DE102016013854A1 - Method and device for producing a component by selective laser melting - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for producing a component (12) by selective laser melting, in which at least one laser steel (34) is provided by means of at least one laser (14, 16), by means of which powdered material (18) from which the Component (12) is produced, is melted, wherein as the laser (14, 16), a diode laser with at least one laser diode (38) is used, by means of which the laser beam (34) is provided.

Description

The invention relates to a method and to the production of a component by selective laser melting according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and to an apparatus for producing a component by selective laser melting according to the preamble of patent claim 4.

Such a method and apparatus for producing a component by selective laser melting are already known, for example DE 10 2014 222 302 A1 to be known as known. In the method, at least one laser beam is provided by means of at least one laser, by means of which powdered material from which the component is produced, is melted. Thus, the device comprises the at least one laser. For example, by layer-by-layer melting of the powdery material, the component is produced from respective layers of the molten, powdery material, wherein, for example, the layers are joined together by the melting of the powdery material.

Object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus of the type mentioned in such a way that the component can be made particularly time-consuming and inexpensive.

This object is achieved by a method having the features of patent claim 1 and by a device having the features of patent claim 4. Advantageous embodiments with expedient developments of the invention are specified in the remaining claims.

In order to develop a method specified in the preamble of claim 1 type such that the component can be made particularly time and cost, it is provided according to the invention that as the laser, a diode laser is used with at least one laser diode, by means of which the laser beam is provided ,

In order to develop a device specified in the preamble of claim 4 type such that the component can be made particularly time-consuming and inexpensive, it is inventively provided that the laser is designed as a diode laser with at least one laser diode, by means of which the laser beam can be provided. Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous embodiments of the device according to the invention and vice versa.

It has been found to be particularly advantageous if the diode laser comprises a plurality of mutually or successively arranged rows, each having a plurality of juxtaposed laser diodes. The laser diodes are thus arranged in a plurality of mutually parallel rows or rows and a plurality of mutually parallel columns and thus a matrix, whereby, for example, a screen-like arrangement of the laser diodes is created. As a result, for example, images can be projected onto a powder bed comprising the powdery material so that the powdery material can be melted by means of the respective image. As a result, the component can be made particularly time-consuming and inexpensive. In particular, a particularly high build-up rate can be realized by such an image projection, so that the component can be produced very quickly or so that a large number of components can be produced in a short time. As a result, a particularly high productivity of the device can be created.

In particular, the invention is based on the following knowledge: In the case of selective laser melting, which is also referred to as selective laser melting (SLM), the component is usually constructed in layers of loose, powdery material, the powdery material being formed, for example, as a plastic powder or as a metal powder , For example, a coater applies the powdery material to a plate, thereby forming the aforementioned powder bed. Following this, at least part of the powdery material located on the plate is solidified as required by means of the laser beam by melting at least part of the powdery material by means of the laser beam. As a result, for example, a layer of the component is formed. The plate, also referred to as a building board, then lowers, and again powdered material is applied to the board and in particular to the layer already produced. Then at least a part of the applied powdery material is again melted by means of the laser beam, whereby a second layer is produced. By melting, for example, the second is connected to the first layer. This procedure takes place iteratively until the component is completely assembled. The component thus produced or formed thus consists of a plurality of individual, interconnected, in particular fused together, layers.

Typically, one or more fiber lasers are used to reflow the powdered material. The laser beam is generated in a collimator and then redirected by means of a mirror and lens optics to the plate. The laser beam travels in tracks, similar a hatching, a path and thus the layer of the component to be produced. By applying the powdered material with the laser beam, energy is introduced into the powdery material, whereby the powdery material is melted. The introduced energy ensures the melting of the powdery material, whereby the described layer structure of the component is possible. For example, the laser beam is moved at a traveling speed in two directions perpendicular to each other to thereby form the respective layer. The travel speed of the laser beam is limited to a maximum speed in the fiber laser due to mechanical limitations. Current travel speeds are in the range of 1500 m / s to 15000 m / s. The travel speed has a proportional effect on the build-up rate of the process. Typically, the fiber laser has power ranging from 100 watts to 1000 watts inclusive.

By means of the method according to the invention and by means of the device according to the invention, it is possible to replace a conventionally used fiber or disk laser by a diode laser, which preferably comprises a plurality of respective laser diodes for providing respective laser beams. As a result, for example, the powdery material can be acted upon by a multiplicity of laser beams simultaneously provided by the laser diodes, so that a punctual exposure or impingement of the powdered material with a laser beam can be avoided and an at least substantially planar impingement or exposure of the pulverulent material can be realized. The diode laser or the respective laser diode has, for example, an output power of approximately 80 watts. In addition, the cost of a diode laser compared to a fiber or disk laser are much lower.

The laser diodes are, for example, aligned in such a way that the laser beams provided by the respective laser diodes run at least substantially parallel to one another, so that the laser diodes are parallelized laser diodes. As a result, a sufficient amount of energy can be introduced into the powdery material in order to be able to melt the powdery material. Similar to an LCD or TFT screen, a particularly high pixel density or packing density of the diode laser can be realized by arranging a particularly large number of laser diodes per unit area. In comparison to conventional SLM systems, productivity can be increased while costs can be reduced. In addition, the maintenance costs can be reduced compared to the use of fiber lasers.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawing. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or in the figures alone can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or in isolation, without the scope of To leave invention.

The drawing shows in:

1 a schematic side view of an apparatus according to the invention for producing a component by selective laser melting;

2 a schematic perspective view of a laser diode of the device; and

3 a schematic perspective view of a diode laser of the device.

