Additive Manufacturing Equipment and Processes

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for a manufacturing system for additive manufacturing of articles, in particular for selective laser melting. The apparatus comprises a processing chamber (1) providing at least one workspace in the region of a build field and at least one partition (2) dividing the processing chamber (1) into at least two subchambers (1a, b), at least one of which provides at least one workspace. The subchambers have at least one powder coater (22, 22a, b) for applying a powdered material (7) to the build field and at least one optical module (9a, b). At least one gas inlet (4a, b) and / or at least one gas outlet (24a, b) are arranged in the at least one partition (2).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for a manufacturing system for the additive manufacturing of articles, in particular a manufacturing system for selective laser melting. Furthermore, an improved additive manufacturing process is proposed. [Background technology]

[0002] Additive manufacturing processes allow the production of articles by building them up layer by layer from powdered materials (material powders) through optical interaction. The selective laser melting (SLM) process uses, in particular, metallic material powders, which are remelted layer by layer, preferably by a focused laser beam, to form a cohesive solidified part. In this way, machine parts, tools, prostheses, jewelry, etc. can be produced.

[0003] An apparatus for the production of shaped bodies according to the principle of selective laser melting is described, for example, in DE 10 2019 200 680 A1, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] The layer-by-layer construction of articles in additive manufacturing processes allows for greater geometric freedom in their design. In addition, additive manufacturing does not require product-specific tooling, which makes it possible to economically produce small numbers of parts. Therefore, additive processes are often used in the field of rapid prototyping and low-volume production.

[0005] However, it is desirable to increase the productivity of additive manufacturing systems, and in particular SLM manufacturing systems, in order to be able to benefit from the advantages of additive processes in the context of serial production of large volumes of parts. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for layer-by-layer building of articles of powdered material by optical interaction (apparatus for additive manufacturing of articles), which is able to increase the productivity of an additive manufacturing system, in particular an SLM manufacturing system, and preferably at the same time improve the manufacturing quality of the articles to be manufactured. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved additive manufacturing process, in particular an SLM manufacturing process, which is able to increase both the productivity of the manufacturing plant and preferably the quality of the manufactured articles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve this object, the features of the independent claims are proposed. Advantageous embodiments can be found in the dependent claims.

[0008] The apparatus for layer-by-layer construction of powdered material articles by optical interaction comprises a processing chamber for providing at least one working space in the region of at least one construction field. The apparatus may be particularly adapted for selective laser melting processes, preferably using metallic materials.

[0009] The working space is in particular the space / volume of a processing chamber in which layer-by-layer building of one or more articles takes place. The build field is preferably understood to be a two-dimensional area within the working space where optical interactions occur to solidify the powdered material. Thus, in selective laser melting, the build field may include a two-dimensional area within the working space where a focused laser beam impinges on the top layer of the powdered material.

[0010] The apparatus further includes at least one partition wall dividing the processing chamber into at least two subchambers, at least one of which provides at least one working space. Depending on the size of the processing chamber and the article to be manufactured, the processing chamber may be divided into two subchambers by one partition wall, into four subchambers by two partition walls, into six subchambers by three partition walls, and so on. Each subchamber thus formed may provide at least one working space. Alternatively, only a predetermined number of the formed subchambers may provide at least one working space. Preferably, the subchambers having at least one working space may have approximately the same size (volume). However, it is also possible to form subchambers having at least one working space of different sizes.

[0011] At least one subchamber providing at least one working space preferably has at least one powder coater and at least one optical module. This means that all subchambers formed by partitions having at least one working space preferably have at least one powder coater and at least one optical module. In this case, the at least one powder coater serves to apply powdered material to the building field of the subchamber. In other words, the powder coater applies material powder layer by layer to the building field provided in at least one working space of the subchamber.

[0012] At least one optical module, which may be part of the irradiation unit or may be the irradiation unit itself, is used for spatially selective irradiation of the powdered material provided in the build field. In other words, the optical module selectively irradiates the powdered material provided in an area of ​​the build field of the subchamber according to the specifications of the geometry of one or more articles to be produced after the coater applies a new layer of powdered material to the build field. In particular, the optical module may be configured to irradiate the material powder with a focused laser beam in a spatially selective manner so that it is selectively heated to such an extent that it simply enters a completely liquid phase and solidifies during solidification. Preferably, the optical module is arranged above the subchamber at a distance from the subchamber.

[0013] Preferably, every sub-chamber formed by at least one partition wall having at least one working space has at least one powder coater and at least one optical module, so that different articles / different types of articles can be manufactured from different materials in each sub-chamber, thereby increasing the flexibility and productivity of the manufacturing system.

[0014] Furthermore, at least one subchamber providing at least one working space includes at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet for supplying and discharging inert gas to and from the subchamber. This means that each subchamber used for additive manufacturing of an article may have a separate inert gas atmosphere with a separate inert gas flow. On the one hand, the inert gas atmosphere can prevent oxidation of the metal material, and on the other hand, the inert gas flow can help to expel smoke and molten droplets from the build field generated when the optical module irradiates the material. For example, argon and / or helium, or nitrogen, or neon (or others) may be used as the inert gas. By dividing the processing chamber into individual subchambers with separate optical modules and separate inert gas flows, smoke generation can be reduced and the evacuation of generated smoke can be improved. This allows for consistent process conditions to be established within the subchambers, thus improving the manufacturing quality of the manufactured article.

[0015] At least one gas inlet or at least one gas outlet is arranged in at least one partition wall to supply and exhaust inert gas into at least one subchamber providing at least one working space. For example, gas may be removed through the partition wall by extracting the inert gas (upward) through the partition wall. For example, a suitable duct / pipe may be arranged in the partition wall, through which the inert gas may be transported from the subchamber by one or more suction units. For example, when a processing chamber having two subchambers in which the same inert gas is used is used, the removed inert gas may be supplied to a common filter system for cleaning. In this case, a common duct / pipe and a common suction unit through the partition wall are also possible.

[0016] However, by using separate subchambers for additive manufacturing of articles, different inert gases can also be used in the individual subchambers. This allows the selection of each inert gas according to the different requirements for manufacturing different articles in the individual subchambers (e.g., taking into account the process parameters required to manufacture the different articles), further increasing both the flexibility and quality of the manufacturing process. In this case, to separate the filter systems, the discharge of the different inert gases may be performed through separate ducts / pipes in the partition wall by separate suction units. In particular, the mentioned filter system may be a recirculating air filter system equipped with a suction unit and returning the cleaned inert gas to at least one subchamber via at least one gas inlet.

