Metal powder deposition control method

Abstract

To control deposition of a metal powder that is used in producing a metal additively fabricated article.SOLUTION: A metal powder deposition control method performed by a manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a metal additively fabricated article having a plurality of layers in a height direction, the apparatus comprising a head that irradiates laser light generated by a laser oscillator onto an irradiation position and a blow nozzle that blows air, the method controlling deposition of metal powders by moving the head to irradiate the laser light toward the metal powders and blowing, by the blow nozzle, air in the vicinity of the irradiation position of the laser light.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling deposition of metal powder. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a laser additive manufacturing device that irradiates a surface layer of metal powder with laser light to form a metal layer by sintering or melting and solidifying the metal powder, and stacks the layers to manufacture a metal object. The laser additive manufacturing device includes a chamber, a manufacturing stage located within the chamber and having a manufacturing tank on its surface that is filled with metal powder, a laser light source that irradiates the surface layer of the metal powder in the manufacturing tank with laser light, a shield cover located within the chamber that covers the periphery of the laser light in the chamber and separates the atmosphere within the chamber from the atmosphere around the laser light, and an inert gas supply unit that supplies an inert gas into the shield cover. The shield cover in the laser additive manufacturing device has a first shield member having a double-tube structure consisting of an inner tube and an outer tube, a second shield member consisting of a tubular member with openings at both ends connected to the outer tube, and a gas diffusion mechanism located in the space between the inner tube and the outer tube and diffusing an inert gas throughout the shield cover, with laser light passing inside the inner tube and supplying the inert gas from the space between the inner tube and the outer tube into the second shield member, so that the pressure inside the shield cover is more positive than inside the chamber. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6889744 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure has been devised in view of the above-described conventional circumstances, and aims to provide a metal powder deposition control method for controlling the deposition of metal powder used in the production of metal additive manufacturing products. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present disclosure provides a method for controlling the deposition of metal powder performed by a manufacturing device for manufacturing a metal additive manufacturing object having multiple layers in the vertical direction, the device comprising a head that irradiates an irradiation position with laser light generated by a laser oscillator and a blow nozzle that blows air, the method comprising moving the head to irradiate the laser light toward the metal powder and blowing air near the irradiation position of the laser light using the blow nozzle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The present disclosure allows for controlled deposition of metal powders used in the production of metal additive manufacturing objects. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of an irradiation control device in a manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of a metal additive manufacturing object. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 shows an example of blowing metal powder in a first blowing configuration. [Figure 5] Schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus according to embodiment 2 [Figure 6] FIG. 1 shows an example of blowing metal powder in a second blowing configuration. [Figure 7] Schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus according to a modification of the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 shows an example of blowing metal powder in the third blowing configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] (Background to this disclosure) In the laser additive manufacturing device of Patent Document 1, the shielding gas supplied into the shield cover flows gently from top to bottom around the laser at a rate that does not cause turbulence, preventing turbulence from scattering the laser light or raising the metal powder. When the laser beam is irradiated onto the surface of the metal powder, the laser additive manufacturing device appropriately purges any moisture or oxygen adsorbed on the powder surface, spatter, or metal vapor that may be generated, thereby reducing adverse effects on the object and manufacturing objects with excellent mechanical properties.

[0009] However, with the above-described configuration, it was difficult to remove metal powder that was attracted by the irradiation of the laser light, or metal powder that was blown up by the rising air current generated by the irradiation of the laser light around the irradiation position of the laser light.

[0010] Therefore, in each of the following embodiments, an example of a metal powder deposition control method for controlling the deposition of metal powder used in manufacturing a metal additive manufacturing object will be described.

[0011] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings as appropriate, each embodiment specifically disclosing a method for controlling metal powder deposition according to the present disclosure will be described in detail. However, more detailed description than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed description of already well-known matters or redundant description of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Note that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter recited in the claims.

[0012] (Embodiment 1) First, a manufacturing apparatus 1 for a metal additive manufacturing product having a first blow configuration will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The manufacturing apparatus 1 will now be described, but this may also be interpreted as a description of a manufacturing method. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment. The manufacturing apparatus 1 for a metal additive manufacturing product according to the present disclosure executes a manufacturing method that employs, for example, a powder bed method.

