Additive manufacturing using a particle beam

Abstract

In accordance with one or more embodiments herein, an additive manufacturing apparatus 100 is provided. The additive manufacturing apparatus 100 comprises a particle beam source 110, a build tank 150, a vacuum chamber 130, arranged to enclose the particle beam all the way from the particle beam source 110 to the build tank 150, one or more vacuum pumps 140, arranged to provide vacuum inside the vacuum chamber 130, and an X-ray shield 120, arranged to enclose at least the particle beam source 110, the vacuum chamber 130, and at least one of the one or more vacuum pumps 140. Further, a method 400 for constructing an additive manufacturing apparatus comprising a particle beam source 110 and a build tank 150 is provided. The method 400 comprises arranging 410 an X-ray shield 120 in an additive manufacturing apparatus 100, to enclose at least the particle beam source 110, a vacuum chamber 130 arranged to enclose the particle beam all the way from the particle beam source 110 to the build tank 150, and at least one vacuum pump 140 arranged to provide vacuum inside the vacuum chamber 130.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.