[0017] Instead of at least one gas outlet, at least one gas inlet of at least one subchamber providing at least one working space can also be arranged / integrated in at least one partition. In this case, the inert gas can be introduced, for example, from above through the partition and laterally from the partition into the subchamber. This at least one gas inlet can preferably be arranged in the partition so that the supplied inert gas can flow uniformly across the construction field of the at least one working space.

[0018] By integrating the gas inlet or gas outlet into the partition, a larger area in the sub-chamber is available for at least one working space because there is no need to place additional elements in the sub-chamber for supplying or exhausting the inert gas, thus allowing more articles to be manufactured in the sub-chamber, thereby increasing the productivity of additive manufacturing.

[0019] Furthermore, by integrating the gas supply into the partition, the subchambers formed by the partition may be supplied with inert gas from a central gas inlet, which may be located on both sides of the partition. Alternatively, the inert gas may be exhausted from several subchambers by gas outlets on both sides of the partition. This allows for a compact construction of inert gas supplies for the individual subchambers of the processing chamber, reducing flow losses and thus increasing the efficiency of the manufacturing system.

[0020] According to one embodiment, at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet may be arranged opposite each other in at least one subchamber. This means that either the at least one gas inlet or the at least one gas outlet may be arranged on the opposite side of at least one partition. If the at least one gas outlet is arranged in at least one partition, the subchamber's gas inlet may be arranged in the outer region of the subchamber and on an element / component facing the partition. In this case, a flow may be formed above the build field, flowing parallel to it from the outside to the inside of the subchamber. In this way, a uniform velocity distribution can be achieved in the flow, thereby allowing smoke and molten droplets to be continuously discharged. The inside of the subchamber is to be understood as the side adjacent to at least one partition and therefore adjacent to the subchamber.

[0021] On the other hand, if at least one gas inlet is located in at least one partition wall, the gas outlet of at least one subchamber may be located in an element / component located in the outer region of the subchamber. In this case, a flow may be formed above the build field, flowing parallel to it from the inside to the outside of the subchamber. Preferably, the element on which the gas outlet is located is directly adjacent to the build field of at least one working space, so that smoke and molten droplets generated there can be directly extracted.

[0022] According to a further embodiment, at least one powder coater for applying powdered material to the build field may be arranged in the partition. For example, the powder supply of the at least one powder coater may be integrated directly into the partition, so that the material powder can reach the build field of at least one working space of at least one sub-chamber, for example via ducts / pipes in the partition. In this way, the working space in the sub-chamber can be made larger, thus further increasing the productivity of the manufacturing system.

[0023] According to a further embodiment, the apparatus may further comprise a build container carrier arranged below the processing chamber, the upper surface of which closes the processing chamber at the bottom. In other words, the upper surface of the build container carrier may comprise the bottom surface / part of the bottom surface of the processing chamber. The partition may have at least one seal on its bottom surface for sealing at least one gas inlet or outlet arranged in the partition to the upper surface of the build container carrier.

[0024] The build container carrier may comprise at least one build container having a build plate and a lifting device accommodating at least one workspace. This means that at least one workspace of at least one subchamber may be arranged within at least one build container. The build container carrier may comprise multiple build containers. In particular, each subchamber of a processing chamber may include at least one build container. It is also possible for a subchamber to comprise multiple build containers.

[0025] A build plate of at least one build vessel may, in particular, support a build field within a workspace of the build vessel. This means that one or more articles to be manufactured may be built on the build plate. A lifting device may position the build plate vertically, for example, so that at least one workspace can be formed by lowering the build plate within the build vessel. In particular, the lifting device may move the build plate vertically downward by a layer thickness (thickness of a layer of applied material powder) after each build step. A build step may include applying material powder to the build plate by at least one powder coater and solidifying the material by at least one optical module.

[0026] According to a further embodiment, the build container carrier may move at least one build container from a first position to a second position. Preferably, the build container carrier may be a cylindrical carrier that is rotatable to move at least one build container from the first position to the second position. The rotation may preferably be about a longitudinal axis of the build container.

[0027] However, the build container carrier can have a shape different from a cylinder and can be designed, for example, as a rectangular parallelepiped, a cube, or a truncated pyramid. To move the at least one build container, a translational movement of the build container carrier can be performed instead of / in addition to a rotation of the build container carrier to move the at least one build container from a first position to a second position. In both rotational and translational movements, the build container carrier itself moves to move the build container (autonomous movement). However, it is also possible that the build container carrier itself does not move, or that only a part of the build container carrier moves. In this case, for example, the at least one build container can be moved from a first position to a second position by a gripper.

[0028] The movement of the build container from a first position to a second position should be understood as the movement of the build container from any position of the build container to any other position within the processing chamber. Note that the number of positions within the processing chamber is not limited to two, and the build container may be moved to multiple positions. The term "from a first position to a second position" is intended to refer only to the movement of the build container from one position to the next. Thus, it may also move from a second position to a third position, from the third position to a fourth position, etc. In the first position, the build container may be located, for example, in a first subchamber, and in the second (next) position, it may be located, for example, in another subchamber of the processing chamber. Both positions may also be within one subchamber. Similarly, one of the positions may be under at least one partition, for example, to apply material powder to the build plate of at least one build container from a powder coater disposed in the partition.

[0029] According to further embodiments, at least one build vessel may be rotatable about its longitudinal axis. Alternatively or additionally, the build plate of at least one build vessel may be rotatable about its longitudinal axis and / or about the longitudinal axis of the build vessel. In particular, the build vessel may have a cylindrical shape (build cylinder). However, the build vessel can also have a shape different from a cylinder and be designed, for example, as a rectangular prism or a cube. Depending on the embodiment of the build vessel, the build plate may have, for example, a circular or rectangular shape. The build plate may be mounted on / in the build vessel such that its longitudinal axis coincides with the longitudinal axis of the build vessel. In this case, rotation of the build plate about the longitudinal axis simultaneously includes rotation about the longitudinal axis of the build vessel. However, it is also possible that the longitudinal axes of the build plate and the build vessel do not coincide, and the build plate is, for example, arranged on a radius of the build cylinder at a distance from the longitudinal axis. In this case, rotation of the build plate about the longitudinal axis of the build cylinder shall mean movement of the build plate along this radius. The rotation of the build plate about its own longitudinal axis may in this case take place outside the longitudinal axis of the build cylinder, at a distance from the build cylinder around said radius. Rotation of at least one build vessel or its build plate allows different part orientations of different objects to be manufactured, which further increases the flexibility and productivity of the manufacturing system. Part orientation should be understood as the orientation / arrangement of the article to be manufactured in the workspace.