[0013] Furthermore, in the first blow configuration example of the present disclosure, an example will be described in which the blow nozzle NZ1 is provided in the head HD that controls the irradiation position of the laser light LS, but the blow nozzle NZ1 may be provided separately from the head HD and movable in accordance with the irradiation position of the laser light LS. Furthermore, in the present disclosure, an example will be shown in which the chamber 10 does not form a closed space, but the upper part of the chamber 10 may be sealed with glass or the like. In such a case, the blow nozzle NZ1 may be provided inside the chamber 10 and configured separately from the head HD.

[0014] The metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a chamber 10, a stage 11, a base 12, a squeegee 13, and a rotating unit 14. The chamber 10 is a housing in which the metal additive manufacturing (MA) object is formed. The stage 11 has a base 12 on its upper surface where the metal additive manufacturing (MA) object is performed. Metal powder 15, which is the material for the metal additive manufacturing (MA), is spread on the base 12 by the squeegee 13 to a predetermined thickness (e.g., 20 to 300 μm). Note that the base 12 is not an essential component and may be omitted. In such a case, the metal powder 15 may be spread directly or indirectly on the upper surface of the stage 11 in the manufacturing apparatus 1.

[0015] The stage 11 and the base 12 are fixedly connected to the rotating unit 14 by a plurality of support shafts. Therefore, when the rotating unit 14 is rotated by a control mechanism (not shown) included in the metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1 during irradiation with a laser beam, which will be described later, the stage 11 and the base 12 rotate integrally in accordance with the rotation of the rotating unit 14. As a result, the metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1 can manufacture a metal additive manufacturing object in which metal layers are stacked in a spiral shape by rotating the stage 11 and the base 12. The mechanism of the rotating unit 14 may be a commonly known mechanism.

[0016] As the rotating part 14 rotates, the squeegee 13 moves left and right in FIG. 1, so that the thickness of the metal powder 15 spread over the base 12 is constant and uniform. The metal powder 15 is supplied periodically in accordance with the control of the irradiation of the laser light LS. The type of metal powder 15 is not particularly limited. Examples include powders of various metals such as copper, carbon, boron, magnesium, calcium, chromium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, cobalt, nickel, hafnium, niobium, titanium, and aluminum, as well as alloys thereof. The particle size of the metal powder is also not particularly limited. For example, it may be approximately 0.1 to 300 μm.

[0017] The metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1 also includes a laser oscillator 20 and a head HD. The head HD includes an optical system 21 that irradiates a desired irradiation position with laser light emitted from the laser oscillator 20, and a blow nozzle NZ1 that blows metal powder 15 that is flying around the irradiation position of the laser light LS before or after laser irradiation.

[0018] The manufacturing apparatus 1 controls the irradiation position of the laser beam generated by the laser oscillator 20 by driving the head HD or the optical system 21. The metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1 moves the head HD in the horizontal direction and pinpoints the laser beam toward any desired location on the top surface of the base 12 (e.g., the location where a corresponding layer of the metal additive manufacturing object will be formed) in accordance with a pre-prepared laser beam irradiation program (not shown). This allows the metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1 to irradiate the metal powder 15 disposed on the base 12 or the metal powder 15 located in an upper layer thereof with the laser beam while scanning it. The irradiation width of the laser beam is 20 μm to 500 μm, and here is 50 μm as an example. The laser wavelength is set to a beam parameter product (BPP) of 3 or less for a wavelength of 400 to 600 (nm).

[0019] The metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1 also has a first blowing configuration, in which a blow nozzle NZ1 positioned a predetermined distance from the laser beam LS blows away the metal powder 15 that has been blown up around the position where the laser beam LS is irradiated. The blow nozzle NZ1 is positioned at a height that leaves a predetermined gap between it and the metal powder 15 spread over the base 12, and blows away the ascending air current generated by the irradiation of the laser beam LS, or the metal powder 15 that has been attracted by the laser beam LS and blown up by the ascending air current, thereby removing it from the irradiation trajectory of the laser beam LS.

