the workpiece to further stations can be carried out in an automated object-individualized manner.This object is achieved by a system having the features of claim 1.The core of the invention is considered to be placing a memory chip aside from the object produced in the device, is detachably fastened to the latter or is also located in the non-solidified construction material within the construction chamber or is arranged in a construction platform. In this chip, construction data can first be entered by a writing device, which data are suitable for re-developing the construction process that has been carried out in the device in the sense of reverse engineering, in order to determine whether the object produced in the device could have internal structural defects, for example, and the like. construction data are, for example, laser power, coating data, atmospheric data in the construction chamber, temperature, but in particular also melt pool temperatures or melt pool sizes in the region of the laser focal spot on the powder layer, or other data which are suitable for giving information about a construction process that has already been carried out.In addition, customer information can be stored in the same chip, for example a customer number, production data, delivery date and delivery location. Here too, no limits are set with regard to customer or delivery data.Furthermore, it is possible to use the chip to control subsequent processing steps if the manufactured object is subjected to a special surface processing or is to be conveyed to a engraving device, for example. Processing devices subsequent to the production apparatus, such as milling stations, thermal treatment stations, polishing stations, handling stations, an optical measurement station or else a disinfection station for disinfectant treatment of the component and the like, can be automatically controlled by the chip.The transport path to such processing devices, which is to be covered between the actual production device and the processing devices, can likewise be driven through the memory chip in a targeted manner, so that a manual intervention in the transport of the object to further processing stations is not required. Finally, it is also possible to store a position in a storage area on the chip, which is then automatically approached by a transport device. If the chip is an RFID chip, an inventory can be immediately made by an RFID reading device when entering the storage space and it can be established which already produced objects are where in the storage space and which are to be collected and delivered at a certain point in time.Finally, it is also possible within the scope of the invention to use the memory chip to control active elements of the removable container provided with the memory chip. In particular, drive motors for moving the replacement container, adjusting motors for displacing the height of the construction platform, heating elements, cooling elements, ventilation motors, suction devices and the like can be controlled, which are integrated in the replacement container. Since the memory chip is programmable individually for each construction process, the control of the active elements of the removable container can be adapted exactly to the construction process and subsequent treatment steps.All these data can be recorded on one and the same chip, but it is also within the scope of the invention to provide a plurality of readable storage chips which can be provided to the replaceable container or the constructed project and can be removed from the process chamber of the apparatus with the latter. The programming can be performed in the device itself, but it is also possible to provide pre-programmed chips which are already fully or partially pre-programmed and are for example only still loaded with the production data.The laser sintering or laser melting plant can be provided with an input device, for example a card reader or another input device, which is suitable for more or less complete programming of the memory chip.After the production process, the replaceable container is moved out of the device and can be moved on provided conveyor tracks to such further processing stations that are stored on the memory chip as an intermediate or target station. An intermediate station would be, for example, an intermediate processing station, a destination station would be a storage location.In the laser sintering or laser melting device and in further processing stations, such as milling stations or thermal treatment stations, or also at portions of the travel path of the interchangeable container or the object between the device and the further processing stations or deposits, electronic reading devices interacting with the memory chip can be arranged, which are suitable for controlling switch devices in order that the object or the interchangeable container is moved to the correct station.In principle, it is also possible to couple a processor to the memory chip, which processor interacts with at least one sensor element in the interior of the replaceable container. This allows physical data such as pressure, temperature, time, acceleration values and the like to be detected to determine on the memory chip whether the object has been affected by any external circumstances after the manufacturing process, which causes damage to the object. An acceleration sensor may, for example, detect a violent impact suitable for leading to a breakage or partial breakage of an object.The invention is explained in more detail with reference to advantageous exemplary embodiments in the drawing figures. These show: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a system according to the invention, comprising an apparatus having a plurality of transport paths, processing stations and storage positions; FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a replaceable container with two indicated positions of a readable memory chip; FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a replaceable container with a memory chip embedded in a powder bed; FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional illustration through a construction chamber with an object constructed therein, to which an integrated circuit chip is fastened via a connecting web.The device 1 shown in FIG. 1 serves for producing three-dimensional objects 2 from powder-like construction material 3 with the introduction of radiation energy. In particular, it is a laser sintering or a laser melting device. A process chamber 5 is accommodated in a housing 4, in which a construction space or a replacement container 6 with a construction platform which can be displaced in height is arranged, onto which the powder-like construction material provided for solidification by means of radiation energy can be applied.In FIG. 1, it is further shown that, in addition to the actual production device, further processing stations 7, storage stations 8, at least one unpacking station 9, a test station 10 and, for example, a engraving station 11 are provided, which are all connected to one another via transport paths 12 in such a way that either the interchangeable container 6 or the object 2 freed from the powder bed can be conveyed to the different processing stations 7, storage locations 8 or further positions along the transport paths 12. For this purpose, automatically controlled conveying carriages, conveyor belts or other suitable transport mechanisms known and suitable as state of the art can be used.In order to control the approach of the different transport paths 12 or processing devices or storage positions, either a memory chip 16 which can be removed from the process chamber of the apparatus 1 by means of the removable container 6 or by means of the constructed object 2 and can be read out via an electronic reading apparatus 15 is provided, on which memory chip production data associated with the generative production method and / or subsequent processing steps or the processing stations for the automatic control of processing devices, transport paths and / or storage positions are stored.The assignment between the removable container 6 and the memory chip 16 can be carried out in different ways.In FIG. 1, it is shown that the memory chip 16 is attached to an outer wall of the replaceable container 6.In FIG. 2, it is indicated that the memory chip 16 can be inserted into pocket-like recesses 17 of the replaceable container 6 and locked there, for example.FIG. 3 shows that it is also sufficient to insert the memory chip 16 into the powder bed 18 of the construction material 3 and to leave it there, so that the memory chip 16 with the replacement container 6 can be removed from the process chamber. For temporary fixing of the storage chip 16, the latter can be introduced, for example, into a housing with anchor projections projecting into the powder bed.A further possibility for arranging the memory chip 16 is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4. There, the memory chip 16 is connected to the object 2 via a web 25, so that a fixed assignment between the memory chip 16 and the object 2 remains even after the object has been unpackaged from the construction material 3. It is within the scope of the invention to provide, in addition to the memory chip 16 which is connected to the object, one or more memory chips 26 in connection with the replaceable container 6. The memory chips 26 can be used, for example, to influence points devices of the transport paths 12, while the memory chip 16 on the object 2 contains customer data, process data such as, for example.Production temperatures, melt pool temperatures and the like. Of course, it is possible to retain all data on both memory chips 16, 26 and to read and use them accordingly.In FIG. 4, it is shown that the memory chip can also be accommodated in a construction plate 27 onto which powder-like construction material 3 is layered during the construction process and solidified there in order to build the first layers of the object 2.It is also shown in FIG. 1 that a programming device 30 is provided in the process chamber 5, which programming device is connected to an input unit 31 in order to load corresponding data onto the memory chip 16.It is also within the scope of the invention to connect to the memory chip 16 at least one processor 40, which interacts with at least one sensor element in the interior of the replaceable container 6 in order to register or report, for example, harmful accelerations, temperatures or other influences on the object 2.LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS1 Device 2 Object 3 Construction material 4 Housing 5 Process chamber 6 Replacement container 7 Processing station 8 Storage position 9 Unpacking station 10 Test station 11 Engraving station 12 Transport path 15 Reading device 16 Memory chip 25 Web 26 Memory chip 27 Construction plate 30 Programming device 31 Input unit 40 Processor

