EP4185427A1

EP4185427A1 - Method for moving a continuous energy beam, and manufacturing device

Info

Publication number: EP4185427A1
Application number: EP21754722.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wilhelm Meiners; Philipp Wagenblast; Jonas Grünewald; Valentin BLICKLE; Matthias Allenberg-Rabe
Original assignee: Trumpf Laser und Systemtechnik GmbH
Current assignee: Trumpf Laser und Systemtechnik GmbH
Priority date: 2020-07-21
Filing date: 2021-07-21
Publication date: 2023-05-31
Also published as: US20230158571A1; EP4185430A1; WO2022018146A1; CN116133777A; US20230173609A1; WO2022018150A1

Abstract

In a method for moving a continuous energy beam (5) along an irradiation path (101) produced by a sequence of beam positions (17), the irradiation path (101) is designed to compact a powder material (2) in a powder layer in a working area of a manufacturing device (1). According to the method, the continuous energy beam (5) is irradiated onto the powder material (2) in order to form a layer of a component (4) in the context of an additive manufacturing process. The energy beam (5) is moved within the working area (9) by superimposing an optical deflection of the energy beam (5) by means of a deflection unit (13) and mechanically deflecting the energy beam (5) by means of a scanner unit (7). The mechanical deflection is intended to position the energy beam (5) in a plurality of irradiation positions (11) located in the working area (9), the irradiation positions (11) essentially spanning the working area (9). The optical deflection is intended to deflect the energy beam (5) by each of the irradiation positions (11) within a beam region (15) to at least one beam position of the sequence of beam positions (17). The optical deflection and the mechanical deflection are changed simultaneously or one after the other to scan the sequence of beam positions (17) by means of the energy beam (5).

Description

METHOD OF DISPLACING A CONTINUOUS ENERGY BEAM

AND PRODUCTION FACILITIES

The present invention relates to methods of translating a continuous beam of energy along a radiation path defined by a succession of beam positions. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for the additive manufacturing of components from a powder material.

The laser-based additive (also generative) manufacturing of, in particular metallic or ceramic, components is based on solidifying a starting material in powder form by irradiating it with laser light. When additively manufacturing components from a powder material, an energy beam such as a laser beam is typically displaced to predetermined irradiation positions of a work area—in particular along a predetermined irradiation path—in order to locally solidify powder material arranged in the work area. In particular, this is repeated layer by layer in layers of powder material arranged one after the other in the working area in order finally to obtain a three-dimensional component made of solidified powder material.

Additive manufacturing processes are also known as powder bed-based processes for producing components in a powder bed, selective laser melting, selective laser sintering, laser metal fusion (laser metal fusion - LMF), direct metal laser melting (direct metal laser melting). - DMLM), Laser Net Shaping Manufacturing (LNSM), and Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS). Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment disclosed herein is set up in particular to carry out at least one of the aforementioned additive manufacturing processes.

The concepts disclosed herein can be used in machines for (metallic) 3D printing, among other things. An exemplary machine for manufacturing three-dimensional products is disclosed in EP 2 732 890 A1. The advantages of additive (generative) manufacturing are generally the simple manufacture of complex and individually producible components. In this way, in particular, defined structures in the interior and/or structures optimized for the flow of force can be implemented. In the interaction of the energy beam with the powder material, parameters such as intensity/energy, beam diameter, scanning speed, dwell time at a location as well as parameters such as grain size distribution and chemical composition are included on the part of the powder material type. In addition, with regard to the energy input, thermal parameters are included that arise from the environment of the interaction zone, among other things. Thus, already solidified areas of already created layers of the component as well as already solidified areas of the same layer adjoining the interaction zone dissipate the introduced heat better than unfused (or not yet) powder material that is under a structure of the component or in the same layer can be located. If the powder material is overheated, drops can detach/splash from the melt, which can have a negative impact on the product quality and the manufacturing process in general.

One aspect of this disclosure is based on the task of enabling irradiation concepts and in particular irradiation paths that go beyond the limitations of a conventional scanner device. In particular, overheating of the melted powder should be avoided, regardless of the course of the irradiation path, and this should also be ensured as far as possible when high energies are introduced. Another object is to specify a method for the flexibly adjustable displacement of a continuous energy beam along a radiation path and a device for the additive manufacturing of components from a powder material for the implementation of such methods.

At least one of these objects is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and by a production device according to claim 21. Further developments are specified in the dependent claims.

One aspect relates to a method for displacing a continuous energy beam along an irradiation path formed by a sequence of beam positions, which is intended to solidify a powder material in a powder layer in a work area of a production facility. The procedure includes the steps:

- irradiating the continuous energy beam onto the powder material in order to form a layer of a component as part of an additive manufacturing process; and - Relocating the energy beam within the work area by superimposing an optical deflection of the energy beam with a deflection device and a mechanical deflection of the energy beam with a scanner device, wherein the mechanical deflection is designed to position the energy beam at a plurality of irradiation positions arranged in the work area , wherein the irradiation positions essentially span the working area, and the optical deflection is designed to deflect the energy beam around each of the irradiation positions within a beam area to at least one beam position of the sequence of beam positions.

The optical deflection and the mechanical deflection are changed simultaneously or sequentially to scan the sequence of beam positions with the energy beam.

In a further aspect, a manufacturing device for additively manufacturing a component from a powder material that is provided in a work area has: a beam generating device that is set up to generate a continuous energy beam for irradiating the powder material, a scanner device that is used for a mechanical deflection is set up to position the energy beam at a plurality of irradiation positions, the irradiation positions essentially spanning the work area, a deflection facility set up for optical deflection, the energy beam around each of the irradiation positions within a beam area to at least one beam position to deflect the sequence of beam positions, and a control device which is operatively connected to the scanner device and the deflection device and is set up to control the deflection device and the scanner device in such a way that d The optical deflection and the mechanical deflection are changed simultaneously or sequentially in order to use the continuous energy beam to scan a radiation path formed by a sequence of beam positions, which is intended to solidify the powder material in a powder layer in the work area.

In some developments of the method, the deflection device and the scanner device can be controlled in such a way that the optical deflection is changed and the mechanical deflection changed at the same time in such a way that the sequence of beam positions is carried out at a specified speed or in a target speed range around the specified speed speed is sampled. In particular For example, a scanning speed of the mechanical deflection, which can optionally be limited by a mass inertia parameter of a moving component of the scanner device (e.g. a deflection mirror of a galvo scanner), can be taken into account when changing the optical deflection and when changing the mechanical deflection.

In some developments of the method, the deflection device and the scanner device can be controlled in such a way that a change in the optical deflection of the energy beam at least partially compensates for a change in the mechanical deflection of the energy beam in a direction transverse to the irradiation path, so that the irradiation path is dependent on a sequence of irradiation positions set with the scanner device. Optionally, the optical deflection of the energy beam can have a component in the direction of the radiation path, so that in particular a speed at which the sequence of beam positions in a segment of the radiation path is scanned is constant or remains in a target speed range around a specified speed.

In some developments of the method, the deflection device and the scanner device can be controlled in such a way that a change in the optical deflection of the energy beam and a change in the mechanical deflection of the energy beam in at least a first direction at least partially compensate each other. Additionally or alternatively, a change in the optical deflection of the energy beam and a change in the mechanical deflection of the energy beam can add up in at least a second direction.

In some developments of the method, the irradiation path can include a curved segment. Accordingly, the deflection device and the scanner device can be controlled in such a way that the energy beam is continuously displaced along the curvature segment. In particular, the mechanical deflection can be changed continuously, optionally with a varying scanning speed. Additionally or alternatively, the mechanical deflection can bring about a sequence of irradiation positions set with the scanner device, which are arranged on a curved scan path, with a curvature of the scan path being less than a curvature of the curved segment. In some developments of the method, the displacement of the energy beam along the irradiation path can be divided between the deflection of the scanner device and the deflection of the deflection device using a frequency splitter. Such frequency soft for the distribution of displacements on deflections of a sluggish and a dynamic axis are known, for example, from WO 93/01021 A1, in which a movement distribution by means of high- and low-pass filters is disclosed, and DE 103 55 614 A1, in which a control device for motion splitting with a low pass filter. This has the advantage, for example, that the irradiation path can be divided up during the procedure and is therefore independent of prior planning of the division.

In some developments of the method, the radiation path can include two, in particular linear, radiation path segments that together form a radiation path corner. Accordingly, the deflection device and the scanner device can be controlled in such a way that the energy beam is continuously displaced along each of the irradiation path segments. In particular, the energy beam can be displaced along at least one of the two radiation path segments in the direction of the radiation path corner. Additionally or alternatively, the mechanical deflection can be changed continuously, optionally with a varying scanning speed. Furthermore, additionally or alternatively, the mechanical deflection can bring about a sequence of irradiation positions set with the scanner device, which is arranged on a curved scanning path.

In some developments of the method, the radiation path can include two, in particular linear, radiation path segments that together form a radiation path corner, each of which includes a subsequence of beam positions. Accordingly, the deflection device and the scanner device can be controlled in such a way that the energy beam is shifted alternately to at least one beam position of the subsequence of a first of the radiation path segments and at least one beam position of the subsequence of a second of the radiation path segments. In particular, the mechanical deflection can be changed continuously, optionally with a varying scan speed, and/or the mechanical deflection can cause a sequence of irradiation positions set with the scanner device, which are arranged on a curved scan path is. Alternatively or additionally, the displacement with the optical deflection between the sub-sequences can take place abruptly.

In some developments of the method, the scanner device can run through a sequence of irradiation positions with a constant, optionally with a varying, scanning speed.

In some developments of the method, the irradiation path can comprise a sub-sequence of beam positions, the positions of which lie within an associated beam region of the deflection direction when the mechanical deflection is fixed at an irradiation position in the working area. Accordingly, the deflection device and the scanner device can be controlled in such a way that the sub-sequence is scanned only by changing the optical deflection while the mechanical deflection is fixed.

In some developments of the method, the sub-sequence of beam positions can form a series of parallel, in particular linear, scan vectors and a length of each of the scan vectors can be less than or equal to a dimension of the beam area of the deflection device in the direction of the respective scan vector.

In some developments of the method, the irradiation path can include a plurality of sub-sequences of beam positions whose positions lie within a beam range of the deflection device when mechanical deflection is fixed in the working area at an irradiation position belonging to a sub-sequence. Accordingly, the deflection device and the scanner device can be controlled in such a way that each of the plurality of sub-sequences is scanned only by changing the optical deflection while the mechanical deflection is fixed, and

- between the scanning of two subsequences of the plurality of subsequences, the mechanical deflection is changed from one irradiation position to another irradiation position.

In some developments of the method, the irradiation path can also include a sub-sequence of beam positions that are assumed by changing the mechanical deflection with a fixed or varying optical deflection. In some developments of the method, the deflection device and the scanner device can be controlled in such a way that the speed at which a sequence of spatially adjacent beam positions is scanned is independent of whether one of the beam positions in the sequence of spatially adjacent beam positions is changed by the change the optical deflection and/or changing the mechanical deflection.

In some developments of the method, the deflection device can comprise an optical, in particular transparent, material such as a crystal in a passage region provided for the energy beam, which material has optical properties that can be set to bring about the optical deflection.