[0030] According to a further embodiment, at least one powder coater for applying powdered material to the build field may be integrated into the partition wall. In this case, the partition wall preferably has at least one wiper lip on its bottom surface. In this embodiment, the at least one powder coater may be completely contained in the partition wall, and in particular, all functions of the powder coater may be performed by the partition wall. As already mentioned above, the powder coater may be supplied, for example, via a duct / pipe in the partition wall. In this case, the required amount of material powder may be provided, for example, by a conveyor shaft and supplied to the build plate of the build container via a duct in the partition wall. When the build container passes the partition wall on its way from the first position to the second position, a wiper lip located on the bottom surface of the partition wall may distribute the material powder to the build plate. This means that the powdered material is applied (coated) to the build field simultaneously as the build container moves. Before moving under the partition wall with the wiper lip, the build plate may be appropriately positioned vertically by a lifting device and lowered, for example, by a layer thickness.

[0031] With this embodiment, the coating function may be fully integrated into existing pieces of equipment, such that a separate powder coater piece is not required to feed and distribute material powder to the build field, thereby increasing the working space within each sub-chamber and further reducing the forces on the manufacturing system pieces.

[0032] According to a further embodiment, the build container carrier may also have at least one material discharge opening. Through this opening, excess material powder can be discharged from the at least one build container, in particular its build plate. This may be achieved by a specific movement, such as a rotation, of the build container carrier, for example, while moving the at least one build container from a first position to a second position. During such movement, the surface of the build container carrier continuously moves past / under at least one wiper lip on the bottom surface of the at least one partition, so that excess material on the surface can be continuously supplied to at least one material discharge section. This may preferably be arranged on the upper surface of the build container carrier. Most preferably, multiple material discharge openings may be arranged on the upper surface of the build container carrier. Excess material can be supplied to one or more powder overflow containers via the material discharge opening.

[0033] According to a further embodiment, at least one of the at least two subchambers may provide a space for preparing and finishing the layer-by-layer construction of an article made of a powdered material. In other words, at least one subchamber formed by at least one partition may not be used as a workspace for additive manufacturing of an article, but may serve, for example, as an unpacking station and / or an assembly station. In this case, a separate optical module is not required for the subchamber in question. Such an embodiment also makes it possible to integrate pre- and post-processing of the article to be / has been manufactured into the manufacturing system. In this way, the entire process can be optimized, and manufacturing productivity can be further increased, for example, since there is no need to cover a distance between the assembly station and the additive manufacturing system.

[0034] According to a further embodiment, a first subchamber of the at least two subchambers may include a first powder coater. The first powder coater may apply a first powdered material to a first build field supported by a first build plate of a first build vessel containing a first working space. Furthermore, a second subchamber of the at least two subchambers may include a second powder coater. The second powder coater may then apply a second powdered material to a second build field supported by a second build plate of a second build vessel containing a second working space. In particular, the second material may be different from the first material. However, it is also possible that the first and second materials are the same material. The exposures may occur simultaneously in the working spaces.

[0035] According to a further embodiment, the first subchamber may have a first optical module capable of spatially selectively irradiating a first powdered material provided in the area of ​​the first build field. Accordingly, the second subchamber may have a second optical module capable of spatially selectively irradiating a second powdered material provided in the area of ​​the second build field. The number of subchambers is not limited to two; multiple subchambers may be provided, in which different materials are preferably applied in the build field, and then irradiated by the optical module of each subchamber. In this way, articles made of different materials can be additively manufactured in different subchambers of the processing chamber.

[0036] According to a further embodiment, a build vessel carrier may move a first build vessel with a first build plate from the first subchamber to the second subchamber, and a second build vessel with a second build plate from the second subchamber to the first subchamber. This allows articles to be made from different materials. For example, a first build vessel with a powder layer of a first material applied to its build plate may be irradiated by a first optical module and then moved to the second subchamber. Simultaneously, a second build vessel with a second material may be irradiated and then moved to the first subchamber. The two build plates may then be positioned vertically, e.g., lowered by a layer thickness, and a powder layer of the second material may be applied to the first material in the second subchamber, and a powder layer of the first material may be applied to the second material in the first subchamber. After being irradiated by the first and second optical modules in the two subchambers, the two build vessels may again be moved from one subchamber to the other, and the process may be repeated. This allows, for example, the construction of articles in a sandwich structure.

[0037] The exact positions of the first and second building fields after moving from one subchamber to another may be detected by appropriate sensors and transmitted to the first and second optical modules. In this way, the focused laser beams of the two optical modules can be always precisely positioned. Furthermore, the positions of the first and second building fields may be adjusted by rotating the first and second building vessels and / or their build plates as described above.

[0038] Preferably, first and second powder coaters may be integrated into at least one partition wall. The first powder coater may be mounted in a first position in / on the partition wall, and the second powder coater may be mounted in a second position in / on the partition wall. A first wiper lip may be arranged in a first position on the bottom surface of the partition wall, and a second wiper lip may be arranged in a second position. It is also possible for an uninterrupted wiper lip to be arranged on the bottom surface of the partition wall. The powder coaters integrated into the partition walls can alternately apply the first and second materials to the first and second build fields. In particular, the first and second materials may be alternately supplied to the first and second build plates and distributed onto the build plates by moving the first and second build containers.

[0039] Excess material powder may be supplied to at least one material discharge opening by rotation of the build container carrier as described above by its own movement, in particular by the wiper lip. If the first and second materials are different materials, the material powder mixed by the discharge of the materials may be supplied to one or more powder overflow containers for reprocessing.

[0040] According to a further embodiment, the first and second subchambers may have a common gas inlet or a common gas outlet. Preferably, the common gas inlet or outlet may be located / integrated in at least one partition, as described above. The inert gas may thereby be extracted from the first and second subchambers, preferably located on both sides of the partition, for example, through openings on both sides of the partition, to a common outlet duct in the partition. Similarly, the common gas inlet to the first and second subchambers may be realized by directing the inert gas from above through a duct in the partition via an opening on its side into the first and second subchambers. In this case, since the same inert gas is used in both subchambers, a common filter system with a common gas outlet through the partition may be used. The common gas inlet through the partition requires only one inert gas supply. This allows for a compact construction of the inert gas supply for the two subchambers, reducing flow losses and thus increasing the efficiency of the manufacturing system.