[0020] The optical system 21 controls the irradiation position or focal position of the laser light LS irradiated from the laser oscillator 20 onto the metal powder 15 in accordance with a program prepared in advance for irradiating the laser light LS. When the irradiation position of the laser light LS is not controlled by moving the head HD, the optical system 21 may have a galvano configuration and be able to control the irradiation position of the laser light LS.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the laser oscillator 20, the optical system 21, and the head HD are all electrically connected to a control unit 31 (see FIG. 2). Therefore, in the metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1, the control unit 31 can arbitrarily control the direction of laser light irradiated onto the upper surface of the stage 11 (in other words, the base 12). Furthermore, the metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1 can also rotate the stage 11 (in other words, the base 12) connected to the rotating unit 14 in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating unit 14. In practice, the metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1 uses a blue laser manufacturing device that can provide a long working distance.

[0022] Next, the irradiation control device 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the irradiation control device 30 in the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1. The irradiation control device 30 may be configured as an integrated unit with the manufacturing apparatus 1, or may be configured as a separate unit that communicates with the manufacturing apparatus 1 for a metal additive manufacturing product, as shown in Fig. 2.

[0023] The irradiation control device 30 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a communication unit 33. The control unit 31, the storage unit 32, and the communication unit 33 are connected to each other via an internal bus (not shown) or the like so as to enable input and output of data signals (data).

[0024] The control unit 31 is configured using, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and performs various processes and controls in cooperation with the storage unit 32. Specifically, the control unit 31 references the programs and data stored in the storage unit 32 and executes the programs to realize the functions of the irradiation control device 30.

[0025] The memory unit 32 has, for example, a random access memory (hereinafter referred to as "RAM") as a work memory used when executing each process of the control unit 31, and a storage for storing programs and data that define the operation of the control unit 31. The RAM temporarily stores data or information generated or acquired by the control unit 31. The storage has written therein programs that define the operation of the control unit 31.

[0026] The control unit 31 controls various operations of the metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1, and functionally includes a rotation control unit 311, a layering control unit 312, a head control unit 313, and a blow control unit 314.

[0027] The rotation control unit 311 controls the rotation of the rotation unit 14 in accordance with conditions (for example, manufacturing conditions for the metal additive manufacturing object).

[0028] The stacking control unit 312 controls the stacking state of the metal additive manufacturing object so that it satisfies desired conditions (for example, conditions such as appearance, dimensions, and shape required for the stacking state of a pre-prepared metal additive manufacturing object). Each of these conditions will be described later.

[0029] The head control unit 313 controls the position of the head HD in accordance with a program for irradiating the laser light so that the blow nozzle NZ1 is ahead of the movement direction (irradiation position) of the laser light LS and so that the laser light is aligned with any irradiation position on the top surface of the base 12 (for example, the location where the corresponding layer of the metal additive manufacturing object is to be formed).

[0030] The blow control unit 314 executes ON / OFF control of the blowing operation by the blow nozzle NZ1 in accordance with a program for irradiating laser light.

[0031] The storage unit 32 stores rotation condition information 321 and stacking condition information 322 .

[0032] Rotation condition information 321 is information such as conditions for rotation control unit 311 to control the rotation of rotating unit 14.

[0033] The layering condition information 322 is information such as conditions related to the layering state of the metal additive manufacturing object set by the layering control unit 312.

[0034] The communication unit 33 transmits control information from the control unit 31 to the metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1 and receives information transmitted from the metal additive manufacturing apparatus 1. The communication unit 33 can also communicate with other electronic devices. The communication method may be any wired or wireless communication. The wireless communication here may be communication via a wireless local area network (LAN) such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), or the like, or communication using an Internet of Things (IoT) network or protocol such as Matter, Z-Wave, or ZigBee.

[0035] Next, a metal additive manufacturing object manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a metal additive manufacturing object according to the present embodiment. Fig. 3(a) is a diagram showing an example of an upright object as a comparative example, and Fig. 3(b) is a diagram showing an example of a substantially spiral-shaped object.

