Powder bed fusion apparatus and methods
AssigneeRenishaw PLC
InventorNneji KEMAKOLAM
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A powder bed fusion apparatus in which an object is built in a layer-by-layer manner. The apparatus has a build sleeve and a build platform for supporting a powder bed, the build platform lowerable in the build sleeve. A processing plate is coupled to an upper end of the build sleeve. The apparatus further has a doser for dosing powder and a recoater for spreading the dosed powder across the processing plate to the powder bed. A heater is provided for heating the powder bed. An active cooling device having a cooling element and/or cooling channel is to form, in use, an active thermal barrier to conduction of heat from the build sleeve through the processing plate.
Claims15
A powder bed fusion apparatus in which an object is built in a layer-by-layer manner, the apparatus comprising a build sleeve, a build platform for supporting a powder bed, the build platform lowerable in the build sleeve, a processing plate coupled to an upper end of the build sleeve, the processing plate being a separate component to the build sleeve, a doser for dosing powder, a recoater for spreading the dosed powder across the processing plate to the powder bed, a heater for heating the powder bed and an active cooling device comprising a cooling element and/or cooling channel to, in use, form an active thermal barrier to conduction of heat from the build sleeve through the processing plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.