Dynamic optical assembly for laser-based additive manufacturing

An additive manufacturing system comprising:

• a powder bed;
• a build platform gantry positioned over the powder bed;
• a one or more final mirrors mounted to the build platform gantry;
• a precursor mirror;
• one or more compensating gantries;
• one or more intermediate mirrors mounted to the one or more compensating gantries;
• an energy source configured to direct a patterned light beam at the precursor mirror;
• and
• a processing device programmed to:
• obtain information regarding an image distance associated with an intensity and a pixel size of the patterned light beam on a location of a top surface of a powder bed during a three-dimensional (3D) print job;
• perform a plurality of rotations of the one or more intermediate mirrors and the one or more final mirrors to direct the patterned light beam from the precursor mirror onto the location of the location of the top surface of the powder bed;
• and
• perform a plurality of translational movements of the one or more compensating gantries and the build platform gantry to control a distance traversed by the patterned light beam from the precursor mirror to the location of the top surface of the powder bed to substantially preserve an image resolution of the patterned light beam at a desired location.