Claims

System, comprising a device (1) for generatively producing three-dimensional objects (2) from powder-like construction material (3) with introduction of radiation energy, in particular laser sintering and / or laser melting device, having at least one housing (4) with a process chamber (5) in which is arranged an installation space or a replacement container (6) with a construction platform which can be displaced in height and onto which the powder-like construction material (3) provided for solidification by means of radiation energy can be applied, characterized bya memory chip (16) which can be removed from the process chamber (5) of the device (1) by means of the replacement container (6) and / or the constructed object (2) and can be read out by means of an electronic reading device (15), on which production data associated with the generative production method and / or subsequent processing steps and / or processing stations for automatic control of processing devices (7-11) and / or transport paths (12) and / or storage positions (8) and / or data for controlling active elements of the interchangeable container (6) themselves are stored, wherein the memory chip (16) is detachably fastened to the interchangeable container (6) or also lies in a section of non-solidified construction material within the construction chamber or is connected to a construction plate (27) arranged on the construction platform, wherein a programming device (30, 31) for the memory chip (16) is arranged in the region of the process chamber (5).System according to Claim 1, characterized in that the interchangeable container (6) can be moved on provided transport paths (12) to those further processing stations (7) which are stored on the memory chip (16) as an intermediate or target station.System according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that processing sequences to be carried out on the object (2) in the further processing stations (7) are stored as information on the memory chip (16).System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that electronic reading devices (15) which interact with the memory chip (16) are arranged in the device (1), in the further processing stations (7) and / or at portions of the transport paths (12) of the interchangeable container (6) between the device (1) and the further processing stations (7).System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the memory chip (16) is coupled to at least one processor (40) which interacts with at least one sensor element in the interior of the removable container (6).System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of further processing stations (7, 8, 9, 10) can be approached by the interchangeable container (6), wherein a plurality of switch devices electronically controllable by information of the memory chip (16) are provided along the transport path (12).System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the processing sequences which can be stored on the memory chip (16) relate to thermal treatment steps, mechanical surface treatment steps, optical measurement steps, surface irradiation steps, inscription steps, cooling times and cooling atmospheres.System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the further processing stations (7-10) are each at least one thermal irradiation station, inscription station, laser surface processing station, measurement station, cooling station and / or removal station.System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one actuating or drive motor of the replaceable container (6) can be controlled by the memory chip (16).System according to claim 9, characterised in that the drive motor controls the height displacement of the construction platform arranged in the interchangeable container (6) as a result of information stored on the memory chip (16).System according to Claim 1, characterized in that a heating device of the removable container (6) can be controlled by means of information stored on the memory chip (16).

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