APPARATUS FOR ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURING THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECTS
Apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects ( 2 ) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of build material ( 3 ) which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam ( 4 ), the apparatus ( 1 ) comprising: at least one chamber ( 8 ) in which build material depositions ( 3 ′) are built during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ), at least one carrying device ( 12 ), the carrying device ( 12 ) comprising at least one carrying element ( 12 b ) being moveably supported in at least one degree of freedom of motion within the at least one chamber ( 8 ), a cleaning device ( 14 ) assignable or assigned to the at least one chamber ( 8 ), the cleaning device ( 14 ) being adapted to remove respective undesired build material depositions ( 3 ′) from the at least one chamber ( 8 ), the cleaning device ( 14 ) comprising at least one cleaning element ( 14 a ) being connectable with the carrying element ( 12 b ).
1 . Apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects ( 2 ) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of build material ( 3 ) which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam ( 4 ), the apparatus ( 1 ) comprising:
at least one chamber ( 8 ) in which build material depositions ( 3 ′) are built during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ),
at least one carrying device ( 12 ), the carrying device ( 12 ) comprising at least one carrying element ( 12 b ) being moveably supported in at least one degree of freedom of motion within the at least one chamber ( 8 ), characterized by
a cleaning device ( 14 ) assignable or assigned to the at least one chamber ( 8 ), the cleaning device ( 14 ) being adapted to remove respective undesired build material depositions ( 3 ′) from the at least one chamber ( 8 ), the cleaning device ( 14 ) comprising at least one cleaning element ( 14 a ) being connectable or connected with the carrying element ( 12 b ).
2 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device ( 14 ) comprises a stream generating ( 15 ) unit adapted to generate at least one cleaning stream (CS) at least partly streaming through the chamber ( 8 ), particularly along portions of the chamber ( 8 ), e.g. surfaces of chamber wall portions, at which build material ( 3 ) is deposited during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ).
3 . Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the stream generating unit ( 15 ) is adapted to generate at least one blowing stream adapted to blow deposited build material ( 3 ) from respective portions of the chamber ( 8 ) at which build material ( 3 ) is deposited during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ).
4 . Apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the stream generating unit ( 15 ) is adapted to generate at least one blowing stream adapted to blow deposited build material ( 3 ) from respective portions of the chamber ( 8 ) at which build material ( 3 ) is deposited during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ), whereby the blowing stream is directed towards an inlet of a build material reception chamber, particularly a build material reception chamber or an overflow module, adapted to receive build material ( 3 ) which was not consolidated during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ).
5 . Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the or a stream generating unit ( 15 ) is adapted to generate at least one sucking stream adapted to suck deposited build material ( 3 ) from respective portions of the chamber ( 8 ) at which build material ( 3 ) is deposited during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ) and/or to suck swirled build material ( 3 ) from the chamber ( 8 ).
6 . Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the cleaning element ( 14 a ) is provided with a streaming channel structure ( 16 ) comprising at least one streaming channel ( 16 a ) extending between a streaming channel inlet ( 16 b ) and at least one streaming channel outlet ( 16 c ).
7 . Apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the streaming channel structure ( 16 ) comprises at least one streaming channel ( 16 a ) for a first cleaning stream (CS 1 ) and at least one second streaming channel ( 16 a ) for a second cleaning stream (CS 2 ).
8 . Apparatus according to claim 2 , comprising at least one build material separating unit ( 17 ) adapted to separate build material ( 3 ) from a blowing stream adapted to blow deposited build material ( 3 ) from respective portions of the chamber ( 8 ) at which build material ( 3 ) is deposited during operation of the apparatus 81 ) and/or adapted to separate build material ( 3 ) from a sucking stream adapted to suck deposited build material ( 3 ) from respective portions of the chamber ( 8 ) at which build material ( 3 ) is deposited during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ) and/or to suck swirled build material ( 3 ) from the chamber ( 8 ).
9 . Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the build material separating unit ( 17 ) is built as a filter unit and/or a cyclone unit or comprises at least one filter unit and/or at least one cyclone unit.
10 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device ( 14 ) comprises a mechanical build material removing unit ( 19 ) adapted to mechanically remove deposited build material ( 3 ) from portions of the chamber ( 8 ), e.g. surfaces of chamber wall portions, at which build material ( 3 ) is deposited during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ).
11 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device ( 14 ) may comprise a vibrational build material removing unit ( 21 ) adapted to vibrationally remove deposited build material ( 3 ) from portions of the chamber ( 8 ), e.g. surfaces of chamber wall portions, at which build material ( 3 ) is deposited during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ).
12 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device ( 14 ) comprises a magnetic build material removing unit ( 23 ) adapted to magnetically remove deposited magnetizable or magnetic build material ( 3 ) from portions of the chamber ( 8 ), e.g. surfaces of chamber wall portions, at which build material ( 3 ) is deposited during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ).
13 . Cleaning device ( 14 ) for an apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects ( 2 ) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of build material ( 3 ) which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam ( 4 ),
the cleaning device ( 14 ) being adapted to remove undesired build material depositions ( 3 ′) from at least one chamber ( 8 ) of a respective apparatus ( 1 ), the cleaning device ( 14 ) comprising at least one cleaning element ( 14 a ) being connectable with a carrying element ( 12 b ) of a carrying device ( 12 ) of a respective apparatus ( 1 ), the carrying element ( 12 b ) being moveably supported in at least one degree of freedom of motion within the at least one chamber ( 8 ).
14 . Method for cleaning of at least one chamber ( 8 ) of an apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects ( 2 ) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of build material ( 3 ) which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam ( 4 ), in which chamber ( 8 ) build material depositions ( 3 ′) are built during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ), wherein at least one cleaning device ( 14 ) according to claim 13 is used for cleaning of the at least one chamber ( 8 ).