System and method for high power diode based additive manufacturing

A method for performing an Additive Manufacturing (AM) fabrication process on a powdered material forming a substrate, the method comprising:

• using a base plate to support a layer of the powdered material thereon;
• using a laser source to generate a pulsed laser beam providing electromagnetic radiation made up of a plurality of laser beams arranged in a 2D grid;
• using an optical subsystem including a 2D mask to generate electromagnetic radiation in a form of a plurality of laser beams which form a 2D pattern creating a 2D image, directed at the powdered material;
• controlling a duty cycle of the laser source to produce an average power density level sufficient to melt the powdered material;
• controlling a power density level of the plurality of laser beams, taking into account a composition of the powdered material, an absorptivity of the powdered material, a dimension of particles making up the powdered material, a thickness of the powdered layer, a thickness of the base plate, and a temperature of the base plate;
• the optical subsystem using the 2D pattern generated by the 2D mask to selectively sinter at least desired portions of a layer of the powdered material simultaneously;
• and
• the at least one processor and the optical subsystem operating to sinter new quantities of powdered material, in a sequential layer-by-layer sequence of operations, to form an additively manufactured part.

A method for performing an Additive Manufacturing (AM) fabrication process on a powdered material forming a substrate, the method comprising:

• using a base plate to support supporting a layer of the powdered material thereon which forms a powder bed;
• using a laser source to generate a pulsed laser beam providing electromagnetic radiation made up of a plurality of laser beams arranged in a 2D grid;
• using an optical subsystem including a dynamically controlled, digital 2D mask to generate electromagnetic radiation in a form of a plurality of laser beams which form a 2D pattern creating a 2D image, directed at the powdered material;
• controlling a duty cycle of the laser source to produce an average power density level sufficient to melt the powdered material;
• controlling a power density level of the plurality of laser beams, taking into account an absorptivity of the powdered material, a dimension of particles making up the powdered material, a composition of the powdered material, a temperature of the base plate, and a thickness of the powder bed;
• the optical subsystem using the 2D pattern generated by the 2D mask to selectively sinter at least desired portions of a layer of the powdered material simultaneously;
• and
• continuing to use the optical subsystem to sinter new quantities of powdered material, in a sequential, layer-by-layer process to form a part.