Methods and systems for calibrating an additive manufacturing machine

A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a processor associated with an additive manufacturing machine, causes the processor to perform a method comprising:

• detecting a reflected beam becoming incident upon a detection device, the reflected beam comprising a portion of a calibration beam having been reflected by a reflective surface of a calibration substrate;
• and
• determining an alignment of the reflected beam and/or the calibration beam with an optical axis based at least in part on detecting the reflected beam becoming incident upon the detection device;
• wherein, the reflected beam becomes incident upon a fiber end of an optical fiber and propagates through the optical fiber prior to becoming incident upon the detection device, the optical fiber defining a portion of a detection path from the reflective surface to the detection device.

An additive manufacturing system for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, the additive manufacturing system comprising:

• an optical fiber configured to emit a calibration beam, the optical fiber comprising a fiber end;
• a calibration substrate comprising a reflective surface;
• a detection device configured to detect a reflected beam comprising a portion of the calibration beam having been reflected by the reflective surface, the optical fiber defining a portion of a detection path from the reflective surface to the detection device;
• and
• a controller configured to cause the additive manufacturing machine to perform a calibration operation comprising:
• detecting the reflected beam becoming incident upon the detection device;
• and
• determining an alignment of the reflected beam and/or the calibration beam with an optical axis based at least in part on detecting the reflected beam becoming incident upon the detection device.