Method and apparatus for additive manufacturing

A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising one or more executable portions configured for:

• upon receipt of at least one model of a three-dimensional article, lowering a support structure a predetermined distance and rotating the support structure a predetermined angle in a first direction before applying a first powder layer covering the lowered and rotated support structure,
• rotating the at least one model by the predetermined angle in the first direction before directing the at least one first energy beam from the at least one first energy beam source at selected locations for fusing the first powder layer,
• directing the at least one first energy beam from the at least one first energy beam source at selected locations according to the model for fusing the first powder layer on the support structure, which is stationary, for forming first portions of the three-dimensional article, and
• repeating the lowering, rotating, and directing steps until the three-dimensional article is finished.

An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of a powder bed, which parts corresponds to successive cross sections of the three-dimensional article, the apparatus comprising:

• a selectively rotatable support structure;
• at least one first energy beam;
• at least one control unit with a computer model of the three-dimensional article stored thereon, the control unit being configured for:
• moving the support structure a predetermined distance in z-direction and rotating the support structure a predetermined angle in a first direction before applying a first powder layer covering the lowered and rotated support structure,
• rotating the computer model by the predetermined angle in the first direction before directing the at least one first energy beam from the at least one first energy beam source at selected locations for fusing the first powder layer,
• directing the at least one first energy beam from the at least one first energy beam source at selected locations according to the model for fusing the first powder layer on the support structure, which is stationary, for forming first portions of the three-dimensional article, and
• repeating the moving, rotating, and directing steps until the three-dimensional article is finished.