[0041] A method of using the above described device for layer-by-layer building of powdered material by optical interaction comprises at least one of the steps described below.

[0042] In a first step, at least one working space is provided in at least one sub-chamber in the region of the build field, the at least one sub-chamber being formed by dividing the process chamber by at least one partition. In particular, multiple sub-chambers may be formed by multiple partitions. The working space may preferably be provided in a build container comprising a build plate and a lifting device.

[0043] In a second step, an inert gas is supplied to at least one sub-chamber, i.e., an inert gas atmosphere is deposited in at least one sub-chamber, which on the one hand can prevent oxidation of the metal material and on the other hand can help to expel smoke and molten droplets from the build field.

[0044] Once the inert gas atmosphere is deposited in the at least one sub-chamber, in a third step, powdered material is applied to the build field of at least one work space in the at least one sub-chamber by at least one powder coater. The build field of the at least one work space may preferably be supported by a build plate of the build container, which may be vertically positioned by a lifting device. In particular, the build plate may be lowered by a layer thickness by the lifting device before the material powder is delivered to the build field by the at least one coater. As mentioned above, the at least one powder coater may preferably be disposed on at least one partition wall.

[0045] After the material powder is applied to the build field, in a fourth step, the powdered material supplied to the build field area is spatially selectively irradiated by at least one optical module. In other words, the powdered material supplied to the build field area of ​​the subchamber is selectively irradiated by at least one optical module according to the geometric specifications of one or more articles to be manufactured. In particular, the optical module selectively irradiates the powdered material with a focused laser beam, selectively heating it to such an extent that the powdered material is completely transformed into a liquid phase in a short time and solidifies during solidification.

[0046] After the material is irradiated, inert gas is evacuated from at least one subchamber in a fifth step to remove smoke and molten spatter from the build field. The removed inert gas is preferably fed to a filter system for cleaning and then reintroduced into the subchamber via at least one gas inlet. In particular, a continuous gas flow may be layered across the build field, thereby ensuring constant process conditions during irradiation of the material powder. In other words, the second process step of inert gas supply and the fifth process step of inert gas evacuation should not be understood as a one-time step in the process sequence; rather, these steps are performed continuously.

[0047] Steps 2 through 5, i.e., applying and solidifying the material powder layer by layer to the build field under a continuous flow of inert gas, are repeated until the article is completely built / manufactured. In this process, at least one gas inlet or at least one gas outlet located in at least one partition supplies inert gas to or exhausts inert gas from at least one subchamber. This allows the inert gas supply for at least one subchamber to be constructed compactly, thereby reducing flow losses. Furthermore, a larger area for at least one workspace is available within at least one subchamber because no additional elements for supplying or exhausting inert gas are required within the subchamber.

[0048] According to an embodiment, at least one of the following steps may further be performed between the second and third steps described above:

[0049] Before the powdered material is applied by the at least one coater, a first build plate may be vertically positioned in the first sub-chamber by a first lifting device. In particular, the first build plate may be lowered by a layer thickness by the first lifting device. The first build plate may be placed in a first build vessel housing a first working space to support the first build field. Similarly, a second build plate may be vertically positioned in the second sub-chamber by a second lifting device. In particular, the second build plate may also be lowered by a layer thickness by the second lifting device. The second build plate may be placed in a second build vessel housing a second working space to support the second build field.

[0050] After the first and second build plates are positioned vertically, in a further step, the first and second build containers may be moved from a first position to a second position by a build container carrier on which the first and second build containers are arranged. In particular, the first and second build containers may be moved from a first position in the first and second subchambers to a second position below the partition. Preferably, first and second powder coaters are arranged in the partition and apply a first material powder to the first build field and a second material powder to the second build field. In particular, this may mean that the first and second material powders are supplied to the first and second build plates from first and second ducts in the partition and distributed onto the first and second build plates by at least one wiper lip arranged on the bottom surface of the partition.

[0051] According to a further embodiment, the build container carrier may move the first and second build containers from the second position to a third position during the third and fourth steps, i.e., before spatially selectively irradiating the material powder. In particular, the first and second build containers may move from the second position below the two powder coaters in the partition to a third position where the second build container is in the first sub-chamber and the first build container is in the second sub-chamber. In this third position, the first and second material powders may be spatially selectively irradiated by at least one optical module in each sub-chamber and thereby solidified.

[0052] By repeating the above process, the first and second material powders may be applied alternately to the first and second build fields. In this way, a sandwich structure of two materials may be produced. However, the number of subchambers, powder coaters, and material powders is not limited to two. Multiple subchambers, powder coaters, and material powders may be present, thereby producing an article of three or more materials. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0053] [Figure 1a] 1A and 1B are schematic illustrations of an example of an apparatus for layer-by-layer construction of an article formed from powdered material by optical interaction, in spatial and cross-sectional representations. [Figure 1b] 1A and 1B are schematic illustrations of an example of an apparatus for layer-by-layer construction of an article formed from powdered material by optical interaction, in spatial and cross-sectional representations. [Figure 2a] FIG. 1B is a schematic spatial representation of the internal view of the device shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b. [Figure 2b] FIG. 1B is a schematic spatial representation of the internal view of the device shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b. [Figure 3a] 1A and 1B are schematic illustrations of a further example of an apparatus for layer-by-layer construction of an article formed from powdered material by optical interaction, in spatial and cross-sectional representations; [Figure 3b] 1A and 1B are schematic illustrations of a further example of an apparatus for layer-by-layer construction of an article formed from powdered material by optical interaction, in spatial and cross-sectional representations; [Figure 4a] 3a and 3b show a schematic top view and two cross-sectional views of the device shown in FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b. [Figure 4b] 3a and 3b show a schematic top view and two cross-sectional views of the device shown in FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b. [Figure 4c] 3a and 3b show a schematic top view and two cross-sectional views of the device shown in FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an example of a method for layer-by-layer construction of an article made from powdered materials by optical interaction. [Figure 6a] 1A and 1B are schematic spatial and plan views of a further example of an apparatus for layer-by-layer construction of an article formed from powdered material by optical interaction; [Figure 6b] 1A and 1B are schematic spatial and plan views of a further example of an apparatus for layer-by-layer construction of an article formed from powdered material by optical interaction; [Figure 7a] 6a and 6b show schematic top and cross-sectional views of the device shown in FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b. [Figure 7b]6a and 6b show schematic top and cross-sectional views of the device shown in FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0054] Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the illustrative drawings. The features of the embodiments can be combined in whole or in part, and the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments. In the drawings, the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations of the elements will be omitted as appropriate.