In some developments, the method can also include:

- Excitation of an acoustic wave with an acoustic wavelength in the optical material to form an acousto-optical diffraction grating,

- Radiation of the energy beam onto the passage area,

- Bending the energy beam at the acousto-optical diffraction grating to a large extent, in particular at least 80% and preferably at least 90%, at a diffraction angle in a first diffraction order,

- guiding the diffracted energy beam to a first of the beam positions (17), and

- Changing the optical deflection of the energy beam by changing the acoustic wavelength. In this case, changing the acoustic wavelength can change the diffraction angle of the first diffraction order in such a way that the diffracted energy beam is guided to a second of the beam positions. In particular, the acoustic wavelength can be changed in steps by a wavelength change, so that the energy beam successively introduces energy into beam positions of the irradiation path, with energy being introduced into two beam positions simultaneously in a transitional period in which two acoustic wavelengths are present in the penetration area. Furthermore, the change in wavelength can cause a change in the diffraction angle such that spatially adjacent beam positions of the radiation path or spatially spaced, in particular thermally decoupled, beam positions are scanned sequentially in time by the energy beam.

In some developments, the deflection device can be controlled in such a way that at least one beam position is skipped when scanning the sequence of beam positions with the skipped beam position being sampled at a subsequent time.

In some developments, the method can also include:

- applying a voltage to the optical material to adjust a refractive index or a refractive index gradient,

- Radiation of the energy beam onto the passage area,

- deflection of the energy beam based on the adjusted refractive index or refractive index gradient,

- directing the deflected energy beam to a first one of the beam positions, and

- Changing the optical deflection of the energy beam by changing the applied voltage.

In some developments of the production device, the deflection device can be set up to suddenly shift the energy beam to a plurality of discrete beam positions.

In some developments of the production device, the control device can have a frequency divider for dividing the displacement of the energy beam along a radiation path into a deflection of the scanner device and a deflection of the deflection device. As mentioned above, such crossovers are known from the prior art. This has the advantage that the actual division can be carried out by the production facility, so that prior planning, e.g. in a build processor, is not necessary, which means longer computing times for generating control files with the build processor are avoided and the control files are smaller stand out.

In some developments of the production device, the control device can be set up to control the scanner device and the deflection device according to the methods disclosed herein. The scanner device can have at least one scanner, in particular a galvanometer scanner, piezo scanner, polygon scanner, MEMS scanner, and/or a working head that can be displaced relative to the work area.

In some developments of the production device, the deflection device can see at least one electro-optical deflector and/or acousto-optical deflector, preferably two electro-optical or acousto-optical deflectors which are not parallel, in particular perpendicular to one another. The deflection device can have at least one acousto-optical deflector with an optical material, such as a crystal, and an exciter for generating acoustic waves in the optical material.

In some developments of the manufacturing device, the beam generating device can be designed as a continuous wave laser.

Here, an optical deflection means a deflection optically induced with a deflection device. An example of an optical deflection is a variation in an optical parameter of an optical medium in the beam path, which causes a change in the beam path. Optical deflection is distinct from mechanical deflection, which is understood to be deflection mechanically induced with a scanner device. An example of a mechanical deflection is a mechanically-controlled reflective deflection of a laser beam.

Concepts are disclosed herein that allow at least some aspects of the prior art to be improved. In particular, further features and their expediencies result from the following description of embodiments with reference to the figures. The figures show:

1 shows a schematic three-dimensional representation of a manufacturing device for additive manufacturing, FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary beam path of the manufacturing device,

Figures 3A - 3C sketches to explain an acousto-opti see deflection in additive manufacturing, Fig. 4 a sketch to explain an electro-optical deflection in additive manufacturing,

FIGS. 5A-5C sketches of linear scanning processes based on optical deflections, FIG. 6 a sketch to clarify the simultaneous exposure of scan vectors in irradiation zones, Figures 7A - 8 sketches to clarify radiation paths based on mechanical deflection and optical deflection,

FIGS. 9A and 9B sketches of irradiation paths that use a broadening of a “mechanical” scan vector with a lateral optical deflection, and FIGS. 10A-10D sketches for the additive manufacturing of filigree structures.

Aspects described herein are based in part on the recognition that positioning of the energy beam on a powder bed of an additive manufacturing facility can be divided into a) mechanical deflection by means of one or more inertial axes exhibiting low acceleration with a typically large range of motion, and b) an optical deflection using one or more dynamic axes that have a higher acceleration with a usually smaller range of motion.

Deflection about inertial axes is commonly accomplished in additive manufacturing by positioning mirrors in a scanner assembly and is referred to herein as mechanical deflection. Scanner devices are operated, for example, with in-process scanning speeds of a few hundred millimeters per second, with maximum scanning speeds of the order of m/s (e.g. up to 30 m/s). Galvo scanners have scanning speeds of e.g. 1 m/s up to 30 m/s.

A deflection about dynamic fast axes can take place by influencing the optical properties of optical elements/materials in the beam path of the energy beam in the production facility. This is referred to herein as optical deflection. It can be brought about, for example, by acousto-optical or electro-optical effects in an optical crystal. The optical crystal interacts with the energy beam and influences the beam path very quickly so that switching times between beam positions are of the order of 1 ps and corresponding switching speeds of up to a few E000 m/s (e.g. 10,000 m/s and more) depending on the jump distance. A deflection angle of the energy beam, for example, with an acousto-opti see deflector (AOD) or an electro-optical De deflector (EOD) - as examples of an optical solid state deflector ("optical solid state deflector") - can by varying the acoustic Excitation frequency or an applied voltage can be set in a deflection range around a central value. Ma ximum scanner accelerations at AODs and EODs can be at 160,000 rad / s ^2. je Depending on the dimensioning of the additive manufacturing facility, this results in scanner accelerations of, for example, 80,000 m/s ² (depending on the respective working distance from the AOD/EOD).

The division proposed here for the deflection of an energy beam can enable irradiation concepts with which disadvantages can be avoided which, among other things, can occur in the case of movements with sharp changes in direction by means of a purely mechanical deflection. See, inter alia, the exemplary explanations of an angular irradiation path in connection with FIGS. 7A to 8.

Furthermore, the inventors have recognized that the dynamic (fast) axis can also be used to step the position of the energy beam. This makes it possible, for example, to always scan segments of the irradiation path in the direction of the taper when manufacturing tapering structures. See, inter alia, the exemplary explanations of an angular radiation path in connection with FIG. 7B.

Furthermore, the inventors have recognized that the possibility of an instantaneous, erratic optical deflection can generally make it possible to use an energy input with the energy beam (e.g. a power value of a laser beam) that is above a limit value, as is usually the case for a powder material type (determined by Among other things, a grain size distribution and a chemical composition of the powder material) given a continuous scanning with a beam diameter at a given scanning speed and the component geometry to be generated.

For this purpose, the dynamic (fast) axis provided by the optical deflection can be used for “spatially local” exposure in a kind of pulse mode. In this way, delicate components and sections with poor heat dissipation (e.g. in the area of overhangs or pointed structures) can be exposed to the “spatially locally pulsed” energy beam, which means that better component quality can be achieved. Such a “spatially locally pulsed” irradiation with a continuous energy beam (e.g. a cw laser beam) can increase the productivity of the additive manufacturing process, especially in comparison to manufacturing with a pulsed laser beam. With "spatially locally pulsed" irradiation, for example, two or more sections to be pulsed can be processed that are within the (small) movement range of the optical deflection (e.g. with an acousto-optical deflector up to a few millimeters or even centimeters depending on the position of the same in the beam path). For example, a point can be exposed in a first section; then a jump can be made to a second (another) section and a point can be exposed there; subsequently, after a jump back into the (original) first section, another point, adjacent to or at a distance from the first point, can be exposed. In other words, the beam positions of an irradiation path that are not spatially adjacent to one another are occupied consecutively in time.

See, inter alia, the exemplary explanations for jumping along a radiation path (explained in connection with FIG. 5B), for jumping within one or between several hatches (irradiation zones) (explained in connection with FIG. 6) and for jumping with an angular hatch Section of a radiation path (explained in connection with FIG. 7C).

Furthermore, when using the optical deflection, a broadening of the mechanically scanned area can be brought about. For this purpose, the optical deflection can take place laterally with respect to a main scanning direction of the energy beam on the powder bed, the main scanning direction being given by the mechanical deflection. Optionally, the lateral deflection can also take into account thermal aspects of overheating, as explained in connection with FIGS. 9A and 9B.

Finally, the concepts disclosed herein can be used in the additive manufacturing of a filigree structure of a component, which is, for example, of the order of magnitude of the beam area provided by the optical deflection. The mechanical deflection can optionally be supplemented by the optical deflection for coarser, larger, in particular flat structures. In some embodiments, filigree structures, in particular closed structure sections, can be generated at a fixed irradiation position simply by controlling the deflection device and generating a local beam profile - formed by means of an almost simultaneous illumination of several beam positions in the beam area of the optical deflection - without the scanner device is controlled, in particular in which a beam profile is generated in the form of the structural section to be formed by suitable control of the deflection device. The scanning of filigree structures with an energy beam is explained in connection with FIGS. 10A to 10D.

In addition to a conventional scanner device, an optical deflector can be installed in the beam path of the energy beam for the implementation of the concepts discussed above and explained below by way of example in connection with the figures. A beam deflection with the optical deflector can be integrated into the machine control of the manufacturing facility as a further parameter for additive manufacturing. With such a combination of a mechanical deflection (e.g. galvo scanner) for positioning/moving/moving the energy beam over large distances and an optical deflection (e.g. acousto-optical deflector) for very fast positioning without loss of time within a locally limited area (beam area of the optical deflection) a flexible control of the spatial and temporal energy input can be realized without loss of time between several interaction zones. In particular, for a continuous energy beam/cw laser beam, switching beam positions with an optical deflector (AOD/EOD) enables a higher energy of the energy beam/power of the cw laser beam to be introduced into the powder material.

1 shows a manufacturing device 1 for the additive manufacturing of components from a powder material 2. The manufacturing device 1 comprises a beam generating device 3, which is set up to generate an energy beam 5, a scanner device 7, which is set up to scan the energy beam 5 within a working area 9, usually given by the dimensions of a powder bed of the production device, to a plurality of irradiation positions 11 (mechanical deflection) in order to produce a component 4 from the powder material 2 arranged in the working area 9 by means of the energy beam 5, a deflection device 13, which is set up to move the energy beam 5 starting from one irradiation position 11 of the plurality of irradiation positions 11 within a beam region 15 - in particular abruptly - to a plurality of beam positions 17 in the beam region 15 (optical deflection), and a control device 19, which is operatively connected to the deflection device 13, and optionally to the beam generating device 3 and the scanner device 7, and set up to control the deflection device 13 in order to determine the beam positions of the beam area 15 required for the production of the component 4 (with the energy beam 5) to take.

The production facility 1 is preferably set up for selective laser sintering and/or for selective laser melting as part of the additive manufacturing of components. In Fig. 1, the already partially manufactured component 4 is indicated, already solidified layers of powder material 2 are covered in the powder bed.

The production facility 1 usually provides a work surface in a closed housing (not shown), which includes the work area 9 and optionally a powder storage area. For a (layered) construction of the component 4 with the energy beam 5 , the powder material 2 is applied sequentially/layered in the work area 9 . In order to solidify the powder material 2 locally, the energy beam 5 is applied locally to the powder material 2 in the work area 9 in order to produce the component 4 layer by layer. In particular, a layer of the component 4 is formed by displacing the (continuous) energy beam 5 along an irradiation path 101 formed by a sequence of beam positions 17 . The irradiation path 101 is designed in such a way that the powder material 2 of a powder layer is solidified in accordance with the geometry of the component 4 in the work area 9 of the production facility 1 .