[0036] The metal additive manufacturing product shown in FIG. 3(a) is formed by stacking a plurality of metal layers in the height direction (in other words, in the direction perpendicular to the top surface of the base 12).

[0037] 3(b), a metal additive manufacturing object is formed by stacking multiple metal layers in a generally spiral shape. The generally spiral shape does not necessarily have to be an exact spiral, but rather it is sufficient that the metal additive manufacturing object is generated so that at least a portion of the metal additive manufacturing object has metal layers stacked to form a spiral while the stage 11 is rotated by the rotating unit 14.

[0038] Next, an example of blowing following metal powder 15 in the first blowing configuration shown in Fig. 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of blowing metal powder 15B in the first blowing configuration. Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view of a main part in which the laser irradiated area is enlarged.

[0039] The blow nozzle NZ1 in the first blow configuration follows the irradiation position of the laser beam LS and advances in the traveling direction while blowing the metal powder 15 from a direction substantially parallel to the irradiation direction of the laser beam LS. The blow nozzle NZ1 blows the metal powder 15B attracted by the irradiation of the laser beam LS, or the metal powder 15A blown up into the air by an ascending air current generated on the surface of the metal powder 15 spread on the base 12 by the irradiation of the laser beam LS.

[0040] This allows the manufacturing apparatus 1 to effectively prevent the metal powders 15A, 15B that have risen around the irradiation position of the laser beam LS from accumulating and melting in the molten metal pool MP that has been melted by the irradiation of the laser beam LS. Therefore, the manufacturing apparatus 1 can more accurately control the shape of the metal BD (i.e., the layer of the metal additive manufacturing product) formed by solidification of the molten metal pool MP, and can form a more precise layered structure.

[0041] (Embodiment 2) The manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in the first embodiment controls the accumulation of metal powder 15 in the molten metal pool MP by blowing the area behind the irradiation position of the laser beam LS from a direction substantially parallel to the irradiation direction of the laser beam LS. The manufacturing apparatus 1A according to the second embodiment below controls the accumulation of metal powder 15 in the molten metal pool MP by blowing from the traveling direction of the head HD, that is, from a direction substantially parallel to the traveling direction of the laser beam LS irradiated toward the metal powder 15.

[0042] The manufacturing apparatus 1A according to embodiment 2 has almost the same configuration as the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1. Therefore, in the following description of embodiment 2, the same components as those in the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0043] Next, a manufacturing apparatus 1A having a second blowing configuration will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the manufacturing apparatus 1A according to embodiment 2. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of blowing metal powders 15A and 15B in the second blowing configuration.

[0044] In the manufacturing apparatus 1A in the second blow configuration, the chamber 10 is purged with glass GS, and a blow nozzle NZ2 is provided on at least one of the inner walls 10A of the chamber 10, which extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction of the head HDA (i.e., the laser light LS). While the blow nozzle NZ2 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is provided on only one of the inner walls 10A, a blow nozzle NZ2 may also be provided on the inner wall opposite the inner wall 10A. Furthermore, a plurality of blow nozzles NZ2 may be provided along the inner wall 10A, lined up in the vertical and horizontal directions of the drawing.

[0045] The blow nozzle NZ2 blows the metal powder particles 15A, 15B that are blown up by the ascending air current generated by the irradiation of the laser light LS or that are attracted to the irradiation position of the laser light LS along the surface of the metal powder 15 spread on the base 12. The blow nozzle NZ2 is positioned at a height that leaves a predetermined gap between the blow nozzle NZ2 and the metal powder particles 15 spread on the base 12.

[0046] As a result, the manufacturing apparatus 1A can use the blow nozzle NZ2 to blow away the metal powders 15A, 15B that are raised around the irradiation position of the laser beam LS, and more effectively prevent the raised metal powders 15A, 15B from accumulating and melting in the molten metal pool MP that is being melted by the irradiation of the laser beam LS. Therefore, the manufacturing apparatus 1A can more accurately control the shape of the metal BD (i.e., the layer of the metal additive manufacturing product) formed by solidification of the molten metal pool MP, and can form a more precise layered structure.