[0055] 1a and 1b show schematic spatial and cross-sectional views of an example of an apparatus for layer-by-layer construction of an article made from powdered materials by optical interaction, with the cross-section of the cross-section of Fig. 1b shown by the thin dotted line in Fig. 1a.

[0056] The illustrated apparatus comprises a processing chamber 1 divided into a first subchamber 1a and a second subchamber 1b by a partition wall 2. For clarity, only the processing chamber 1 with the subchambers 1a and 1b is shown in FIG. 1b. Powder coaters 22a and 22b are arranged in each of the two subchambers 1a and 1b. Furthermore, optical modules 9a and 9b are mounted above each of the subchambers 1a and 1b, and gas inlets 4a and 4b are mounted outside each of the subchambers 1a and 1b. The gas outlets for each of the subchambers 1a and 1b are located within the partition wall 2 (indicated by arrows within the partition wall 2). The processing chamber 1 is mounted in a housing 3. A build vessel carrier 5 is mounted within the housing 3 below the processing chamber 1, and in the illustrated example, contains a first build vessel 11a and a second build vessel 11b. Each of the two build vessels 11 a, 11 b then comprises a lifting device 10 a, 10 b and a build plate 12 a, 12 b. In the example shown, the build vessel carrier 5 has a cylindrical shape, and the build vessels 11 a, 11 b are also designed as build cylinders. The upper surfaces 5 a of the build vessel carriers close the processing chambers 1 at the bottom and, in the example shown, respectively form part of the bottom surface of the processing chambers 1.

[0057] To build one or more articles layer by layer by selective laser melting, powder coaters 22a, 22b each apply a layer of powder, preferably a metal material, to a build field supported by build plates 12a, 12b. The applied powder layer is then spatially selectively irradiated by optical modules 9a, 9b with a focused laser beam. In particular, depending on the geometric specifications of the article to be manufactured, optical modules 9a, 9b selectively irradiate the powdered material provided on build plates 12a, 12b in each case with focused laser beams 19a, 19b. After irradiation, lifting devices 10a, 10b lower build plates 12a, 12b by the layer thickness, and powder coaters 22a, 22b apply a further layer of material powder to the respective build field. A working space for the layer-by-layer construction of the article to be manufactured is thus formed in build vessels 11a, 11b.

[0058] Dividing the processing chamber 1 into two sub-chambers 1a, 1b, each of which provides a workspace for additive manufacturing, makes it possible to produce different articles with different properties in one manufacturing system. Since both sub-chambers 1a, 1b each have their own powder coater 22a, 22b and their own optical modules 9a, 9b, for example, articles made of different materials can be produced in the individual sub-chambers 1a, 1b.

[0059] To prevent oxidation of the metallic material powder and to evacuate smoke and molten droplets from the build field, inert gas is introduced into the subchambers 1a and 1b via gas inlets 4a and 4b located on the sides of the subchambers. This gas flows across the build field and is discharged to the center via gas outlets in the partition wall 2 (indicated by arrows in Figure 1b). This creates a continuous gas flow. An example of a gas outlet arrangement is shown in Figure 4c and will be described in more detail in connection with this figure.

[0060] The arrangement of gas inlets and outlets in the two subchambers 1a and 1b allows for uniform flow over each build field, ensuring consistent process conditions. By dividing the processing chamber 1 into two subchambers 1a and 1b, each with its own separate inert gas flow, smoke and molten droplets can be reliably evacuated.

[0061] Furthermore, by locating the gas outlet in the partition 2, additional components for gas evacuation in the sub-chambers 1a, 1b are avoided, so that a larger working space is available for the additive manufacturing of the article. If the same inert gas is used in both sub-chambers, it is possible to implement a common gas outlet in the partition 2, which can feed contaminated inert gas into a common filter system. In this way, the working forces of the components of the manufacturing system can be reduced.

[0062] However, it is also possible to attach separate gas outlets to the partition 2, so that different inert gases can be used in the two sub-chambers 1a, 1b, which further increases the flexibility and quality of the manufacturing process, as the respective inert gases can be selected according to different requirements for manufacturing different articles in the two sub-chambers.

[0063] Furthermore, only one of the two sub-chambers 1 a, 1 b may be used for additive manufacturing, while the other sub-chamber 1 a, 1 b serves as an unpacking station and an assembly station. In this case, separate optical modules 9 a, 9 b are not required in the sub-chamber 1 a, 1 b in question. Such an embodiment also makes it possible to integrate pre- and post-processing of the articles to be / have been manufactured into the manufacturing system. In this way, the entire process can be optimized, and manufacturing productivity can be further increased, for example, since there is no need to cover distances between the assembly station and the additive manufacturing system.

[0064] Figures 2a and 2b show a schematic spatial representation of the interior view of the apparatus shown in Figures 1a and 1b. In particular, Figures 2a and 2b show an example of a build vessel carrier 5 with build vessels 11a, 11b.

[0065] In FIG. 2a, the build container 5 is shown in a position where the build containers 11a and 11b are in a first position. The first build container 11a is located in / below the first subchamber 1a, and the second build container is located in / below the second subchamber 1b (see FIG. 1b). By rotating the build container carrier 5 about its longitudinal axis, the two build containers 11a and 11b in FIG. 2b are in a second position, where the first build container 11a is located in / below the second subchamber 1b, and the second build container is located in / below the first subchamber 1a. The rotation of the build containers 5 is indicated by the arrows shown below the build containers 5. The arrows shown below the build containers 11a and 11b indicate that, in this example, the individual build containers 11a and 11b can also be rotated about their longitudinal axes.