The position of a beam position 17 at which the energy beam 5 hits the work area 9 results from the settings made for the mechanical deflection and the optical deflection. An irradiation position 11 can be assigned to the mechanical deflection, from which the optical deflection can be observed. The irradiation positions 11 usually span the working area 9 (essentially). Starting from a predetermined irradiation position 11, the resulting possible beam positions 17 span the beam area 15. That is, the energy beam 5 can be shifted around each of the irradiation positions 11 within a corresponding beam area 15, with irradiation positions 11 being able to be set as starting points for corresponding beam areas 15 in the entire work area 9, as is customary. The beam area 15 has a surface area that is larger than a cross section of the energy beam 5 projected onto the work area 9. The beam area 15 is very much smaller than the work area. area 9. In particular, the beam area 15 preferably has a length scale in the range from a few (that is, less than ten) millimeters to a few centimeters, and preferably an areal extent in the range from a few square millimeters to a few square centimeters. The working area 9, on the other hand, can have a length scale in the range from a few decimeters to a few meters, and preferably an areal extent in the range from a few square decimeters to a few square meters.

In other words, an irradiation position 11 is understood to mean, in particular, a location within the working area 9 at which energy can be deposited locally by means of the energy beam 5 in the working area 9, in particular in the powder material 2 arranged there. The energy input determines the respective interaction zone and thus a melting area of the powder material 2. The scanner device 7 is set up to move the energy beam 5 within the working area 9 - assuming there is no superimposition of an optical deflection - along a "mechanical" scan path 103 , wherein the mechanical scanning path 103 consists of a temporal sequence of irradiation positions 11 swept over one after the other with the energy beam 5 . The individual irradiation positions 11 can be arranged at a distance from one another, but they can also overlap and merge with one another.

If the mechanical deflection is superimposed with an optical deflection, the result is the irradiation path 101, which is formed by the sequence of the beam positions 17 set with the scanner device 7 and the optical deflection device 13. The resulting irradiation path 101 may be a path that is continuously scanned with the energy beam 5 . Furthermore, the resulting irradiation path 101 can have path segments that each include at least one beam position 17 . The scanning of the path segments with the energy beam 5 can include jumps between spatially spaced path segments, the jumps being controlled with the optical deflection device 13 .

The beam generating device 3--embodied, for example, as a continuous wave (cw) laser--supplies the energy beam 5 for the powder fusion. An energy beam is generally understood to be directed radiation that can transport energy. This can generally involve particle radiation or wave radiation. In particular, the energy beam propagates along a propagation direction through the physical space and transports energy along its propagation direction. In particular, it is by means of the Energy beam possible to pony energy locally in the work area 9 in the powder material 2 to de.

The energy beam 5 is here generally an optical working beam, which can thus be deflected by means of the optical deflection device 13 . An optical working beam is to be understood in particular as directed electromagnetic radiation, continuous or pulsed, which is suitable in terms of its wavelength or a wavelength range for the additive (generative) manufacturing of the component 4 from the powder material 2, in particular for sintering or melting the powder material 2. In particular, an optical working beam is understood as a laser beam, which is radiated onto the work area 9, preferably continuously. The optical working beam preferably has a wavelength or a wavelength range in the visible electromagnetic spectrum or in the infrared electromagnetic spectrum or in the overlap region between the infrared range and the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

In summary, a beam guidance system of the production device 1 for guiding the energy beam 5 to the powder bed thus for a mechanically-induced deflection of the energy beam 5 comprises the scanner device 7. In the scanner device 7, for example, a rotation of mirrors (by means of a galvo scanner, for example) can deflect the energy giestrahls 5 (here, for example, the laser beam) are effected. The mechanical deflection can be used alone (scan path 103) or in combination with an optical deflection for scanning an irradiation path 101 for the exposure of a powder layer.

The scanner device 7 preferably has at least one scanner, in particular a galvanometer scanner, piezo scanner, polygon scanner, MEMS scanner and/or a working head or processing head that can be displaced relative to the work area. Such scanner devices are known and particularly suitable for shifting the energy beam 5 within the working area 9 between a plurality of irradiation positions 11 .

Due to the mass inertia of an optical element to be moved mechanically (eg a deflection mirror), a spatial distribution of the energy input, which is controlled only by means of a mechanical deflection, takes place sluggishly. As a result, radiation paths that are to be scanned solely by mechanical deflection, e.g. the scan path 103, can reduce the risk of local overheating of the powder melt in the additive manufacturing process. expose ze. It should be noted that local overheating is avoidable in the case of a purely mechanical deflection with a loss of productivity due to idle times (delays introduced in the irradiation process). The concepts proposed herein can prevent or at least reduce this productivity loss.

According to the invention, the beam guidance system of the production device 1 for guiding the energy beam 5 to the powder bed also includes the deflection device 13 for an optically induced deflection. The deflection device 13 is set up to displace the energy beam 5 within the beam area 15 - assuming a fixed irradiation position 11 - and thus to be able to apply the energy beam to a specific area - the beam area 15 - within the working area 9 at the fixed irradiation position 11. Beam area 15 is larger than the cross section of energy beam 5 projected onto work area 9.

Since the scanner device 7 is set up to move the energy beam between irradiation positions 11, it enables the deflection device 13 to sweep over a new beam area 15 by another irradiation position, ie at a different location in the work area 9, with the energy beam 5 . The deflection device 13 is therefore used for local deflection of the energy beam 5 starting from an irradiation position 11, while the scanner device 7 is used for the global displacement of the energy beam 5 on the work area 9.

The deflection device 13 is set up in particular to shift the energy beam 5 abruptly to the plurality of beam positions 17 in the beam region 15, it being possible for the beam positions 17 to be discrete beam positions. In particular, it is possible that beam positions 17 processed in succession are arranged at a distance from one another. However, it is also possible for beam positions 17 processed in succession to overlap and merge with one another, at least in certain areas. In some embodiments, the energy beam 5 is not shifted continuously from beam position to beam position by the deflection device 13, but rather in discrete steps. Without restriction and without wanting to be bound to theory, it can be assumed for all practical purposes that the energy beam 5 disappears at a sudden or discrete shift from a first beam position to a second beam position, so to speak, at the first beam position and at the second Beam position appears, especially without to paint the areas in between. See the explanations for Figures 3A to 3D. In this way, a very rapid displacement of the energy beam 5 within the beam area 15 is possible, and material transport processes, which can occur with a continuous displacement of the energy beam 5, in particular with a high energy input, can be avoided, whereby the quality of the resulting Construction can be increased in part.

Examples and explanations of optical deflectors for an optically induced deflection of a laser beam are given in "Electro-optic and acousto-optic laser beam scanners"; Romans G.R.B.E. et al., Physics Procedia 56 (2014) 29-39.

Optical deflectors include acousto-optical (AOD) deflectors, which rely on the generation of a periodic change in refractive index as sound waves propagate in an optically transparent material of the AOD (usually an optically transparent crystal). An optical deflection with an AOD 111 shown schematically and a change in the acoustic excitation is illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3C. With regard to the diffraction behavior present at the AOD, reference is also made to FIG. 3 in Rö mer et al. referred. This results in a diffraction angle of the first diffraction order that is dependent on the laser wavelength, the refractive index of the undisturbed material, the frequency of the acoustic wave and the speed of the acoustic wave in the material. An angular range that can be scanned with the first order results from the bandwidth with which acoustic waves can be excited in the material.

3A shows schematically how an incident laser beam 113—preferably at an angle of incidence in the Brewster angle—is incident on the AOD 111, in particular on a passage region of the AOD 111. A grid-like structure 115A (refractive index modulation, acousto-optical diffraction grating) forms in the AOD 111 due to an acoustic excitation on the upper side of the AOD 111 (eg with an exciter 112 for generating acoustic waves in the material). This is characterized by an excitation wavelength lΐ marked. The incident laser beam 113 is diffracted at the lattice-like structure 115A, so that in addition to a (possibly low-intensity) undiffracted zero-order beam 117, a (possibly high-intensity) diffracted first-order laser beam 119A deflects the AOD 111 at a wavelength lΐ associated deflection angle al the AOD, in particular the Transit area of the AOD 111, leaves. The laser beam 119A of the first order would be fed to the arrangement of FIG. 1 of the scanner device 7 and would impinge on the powder bed at a location xl coming from above, where the deflection in the AOD (ie the set deflection angle al of the first order) would be the final Position on the powder bed also determined. Accordingly, the energy input takes place at location xl, as a schematic intensity distribution I(x) 121 A shows.

If the wavelength of the exciting sound wave is varied continuously or discretely, the angle of the first diffraction order changes and thus the position of the laser beam 119A. By varying the wavelength of the excited sound wave, a controllable deflection of the diffracted beam can be made; i.e. a desired target position of the energy input can be set on the powder bed.

In other words, changing the acoustic wavelength results in replacing the first acoustic wave with a second acoustic wave in the AOD. Sound velocities in solids are, for example, of the order of 1000 m/s or several 1000 m/s (depending on the hardness of the crystal, among other things). If a first acoustic wave (with a first wavelength) in e.g. a crystal of the AOD is to be completely replaced by a second acoustic wave (with a second wavelength), the first acoustic wave must first run out of the crystal so that it (if possible at the same time) can be replaced by the second acoustic wave. Assuming the crystal acts on an energy beam with a diameter of about 1 cm, the acoustic wave travels this distance in a few microseconds, e.g. about 3 ps. After this period of time, the interaction with the second acoustic wave takes place. In general, this time increases the larger and softer the crystal is and the smaller the smaller and harder the material of the AOD. During the changeover from the first acoustic wave to the second acoustic wave, energy (the laser beam) can be diffracted into the corresponding first orders transiently at both resulting grating-like structures. Switching between acoustic waves and thereby deflecting the energy beam to different locations (i.e. switching the deflection from a first to a second angle) can generally occur on the megahertz time scale.

Figures 3B and 3C illustrate a sudden change in position using the AOD 111. For this purpose, a change in the exciting sound wave to a wavelength l2 (lattice-ar- term structure 115B, deflection angle a2 of the laser beam 119B of the first order, location x2 of the energy input on the powder bed). The change in the exciting sound wave causes a corresponding change in position of the diffracted laser beam 119B by a discrete distance Dc (“x2-xl”).

A transition 123 between the refractive index modulations in the AOD can be seen in FIG. 3B, the transition 123 having already migrated from the upper side to the middle of the AOD 111 . At this point in time, one half of the incident laser beam 113 hits the refractive index modulation with wavelength lΐ and the other half hits the refractive index modulation with wavelength l2. Correspondingly, a schematic intensity distribution I(x) 121B shows the same intensities/energy inputs for the diffracted laser beams 119A and 119B at the respective locations x1 and x2.

If, as shown in FIG. 3C, the refractive index modulation with wavelength l2 has developed over the entire AOD 111, the maximum intensity of the laser beam 119B will hit the powder bed at location x2 (see intensity distribution I(x) 121C).

