METHOD FOR OPERATING AT LEAST ONE APPARATUS FOR ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS
Method for operating at least one apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects ( 2 ) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material ( 3, 14 ) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which apparatus ( 1 ) comprises at least one build material container ( 4, 8 ) adapted to receive build material ( 3, 14 ), characterized in that the number of build processes at least one part of the build material ( 3, 14 ) received in the at least one build material container ( 4, 8 ) has been used in is determined.
1 . Method for operating at least one apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects ( 2 ) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material ( 3 , 14 ) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which apparatus ( 1 ) comprises at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ) adapted to receive build material ( 3 , 14 ), characterized in that the number of build processes at least one part of the build material ( 3 , 14 ) received in the at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ) has been used in is determined.
2 . Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the number of sieving processes performed on at least one part of the build material ( 3 , 14 ) received in the at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ) is determined.
3 . Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that dependent on the number of build processes and/or the number of sieving processes performed, at least one defined amount of build material ( 3 , 14 ) with a defined number of build processes and/or sieving processes, in particular fresh build material ( 3 , 14 ), is added to the build material ( 3 , 14 ) received in the build material container ( 4 , 8 ).
4 . Method according to claim 3 , characterized in that a ratio of build material ( 3 , 14 ) with different numbers of build processes and/or sieving processes the build material ( 3 , 14 ) received in the build material container ( 4 , 8 ) is comprised of is determined.
5 . Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that dependent on the number of build processes and/or the number of sieving processes the build material ( 3 , 14 ) is reused in different processing steps.
6 . Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one parameter relating to the number of build processes and/or the number of sieving processes of the build material ( 3 , 14 ) received in the at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ) is determined, in particular the color and/or the grain size and/or the grain size distribution and/or the mesh size of at least one mesh used in the sieving process.
7 . Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the number of build processes and/or the number of sieving processes and/or the at least one parameter is stored via an information storage ( 10 ) connected with the build material container ( 4 , 8 ), wherein the information stored in or connected with the information storage ( 10 ) can be directly, in particular via a data storage, preferably a hard drive, or indirectly, in particular via a barcode and/or a QR-code and/or RFID and/or NFC attached to the build material container ( 4 , 8 ), read from the information storage ( 10 ).
8 . Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the number of build processes and/or the number of sieving processes is updated after a corresponding process is completed.
9 . Determination unit ( 16 ) for an apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects ( 2 ) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material ( 3 , 14 ) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which apparatus comprises at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ) adapted to receive build material ( 3 , 14 ), characterized in that the determination unit ( 16 ) is adapted to determine the number of build processes at least one part of the build material ( 3 , 14 ) received in the at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ) has been used in and/or the number of sieving processes performed on at least one part of the build material ( 3 , 14 ) received in the at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ).
10 . Determination unit ( 16 ) for an apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects ( 2 ) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material ( 3 , 14 ) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which apparatus comprises at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ) adapted to receive build material ( 3 , 14 ), characterized in that the determination unit ( 16 ) is adapted to determine the number of build processes at least one part of the build material ( 3 , 14 ) received in the at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ) has been used in and/or the number of sieving processes performed on at least one part of the build material ( 3 , 14 ) received in the at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ), characterized in that the determination unit ( 16 ) is adapted to perform the method according to claim 1 .
11 . Apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects ( 2 ) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material ( 3 , 14 ) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which apparatus comprises at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ) adapted to receive build material ( 3 , 14 ), characterized by at least one determination unit ( 16 ) according to claim 9 .
12 . Apparatus according to claim 11 , characterized in that at least one build material container ( 4 , 8 ) is built as or arranged in a dose module 5 and/or a build module 6 and/or an overflow module 7 and/or a handling station 11 and/or a sieving unit 12 and/or a blending unit 15 .