Continuous calibration of a non-contact thermal sensor for laser sintering
Assignee3D Systems, Inc.
InventorsTae Mark Chung, Jouni P. Partanen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method of using the apparatus wherein a radiation emitter is positioned adjacent a sensor apparatus within a process chamber in a laser sinter system that emits radiation to the sensor apparatus and a calibration apparatus receives readings from the sensor apparatus to compare temperature sensings received from the sensor apparatus with set emission signals from the radiation emitter to adjust the temperature sensings to calibrate the sensor apparatus during the forming of a three-dimensional article. The calibration is done repeatedly during the build process of the three-dimensional article.
Claims26
A method for forming a three dimensional article by laser sintering comprising the steps of:
- (a) delivering a quantity of powder adjacent a target area in a process chamber;
- (b) spreading the quantity of powder with a spreading mechanism to form a layer of powder;
- (c) heating the powder while adjacent to the target area, while it is spread and as it lies as a layer;
- (d) directing an energy beam over the target area causing the layer of powder to form an integral layer;
- and
- (e) repeating steps (a) to (d) to form additional layers that are integrally bonded to adjacent layers so as to form a three dimensional article, wherein during at least one layer forming step a radiation emitter positioned adjacent a sensor means within the process chamber emits radiation to the sensor means and a calibration means receives readings from the sensor means to compare temperature sensings received from the sensor means with set emission signals from the radiation emitter converted to temperatures from the radiation emitter to adjust the temperature sensings to thereby calibrate the sensor means during the forming of the three dimensional article.
An apparatus for producing parts during a build process from a powder comprising in combination:
- (a) a chamber having a target area at which an additive process is performed, the target area having a first side and an opposing second side;
- (b) fusing means for fusing selected portions of a layer of powder at the target area;
- (c) powder feed means for feeding the powder into the chamber;
- (d) spreading means for spreading powder over the target area;
- (e) heating means for providing thermal energy to the powder in the process chamber;
- (f) sensor means to provide sensings of the temperature of the powder in the process chamber and send readings used to adjust the heating means;
- (g) radiation emitter means set to a desired emission corresponding to a desired temperature to provide radiation emissions at a desired level;
- and
- (h) calibration means to adjust the sensings of the sensor means based on a comparison of the radiation emissions to temperatures to accurately reflect the temperature of the powder and send data to the heating means to adjust the thermal energy provided by the heating means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.