The advantage of beam displacement with an AOD can be seen from the intensity distribution I(x) 121A to 121C; In the example, the beam displacement realizes the case already mentioned, that an area between the starting position (here the location xl) and the end position (here the location x2) is not exposed to the laser beam, since the periodic changes in the refractive index essentially without the formation of a diffractive transient behavior merge in time. Accordingly, the energy input is limited to the initial position and the end position; this corresponds to a sudden change in the optical deflection.

Optical deflectors also include electro-optical deflectors (EOD) whose deflection is based on refraction upon passage of an optically transparent material. 4 schematically shows an adjustable optical deflection with an EOD 131, the optically transparent material of the EOD 131 being adjustable in terms of the refractive index or in a refractive index gradient by applying a voltage. Depending on the voltage applied, the deflection of a laser beam 133 varies, which preferably falls back on the EOD 131 at the Brewster angle and exits from it at a correspondingly adjustable deflection angle. A laser beam 133A deflected in this way could, in the arrangement of FIG Scanner device 7 are supplied. A voltage source 135 enables precise adjustment of the voltage which is present between the top and bottom of the prism-shaped crystal forming the EOD 131 in FIG. 4, for example. Depending on the voltage set, the refractive index or the refractive index gradient and thus the optical deflection can be set. With regard to the refraction behavior present at the EOD, reference is also made to Fig. 2 in Römer et al. referred.

Both AODs and EODs can provide the deflection of a laser beam, referred to herein as optical deflection, which can be adjusted quickly, i.e., in near real-time relative to the powder fusion process in additive manufacturing.

Referring again to Fig. 1, the scanner device 7 and the optical deflection device 13 differ not only in the extent of the deflection that can be carried out, but also with regard to the time scale on which the energy beam 5 is deflected: In particular, the energy beam 5 is deflected by the optical deflection device within the Beam area 15 preferably on a shorter, in particular much shorter, time scale than the deflection within the working area 9 by the scanner device 7, that is, much faster than changing from one irradiation position to the next irradiation position. Preferably, the time scale on which the energy beam can be deflected by the deflection device (e.g. jumping over a maximum extent of the beam area, ie from e.g. "-5 mm" to "+5 mm", within one microsecond corresponds to a speed of 10,000 m/s; generally a quasi-instantaneous jumping from any point in the beam area to any other point in the beam area) by a factor of 10 to 10000, preferably 20 to 200, preferably 40 to 100, or more, smaller than that Time scale on which the energy beam is deflected by the scanner device.

The control device 19 is set up to implement the movement of the impact point of the energy beam 5 on the powder bed according to a predetermined irradiation strategy.

The control device 19 is preferably selected from a group consisting of a computer, in particular a personal computer (PC), a plug-in card or control card, and an FPGA board. In a preferred embodiment, the control device 19 is an RTC6 control card from SCANLAB GmbH, in particular in the version currently available on the date determining the seniority of the present property right. The control device 19 is preferably set up to synchronize the scanner device 7 with the deflection device 13 by means of a digital RF synthesizer. In this case, the RF synthesizer can be controlled via a programmable FPGA board of the control device 19 . In addition, there is preferably a division into the comparatively slow movement of the scanner device 7 and the rapid movement of the deflection device 13 by means of a frequency filter. Position values and default values for the movement of the impact point are preferably calculated, which can then be converted in the FPGA board into time-synchronous frequency defaults for the RF synthesizer. For this purpose, the optical deflection can be spatially assigned to irradiation positions 11 in the respective powder material layer. The latter can preferably already be carried out in a build processor when creating the irradiation strategy. The build processor can write the corresponding data to a control file, for example, which can preferably be read in and converted by the control device 19 .

In particular, the scanner device 7/the mechanical deflection on the one hand and the deflection device 13/the optical deflection on the other hand allow a separation of the time and length scales relevant for the production of the component 4 being produced. While the scanner device 7 is set up to shift the energy beam on a larger time scale compared to the deflection device 13 along the plurality of irradiation positions 11, in particular along a predetermined scan path 103, quasi-globally over the entire working area 9, the deflection device 13 set up to shift the energy beam on a time scale that is shorter relative to the time scale of the scanner device 7 quasi locally at an irradiation position 11 specified by the scanner device 7 and quasi fixed due to the time scale separation to the plurality of beam positions 17 within the beam region 15.

Due to the time scale separation, in some embodiments a local scanning sequence of beam positions 17 in the respective beam area 15 can be carried out quasi-statically at each irradiation position 11 of the plurality of irradiation positions 11 and/or a specific beam profile can arise as a geometric shape and as an intensity profile of the beam area 15. In other words, the scanner device 7 can position the beam profile generated in this way and generally the beam region 15, ie the optically controllable beam 17, along the plurality of irradiation positions 11, in particular along the Scan path 103 relocate. By changing the control of the deflection device, the beam profile of the beam area, in particular the shape of the beam area and/or the intensity profile in the beam area, can now advantageously be changed as desired, if necessary even from irradiation position to irradiation position. Furthermore, a scanning sequence when shifting the beam positions 17 can take thermal effects into account.

In some specific embodiments, a plurality of adjacent irradiation positions 11, in particular in each case a contiguous section of the scan path 103, can be swept over with the same beam profile and/or the same scanning sequence. Alternatively, different portions of the scan path 103 can be swept with different beam profiles and/or different scanning orders.

In some embodiments, the generated beam profile and/or the scanning sequence can be regarded as quasi-static with regard to the melting process in the powder material 2, with the time scale for the deflection of the energy beam 5 by the optical deflection device 13 being significantly shorter than the characteristic interaction time of the energy beam 5 with the powder material 2. The dynamically generated beam profile can then, averaged over time, interact with the powder material like a statically generated profile. The same applies to sampling the dynamically generated sampling order.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary beam path as it can be implemented in the production device 1 of FIG. 1 . The deflection device 13 is located in the direction of propagation of the energy beam 5 in front of the scanner device 7. The deflection device 13 has in particular at least one acousto-optical deflector 21, here in particular two acousto-optical deflectors 21 oriented not parallel, in particular perpendicular to one another, namely one first acousto-opti see deflector 21.1 and a second acousto-opti see deflector 21.2, on. The acousto-optical deflectors 21 oriented perpendicularly to one another allow the energy beam 5 to be deflected in two mutually perpendicular directions and thus in particular to scan the entire surface of the beam area 15. The acousto-optical deflectors 21.1 and 21.2, which are not parallel to one another, are preferably in the direction of propagation of the energy beam 5 arranged one behind the other.

An acousto-opti see deflector is understood in particular as meaning an element which has a solid body which is transparent to the energy beam and which can be subjected to sound waves, in particular special ultrasonic waves, with the energy beam passing through is deflected by the transparent solid depending on the frequency of the sound waves with which the transparent solid is acted upon. In this case, in particular an optical lattice is generated in the transparent solid by the sound waves. Such acousto-optical deflectors are advantageously able to deflect the energy beam very quickly by an angular range predetermined by the frequency of the sound waves generated in the transparent solid. In particular, switching speeds of up to 1 MHz can be achieved. In particular, the switching times for such an acousto-optical deflector are significantly faster than typical switching times for conventional scanner devices, in particular galvanometer scanners, which are generally used to move an energy beam within a work area of a manufacturing facility of the type discussed here. Therefore, such an acousto-optical deflector can be used in a particularly appro priate manner for generating a quasi-static beam profile in the beam area.

Modern acousto-optical deflectors can deflect the energy beam with an efficiency of at least 90% (particularly at least 80%) into a predetermined angular range of the first diffraction order, so that they are excellently suited as a deflection device for the production facility proposed here. The material used, which is transparent to the energy beam, and a suitably high intensity of the coupled ultrasonic waves are particularly decisive for the high efficiency.

In particular, if the deflection device 13 has acousto-optical deflectors, the AODs generate an undiffracted partial beam of the zeroth order and a diffracted or deflected partial beam of the first order due to their configuration analogous to an optical grating. In most cases, however, only the first-order partial beam should be used to irradiate the working area. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the manufacturing device 1 also has a separation mirror 23 behind the deflection device 13 and in front of the scanner device 7 in the propagation direction of the energy beam 5, which is set up to separate the zeroth-order partial beam from the first-order partial beam of the energy beam 5 to separate. For this purpose, the separation mirror 23 has in particular a through hole 25 which is provided in a surface 27 of the separation mirror 23 which reflects the energy beam 5 and which penetrates the separation mirror 23 completely. The first-order partial beam to be forwarded in the desired manner to the scanner device 7 is guided through the through hole 25 and thus finally reaches the scanner device 7 On the other hand, undesired partial beams of the zeroth order, and possibly also undesired partial beams of a higher order, impinge on the reflecting surface 27 and are deflected to a beam trap 29 .

The separation mirror 23 is arranged in particular in the vicinity of an intermediate focus 31 of a telescope 33, in particular not exactly in a plane of the intermediate focus 31, particularly preferably offset at a distance of one fifth of the focal length of the telescope 33 along the propagation direction, in particular in front of the intermediate focus 31. This advantageously avoids the reflective surface 27 being exposed to an excessively high power density of the energy beam 5 .

The telescope 33 preferably has a first lens 35 and a second lens 37 . It is preferably designed as a 1:1 telescope. The telescope 33 preferably has a focal length of 500 mm.

The mode of operation of the telescope 33 is preferably twofold: on the one hand, the telescope 33 enables a particularly advantageous and clean separation of the different orders of the energy beam 5 deflected by the deflection device 13, particularly with the arrangement of the separation mirror 23 selected here; on the other hand, the telescope 33 preferably forms an imaginary common beam pivot point 39 of the deflection device 13 onto a pivot point 41 of the scanner device 7 . Alternatively, the telescope 33 preferably maps the beam pivot point 39 to a point of smallest aperture.

In order to enable a compact arrangement of the production device 1, the energy beam 5 is preferably deflected several times by deflection mirrors 43.

In summary, as part of a method for displacing a continuous energy beam along an irradiation path formed by a sequence of beam positions during the additive manufacturing of a component 4 from a powder material, the energy beam 5 can be displaced preferably within the working area 9 to a plurality of beam positions 17 in order to using the energy beam 5 to produce the component 4 in layers from the working area 9 arranged in the powder material 2. The energy beam 5 is shifted to a plurality of beam positions 17 with respect to an irradiation position 11 within a beam region 15 . In preferred embodiments, a continuous energy beam is continuously displaced at least in sections along a radiation path. For example, a cw laser beam can be continuously moved along scan vectors of a radiation path defined as part of the radiation strategy, with the scan vectors in radiation zones (hatches) running parallel to one another. The scan vectors of an irradiation zone can be traversed evenly in the same direction or alternately in opposite directions. This corresponds to continuous exposure of the scan vectors.

5A shows a linear scanning process as an example of a continuous method, in which spaced beam positions A1, A2, . In FIG. 5A, circles around the beam positions A1, A2, . In general, adjacent beam positions of a sub-sequence can be spaced apart from each other by at least one diameter of the energy beam or at least 50% of the diameter of the energy beam in the work area.

It can be seen in FIG. 5A that the distance DC1 was selected in such a way that adjacent melting regions partially overlap, so that the powder material can be melted continuously. In the present example of FIG. 5A, the melting takes place along a line, for example along a scan vector in an irradiation zone.

The linear scanning process can be performed from a fixed irradiation position or with a changing mechanical deflection, in which case the optical deflection (the distance DC1) has to be adjusted according to the mechanically-induced movement of the irradiation position in the irradiation strategy.