In the figures, the same or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

1 shows in a schematic side view with a whole 10 designated device for producing a component 12 by selective laser melting (SLM). The device 10 includes in the in the 1 shown embodiment, two lasers 14 and 16 for providing respective laser beams by means of which a powdered material 18 from which the component 12 is prepared, is melted.

The device 10 includes a device for this purpose 20 with a reservoir 22 in which the powdery material 18 recorded or stored. Furthermore, the device includes 20 a plate 24 , Which relative to the lasers 14 and 16 along a by a double arrow 26 illustrated movement direction is movable or movable. Here is the plate 24 , which is also referred to as a building board or component plate, translationally movable along the direction of movement. In addition, the facility includes 20 a coater 28 which, for example, one about an axis of rotation relative to the plate 24 rotatable roller 30 includes. In the reservoir 22 is the powdery material 18 for example on a storage table 32 taken, for example, along the by the double arrow 26 illustrated movement direction relative to the lasers 14 and 16 is translationally movable or movable.

Out 1 it can be seen that by means of the coater 28 powdered material 18 from the reservoir 22 on the plate 24 Can be applied by the roller 30 relative to the storage table 32 is turned. This is for example in the reservoir 22 absorbed powdery material 18 by means of the supply table 32 to the roller 30 moved up by the storage table 32 on the roller 30 is moved, in particular along the direction of movement.

The lasers 14 and 16 represent, in particular at the same time, a plurality of laser beams 34 ready with that on the plate 24 applied powdery material 18 is exposed or acted upon. This in the manner described on the plate 24 applied powdery material 18 forms a powder bed 36 , which with the laser beams 34 is charged. As a result, at least part of the powder bed 36 forming powdery material 18 melted, creating a layer of the component 12 from the molten powdery material 18 will be produced.

Then the plate becomes 24 lowered by moving along the direction of movement of the lasers 14 and 16 is moved translationally. Then - in the manner described above - by means of the coater 28 powdered material 18 from the reservoir 22 back to the plate 24 or in particular applied to the previously prepared layer, whereby the powder bed 36 is formed. Then put the lasers 14 and 16 again laser beams ready by means of which again at least a part of the powder bed 36 forming powdery material 18 is melted. As a result, a second layer of the component 12 wherein the second layer is fused to and bonded to the first layer. This is repeated iteratively and thus several times, so that the component 12 is made of a plurality of layers.

To do this, the component 12 To produce particularly time and cost, is the respective laser 14 respectively 16 designed as a diode laser. The respective diode laser comprises a plurality of laser diodes 38 of which in 2 a laser diode 38 is shown by way of example. How out 2 is recognizable, is the respective laser diode 38 adapted to a respective laser beam 34 provide.

3 shows, for example, the laser 14 , where the previous and following comments on the laser 14 without further notice on the laser 16 can be transmitted and vice versa. It is off 3 particularly well recognizable that the multiple laser diodes 38 of the respective diode laser 14 respectively 16 arranged in a matrix and thus in a plurality of mutually arranged rows or rows, wherein the respective row of a plurality of laser diodes 38 includes. Thus, the plurality of laser diodes form 38 of the respective diode laser 14 respectively 16 a plurality of columns running parallel to one another and a plurality of rows or rows running parallel to one another, wherein, for example, those of the respective laser 14 respectively 16 simultaneously provided laser beams 34 at least substantially parallel to each other.

The laser diodes 38 of the respective diode laser 14 respectively 16 are arranged for example in a plane which is spanned by two mutually perpendicular directions x and y. In this case, the respective laser beam 34 emitted or provided in a direction perpendicular to the x and y directions third direction z, so that, for example, the powder bed 36 along the direction z with the respective laser beam 34 is applied or exposed.

In particular, is off 3 recognizable that by the described arrangement of the laser diodes 38 the respective laser 14 respectively 16 screen-like or constructed in the manner of a screen, so that for example by means of the respective screen at least one image on the powder bed 36 can be projected. In this case, the device comprises 10 a refraction prism 40 , by means of which, for example, that of the lasers 14 and 16 provided laser beams 34 be broken, thereby, for example, an image, which on the powder bed 36 is projected to produce. Because the picture is through the laser beams 34 is formed, at least part of the powder bed 36 forming powdery material 18 melted in the manner described, thereby the respective layer of the component 12 manufacture.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102014222302 A1 [0002]

Claims (5)

Method for producing a component ( 12 ) by selective laser melting, in which by means of at least one laser ( 14 . 16 ) at least one laser steel ( 34 ), by means of which powdered material ( 18 ), from which the component ( 12 ) is melted, characterized in that as the laser ( 14 . 16 ) a diode laser having at least one laser diode ( 38 ) is used, by means of which the laser beam ( 34 ) provided. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the diode laser has a plurality of mutually arranged lines, each having a plurality of juxtaposed laser diodes ( 38 ). Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that a plurality of laser diodes ( 38 ) of a first of the rows and a plurality of laser diodes ( 38 ) a second of the rows simultaneously respective laser beams ( 34 ) for melting the powdery material ( 18 ) provide. Contraption ( 10 ) for producing a component ( 12 ) by selective laser melting, with at least one laser ( 14 . 16 ), by means of which at least one laser steel ( 34 ) for melting a powdery material ( 18 ) for producing the component ( 12 ), characterized in that the laser ( 14 . 16 ) as a diode laser with at least one laser diode ( 38 ) is formed, by means of which the laser beam ( 34 ) is available. Contraption ( 10 ) according to claim 4, characterized in that the diode laser has a plurality of mutually arranged lines, each having a plurality of juxtaposed laser diodes ( 38 ).

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