Apparatus for metal additive manufacturing and electrical discharge machining

An apparatus for metal additive manufacturing and electrical discharge machining, and being adapted to machine a metal powder into a rigid body, said apparatus comprising:

• an apparatus frame unit including a main frame and a processing lift table, said main frame having a processing surface and a processing space that is recessed from said processing surface, said processing lift table being received in said processing space, and being movable relative to said processing surface in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to said processing surface;
• an additive manufacturing unit disposed on said main frame, and including a powder applying unit and a laser unit, said powder applying unit including a powder applying member that is adapted to apply a layer of the metal powder onto said processing lift table, so that the metal powder is flush with said processing surface of said main frame, said laser unit being disposed on said main frame and being adapted to heat a part of the metal powder that is disposed within an imaginary contour line to form the rigid body having a contour that is defined by the imaginary contour line;
• and
• an electrical discharge machining unit disposed on said main frame, proximate to said additive manufacturing unit, and including a carrier unit, a powder removing member, and an electrode member, said carrier unit removably holding said electrode member and being movable relative to said main frame, said powder removing member being disposed on said carrier unit and being adapted to remove a part of the metal powder that is proximate to the imaginary contour line, said electrode member being adapted to machine the rigid body via electrical discharge.