Furthermore, a discontinuous shifting of the energy beam can be carried out, with positions being jumped to and illuminated along the irradiation path. Such discontinuous exposure can, for example, take place within a scan vector of an irradiation treatment zone, when changing to non-adjacent scan vectors of a treatment zone, or when changing between treatment zones.

In these cases, a cw laser beam can, for example, scan discrete beam positions along the irradiation path in a sequence specified in the irradiation strategy. Discontinuous exposure differentiates between a geometry of the irradiation path and an adjustability of a point in time of the irradiation. The geometry of the radiation path is thus assigned a sequence of times at which the respective beam positions of the radiation path are exposed. The geometry of the irradiation path is essentially given by the layer-specific cross-section of the component 4, with technically required segments of the irradiation path being able to be introduced; these are, for example, the (in particular parallel, linear) scan vectors running next to one another in the irradiation zones, in which case neighboring irradiation zones can have different orientations of the scan vectors. The adjustability of the timing of the irradiation determines the parameters of the interaction of the energy beam with the powder material at a beam position. For example, a duration of the irradiation is predetermined by setting periods of time between changing between beam positions. Furthermore, the choice of the distance between beam positions can influence thermal aspects, such as a dissipation of introduced heat into the powder material/powder melt.

FIG. 5B shows a first example for a discontinuous displacement of the energy beam in the context of a linear scanning process. A scanning sequence in FIG. 5B includes a group 61 of, for example, seven beam positions B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, which are scanned abruptly according to a predetermined sequence. For this purpose, the optical deflection brings about changes in the position of the energy beam 5, which consist of a number of possible discrete paths; two paths DC1 and DC2 are shown in FIG. 5B by way of example. The discrete distances are selected in such a way that the discrete distance DC2 jumps over one beam position. The scanning sequence can be performed from a fixed irradiation position (ie temporarily the mechanical deflection is held stationary or can be considered stationary). Scanning sequences can also follow each other spatially (as indicated in FIG. 5B with a group 6G, eg starting from a correspondingly further moved irradiation position) and/or they can be repeated at the same location and/or spatially offset. Furthermore, the optical deflection can be superimposed with a continuous mechanical deflection, the optical deflection gene (the distances DC1 and DC2) are to be adjusted according to the movement of the irradiation position in the irradiation strategy.

Schematically, circles around the beam positions 317A, 317B, 317G are again indicated in FIG. 5B to clarify melting regions. Due to the scanning sequence 61, not only adjacent beam positions are successively exposed, so that new thermal interaction parameters arise that differ from those of the irradiation strategy illustrated in FIG. 5A. The result is again melting along a line, for example along a section of a scan vector in an irradiation zone. However, in some embodiments, the new thermal interaction parameters may allow the energy input with the energy beam to be increased while reducing the exposure time at a beam location. Accordingly, the manufacturing process can be carried out more efficiently in terms of time.

5C shows another example of a discontinuous displacement of the energy beam. In this case, an underlying scanning sequence is chosen such that adjacent groups 71A, 71B are irradiated from four beam positions CI, C3, C5, C7 or C2, C4, C6, C8 quasi-simultaneously. For this purpose, the optical deflection causes position changes of the energy beam 5, in which two or three beam positions are skipped; Two possible discrete paths DC3 and DC4 are indicated in FIG. 5C by way of example.

The beam positions Bl, . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that these subsequences can be extended to two or more adjacent beam positions as long as the energy input stays within the given limits. The irradiation strategies of Figures 5B and 5C thus represent examples of sub-sequences that are scanned in such a way that a sudden change in the optical deflection causes the energy beam to skip a region between the spaced sub-sequences, so that successively spatially spaced, in particular thermally decoupled, sub-sequences by the energy beam (in the examples of FIGS. 5B and 5C there is an example of a distance from a beam position).

Generally, beam positions of a subsequence may be spaced at least 1.5 to 2 times or more the diameter of the energy beam apart in the working area. be in order. Generally, when changing between sub-sequences, further areas of the work area selected from the group of areas comprising an area of the work area not yet irradiated, an area of the work area not to be irradiated and an area of the work area already irradiated can be skipped. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that at least one beam position skipped in scanning the sequence of beam positions may be scanned at a subsequent time.

Here, too, a fixed irradiation position or a movement of the irradiation position can be assumed. Due to the large distances between successive interaction areas, the energy input can be further increased and the irradiation time correspondingly shortened, so that the manufacturing process can be carried out efficiently.

In another irradiation strategy, it is possible to jump ahead along the irradiation path by a maximum jump distance (e.g. from beam position A1 in Fig. 5A to beam position A7), and then jump backwards with smaller jumps in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the mechanical deflection, until all skipped beam positions are reached were occupied along the occupation path (in FIG. 5A, for example, in the order A2-A3-A4-A5-A6 as an example of a sub-sequence of beam positions that comprises a plurality of beam positions). Then jump again as far as possible forward on the radiation path, etc.

FIG. 6 shows how two or more scan vectors can be exposed simultaneously in one or more irradiation zones using optical deflection. A row of irradiation zones HAI, HB1, HA2, HB2, HA3 can be seen, with scan vectors S1 to S6 running parallel to one another being exposed in each of the irradiation zones according to the irradiation strategy, with scanner device 7 deflecting the energy beam in the direction of scan vectors S1 to S6 of the respective irradiation zone makes. A continuously irradiated scan vector of a treatment zone represents a sub-sequence of beam positions that includes multiple beam positions. An irradiation zone (hatch) can, for example, have an edge length in the range from a few millimeters to a few centimeters. These dimensions are in the range of the jump distance that can be achieved with an optical deflection direction (AOD/EOD) can be implemented, for example in the range of a few millimeters, eg ±10 mm, mostly at least ±5 mm).

To make it clear that the scan vectors S1 to S6 are primarily traversed with the scanner device 7, the scan vectors have been shown as dashed lines. There are different orientations of the scan vectors S1 to S6 in neighboring irradiation zones, so that the scan vectors S1 to S6 each run parallel in the irradiation zones HAI, HA2, HA3, just like in the irradiation zones HB1, HB2. A corresponding arrangement in two dimensions results in what is known as a chessboard array of irradiation zones, where the concepts can be used analogously in strip arrangements of irradiation zones.

In the HAI irradiation zone, a conversion of jumping within the HAI irradiation zone is indicated. During the mechanical deflection in the direction of the scan vectors, the optical deflector causes a hopping between the scan vectors. In the example of FIG. 6, the energy beam jumps, for example, between the scan vectors S1-S4 or S2-S5 or S3-S6; In this case, there are always two scan widths (the size of the melting areas) between the locations of the energy input (distance DC3 to be jumped).

If different irradiation zones are within range of the optical deflection, scan vectors in different irradiation zones can be exposed simultaneously. In Fig. 6, the optically-induced jumps can occur, for example, in the direction of the mechanical deflection (indicated simultaneous exposure of scan vectors S1 in the irradiation zones HB1 and HB2, distance DCC) or perpendicular to the mechanical deflection (indicated simultaneous exposure of scan vectors S2 in the Irradiation zones HA2 and HA3, stretch DCC).

In general, significantly more energy/laser energy can be introduced into the component if the distance between the jumped beam positions is chosen so large that they do not affect each other thermally. As a result, productivity can be increased compared to drawing a melt track in the powder bed with a (circular/Gaussian) laser beam.

As was shown in the exemplary discussed scanning sequences of Figures 5B and 5C and 6, the energy input can in one aspect of the invention based on a temporal and local control. This can be used in particular in additive manufacturing in an overhang area or in a filigree component structure. This can also make it possible to reduce or avoid local overheating even when exposed to continuous laser radiation, in that the energy is introduced at discrete, spaced-apart locations and/or for a limited time.

For this purpose, for example, continuous laser radiation is terminated at this location after a period of irradiation of the powder material that depends on the type of powder material, using optical deflection, in order to give the melted material the opportunity to dissipate heat and to avoid local overheating with unwanted expansion of the melt pool. In other words, overheating can be avoided by directing the laser beam to another second location (e.g. B2 in Fig. 5B or C2 in FIG. 5C) which is far enough away from the first location so that no relevant heat input occurs at the first location as a result of the exposure at the second location. As a result, local overheating can also be achieved with a temporally continuous irradiation (if possible duty cycle of 1) and thus without loss of time.

However, this requires a very rapid deflection of the laser beam from the first point to the second point. The quick distraction is necessary in order to avoid any loss of time by jumping from the first place to the second place and to avoid unwanted exposure/processing of the material along the jump way.

Although the mechanically induced scanner devices usually used in systems (e.g. galvo scanners) do not meet this requirement due to the mass inertia of the mirrors, a corresponding abrupt displacement can be carried out using optical deflection, as explained here. Since the optical deflection distances that can be realized, e.g. using AOD, are small, a scanner device such as a galvo scanner is also required for positioning the laser beam over larger areas (in particular the working area 9).

The implementation of an exemplary irradiation path with a strong change in direction is explained in connection with FIG Path segment 201B of the irradiation path 201 is formed and the linear path segments 201A, 201B meet perpendicularly.

In general, when an angular contour is exposed only with a mechanical scanner device, i.e. an inertial axis, a scanning movement of an optical component (e.g. a deflection mirror) of the scanner device is temporarily brought to a complete standstill before another or the same optical component is moved into a new direction, eg at a 90° angle, is accelerated. With constant energy input from a continuous energy beam (constant laser power), this can lead to overheating of the powder melt in the area of the formed corner. Overheating can occur in particular when the heat cannot dissipate properly due to the non-melted (and correspondingly insulating) powder surrounding, for example, a layered pointed structure.

With the proposed division into a mechanical deflection (inertial axis of the scanner device) and an optical deflection (dynamic axis of the optical deflection device), the inertial axis can now follow a rounded curve near the corner (see the exemplary scan path 203 in the form of a quadrant in Fig. 7A).

In particular, a change in the optical deflection of the energy beam can at least partially compensate for a change in the mechanical deflection of the energy beam in a direction transverse to the irradiation path 201, so that the irradiation path 201 deviates from a sequence of irradiation positions (scan path 203) set with the scanner device 7. Optionally, the optical deflection of the energy beam (5) can have a component in the direction of the radiation path 201, so that in particular a speed at which the sequence of beam positions 217 in a segment (path segments 201A, 201B) of the radiation path 201 is scanned is constant is or remains in a target speed range around a predetermined speed.

In general, a change in the optical deflection of the energy beam and a change in the mechanical deflection of the energy beam can at least partially compensate for one another in at least a first direction. A change in the optical deflection of the energy beam and a change in the mechanical deflection of the energy beam can add up in at least a second direction. The dynamic axis performs a compensating movement such that the energy beam remains on the angular contour, in Figure 7A the linear path segments 201A, 201B. Braking and re-accelerating in the area of the corner E is limited by the acceleration of the dynamic axis, which is greater than that of the mechanical deflection, so that the risk of overheating can be at least significantly reduced. When planning the irradiation strategy, care must be taken to ensure that deviations in the position of the irradiation positions set by the inertial axis from the beam positions required for the target contour can be compensated for by the dynamic axes. In the case of FIG. 7A, the positional deviations to be compensated for are in the area of a beam area 215, which is shown schematically for an irradiation position 211 in FIG. 7A.

