# US 10,479,018 B2 · Additive manufacturing apparatus and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,018 B2 - Document ID: US10479018B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/555,455 - Filed: 2016-03-29 - Published: 2018-02-08 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-30 - Assignees: Renishaw PLC - Applicants: Renishaw PLC - Inventors: Ceri Brown; Nicholas H H Jones; David G J Ewing; Geoffrey McFarland - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479018B2 ## CPC - B29C 64/153: using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting - B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] - B22F 10/366: Scanning parameters, e.g. hatch distance or scanning strategy - B22F 12/44: characterised by the configuration of the radiation means - B22F 12/49: Scanners - B29C 64/264: Arrangements for irradiation - B29C 64/268: using laser beams; using electron beams [EB] - B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling - B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - G02B 26/00: Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements (control of light by modification of the optical properties of the media of the elements involved therein G02F1/00) - G02B 26/101: {with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners (colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129)} - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract An additive manufacturing apparatus including a scanner for directing a laser beam on to layers of flowable material to selectively solidify the material to form an object in a layer-by-layer manner. The scanner includes an optical component operable under the control of a first actuator to reflect the laser beam over a first range of angles in a first dimension and the or a further optical component operable under the control of a second actuator to reflect the laser beam over a second range of angles in the first dimension, wherein the second actuator provides a faster dynamic response but a smaller range of movement of the laser beam than the first actuator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising a scanner for directing a laser beam on to layers of flowable material to selectively solidify the material to form an object in a layer-by-layer manner, the scanner comprising a first actuator, an optical component operable under the control of the first actuator to reflect the laser beam over a first range of angles in a first dimension, a second actuator, and the optical component or a further optical component operable under the control of the second actuator to reflect the laser beam over a second range of angles in the first dimension, wherein the second actuator provides a faster dynamic response but a smaller range of movement of the laser beam than the first actuator; and a controller arranged to control the first and second actuators to accelerate/decelerate the laser beam in the first dimension using the faster dynamic response of the second actuator synchronously whilst moving the laser beam in the first dimension using the first actuator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to control the first and second actuators such that synchronously with operating the first actuator to deliver continuous motion of the laser beam in a direction, the second actuator is operated to deliver an oscillating motion such that the laser beam moves along a path in a series of a staccato movements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is arranged to control the first and second actuators such that the laser beam is held relatively stationary to expose a region of the path to the laser beam before the laser beam undergoes a short, sharp movement to “hop” the laser beam to another region of the path. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is arranged to be synchronised with a pulsed laser beam such that during a “hop” the laser beam is switched off. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to control the first and second actuators such that synchronously with operating the first actuator to change a direction of the laser beam in the first dimension, the second actuator is operated to provide a sharper change in direction of the laser beam in the first dimension. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second actuator comprises a piezoelectric actuator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second actuator comprises at least one voice coil. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second actuator comprises at least one normal-stress actuator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a galvanometer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical component comprises a tiltable optical component that can be rotated to reflect the laser beam over the range of angles. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical component comprises a deformable component that can be deformed by the actuator to reflect the laser beam over the range of angles. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical component comprises a mirror. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a third actuator and an additional optical component operable under the control of the third actuator to reflect a laser beam over a third range of angles in a second dimension orthogonal to the first dimension. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13, comprising a fourth actuator, wherein the optical component, the further optical component, the additional optical component or a further additional optical component is operable under the control of the fourth actuator to reflect a laser beam over a fourth range of angles in the second dimension, wherein the fourth actuator provides a faster dynamic response but a smaller range of movement than the third actuator. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing a part using an additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, the method comprising depositing layers of flowable material across a build platform and operating the scanner to scan the laser beam across selected areas of each layer to consolidate the material in the selected areas, wherein the laser beam is accelerated/decelerated in the first dimension using the faster dynamic response of the second actuator synchronously with moving the laser beam in the first dimension using the first actuator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A part manufactured in accordance with the method of claim 15. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A non-transitory data carrier having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a controller of an additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, causes the additive manufacturing apparatus to carry out the method comprising depositing layers of flowable material across a build platform and operating the scanner to scan the laser beam across selected areas of each layer to consolidate the material in the selected areas, wherein the laser beam is accelerated/decelerated in the first dimension using the faster dynamic response of the second actuator synchronously with moving the laser beam in the first dimension using the first actuator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the further optical component comprises a tiltable optical component that can be rotated to reflect the laser beam over the range of angles. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the further optical component comprises a deformable component that can be deformed by the actuator to reflect the laser beam over the range of angles. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the further optical component comprises a mirror. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a third actuator and the optical component is operable under the control of the third actuator to reflect a laser beam over a third range of angles in a second dimension orthogonal to the first dimension. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) An additive manufacturing apparatus according to claim 21, comprising a fourth actuator, wherein the optical component, the further optical component or a further additional optical component is operable under the control of the fourth actuator to reflect a laser beam over a fourth range of angles in the second dimension, wherein the fourth actuator provides a faster dynamic response but a smaller range of movement than the third actuator. ### Claim 23 An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising: a build chamber; a build platform lowerable in the build chamber such that layers of flowable material can be successively formed across the build platform; a radiation generator for generating an energy beam; a scanner for directing the energy beam onto each layer to selectively solidify the material, the scanner comprising a first beam steering component for deflecting the energy beam over a first range of angles in a first dimension and a second beam steering component for deflecting the energy beam over a second range of angles in the first dimension, wherein the second beam steering component provides a faster dynamic response but a smaller range of movement of the energy beam than the first beam steering component; and a controller arranged to control the first and second beam steering components to accelerate/decelerate the energy beam in the first dimension using the faster dynamic response of the second beam steering component synchronously whilst moving the energy beam in the first dimension using the first beam steering component actuator.