Method and Device for Additive Manufacturing of a Component

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This patent describes a method and apparatus for additive manufacturing (3D printing) using laser beams of at least two different wavelengths to process a thermoplastic powder. The powder is formulated to absorb the laser beams differently depending on their wavelength, allowing selective melting at different depths within each layer. This enables precise control over how layers are fused together, improves flexibility in the manufacturing process, and provides ways to increase efficiency and tailor part properties. The invention also allows for in-situ quality control using laser beams that penetrate deeply without heating, enabling inspection during fabrication.

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• Rapid prototyping of complex polymer parts with varying structural requirements.
• Manufacturing functional plastic components needing fine outer resolution and robust inner structure (e.g., medical implants, automotive parts, aerospace components).
• Producing parts with locally adjusted material density (e.g., lighter interiors with reinforced surfaces).
• In-situ quality control during 3D printing, allowing early detection and correction of defects like pores or binding errors.
• Customizable part production where different regions require different melting depths or thermal profiles.
• Efficient printing of large parts with variable layer thicknesses to reduce build time.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enhanced manufacturing efficiency through selective melting and the ability to use thicker layers where fine resolution is not necessary, reducing build times.
• Improved part quality and mechanical properties by tailored control of melting and cooling profiles layer-by-layer and region-by-region.
• Flexible control over part resolution, enabling high-resolution surfaces and rapid inner-layer construction in a single process.
• Reduced waste and increased yield due to in-situ monitoring and real-time defect correction.
• Ability to customize material properties locally within a printed component for advanced applications.
• Lower overall energy consumption, as the appropriate wavelength can be selected for optimal energy absorption as needed for each layer or region.

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Patent Abstract

Es werden ein Verfahren und eine Vorrichtung zur additiven Fertigung eines Bauteils beschrieben. Eine Laseranordnung (10) zur Erzeugung von Laserstrahlen (S1) mit mindestens zwei unterschiedlichen Wellenlängen wird bereitgestellt. Ein thermoplastisches Baumaterialpulver (5) wird bereitgestellt, wobei das Baumaterialpulver (5) für die unterschiedlichen Wellenlängen der Laserstrahlen (S1) ein unterschiedliches Absorptionsverhalten zeigt. Mehrere Bauteilschichten (15, 16) werden erzeugt, wobei jeweils eine Pulverschicht des Baumaterialpulvers (5) aufgetragen wird und das Baumaterialpulver (5) in zu verfestigenden Bereichen der Pulverschicht mit Hilfe der Laserstrahlen (S1) aufgeschmolzen wird, und wobei die Laserstrahlen (S1) unterschiedlicher Wellenlängen selektiv auf die Pulverschichten eingestrahlt werden, um mit dem Baumaterialpulver (5) mit unterschiedlicher Eindringtiefe wechselzuwirken.