The positional deviation at the time when the scanner device assumes the irradiation position 211 corresponds to a distance DCE if the energy beam is to strike the corner E at this time. Due to the path length differences between the irradiation path 201 and the scanning path 203, in order to achieve a constant scanning speed, the mechanical deflection can be reduced in speed. Leading of the beam position was indicated by a line AXV as an example.

In general, a scan speed along the irradiation path 201 can be chosen by matching the speeds of the mechanical deflection and the optical deflection. In this way, the energy input of the energy beam along the irradiation path 201 can also be influenced.

Thus, the aspects described herein can make it possible, in particular, to reduce or even avoid braking phases, acceleration phases and adjustments in the energy of the energy beam that are required as a result. This also reduces the effort involved in developing the process, since the energy in the energy beam in particular has to be adjusted for each type of powder material (particle size distribution, chemical composition).

For example, in the additive manufacturing of the component 4 shown in FIG. 1, the corner E can be part of an overhang structure. In order to further reduce the energy input into the corner, the exposure can be further modified using the optical deflector, as explained below in connection with FIG. 7B. Provided one to be formed Angular structure has dimensions that are essentially the range of instantaneous erratic optical deflections, the angular contour can again be made with linear path segments 201A and 201B' of the irradiation path 201. The mechanical deflection can bring about, for example, a sequence of irradiation positions set with the scanner device, which is arranged on a curved scan path 203 . However, each of the path segments 201A and 201B' is now continuously scanned in the direction of the corner E of the irradiation path (generally towards a taper/tip of a component to be formed), optionally with a varying scanning speed. Path segments 201A and 201B' are also examples of sub-sequences of ray positions, each comprising a plurality of ray positions. Similarly, the arrowhead of path segment 201B' was also drawn at corner E. For example, first a scan can be made along the path segment 201A, with deviations in the mechanical deflection being compensated again by the optical deflection. If the corner E has been reached, the optical deflection device jumps to the start of the path segment 201B' and, starting from there, also scans again in the direction of the corner E of the irradiation path 201.

In this way, hardening processes can generally take place from the "better heat dissipating" area to a "poorer heat dissipating" area (e.g. a peak in the structure of component 4 to be manufactured), which can further reduce the risk of overheating. It is noted that precisely the concepts proposed here for dividing into a mechanical and an optical deflection allow such a procedure to be advantageously implemented. The energy beam does not have to be switched off, since the required jump occurs almost instantaneously, so that valuable time is not lost by shifting the energy beam before the process can be continued “from the other side”.

FIG. 7C further illustrates how the manufacture of an angular structure can be accelerated by increasing the radiated energy if the possibility of an instantaneous abrupt optical deflection is also used. This means that an energy input with the energy beam (e.g. the power of a laser beam) can be used that is above a limit value, as is usually the case for a powder material type (particle size distribution, chemical composition of the powder material 2) in continuous scanning with a beam diameter at a specified scanning speed is predetermined and for example, in the case of irradiation according to the irradiation strategies explained in connection with FIGS. 7A and 7B.

For this purpose, as in FIG. 7C, two path segments 201A" and 201B" (particularly linear and jointly forming a radiation path corner (E)) are shown as examples of subsequences of beam positions 217. The subsequences are exposed point by point, i.e. at beam positions 217, and simultaneously from the inside out, i.e. towards corner E. For this purpose, the energy beam can alternately be shifted to at least one beam position of the subsequence of a first of the radiation path segments, e.g. path segment 201A", and at least one beam position of the subsequence of a second of the radiation path segments, e.g. path segment 201B". For clarification, an exemplary sequence 1 to 10 in exemplary ten beam positions (with overlapping melting areas indicated in a circle) along the path segments 201A" and 201B" is indicated in FIG. 7C. The optical deflection must at least make it possible to jump from beam position 1 to beam position 2. In general, the shifting with the optical deflection between the sub-sequences can be abrupt. The mechanical deflection can be changed continuously, optionally with a varying scanning speed. For example, the mechanical deflection can bring about a sequence of irradiation positions 211 set with the scanner device, which are arranged on a curved scan path 203 .

FIG. 8 shows a further example of a possible interaction of mechanical deflection and optical deflection when forming an irradiation path 301. The irradiation path 301 includes an area of abrupt curvature K up to which the energy beam can be guided purely mechanically at constant speed the scanning path 303 of the mechanical deflection of the scanner device moves sluggishly beyond the point of curvature before it is accelerated back to the irradiation path 301 in order to take over the sole management of the energy beam again. The mechanical deflection causes a sequence of irradiation positions set with the scanner device, which is arranged on a curved scan path 303 and scanned continuously, optionally at a varying scan speed, with the curvature of the scan path 303 being less than the curvature of the curved segment. A radiation position 311, an associated beam area 315 and optical correction paths DC are shown in FIG. 8 as an example. FIGS. 9A and 9B explain the formation of radiation paths in which a “mechanical” scan vector (scan path) is broadened beyond a diameter of the energy beam with the aid of a lateral optical deflection. The widening is indicated in Figures 9A and 9B as strips 403' and 503', respectively. The strip 403' or 503' represents a region of a layer to be exposed, for example a section which forms an overhang region of the component during manufacture.

For a given combinability of mechanical deflection and optical deflection, two strategies for processing overhanging areas while avoiding local overheating are explained below as examples:

9A shows a quasi-stationary exposure strategy in which the irradiation path comprises a subsequence of beam positions whose positions lie within an associated beam area of the deflection device when the mechanical deflection is fixed at an irradiation position in the working area. A scanner device positions the energy beam at an irradiation position 411A, which corresponds, for example, to a center position of a partial area T to be exposed of a scan vector. With an optical deflector of the optical deflection device, the energy beam is then successively directed to different beam positions 417 of the partial area T in order to expose them in a predetermined sequence for a predetermined period. An exemplary sequence 1-2-3-4-5-6-7...n when taking the beam positions 417 to be taken is indicated in FIG. 9A. With this sequence, adjacent areas are not exposed directly one after the other. In this case, the partial area T is limited in terms of dimensions by the beam region 415 with respect to the irradiation position 411A. In the present case, the partial area T is smaller than the beam area 415. The subsequence of the beam positions on the partial area T is scanned only by changing the optical deflection with a fixed mechanical deflection.

With the goal of an improved manufacturing process, as described above, the energy beam will only expose non-adjacent beam positions 417 directly one after the other. During the exposure of the partial area T by the rapid deflection, there is no displacement of the irradiation position 411 (ie no movement of the scanner device). A static exposure situation is therefore temporarily present with regard to the mechanical deflection. If the entire sub-area T has been exposed, the scanner device is activated and a new irradiation position 411B is set, so that an adjoining partial area of the strip 403' can be exposed.

9B shows an on-the-fly exposure in which a mechanical deflection is carried out continuously and an optical deflection is superimposed. The scanner device guides the energy beam along a defined path, the scan path 503. The scan path 503 can—as in the example in FIG. 9B—be a linear scan vector or it can follow a given contour. At the same time as the mechanical scanning movement, the energy beam jumps to beam positions 517 by means of optical deflection, which can be e.g. to the right and left, i.e. to the side, as well as on the scan path 503. Here, too, the energy beam will only expose non-adjacent beam positions 517 directly one after the other, if possible. An exemplary order 1-2-3-4-5 for taking the beam positions 517 to be taken is indicated in FIG. 9B.

According to the embodiments, for example that of FIGS. 7A to 9B, the scanner device can be controlled in such a way that the mechanical deflection positions the energy beam continuously/incrementally at a sequence of irradiation positions. At the same time, the deflection device is controlled in such a way that the energy beam successively assumes the beam positions of sub-sequences that define the beam area of the corresponding irradiation position 411, and in particular a predetermined beam shape of the beam area (see, for example, the beam area 415 and the partial area T in FIG. 9A). cover partially or completely.

With regard to the various exemplary embodiments for irradiating beam positions, those skilled in the art will also recognize that the deflection device can be controlled in such a way that the energy beam at one irradiation position of the plurality of irradiation positions within a beam area is displaced to a plurality of beam positions in order to a to be irradiated To shape the beam profile of the beam area during the manufacture of a part. The energy beam can be shifted abruptly to the plurality of discrete beam positions of the beam profile to be irradiated. Furthermore, the energy beam can, in particular, leap over beam positions in the beam area that are spatially adjacent to one another and, in particular, can only occupy beam positions in the beam area that are not spatially adjacent to one another in temporal succession. FIGS. 10A to 10D explain irradiation strategies for an additive manufacturing of filigree structures, in which a detailed exposure of partial areas is carried out only by means of optical deflection.

Similar to Fig. 9A, for a fixed mechanical deflection, a sub-sequence of beam positions can form a series of parallel, in particular linear, scan vectors and a length of each of the scan vectors can be less than or equal to an extent of the beam area of the deflection device in the direction of the respective scan vector being.

In the case of filigree components, there are often a number of short scan vectors when planning the irradiation. In other words, the irradiation path can comprise a plurality of sub-sequences of beam positions whose positions lie within a beam range of the deflection device when mechanical deflection is fixed in the work area at an irradiation position belonging to a sub-sequence.

When the short vectors are controlled with a relatively sluggish mechanical scanner device, the exposure requires a large proportion of acceleration and braking distances (skywriting, scanner delay) between the individual short vectors. This therefore causes a high proportion of non-productive time during the exposure if the exposure is carried out solely with the scanner device 7 in FIG. 1, for example. Furthermore, successive exposure of short vectors can lead to local overheating or (in order to avoid local overheating) process pauses can be forced instead, which are to be provided for when mechanical deflection is used for filigree structures. The process pauses should be chosen to ensure that sufficient heat can dissipate along the irradiation path.

With the concepts disclosed here of the combination of, for example, a galvano scanner and an AOD, filigree structures are written/exposed using only the optical deflection of the AOD. In other words, each of the plurality of subsequences can be sampled only by changing the optical deflection with the mechanical deflection fixed. Between the scanning of two sub-sequences of the plurality of sub-sequences, the mechanical deflection from one exposure position to another exposure Radiation position can be changed. This can reduce or avoid waiting times and/or overheating.

FIGS. 10A to 10D show sketches for explaining irradiation strategies for additive manufacturing of filigree structures. FIG. 10A shows an irradiation strategy for a filigree structure F tapering to a point in a component layer. For the exposure, the filigree structure is assigned a sub-area T M , in which the exposure is carried out exclusively along a group of long scan vectors S_M represented by dashed lines. The long scan vectors S_M can, for example, be exposed/scanned solely by means of mechanical deflection of the laser beam and then represent radiation paths of the scanner device.

It can be seen in FIGS. 10A to 10D that the filigree structure in the component layer also forms a narrow, tapering partial area T O . In the narrow partial area T O, the filigree structure is tapered to a width that is smaller than the extent of a possible beam area 615 of the optical deflection device. Exemplary beam regions 615 are indicated around irradiation positions 611 in FIG. 10A.

With these proportions, a change in the type of scanning can take place, in which scanning is now exclusively effected by means of optical deflection. FIGS. 10A to 10D show short scan vectors S O for the narrow partial areas T O of the component layer of the filigree structure F. The short scan vectors S O are scanned only by means of optical deflection of the laser beam, namely at

- e.g. stationary galvano scanner mirroring (irradiation positions 611 in Fig. 10A) or

- slowly moving galvano scanner mirrors (scan path 703 Fig. 10B).