[0047] In addition, when the blow nozzle NZ2 is provided on the inner wall 10A and the inner wall opposite to this inner wall 10A, the manufacturing apparatus 1A controls the blow nozzle NZ2 to be ON / OFF so that it blows in the opposite direction to the traveling direction of the head HDA (i.e., the laser light LS), thereby blowing the metal powders 15A and 15B flying around the irradiation position of the laser light LS in the opposite direction to the traveling direction of the laser light LS and preventing them from accumulating in the metal molten pool MP.

[0048] (Modification of the second embodiment) The manufacturing apparatus 1A according to the second embodiment has been described as an example in which the accumulation of metal powder 15 in the molten metal pool MP is controlled by blowing behind the irradiation position of the laser beam LS from a direction substantially parallel to the traveling direction of the head HD, i.e., the traveling direction of the laser beam LS irradiated toward the metal powder 15. Below, an example in which the manufacturing apparatus 1B according to a modified example of the second embodiment controls the accumulation of metal powder 15 in the molten metal pool MP by blowing from a direction substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction of the head HD, i.e., the traveling direction of the laser beam LS irradiated toward the metal powder 15, will be described.

[0049] The manufacturing apparatus 1B according to the embodiment 2 has almost the same configuration as the manufacturing apparatus 1A according to the embodiment 2. Therefore, in the following description of the modified example of the embodiment 2, the same components as those in the manufacturing apparatus 1A according to the embodiment 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0050] Next, a manufacturing apparatus 1B having a third blow configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus 1B according to a modified example of the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of blowing metal powders 15A and 15B in the third blow configuration. The manufacturing apparatus 1B shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is shown as viewed from above. FIG. 8 also shows how the metal powders 15A and 15B are blown by the blow nozzle NZ3 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction of the head HD.

[0051] In the manufacturing apparatus 1B in the third blow configuration, a blow nozzle NZ3 is provided on an inner wall 10B that is approximately parallel to the traveling direction of the head HD among the inner walls of the chamber 10. Note that, although the blow nozzle NZ3 shown in Figures 7 and 8 is provided on only one of the inner walls 10B as an example, a blow nozzle NZ3 may also be provided on the inner wall opposite to the inner wall 10B.

[0052] The blow nozzle NZ3 blows the metal powder particles 15A, 15B that are blown up by the ascending air current generated by the irradiation of the laser beam LS or that are attracted to the irradiation position of the laser beam LS along the surface of the metal powder 15 spread on the base 12. The blow nozzle NZ3 is positioned at a height that leaves a predetermined gap between the blow nozzle NZ3 and the metal powder particles 15 spread on the base 12.

[0053] This allows manufacturing apparatus 1B to blow the metal powders 15A, 15B that have risen up around the irradiation position of the laser beam LS in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the head HD and the laser beam LS, thereby more effectively preventing the raised metal powders 15A, 15B from accumulating and melting in the molten metal pool MP that has been melted by irradiation with the laser beam LS. Therefore, manufacturing apparatus 1B can more accurately control the shape of the metal BD (i.e., the layer of the metal additive manufacturing product) formed by solidification of the molten metal pool MP, and can form a more precise layered structure.

[0054] In the present disclosure, the first to third blower configuration examples have been described above, but these blower configuration examples may be combined in any desired manner.

[0055] (Addendum) The above description of the embodiments discloses the following techniques.

[0056] (Technology 1) a head HD for irradiating a laser beam LS generated by a laser oscillator 20 onto an irradiation position; A method for controlling deposition of metal powder 15 performed by manufacturing apparatuses 1 to 1B for manufacturing a metal additive manufacturing object having a plurality of layers in a height direction, the manufacturing apparatuses including blow nozzles NZ1 to NZ3 for blowing air, The head HD is moved to irradiate the laser light LS toward the metal powder 15, The air in the vicinity of the irradiation position of the laser light LS is blown out by the blow nozzles NZ1 to NZ3. A method for controlling deposition of metal powder. As a result, the manufacturing apparatuses 1 to 1B can effectively prevent the metal powders 15A, 15B that have risen around the irradiation position of the laser beam LS from accumulating and melting in the molten metal pool MP that has been melted by the irradiation of the laser beam LS. Therefore, the manufacturing apparatus 1 can more accurately control the shape of the metal BD (i.e., the layer of the metal additive manufacturing product) formed by solidification of the molten metal pool MP, and can form a more precise layered structure.