[0066] By moving two build vessels 11a, 11b, each with a separate powder coater 22a, 22b and separate optical modules 9a, 9b, from one subchamber 1a, 1b to the other, an article may be made from two different materials. For example, after both build vessels 11a, 11b are in a first position and a layer of powder is applied and solidified, the build vessel carrier 5 may be rotated to move the build vessels 11a, 11b to a second position. In the first position, where the first build vessel 11a was in the first subchamber 1a, a first material may be applied and solidified in the first build field of the first build vessel 11a, while a second material may be applied and solidified in the first build field of the first build vessel 11a in the second subchamber 1b. The same applies conversely to the second build field of the second build vessel 11b. The build vessel carrier 5 may then be rotated again to place both build vessels 11a, 11b in the first position again, and a new layer of initial material may be applied to the first and second build fields and allowed to solidify. In this way, an article may be made from two materials in a sandwich structure.

[0067] The exact positions of the first and second build fields of the build vessels 11a, 11b within the subchambers 1a, 1b after rotation of the build vessel carrier 5 can be detected by appropriate sensors and transmitted to the optical modules 9a, 9b. In this way, the focused laser beams of the two optical modules 9a, 9b can always be precisely positioned. Furthermore, the positions of the first and second build fields can be adjusted by rotating the first and second build vessels. In the illustrated example, the build vessels 11a, 11b rotate around their longitudinal axes so that different component orientations can be achieved in the two build vessels 11a, 11b. However, it is also possible to rotate the build plates 12a, 12b instead of or in addition to the build vessels. Each build plate 12a, 12b can be centrally mounted within the build vessels 11a, 11b so that it has the same longitudinal axis as the build vessels 11a, 11b. However, it is also possible to mount the build plates 12a, 12b at a distance from the longitudinal axis of the build vessels 11a, 11b. In this case, the build plates 12a, 12b may preferably rotate about their own longitudinal axis as well as about the longitudinal axis of the build vessels 11a, 11b. This results in a high degree of freedom in terms of positioning the article to be manufactured in the workspace.

[0068] It is also possible for the illustrated apparatus to include two or more partitions 2. For example, the processing chamber 1 may be divided into four sub-chambers 1 a, 1 b, for example by two partitions 2 arranged perpendicular to each other. In this case, if each of these sub-chambers 1 a, 1 b has its own powder coater 22 a, 22 b and its own optical module 9 a, 9 b, an article may be manufactured from up to four materials. Depending on the size of the processing chamber 1, three or more partitions 2 may be installed within the processing chamber 1 to divide the processing chamber 1 into four or more sub-chambers 1 a, 1 b.

[0069] Figures 3a and 3b show a further example of an apparatus for layer-by-layer construction of an article formed from a powdered material through optical interaction, in a spatial and cross-sectional view. The cross-section of the cross-section of Figure 3b is indicated by a thin dotted line in Figure 3a. For clarity, the processing chamber 1 with subchambers 1a and 1b is shown again only in Figure 3b. This example differs from the previous example only in that the powder coaters 22a and 22b are no longer provided in the first and second subchambers 1a and 1b. All other elements are structurally identical to the apparatus shown in Figures 1a and 1b. In this example, the two powder coaters 22a and 22b are integrated into the partition wall 2. The realization of such integration will be explained in more detail below in connection with Figure 4b.

[0070] Figures 4a-4c show a schematic top view and two cross-sectional views of the device shown in Figures 3a and 3b, with Figure 4a essentially serving to define cross sections AA and BB through the device shown in Figures 4b and 4c.

[0071] FIG. 4b shows an example of the integration of a single powder coater 22 within the partition wall 2, located at cross section AA. A second powder coater may similarly be integrated into the partition wall 2, for example, on the opposite side of the device from cross section AA (e.g., in the plane resulting from the inversion of cross section AA at the centerline BB). In particular, these two powder coaters 22 integrated into the partition wall 2 may be used to manufacture articles made of two materials in a sandwich structure in the same manner as described in the previous example. It is also possible for this apparatus to have more than two partition walls 2. For example, the processing chamber 1 may be divided into four subchambers 1a, 1b by two partition walls 2, whereby two powder coaters 22 may be integrated into each partition wall 2. This embodiment of the apparatus therefore also makes it possible to manufacture articles made of three or more materials.

[0072] It can be seen that a quantity of material powder 7 is supplied to the powder coater 22 from above through the partition 2. The required amount of material powder 7 per layer may be supplied, for example, via a conveyor shaft in the partition 2. It then reaches the upper surface 5a of the build container carrier 5 via a funnel-shaped opening on the side of the coater 22 facing the build container carrier 5. The material powder 7 may be applied to the build field of the first build container 11a by rotating the build container carrier 5 with the wiper lip 23 arranged on the bottom surface of the partition 2. In particular, the required amount of material powder 7 may reach the build field of the first build container 11a directly through the funnel-shaped opening of the coater 22, so that the material powder 7 can be distributed to the build field by the wiper lip 23 as the build container carrier 5 rotates. For this purpose, the build container 11a may be pre-rotated into a suitable position relative to the powder coater 22. Before the material powder 7 is applied to the build field of the first build container 11a, its build plate 12a may be lowered, preferably by the layer thickness.

[0073] FIG. 4c shows an example in which two gas outlets 24a, 24b are integrated into the partition 2, through which inert gas may be removed from the first and second subchambers 1a, 1b. Inert gas is exhausted from the first subchamber 1a via the first gas outlet 24a, and inert gas is exhausted from the second subchamber 1b via the second gas outlet 24b. Seals 24aa, 24ba are attached to the bottom surface of the partition 2 in the area of ​​the gas outlets to seal the gas outlets 24a, 24b against the upper surface 5a of the build vessel carrier 5. Inert gas contaminated by smoke and melt droplets exhausted from the two subchambers 1a, 1b through the gas outlets 24a, 24b may be fed to a filter system (not shown). Preferably, this may be a recirculating filter system in which the inert gas is purified and then fed back to the subchambers 1a, 1b via the gas inlets 4a, 4b. If the same inert gas is used in both sub-chambers 1a, 1b, it can be fed into a common filter system for cleaning. In this case, a common gas outlet 24a, 24b through the partition 2 is also possible.

[0074] FIG. 5 shows a schematic example of a method for layer-by-layer construction of an article made from powdered materials by optical interaction.