Due to the fast optical deflection using AOD, there are no disadvantageous delay times when switching between short scan vectors S O.

Since, due to the short scan vectors, sequential exposure can lead to overheating if the energy beam re-radiates too quickly close to a previously exposed area, the individual short scan vectors SO of the partial area TO can also be exposed in almost any vector sequence. Fig. 10C illustrates vector orders 1-2-3-4-5, 1'-2'-3'-4'-5', 1"-2"-3" for the case of transient stationary mechanical deflection. For example, in the three beam areas 815, which are Radiation positions 811 can be scanned optically, at least one short scan vector SO is always skipped.

In FIG. 10C, a scanning direction was also indicated for the scan vectors S_M and S_O, which is inverted in each case for successive scan vectors (whether short or long).

In other words, the optical fast deflection can be used to scan non-adjacent short scan vectors S O that always have a minimum distance, so that—without stopping the optical deflection—the short scan vectors S O of the filigree structure F can be processed efficiently.

Figure 10D shows another advantage of flexibility in optical deflection. The use of optical deflection enables scanning to always be in one direction. Due to the rapid deflection within the beam area 915, necessary empty runs are not significant in terms of time. For example, the scanning of the short scan vectors S O of the filigree structure F can be directed in the scan direction against a gas flow G guided over the work area 9, which means that a higher process quality can be achieved in the area of the filigree structure F.

The short scan vectors S O are also examples of sub-sequences of beam positions, each of which comprises a plurality of beam positions.

With a view to the various exemplary embodiments for the irradiation of subsequences of beam positions, the person skilled in the art will recognize that, taking into account, in particular ensuring, the dissipation of the energy introduced into the subsequences with the energy beam, a number of subsequences along the irradiation path and/or a number of Beam positions in one of the subsequences and/or a spatial distance between successively occupied subsequences can be determined. In particular, the energy or irradiation duration entered with the energy beam into the sub-sequences can be limited.

The selection of energy and irradiation duration at a beam position depends, among other things, on whether one jumps, for example, between two, three or even more sub-sequences: If one skips, for example, only one beam position, so that there may still be a thermal interaction, albeit a reduced one, between -both sub-sequences, and only jumps between two sub-sequences back and forth, one may be able to put twice as much energy into each of the subsequences per unit time (compared to continuous irradiation); analogous if you jump between four sub-sequences, for example (assuming the same irradiation time per beam position). If necessary, one can also irradiate close, thermally interacting sub-sequences if one builds in enough "thermal breaks" between the exposures by further exposure at other sub-sequences/beam positions. Among other things, it is thermally relevant whether the energy/power input during production is so much higher than the heat/power dissipated at one point that the peak temperature is too high, which could lead to discolouration, an unstable production process or other problems, for example.

It is noted that the irradiation strategies disclosed herein may generally also include irradiation paths with a sub-sequence of beam positions taken by changing the mechanical deflection while the optical deflection is fixed or varied.

In general, a speed at which a sequence of spatially adjacent beam positions is continuously scanned can also be selected independently of whether one of the beam positions of the sequence of spatially adjacent beam positions is occupied by changing the optical deflection and/or changing the mechanical deflection will. In additive manufacturing, preferred speeds for such a continuously performed scanning movement—similar to a purely mechanical scanner device—are in the range from one meter per second to a few meters per second. The speed can be selected specifically for the powder material type and the energy beam/laser beam type.

With regard to scanning beam positions as uniformly as possible, a target speed range is, for example, in the range of a few percent (possibly up to ±10% and more) around a speed specified for an irradiation situation (powder material type, energy beam/laser beam), which is e.g Laser beam parameters and powder material parameters were determined.

If the possibility of abrupt activation of non-adjacent beam positions is built in and the energy of the energy beam is correspondingly increased, a scanning speed related to the entire radiation path can assume correspondingly higher values, with a correspondingly increased manufacturing efficiency. Further aspects of the invention are summarized below:

Aspect 1. Method for displacing a continuous energy beam (5) along a radiation path (101) formed by a sequence of beam positions (17), which is provided for the purpose of applying a powder material (2 ) in a powder layer, with the steps:

Radiating the continuous energy beam (5) onto the powder material (2) in order to form a layer of a component (4) as part of an additive manufacturing process; and moving the energy beam (5) within the working area (9) by superimposing an optical deflection of the energy beam (5) with a deflection device (13) and a mechanical deflection of the energy beam (5) with a scanner device (7), the mechanical Deflection is designed to position the energy beam (5) at a plurality of irradiation positions (11) arranged in the work area (9), the irradiation positions (11) essentially spanning the work area (9), and the optical deflection is designed for this purpose is to deflect the energy beam (5) around each of the irradiation positions (11) within a beam region (15) of the deflection device (13) to at least one beam position of the sequence of beam positions (17), the optical deflection and the mechanical deflection occurring at the same time or are sequentially changed to scan the sequence of beam positions (17) with the energy beam (5).

[In general, the beam area is given here by a maximum extent of the optical deflection of the deflection device.]

Aspect 2. The method of aspect 1, further comprising:

Activation of the deflection device (13) and the scanner device (7) in such a way that the energy beam (5) successively scans sub-sequences, each of which comprises at least one beam position of the sequence of beam positions (17) of the radiation path (101), with an abrupt change in the optical deflection, a region between the spaced sub-sequences of the energy beam (5) is skipped, so that one after the other spatially spaced, in particular thermally decoupled, sub-sequences are taken by the energy beam.

Aspect 3. The method of aspect 2, wherein at least one of

- a number of subsequences along the irradiation path,

- a number of beam positions in one of the subsequences and

- A spatial distance between successively taken sub-sequences, taking into account/ensuring the discharge of the energy introduced into the sub-sequences with the energy beam (5), in particular a limitation of the energy or irradiation duration introduced into the sub-sequences with the energy beam, can be determined.

Aspect 4. Method according to aspect 2 or 3, wherein the deflection device (13) and the scanner device (7) are controlled in such a way that adjacent beam positions (17) of the irradiation path (101) are not occupied consecutively.

Aspect 5. Method according to one of aspects 2 to 4, wherein the deflection device (13) in a passage region provided for the energy beam (5) comprises an optical, in particular transparent, material which has optical properties which are set to bring about the optical deflection , and wherein the deflection device (13) comprises, in particular, a crystal in which an acoustic wave having an acoustic wavelength is formed or a refractive index or a refractive index gradient is adjusted in order to effect the optical deflection.

Aspect 6. The method of aspect 5, further comprising

- Radiation of the energy beam onto the passage area,

- guiding the diffracted energy beam to a first of the beam positions (17) and

- Changing the optical deflection of the energy beam by changing the acoustic wavelength Wel, in particular a discrete changing the acoustic wavelength for abrupt changes in the acousto-optical deflection are made, so that the region between the spaced sub-sequences, and in particular at least one beam position (17) of the radiation path (101) spatially located between the sub-sequences, is skipped by the energy beam (5).

Aspect 7. The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 6, wherein spatially non-contiguous beam positions (17) of the irradiation path (101) are occupied sequentially in time and/or the spaced-apart sub-sequences cover at least one diameter of the energy beam or at least 50% of the diameter of the Energy beam or at least 1.5 to 2 times the diameter of the energy beam are spaced apart in the work area (9) and / or

Areas of the work area (9) are skipped, which are selected from the group of areas comprising an area of the work area (9) that has not yet been irradiated, an area of the work area (9) that is not to be irradiated and an area of the work area (9) that has already been irradiated.

Aspect 8. The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 7, wherein while the scanner device (7) is controlled in such a way that the mechanical deflection positions the energy beam (5) at an irradiation position (11), the deflection device (13) is controlled in such a way that the energy beam (5) successively occupies the beam positions (17) of sub-sequences that completely cover the beam area (15) of the corresponding irradiation position (11), and in particular a predetermined beam shape of the beam area (15).

Aspect 9. Method according to one of aspects 1 to 6, wherein while the scanner device (7) is controlled in such a way that the mechanical deflection continuously positions the energy beam (5) at a sequence of irradiation positions (11), the deflection device ( 13) is controlled in such a way that the energy beam (5) successively occupies the beam positions (17) of subsequences that partially or completely cover the beam area (15) of the corresponding irradiation position (11), and in particular a predetermined beam shape of the beam area (15). cover.

Aspect 10. The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 9, wherein the deflection device (13) is controlled such that the energy beam (5) at an irradiation position (11) of plurality of irradiation positions (11) within a beam area (15) is shifted to a plurality of beam positions (17) in order to shape a beam profile of the beam area during the manufacture of a component (4), and the energy beam (5) jumps to the plurality is shifted from discrete beam positions (17), the energy beam (5) in particular jumping over beam positions (17) that are spatially adjacent to one another in the beam area (15) and in particular only occupying beam positions (17) that are not spatially adjacent to one another in the beam area (15) in a temporal succession .

Aspect 11. The method of aspect 10, further comprising:

Irradiating the energy beam (5) by controlling the scanner device (7) in such a way that the energy beam (5) is positioned along a sub-sequence of irradiation positions (11) according to a scan path (103), and the deflection device (13) is controlled in this way at the same time is that the energy beam (5) jumps back and forth between beam positions (17) of a two-dimensional arrangement of beam positions (17), in particular between beam positions (17) arranged transversely to the scan path (103).

Aspect 12. Method according to one of aspects 1 to 11, wherein the irradiation path (101) has at least one irradiation zone (HAI) in which a plurality of sub-sequences of irradiation positions in the form of adjacent, at least partially parallel scan vectors (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6), in particular of the same length, is defined, also with:

Irradiation of the energy beam (5) by the scanner device (13) being controlled in such a way that the irradiation position (11) is displaced along a first scan vector (S1) of the scan vectors (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6), and the deflection device (13) is controlled at the same time such that the energy beam (5) between the first scan vector (Sl) of the scan vectors (Sl, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) and at least one further scan vector (S4) of the scan vectors ( S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) jumps back and forth.

Aspect 13. The method of any one of aspects 1 to 12, further comprising:

The energy beam (5) is radiated in by the scanner device (7) being controlled in such a way that the irradiation position (11) is displaced along a subsequence of irradiation positions (11) in accordance with a scanning direction, and the deflection device (13) is controlled at the same time in such a way that the Energy beam (5) jumps between beam positions arranged along the subsequence in and against the scanning direction. Aspect 14. The method according to any one of aspects 1 to 13, wherein the irradiation path (101) has at least two irradiation zones (HA2, HA3; HB1, HB2), in each of which a plurality of subsequences of irradiation positions in the form of adjacent, at least partially parallel running scan vectors (Sl, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) of the same length is defined, with the scanner device (7) being controlled in order to displace the energy beam (5) in such a way that the energy beam moves along a first scan vector (Sl; S2) of the Scan vectors (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) is positioned in a first of the irradiation zones (HA2, HA3; HB1, HB2), and the deflection device is controlled at the same time in such a way that the energy beam between the first of the scan vectors in the first of the irradiation zones (HA2, HA3; HB1, HB2) and at least one further scan vector (S1; S2) of the scan vectors (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) of a further one of the irradiation zones (HA2, HA3; HB1, HB2). and jump here >

Aspect 15. Manufacturing device (1) for the additive manufacturing of a component (4) from a powder material (2), which is provided in a work area (9), with a beam generating device (3) which is set up to generate a continuous energy beam (5 ) for irradiating the powder material (2), a scanner device (7) which is set up for mechanical deflection in order to position the energy beam (5) at a plurality of irradiation positions (11), the irradiation positions (11) defining the working area (9 ) essentially spanning, a deflection device (13) which is set up for optical deflection in order to deflect the energy beam (5) around each of the irradiation positions (11) within a beam region (15) to at least one beam position of the sequence of beam positions (17). , and a control device (19) which is operatively connected to the scanner device (7) and the deflection device (13) and arranged to control the Abl steering device (13) and the scanner device (7) in such a way that the optical deflection and the mechanical deflection are changed simultaneously or sequentially in order to use the continuous energy beam (5) to form a radiation path (101 ) scan, wherein the irradiation path (101) is provided to solidify the powder material (2) in a powder layer in the work area (9).

