Powder application arrangement comprising a camera

A powder application arrangement for an apparatus for manufacturing work pieces by irradiating powder layers with electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation, the powder application arrangement comprising:

• a carrier adapted to receive layers of a raw material powder and a work piece made of the raw material powder by a generative layer construction method,
• a powder application device configured to deposit the raw material powder onto the carrier, the powder application device including a powder chamber adapted to receive and store the raw material powder and a powder outlet opening adapted to discharge the raw material powder from the powder chamber onto the carrier, the powder application device being movable back and forth across the carrier,
• a first camera attached to the powder application device to acquire images of a surface of a raw material powder layer applied onto the carrier by the powder application device while the powder application device is moved across the carrier,
• a second camera attached to the powder application device to acquire images of a surface of the work piece made of the raw material powder by the generative layer construction method while the powder application device is moved across the carrier,
• a process chamber sealed against the ambient atmosphere, and the carrier, the powder application device, the first camera, and the second camera are all located within the process chamber,
• at least one illumination device attached to the powder application device in such a position that it is capable of illuminating at least one of the surface of the raw material powder layer applied onto the carrier by the powder application device and the surface of the work piece made of the raw material powder by the generative layer construction method while the powder application device is moved across the carrier, and
• at least one cleaning station which is arranged so as to come into contact with at least one of the first and second cameras and the at least one illumination device after the powder application device has completed a movement across the carrier and has reached a position of rest and which is adapted to clean at least one of the first and second cameras and the at least one illumination device.

A powder application arrangement for an apparatus for manufacturing work pieces by irradiating powder layers with electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation, the powder application arrangement comprising:

• a carrier adapted to receive layers of a raw material powder and a work piece made of the raw material powder by a generative layer construction method,
• a powder application device configured to deposit the raw material powder onto the carrier, the powder application device including a powder chamber adapted to receive and store the raw material powder and a powder outlet opening adapted to discharge the raw material powder from the powder chamber onto the carrier, the powder application device being movable back and forth across the carrier, the powder application device having a first face and a second face arranged opposite the first face,
• a first camera attached to the first face of the powder application device to acquire images of a surface of a raw material powder layer applied onto the carrier by the powder application device while the powder application device is moved across the carrier,
• a second camera attached to the second face of the powder application device to acquire images of a surface of the work piece made of the raw material powder by the generative layer construction method while the powder application device is moved across the carrier,
• a process chamber sealed against the ambient atmosphere, and the carrier, the powder application device, the first camera attached to the first face of the powder application device, and the second camera attached to the second face of the powder application device, are all located within the process chamber,
• a first illumination device attached to the first face of the powder application device in such a position that it is capable of illuminating the surface of the raw material powder layer applied onto the carrier by the powder application device while the powder application device is moved across the carrier,
• a second illumination device attached to the second face of the powder application device in such a position that it is capable of illuminating the surface of the work piece made of the raw material powder by the generative layer construction method while the powder application device is moved across the carrier,
• a first cleaning station which is arranged so as to come into contact with at least one of the first camera and the first illumination device after the powder application device has completed a movement across the carrier and has reached a first position of rest and which is adapted to clean at least one of the first camera and the first illumination device, and
• a second cleaning station which is arranged so as to come into contact with at least one of the second camera and the second illumination device after the powder application device has completed a movement across the carrier and has reached a second position of rest and which is adapted to clean at least one of the second camera and the second illumination device.