Additive manufacturing apparatus and method

A method of manufacturing a part, in which material layers are solidified using a laser or electron beam in a layer-by-layer manner to form an object, the method comprising, repeatedly, forming a layer of a material bed, and scanning the laser or electron beam across the layer to solidify selected areas of the layer, the method further comprising generating a microwave or radio wave field to differentially heat the material bed based upon the selected areas.

An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising a build chamber containing a support for supporting a material bed, a layering device for forming layers of the material bed, a laser or electron beam source for generating a laser or electron beam, a device for steering the laser or electron beam to solidify selected areas of each layer to form a part and a further energy source controllable to preheat each one of the selected areas of each layer whilst the laser or electron beam is solidifying a separate one of the selected areas.

A method of manufacturing a part, in which material layers are solidified using a laser or electron beam in a layer-by-layer manner to form an object, the method comprising, repeatedly, forming a layer of a material bed, and scanning the laser or electron beam across the layer to solidify selected areas of the layer, the method further comprising preheating each one of the selected areas of each layer with an energy source separate from the laser or electron beam whilst the laser or electron beam is solidifying a separate one of the selected areas.

An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising a build chamber containing a support for supporting a material bed, a layering device for forming layers of the material bed, a laser or electron beam source for generating a laser or electron beam, a device for steering the laser or electron beam to solidify selected areas of each layer to form a part and a phased array controllable to generate a pattern or patterns of electromagnetic radiation to heat the material bed.

A method of manufacturing a part, in which material layers are solidified using a laser or electron beam in a layer-by-layer manner to form an object, the method comprising, repeatedly, forming a layer of a material bed, and scanning the laser or electron beam across the layer to solidify selected areas of the layer, the method further comprising heating the material bed with one or more patterns of electromagnetic radiation generated using a phased array.

An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising a build chamber containing a support for supporting a material bed, a layering device for forming layers of material to form the material bed, a laser or electron beam source for generating a laser or electron beam, a device for steering the laser or electron beam to solidify selected areas of each layer to form solidified material of a part and a microwave or radio wave source to generate microwaves or radio waves steerable to a plurality of locations on the material bed and a controller for controlling the microwave or radio wave source to steer the radiation to heat selected portions of unsolidified material neighbouring the solidified material to regulate conduction of heat through the solidified material during cooling.