Apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece with process temperature control

1. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece, the apparatus comprising:

a process chamber accommodating a carrier for receiving a raw material powder,

an irradiation device for selectively irradiating electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the raw material powder applied onto the carrier in order to produce the work piece from said raw material powder by an additive layer construction method, the irradiation device comprising at least one radiation source and at least one optical unit with a plurality of optical elements;

a heat transfer arrangement configured to transfer heat generated by a heat source to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device; and

a control unit configured to control the heat transfer arrangement so as to adjust a temperature of the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device, wherein the heat transfer arrangement comprises a heat transfer circuit in which a heat transfer fluid circulates and which is configured to be thermally coupled to the heat source and to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device so as to transfer the heat generated by the heat source to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device,

wherein the heat transfer arrangement is further configured to transfer cooling energy generated by a cooling energy source to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the heat transfer arrangement such that, when the temperature of the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device falls below a temperature set value, the heat generated by the heat source is transferred to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device so as to raise the temperature of the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device, and, when the temperature of the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device exceeds or equals the temperature set value, the transfer of the heat generated by the heat source to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device is shut off.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the heat transfer arrangement such that, when the temperature of the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device exceeds or equals the temperature set value, the cooling energy generated by the cooling energy source is transferred to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device so as to adjust the temperature of the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device substantially to the set temperature value.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a shielding gas supply system configured to supply a shielding gas to the process chamber; and

a further heat transfer arrangement configured to transfer heat to the shielding gas to be supplied to the process chamber, wherein

the control unit is configured to control the further heat transfer arrangement so as to adjust the temperature of the shielding gas to be supplied to the process chamber.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 ,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the further heat transfer arrangement such that, when a temperature prevailing in the process chamber falls below a further temperature set value, the temperature of the shielding gas to be supplied to the process chamber is raised and, when the temperature prevailing in the process chamber exceeds the further temperature set value, the temperature of the shielding gas to be supplied to the process chamber is lowered.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the temperature set value for the temperature of the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device equals or is greater than the further temperature set value for the temperature prevailing in the process chamber.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4 ,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the heat transfer arrangement and the further heat transfer arrangement such that a gradient of the temperature of the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device substantially equals a gradient of the temperature prevailing in the process chamber.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4 ,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the heat transfer arrangement such that the temperature of the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device is raised to the temperature set value when the apparatus is in a warm up mode and the temperature of the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device is maintained substantially constant at the temperature set value when the apparatus is in a processing mode; and/or

wherein the control unit is configured to control the further heat transfer arrangement such that the temperature prevailing in the process chamber is raised to the further temperature set value when the apparatus is in its warm up mode and the temperature prevailing in the process chamber is maintained substantially constant at the further temperature set value when the apparatus is in its processing mode.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the heat transfer arrangement is thermally coupled to the heat source by a first heat exchanger and the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device by at least one second heat exchanger so as to transfer the heat generated by the heat source to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 ,

wherein the heat transfer circuit comprises at least one distribution line connected to the at least one second heat exchanger and configured to selectively direct the heat transfer fluid circulating in the heat transfer circuit through the at least one second heat exchanger thermally coupled to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the heat transfer circuit is further thermally coupled to the cooling energy source by a third heat exchanger arranged in a bypass line of the heat transfer circuit so as to transfer the cooling energy generated by the cooling energy source to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 ,

wherein the further heat transfer arrangement comprises a further heat source configured to act on the shielding gas to be supplied to the process chamber so as to adjust the temperature thereof, wherein the further heat source is provided in the form of the third heat exchanger.

13. A method of operating an apparatus adapted to produce a three-dimensional work piece, the apparatus comprising:

a process chamber accommodating a carrier for receiving a raw material powder;

an irradiation device for selectively irradiating electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the raw material powder applied onto the carrier in order to produce the work piece from said raw material powder by an additive layer construction method, the irradiation device comprising at least one radiation source and at least one optical unit with a plurality of optical elements;

a heat transfer arrangement configured to transfer heat generated by a heat source of the heat transfer arrangement to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device; and

the method comprises: controlling the heat transfer arrangement so as to adjust the temperature of the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device,

wherein the heat transfer arrangement comprises a heat transfer circuit in which a heat transfer fluid circulates and which is configured to be thermally coupled to the heat source and to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device so as to transfer the heat generated by the heat source to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device,

wherein the heat transfer arrangement is further configured to transfer cooling energy generated by a cooling energy source to the at least one optical unit of the irradiation device.