[0075] In step S500, first, a first subchamber 1a and a second subchamber 1b are formed by dividing the processing chamber 1 by a partition wall 2, and a working space in the area of ​​the build field is provided in each of the two subchambers 1a, 1b. For this purpose, each of the two subchambers 1a, 1b includes a build container 11a, 11b, which has a build plate 12a, 12b and a lifting device 10a, 10b (see, for example, Figures 1b, 3b, and 4c). The working space in the two subchambers is provided by vertically positioning the build plate 12a, 12b in the build container 11a, 11b by the lifting device 10a, 10b, in particular by lowering it by a layer thickness (the thickness of the layer of material powder to be applied). Furthermore, an inert gas atmosphere / flow is provided in both subchambers 1a, 1b to prevent oxidation of the applied material powder and to remove smoke and molten droplets from the build field. Thereby, gas supply to the first sub-chamber 1a is provided via the first gas inlet 4a, and gas supply to the second sub-chamber 1b is provided via the second gas inlet 4b. The gas outlets for the two sub-chambers 1a, 1b are provided via a partition wall (see FIG. 4c).

[0076] After positioning the first and second build plates 12a, 12b vertically, in a further step S510, the first and second build containers 11a, 11b may be moved from a first position to a second position by the build container carrier 5 on which the first and second build containers 11a, 11b are arranged. In this case, the first and second build containers 11a, 11b are moved from the first position in the first and second subchambers 1a, 1b to a second position below or near the partition wall 2. First and second powder coaters are arranged on the partition wall 2 (see FIG. 4b) and apply a first material powder 7a to the first build field and a second material powder 7b to the second build field. In particular, this may mean that the first and second material powders 7a, 7b are supplied to the first and second build plates 12a, 12b from first and second ducts in the partition 2 and distributed onto the first and second build plates 12a, 12b by at least one wiper lip 23 arranged on the bottom surface of the partition 2 (see also Figure 4b).

[0077] After applying the first material powder 7a and the second material powder 7b to the first and second build fields, in a next step S520 the build containers 11a, 11b are moved by the build container carrier 5 from the second position to the third position.

[0078] In this embodiment, the first and second build containers 11 a, 11 b are moved from a second position beneath the two coaters in the partition wall 2 to a third position where the second build container 11 b is in the first subchamber 1 a and the first build container 11 b is in the second subchamber 1 b. In the third position, the two build containers 11 a, 11 b are also located within the irradiation regions 9 aa, 9 ba of the first and second optical modules 9 a, 9 b, respectively, and are also located within the optimal region of inert gas flow between the gas inlets 4 a, 4 b and the gas outlets of the respective subchambers. Therefore, in this position, the first and second material powders may be spatially selectively irradiated by the optical modules 9 a, 9 b and thereby solidified in the next step S530.

[0079] During rotation from the second position to the third position, excess material powder 7a, 7b that may be on the upper surface 5a of the build container carrier 5a may be conveyed / pushed by the wiper lip 23 through the material discharge openings 6a, 6b into one or more powder overflow containers (not shown).

[0080] By repeating the above-described steps S500-S530, the first and second material powders 7a, 7b can be applied alternately to the first and second build fields. In this way, according to the described example, an article can be made of a sandwich structure from two materials. This allows the build container carrier 5 to rotate continuously, i.e., both the application and irradiation of the first and second material powders 7a, 7b can be performed already while the build container carrier 5 is rotating. Similarly, excess material powders 7a, 7b can be continuously removed from the surface 5a of the build container carrier during rotation, as they constantly move under the wiper lip 23. The continuous process of material application and solidification can significantly accelerate the production of additively manufactured articles and thus increase the productivity of the manufacturing system.

[0081] 6a and 6b show a further example of an apparatus for layer-by-layer construction of an article formed from a powdered material by optical interaction, in a spatial and plan view. This example differs from the previous example in that first and second gas outlets 24a, 24b are arranged outside the first and second subchambers 1a, 1b instead of the first and second gas inlets 4a, 4b. Furthermore, in this example, the build vessel carrier 5 includes six build vessels 11a, 11b instead of just two. Therefore, the two optical modules 9a, 9b are not arranged directly opposite each other on either side of the partition wall 2, as in the previous example, e.g., in FIGS. 1a and 3a, but are mounted spaced apart from each other in the direction of the partition wall (see FIG. 6b). The same applies to the first and second gas outlets 24a, 24b, which, in contrast to the gas inlets 4a, 4b shown in Figures 1a and 3a, are likewise not arranged opposite each other but are mounted at a distance from each other in the direction of extension of the partition wall 2. In particular, the gas outlets 24a, 24b in this example are arranged so that smoke and melt droplets (also called process by-products) can be extracted directly to the location where they are generated. Gases are supplied to the two sub-chambers 1a, 1b via corresponding gas inlets in the partition wall 2. This will be explained in more detail below in connection with Figures 7a and 7b.

[0082] 7a and 7b show schematic top and cross-sectional views of the device shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b.

[0083] Figure 7a shows a top view of the irradiation areas 9aa and 9ba of the two optical modules 9a and 9b shown in Figures 6a and 6b. Opposing gas inlets and outlets in the two subchambers 1a and 1b provide an inert gas flow to each of the irradiation areas 9aa and 9ba. The inert gas flows from the gas inlet located in the partition wall toward the gas outlets 24a and 24b. This is indicated by thin arrows in the irradiation areas 9aa and 9ba.

[0084] It is clear that the irradiation areas 9aa, 9ba with associated inert gas flow are arranged in such a way that the build fields of the six build containers 11a, 11b present in this example can be successively irradiated one after the other by rotation of the build container carrier 5. In particular, the continuous rotation of the build container carrier 5 allows the process steps of additive manufacturing (application of material powder, irradiation of material powder, lowering of build plate) to always be performed in the build field of each of the six build containers 11a, 11b.

[0085] Figure 7b shows the apparatus shown in Figures 6a and 6b at cross section AA. Cross section AA is defined by Figure 7a and corresponds to cross section AA according to Figures 4a and 4b. In this example, a gas inlet 4 is integrated into the partition 2 in addition to the powder coater 22. Gas is supplied from above through the partition 2 and then introduced laterally into the second subchamber 1b. The gas inlet is positioned directly opposite the gas outlet 24b so that a uniform inert gas flow can be formed across the build field of the build vessels 11a, 11b entering the irradiation area 9ba. The gas inlet into subchamber 1b, the gas flow across the build field, and the gas outlet through the gas outlet 24b are indicated by corresponding arrows in Figure 7b.

