Apparatus for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects

Abstract

An apparatus (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (2) by successive, selective layer-by-layer exposure and thus solidification of construction material layers of a construction material (3) that can be solidified by means of an energy beam, comprising at least one temperature control device (11), which is provided for at least partial temperature control of a construction material layer formed in a construction plane, wherein the temperature control device (11) comprises at least one temperature control element (12), which is provided for generating an, especially electromagnetic, temperature control beam, wherein the at least one temperature control element (12) is formed as or comprises a temperature control diode.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, the apparatus comprising:
 an energy beam generation device configured to provide successive, selective layer-by-layer exposure and thus solidification of layers of a construction material;   a process chamber within which the successive, selective layer-by-layer exposure and thus solidification of layers of the construction material is carried out; and,   a temperature control device comprising:
 a holding device; and 
 a plurality of temperature control diodes arranged on or in the holding device, respective ones of the plurality of temperature control diodes configured to generate a respective temperature control beam, such that the plurality of temperature control diodes provide a respective plurality of temperature control beams configured to control a temperature of respective layers of construction material. 
   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of temperature control diodes are arranged in rows or columns in at least one plane. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the holding device comprises a frame on or in which temperature control diodes are arranged. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of temperature control diodes comprise a plurality of surface emitting diode. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of temperature control diodes comprise a plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of temperature control diodes are configured to generate a respective temperature control beam having one or more beam properties that can be varied. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein respective ones of the plurality of temperature control diodes are individually adjustable with respect to one or more beam properties of the respective temperature control beam. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , comprising:
 a controller, the controller configured to control one or more beam properties of respective ones of the temperature control beams generated by the plurality of temperature control diodes.   
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the one or more beam properties that can be varied comprises beam profile, output power, intensity, and/or wavelength. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the controller is configured to actuate one or more of the plurality of temperature control diodes to generate the respective one or more of the plurality of temperature control beams, wherein the one or more beam properties of respective ones of the temperature control beams are varied with respect to location and/or time. 
     
     
         42 . A method of additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, the method comprising:
 forming respective ones of a plurality of layers of a construction material in a construction plane within a process chamber;   controlling, with a temperature control beam generated by a temperature control device, a temperature of the respective ones of the plurality of layers of the construction material, the temperature control device comprising a plurality of temperature control diodes arranged on or in a holding device, the holding device being movably supported in at least one freedom degree of motion relative to the process chamber, and the temperature control beam being generated by one or more of the plurality of temperature control diodes; and   selectively solidifying the respective ones of the plurality of layers of the construction material using an energy beam generation device, the energy beam generation device emitting an energy beam configured to cause layer-by-layer exposure and thus solidification of the respective ones of the plurality of layers of the construction material.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of temperature control diodes are arranged in rows or columns in at least one plane. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the holding device comprises a frame on or in which temperature control diodes are arranged, wherein at least one of the plurality of temperature control diodes are movably supported in at least one freedom degree of motion relative to the frame. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , comprising:
 controlling, with the temperature control device, one or more properties of the temperature control beam.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the one or more properties comprise output power, intensity, and/or wavelength. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , comprising:
 varying one or more properties of the temperature control beam with respect to location and/or time at least in part by actuating, with the temperature control device, one or more of the plurality of temperature control diodes, the actuated one or more of the plurality of temperature control diodes generating the temperature control beam.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 45 , comprising:
 detecting, with a detection device, the temperature of a construction material layer to be temperature controlled; and   controlling, with the temperature control device, one or more of the plurality of the temperature control diodes based at least in part on detection information indicative of the temperature of the construction material layer having been detected by the detection device.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the detection device comprises a pyrometer. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of temperature control diodes comprises a surface emitting diode. 
     
     
         51 . A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a processor associated with an apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, causes the apparatus to perform a method comprising:
 forming respective ones of a plurality of layers of a construction material in a construction plane within a process chamber;   controlling, with a temperature control beam generated by a temperature control device, the temperature of the respective ones of the plurality of layers of the construction material, the temperature control device comprising a plurality of temperature control diodes arranged on or in a holding device, the holding device being movably supported in at least one freedom degree of motion relative to the process chamber, and the temperature control beam being generated by one or more of the plurality of temperature control diodes; and   selectively solidifying the respective ones of the plurality of layers of the construction material using an energy beam generation device, the energy beam generation device emitting an energy beam configured to cause layer-by-layer exposure and thus solidification of the respective ones of the plurality of layers of the construction material.