Method for producing a support structure in additive manufacturing

A method for manufacturing a support structure in additive manufacturing of a component, comprising:

• a) providing a geometry for the component having a region to be supported,
• b) providing a support structure for the region of the component to be supported,
• c) defining an irradiation pattern for an irradiation of layers of a raw material for the support structure, wherein area vectors for an irradiation for a structure region of a layer that forms the structure of the component extend into a support structure region of the layer that forms the support structure, wherein common area vectors are defined for structure region of the component and for the support structure region of the component, and
• d) selectively irradiating layers of the raw material for the component and the provided support structure in accordance with the defined irradiation pattern;
• wherein the support structure is manufactured in such a way that irradiation of one or more support structure regions of layers in a layer sequence is omitted;
• the method further comprising:
• forming a first layer comprising a first layer structure region and a first layer support structure region;
• irradiating the first layer structure region but not the first layer support structure region;
• forming a second layer over the first layer, the second layer comprising a second layer structure region and a second layer support structure region;
• and
• irradiating the second layer support structure region with an irradiation power that is greater than an irradiation power used to irradiate the second layer structure region and in a manner effective to melt pulverate material in the first layer support structure region thereunder.