Aspect 16. Production device (1) according to aspect 15, wherein the deflection device (13) is set up - to shift the energy beam (5) abruptly to a plurality of discrete beam positions (17), and/or

- using the energy beam (5) to scan sub-sequences in succession, each of which comprises at least one beam position (17) of the sequence of beam positions (17) of the radiation path (101), with a sudden change in the optical deflection creating a region between the sub-sequences at a distance from Energy beam (5) is skipped, so that successively spatially spaced, in particular thermally decoupled, sub-sequences are occupied by the energy beam.

Aspect 17. A manufacturing facility (1) according to any one of aspects 15 or lo, wherein

- the control device (19) is set up to control the scanner device (7) and the deflection device (13) according to a method according to one of claims 1 to 14,

- the scanner device (7) has at least one scanner, in particular a galvanometer scanner, piezo scanner, polygon scanner, MEMS scanner, and/or a working head that can be displaced relative to the working area (9),

- the deflection device (13) has at least one electro-optical deflector and/or acousto-optical deflector (21), preferably two electro-optical or acousto-optical deflectors (21) that are not oriented parallel, in particular perpendicular to one another,

- The deflection device has at least one acousto-optical deflector (21) with an optical material, such as a crystal, and an exciter (112) for generating acoustic waves in the optical material, and/or

- The beam generating device (3) is designed as a continuous wave laser.

It is explicitly emphasized that all features disclosed in the description and/or the claims are considered separate and independent from each other for the purpose of the original disclosure as well as for the purpose of limiting the claimed invention independently of the feature combinations in the embodiments and/or the claims should be. It is explicitly stated that all indications of ranges or indications of groups of units disclose every possible intermediate value or subgroup of units for the purpose of the original disclosure as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed invention, in particular also as a limit of a range indication.

Claims

patent claims

1. Method for displacing a continuous energy beam (5) along an irradiation path (101) formed by a sequence of beam positions (17), which is intended to inject a powder material (2) into a work area (9) of a production device (1). to solidify a layer of powder, with the steps:

Radiating the continuous energy beam (5) onto the powder material (2) in order to form a layer of a component (4) as part of an additive manufacturing process; and moving the energy beam (5) within the working area (9) by superimposing an optical deflection of the energy beam (5) with a deflection device (13) and a mechanical deflection of the energy beam (5) with a scanner device (7), the mechanical Deflection is designed to position the energy beam (5) at a plurality of irradiation positions (11) arranged in the work area (9), the irradiation positions (11) essentially spanning the work area (9), and the optical deflection is designed for this purpose is to deflect the energy beam (5) around each of the irradiation positions (11) within a beam region (15) to at least one beam position of the sequence of beam positions (17), the optical deflection and the mechanical deflection being changed simultaneously or sequentially in order to scan the sequence of beam positions (17) with the energy beam (5).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the deflection device (13) and the scanner device (7) are controlled in such a way that the changing of the optical deflection and the changing of the mechanical deflection take place at the same time such that the sequence of beam positions (17) with a predetermined speed or in a target speed range to the predetermined Ge speed is sampled.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the deflection device (13) and the scanner device (7) are controlled such that a change in the optical deflection of the energy beam (5) a change in the mechanical deflection of the energy beam (5) in a Direction transverse to the radiation path (101) at least partially compensated, so that the irradiation path (101) deviates from a sequence of irradiation positions (11) set with the scanner device (7), and optionally the optical deflection of the energy beam (5) has a component in the direction of the irradiation path (101) has, so that in particular a speed at which the sequence of beam positions (17) in a segment of the radiation path (101) is scanned is constant or remains in a desired speed range around a predetermined speed.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the deflection device (13) and the scanner device (7) are controlled in such a way that a change in the optical deflection of the energy beam (5) and a change in the mechanical deflection of the energy beam (5) compensate at least partially in at least a first direction and/or add a change in the optical deflection of the energy beam (5) and a change in the mechanical deflection of the energy beam (5) in at least a second direction.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the irradiation path (101) comprises a curved segment (301) and the deflection device (13) and the scanner device (7) are controlled in such a way that the energy beam (5) travels continuously along the curved segment ( 301) is relocated, in particular

- the mechanical deflection is changed continuously, optionally with a varying scanning speed, and/or

- The mechanical deflection causes a sequence of irradiation positions (11) set with the scanner device (7), which are arranged on a curved scan path (303), with a curvature of the scan path (303) being less than a curvature of the curvature segment (301) .

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the displacement of the energy beam (5) along the irradiation path (101) is divided with a diplexer between the deflection of the scanner device (7) and the deflection of the deflection device (13).

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the radiation path (201) comprises two, in particular linear, radiation path segments (201A, 201B) that together form a radiation path corner (E), and the deflection device (13) and the scanner device (7 ) are controlled in such a way that the energy beam (5) travels continuously along each of the irradiation path segments (201 A,

201B) is relocated, in particular

- the energy beam (5) is displaced along at least one of the two radiation path segments (201A, 201A", 201B, 201B', 201B") in the direction of the radiation path corner (E),

- the mechanical deflection brings about a sequence of irradiation positions (211) set with the scanner device (7) and arranged on a curved scanning path (203).

8. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, in which the irradiation path (201) comprises two, in particular linear, irradiation path segments (201A", 201B") which together form a radiation path corner (E) and which each have a subsequence of beam positions ( 217), and the deflection device (13) and the scanner device (7) are controlled in such a way that the energy beam (5) is directed alternately to at least one beam position (217) of the subsequence of a first of the radiation path segments (201 A", 201 B") and at least one beam position (217) of the subsequence of a second of the radiation path segments (201A", 201B") is shifted, and in particular

- the mechanical deflection is changed continuously, optionally with a varying scan speed, and/or the mechanical deflection causes a sequence of irradiation positions (211) set with the scanner device (7) and arranged on a curved scan path (203), and

- the shifting with the optical deflection between the sub-sequences occurs in leaps and bounds.

9. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, in which the scanner device (7) scans a sequence of irradiation positions (211) with a constant, optionally with a varying, scanning speed.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation path (17) comprises a sub-sequence of beam positions, the positions of which, when the mechanical deflection is fixed at an irradiation position (411A, 611) in the work area (9) within an associated beam area (415, 615) of the deflection device (13), and wherein the deflection device (13) and the scanner device (7) are controlled in such a way that the sub-sequence is scanned only by a change in the optical deflection with a fixed mechanical deflection.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the subsequence of beam positions forms a series of parallel, in particular linear, scan vectors (SO) and a length of each of the scan vectors (SO) is less than or equal to an extent of the beam area (815) of the deflection device (13) in the direction of the respective scan vector (SO).

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the irradiation path (17) comprises a plurality of sub-sequences of beam positions, the positions of which are fixed mechanical deflection within a beam range of the deflection device in the work area at an irradiation position (411 A, 611) belonging to a sub-sequence lie, and the deflection device (13) and the scanner device (7) are controlled in such a way that -each of the plurality of sub-sequences is scanned only by a change in the optical deflection with a fixed mechanical deflection and

The method of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the irradiation path (101) further comprises a sub-sequence of beam positions (17) occupied by changing mechanical deflection with fixed or varying optical deflection.

14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 13, wherein the deflection device (13) and the scanner device (7) are controlled in such a way that a speed with which a sequence of spatially adjacent beam positions (17) is scanned, regardless of whether one of the beam positions (17) of the sequence of spatially adjacent beam positions (17) is scanned by changing the optical deflection and/or changing the mechanical deflection.

15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deflection device (13) in a passage region provided for the energy beam (5) comprises an optical, in particular transparent, material such as a crystal, which has optical properties that are necessary for effecting the optical deflection to be set.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising

- Radiation of the energy beam onto the passage area,

- guiding the diffracted energy beam to a first of the beam positions (17), and

- Changing the optical deflection of the energy beam by changing the acoustic wavelength.

The method of claim 16, wherein changing the acoustic wavelength changes the diffraction angle of the first diffraction order such that the diffracted energy beam is directed to a second one of the beam positions (17).

18. The method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the acoustic wavelength is changed in steps by a change in wavelength, so that the energy beam successively introduces energy into beam positions of the irradiation path, with energy in two beam positions in a transition period in which two acoustic wavelengths are present in the passage region nen is introduced at the same time.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the wavelength change causes a change in the diffraction angle, so that spatially adjacent beam positions (17) of the Irradiation path (101) or spatially spaced, in particular thermally decoupled, beam positions (17) are scanned sequentially in time by the energy beam (5).

20. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deflection device (13) is controlled in such a way that at least one beam position (17) is skipped when scanning the sequence of beam positions (17), the skipped beam position (17) being scanned at a subsequent point in time will.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising

- Radiation of the energy beam onto the passage area,

- deflection of the energy beam based on the set refractive index or refractive index gradient,

- guiding the deflected energy beam to a first of the beam positions (17), and

22. Manufacturing device (1) for the additive manufacturing of a component (4) from a powder material (2), which is provided in a work area (9), with a beam generating device (3) which is set up to generate a continuous energy beam (5 ) for irradiating the powder material (2), a scanner device (7) which is set up for mechanical deflection in order to position the energy beam (5) at a plurality of irradiation positions (11), the irradiation positions (11) defining the working area (9 ) essentially span, a deflection device (13) which is set up for optical deflection in order to deflect the energy beam (5) within a beam area (15) around each of the irradiation positions (11) to at least one beam position of the sequence of beam positions (17). , And a control device (19) which is operatively connected to the scanner device (7) and the deflection device (13) and set up to deflect the direction (13) and the scanner device (7) in such a way that the optical deflection and the mechanical deflection are changed at the same time or in succession in order to use the continuous energy beam (5) to generate a characteristic formed by a sequence of the beam positions (17). To scan the radiation path (101), the radiation path (101) being provided for solidifying the powder material (2) in a powder layer in the working area (9).

23. Production device (1) according to claim 22, wherein the deflection device (13) is set up in order to suddenly shift the energy beam (5) to a plurality of discrete beam positions (17).

24. Manufacturing device (1) according to one of claims 22 or 23, wherein the control device (19) has a frequency filter for dividing the displacement of the energy beam (5) along a radiation path (101) to a deflection of the scanner device (7) and a deflection the deflection device (13).

25. Manufacturing device (1) according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein

- the control device (19) is set up to control the scanner device (7) and the deflection device (13) according to a method according to one of claims 1 to 21,

- The beam generating device (3) is designed as a continuous wave laser.