[0057] (Technology 2) The blow nozzle NZ1 blows the area behind the irradiation position of the laser light LS in a direction along the traveling direction of the head HD that forms the layer, after the irradiation of the laser light LS. A method for controlling deposition of metal powder according to (Technical 1). As a result, the manufacturing apparatus 1 can blow away the metal powders 15A and 15B that have been rolled up from behind the laser light LS around the irradiation position of the laser light LS, thereby effectively preventing them from accumulating and melting in the metal molten pool MP that has been melted by the irradiation of the laser light LS.

[0058] (Technology 3) The blow nozzle NZ2 blows in a direction substantially parallel to the traveling direction of the laser beam LS that forms the layer. A method for controlling deposition of metal powder according to (Technical 1). As a result, the manufacturing apparatus 1A can blow away the metal powders 15A and 15B that have been rolled up around the irradiation position of the laser light LS from the direction of travel of the laser light LS, thereby effectively preventing them from accumulating and melting in the metal molten pool MP that has been melted by the irradiation of the laser light LS.

[0059] (Technology 4) The blow nozzle NZ2 blows in a direction opposite to the traveling direction of the laser light LS that forms the layer. A method for controlling deposition of metal powder according to (Technical Technique 3). This allows the manufacturing apparatus 1A to blow the metal powders 15A, 15B (particularly the metal powder 15A) that have been rolled up around the irradiation position of the laser light LS from the direction of travel of the laser light LS behind the molten metal pool MP melted by irradiation with the laser light LS.

[0060] (Technology 5) The blow nozzle NZ3 blows in a direction substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction of the laser beam LS that forms the layer. A method for controlling deposition of metal powder according to (Technical 1). As a result, the manufacturing apparatus 1B can effectively prevent the metal powders 15A, 15B from accumulating and melting in the metal molten pool MP melted by irradiation with the laser light LS by blowing the metal powders 15A, 15B in a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of travel of the laser light LS.

[0061] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that those skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications, alterations, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the various embodiments described above may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0062] The present disclosure is useful as a method for controlling the deposition of metal powder used in the production of metal additive manufacturing products. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1,1A,1B manufacturing equipment 10 Chambers 11 Stages 12 base 13 Squeegee 14 Rotating part 15,15A,15B Metal powder 20 Laser oscillator 21 Optical system 30 Irradiation control device 31 Control Unit 32 Storage section 311 Rotation control unit 312 Stacking control unit 313 Head control unit 314 Blow control unit 321 Rotation condition information 322 Lamination condition information HD, HDA head LS laser light NZ1, NZ2, NZ3 blow nozzle

Claims

1. a head that irradiates a laser beam generated by a laser oscillator onto an irradiation position; a blow nozzle for blowing air; and a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a metal additive manufacturing object having a plurality of layers in a height direction, the manufacturing apparatus comprising: The head is moved to irradiate the laser light toward the metal powder; The blow nozzle blows air near the irradiation position of the laser light. A method for controlling deposition of metal powder.

2. the blow nozzle blows the area behind the irradiation position of the laser light in a direction along the traveling direction of the head that forms the layer, after the irradiation of the laser light; The method for controlling deposition of metal powder according to claim 1 .

3. the blow nozzle blows in a direction substantially parallel to the traveling direction of the laser light that forms the layer. The method for controlling deposition of metal powder according to claim 1 .

4. The blow nozzle blows in a direction opposite to the traveling direction of the laser light. The method for controlling deposition of metal powder according to claim 3 .

5. the blow nozzle blows in a direction substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction of the laser light that forms the layer. The method for controlling deposition of metal powder according to claim 1 .

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