Additive manufacturing systems with a contaminant removal system and methodologies for removing contaminants during additive manufacturing processes

A material delivery system for an additive manufacturing system configured to manufacture one or more objects on a platform, the material delivery system comprising:

• a body;
• a powder outlet formed in a bottom of the body;
• a powder leveler positioned at the bottom of the body behind the powder outlet relative to a first direction, the powder leveler configured to level a feedstock material after the feedstock material is deposited on the platform and the one or more objects;
• and
• a contaminant remover configured to remove contaminants from a top layer of the one or more objects prior to the material delivery system depositing a layer of the feedstock material on the platform and the one or more objects.

A method for controlling an additive manufacturing system for manufacturing one or more objects, the additive manufacturing system including an additive manufacturing apparatus and control circuitry, the method comprising:

• controlling, with the control circuitry, the additive manufacturing apparatus to form a top layer of the one or more objects, the additive manufacturing apparatus including a build chamber, an additive manufacturing apparatus including a platform positioned in the build chamber and configured to support one or more objects, a material delivery system configured to provide feedstock material to the build chamber, a laser system configured to melt the feedstock material to form layers of the one or more objects, and a contaminant remover configured to remove contaminants from the top layer of the one or more objects;
• controlling, with the control circuitry, the contaminant remover to remove the contaminants from the layer of the one or more objects formed prior to the material delivery system depositing a subsequent layer of the feedstock material thereon;
• and
• controlling, with the control circuitry, the material delivery system to deposit the subsequent layer of the feedstock material on the top layer after the contaminant remover removes the contaminants from the top layer.