Apparatus for producing an object by means of additive manufacturing

Abstract

An apparatus for producing an object by additive manufacturing including a process chamber for receiving a bath of material configured to be solidified, wherein a surface level of the bath of material defines an object working area. A support positions an object to be produced in relation to the surface level. A plurality of solidifying devices are configured to solidify a selective part of the bath of material and operate in substantially the entire object working area. A controller individually controls each of the plurality of solidifying devices such that each device can operate on in a different part of the object working area. A method for producing an object using the apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for producing an object by additive manufacturing, comprising:
 a process chamber configured to receive a bath of material configured to be solidified, wherein a surface level of the bath of material defines an object working area;   a support configured to position an object to be produced in relation to the surface level of the bath of material;   a plurality of solidifying devices each configured to solidify a selective part of the bath of material, wherein each of the plurality of solidifying devices is configured to operate in at least substantially the entire object working area; and   a controller configured to individually control each of the plurality of solidifying devices, wherein the controller is configured to simultaneously operate each of the plurality of solidifying devices in different parts of the object working area.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of solidifying devices is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a plurality of deflectors configured to deflect electromagnetic radiation emitted by each of the plurality of solidifying devices. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of deflectors are positioned proximal a line perpendicular to a plane defined by the object working area, and wherein the line passes through a geometrical center of gravity of the object working area. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of deflectors are positioned above a center part of the object working area such that a central or neutral position of electromagnetic radiation beams of each of the plurality of solidifying devices is located more towards the center part than to peripheral parts of the object working area. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a type of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the plurality of solidifying devices differs for at least two of the plurality of solidifying devices. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises four solidifying devices. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the apparatus comprises four deflectors configured to deflect electromagnetic radiation emitted by the four solidifying devices, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the four solidifying devices and the four deflectors are arranged in a geometrical pattern. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein power provided by the plurality of solidifying devices is mutually different. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to individually control the plurality of solidifying devices such that only one of the solidifying devices is active at a time. 
     
     
         12 . A method for producing an object by additive manufacturing, comprising the steps of:
 providing a bath of material configured to be solidified, wherein a surface level of the bath of material defines an object working area; and   simultaneously operating a plurality of solidifying devices in substantially the entire object working area to simultaneously solidify different parts of an object to be produced.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising the step of solidifying a contour of the object to be produced using one of the plurality of solidifying devices while simultaneously solidifying an internal part of the object to be produced with another one of the plurality of solidifying devices. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein solidifying is achieved using electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the plurality of solidifying devices is configured to preheat a selective part of the bath of material and at least one other of the plurality of solidifying devices is configured to solidify the preheated selective part of the bath of material, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 preheating, by the at least one of the plurality of solidifying devices, different parts of the object to be produced, and;   solidifying, by the a least one other of the plurality of solidifying devices, the preheated different parts of the object to be produced.