Machine and method for powder-based additive manufacturing

16:

• A machine for additive manufacturing of components by sintering or melting powder, the machine comprising:
• a framework;
• a working zone;
• beam emission and control modules mounted inside the framework, each of the modules being structured to emit an energy beam and to control the energy beam, each of the modules including:
• an emission source structured to emit the energy beam, and
• an optical focusing system structured to focus the energy beam emitted by the emission source;
• and
• actuators associated with the optical focusing systems of the modules, respectively, each of the actuators being structured to adjust a vertical axial position of a corresponding optical focusing system with respect to the working zone independently of another of the actuators associated with another of the optical focusing systems,
• wherein each of the modules acts on the working zone in order to manufacture a same component, and
• wherein each of the optical focusing systems is structured to move axially in translation along a vertical axis with respect to the framework.

22:

• The machine according to claim 21,
• wherein the framework includes:
• a frame bounding the working zone, and
• a box supporting the modules, the actuators, and the guide portion, and
• wherein the adjustor is interposed between the frame and the box.

25:

• The machine according to claim 21, wherein each of the adjustment devices includes:
• a body,
• a slide movably mounted in the body,
• an adjustment member structured to adjust a position of the slide in the body, and
• an actuating bushing mounted on the body and structured to cooperate with the slide so that, under an effect of a movement of the slide, the bushing moves in translation in a transverse direction with respect to a direction of movement of the slide.

26:

• The machine according to claim 16, further comprising:
• a second working zone separate from the working zone;
• and
• second beam emission and control modules separate from the modules, the second modules being structured to emit a second energy beam and to control the second energy beam with respect to the second working zone.

29:

• A process for additive manufacturing of a component by sintering or melting powder, the process comprising steps of:
• depositing a layer of powder on a working zone;
• melting, at least partially, the layer deposited on the working zone in a pattern corresponding to a section of the component using at least two energy beams and at least two separate focusing systems, each focusing system being associated with a respective one of the energy beams;
• repeating the depositing step and the melting step to produce stacked layers, the component being formed from the stacked layers;
• at least one of before and during the melting step, adjusting vertical positions of the focusing systems with respect to the working zone, the vertical positions being adjusted independently of one another in order to alter a size of each energy beam projected onto the working zone.