[0086] 4b, a further powder coater may be integrated in the same way, for example on the side of the apparatus opposite cross section AA, and a further gas inlet may be integrated in the same way in the partition 2, for example on the side of the apparatus opposite cross section AA. In order to form a uniform inert gas flow across the build field of the build vessel 11a, 11b, in particular into the irradiation region 9aa, a further gas inlet may be arranged directly opposite the gas outlet 24a. If two different inert gases are used in the first and second sub-chambers 1a, 1b, they are fed to different filter systems (not shown) for cleaning.

[0087] In this embodiment, if the same inert gas is used in both sub-chambers 1a, 1b, it may also be led downwards via a common downpipe in the partition 2 and by branches to the gas inlets of the irradiation zones 9aa, 9ba. In this case, the contaminated inert gas may be led to a common filter system through two gas outlets 24a, 24b.

[0088] In this example, two powder coaters 22 may also be integrated into the partition 2, so that in this case it is also possible to produce articles in a sandwich structure from two materials. Similarly, two or more partitions 2 with integrated powder coaters 22 and gas inlets 4 may be fitted into the processing chamber 1, so that this embodiment of the apparatus also allows for the production of articles made of three or more materials.

Claims

1. 1. An apparatus for layer-by-layer construction of an article of powdered material (7, 7a, b) by optical interaction, in particular by the selective laser melting method, comprising: a processing chamber (1) for providing at least one working space in the area of ​​the building field; at least one partition (2) dividing the processing chamber (1) into at least two sub-chambers (1 a, b), at least one of the at least two sub-chambers (1 a, b) providing the working space; a powder coater (22, 22a, b) for applying said powdered material (7) to said building field; an optical module (9a, b) of an illumination unit for spatially selective illumination of the powdered material (7a, b) provided in the area of ​​the building field; gas inlets (4, 4a, b) for supplying inert gas to the sub-chambers (1a, b); gas outlets (24a, b) for discharging the inert gas from the sub-chambers (1a, b); Equipped with The gas inlet (4a, b) and / or the gas outlet (24a, b) are arranged in the at least one partition (2).

2. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas inlet (4, 4a, b) and the gas outlet (24a, b) are arranged opposite each other in the at least one sub-chamber (1a, b).

3. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one powder coater (22, 22a, b) for applying the powdered material (7) to the building field is arranged on the partition wall (2).

4. a build vessel carrier (5) arranged below the processing chamber (1), the upper surface (5a) of which closes the processing chamber at the bottom, the build vessel carrier (5) comprising at least one build vessel (11a, b) with a build plate (12a, b) and a lifting device (10a, b) accommodating the working space, the lifting device (10a, b) is configured to vertically position the build plate (12a, b) in one of the at least two sub-chambers (1 a, b); Apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the build plate (12a,b) is configured to support the build field.

5. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the build vessel carrier (5) is configured to move the at least one build vessel (11a, b) from a first position to a second position.

6. said at least one building vessel (11 a, b) being rotatable about its longitudinal axis, 6. The apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the build plate (12a, b) of the at least one build vessel (11a, b) is rotatable about its longitudinal axis and / or about the longitudinal axis of the build vessel (11a, b).

7. 7. Apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the powder coater (22, 22a, b) for applying the powdered material (7) to the building field is integrated into the partition (2) and / or the partition (2) has at least one wiper lip (23) on its bottom surface.

8. 8. Apparatus according to at least one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the build vessel carrier (5) has at least one material discharge opening (6a, b).

9. 9. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the at least two sub-chambers (1 a, b) is configured to provide a space for pre- and post-processing the layer-by-layer building of the article (7) made of powdered material.

10. a first (1a) of the at least two sub-chambers (1a,b) comprising a first powder coater (22a) configured to apply a first powdered material (7a) to a first building field supported by a first building plate (12a) of a first building container (11a) containing a first working space, 9. Apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a second (1b) of the at least two sub-chambers (1a, b) comprises a second powder coater (22b) configured to apply a second powdered material (7b) to a second building field supported by a second building plate (12b) of a second building container (11b) containing a second working space.

11. a first optical module (9a) assigned to the first sub-chamber (1a) and configured for spatially selectively illuminating the first powdered material (7a) provided in the area of ​​the first building field, 11. The device according to claim 10, wherein a second optical module (9b) is assigned to the second sub-chamber (1b) and configured for spatially selectively irradiating the second powdered material (7b) provided in the area of ​​the second building field.

12. 12. The apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the build vessel carrier (5) is configured to move the first build vessel (11 a) with the first build plate (12 a) from the first sub-chamber (1 a) to the second sub-chamber (1 b) and to move the second build vessel (11 b) with the second build plate (12 b) from the second sub-chamber (1 b) to the first sub-chamber (1 a).

13. 13. Apparatus according to at least one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the first sub-chamber (1 a) and the second sub-chamber (1 b) comprise a common gas inlet (4 a, b) and / or a common gas outlet (24 a, b).

14. 14. A method for layer-by-layer building of an article of powdered material (7, 7a, b) by optical interaction using a device according to at least one of claims 1 to 13, comprising: (1) Providing a working space in at least one sub-chamber (1 a, b) in the area of ​​a building field, said at least one sub-chamber (1 a, b) being formed by dividing a processing chamber (1) by at least one partition wall (2); (2) supplying an inert gas to said at least one sub-chamber (1 a, b); (3) applying a powdered material (7, 7a, b) to the building field of the working space of the at least one sub-chamber (1a, b) by at least one powder coater (22, 22a, b); (4) spatially selectively illuminating the powdered material provided in at least the region of the building field by at least one optical module (9a, b); (5) evacuating the inert gas from the at least one sub-chamber (1 a, b); (6) repeating steps (2) through (5) until construction of the article is complete; and and said inert gas is supplied to said at least one sub-chamber (1 a, b), and / or wherein the inert gas is exhausted from the at least one sub-chamber (1 a, b) by at least one gas inlet (4 a, b) or at least one gas outlet (2 a, b) arranged in the at least one partition (2).

15. - vertically positioning a first building plate (12a) for supporting a first building field in a first building container (11a) containing a first working space by a first lifting device (10a) in a first sub-chamber (1a) and vertically positioning a second building plate (12b) for supporting a second building field in a second building container (11b) containing a second working space by a second lifting device (10b) in a second sub-chamber (1b); - moving the first and second building receptacles (11 a, b) from a first position to a second position by a building receptacle carrier (5) on which the first and second building receptacles (11 a, b) are arranged; The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the following is additionally performed:

16. - moving the first and second building vessels (11a, b) from the second position to a third position by the building vessel carrier (5); The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

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