APPARATUS FOR ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURING AT LEAST ONE THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT
Apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object ( 2 ) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of build material ( 3 ) which can be consolidated by means of at least one energy beam ( 4 ), comprising: —a process chamber ( 7 ) in which a process gas stream chargeable or charged with non-consolidated particulate build material is generated during operation of the apparatus ( 1 ); —a streaming channel structure ( 16 ) comprising at least one streaming channel element ( 15 ) for a respective process gas stream the streaming channel element ( 15 ) communicating with a process gas stream inlet ( 9 a ) and/or a process gas stream outlet ( 9 b ) of the process chamber ( 7 ); —a particle separation device ( 18 ) configured to separate non-consolidated build material from the process gas stream streaming through the at least one streaming channel element ( 15 ).
1 . Apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object ( 2 ) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of build material ( 3 ) which can be consolidated by means of at least one energy beam ( 4 ), comprising:
a process chamber ( 7 ) in which a process gas stream chargeable or charged with non-consolidated particulate build material is generated during operation of the apparatus ( 1 );
a streaming channel structure ( 16 ) comprising at least one streaming channel element ( 15 ) for a respective process gas stream the streaming channel element ( 15 ) communicating with a process gas stream inlet ( 9 a ) and/or a process gas stream outlet ( 9 b ) of the process chamber ( 7 );
a particle separation device ( 18 ) configured to separate non-consolidated build material from the process gas stream streaming through the at least one streaming channel element ( 15 ).
2 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the particle separation device ( 18 ) is configured to generate a deflecting force acting upon the non-consolidated particulate build material streaming in the process gas stream, the deflecting force being capable of deflecting the non-consolidated particulate build material towards an inner wall portion of the streaming channel element ( 15 ).
3 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the particle separation device ( 18 ) is built as or comprises at least one eddy current separation device.
4 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a filter device ( 10 ), whereby the streaming channel element ( 15 ) extends between a process gas stream outlet ( 9 b ) of the process chamber ( 7 ) and a process gas stream inlet ( 10 a ) of the filter device ( 10 ).
5 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the particle separation device ( 18 ) is arranged at an outside, particularly at a freely exposed outer wall portion, of the streaming channel element ( 15 ).
6 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the streaming channel element ( 15 ) has a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section in the region of arrangement of the particle separation device ( 18 ).
7 . Apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the streaming channel element ( 15 ) is branched in the region of arrangement of the particle separation device ( 18 ), whereby a first streaming channel element branch ( 15 a ) extends towards the process gas stream inlet ( 9 a ) and/or the process gas stream outlet ( 9 b ) of the process chamber ( 7 ) and a second streaming channel element branch ( 15 b ) extends towards a processing device ( 21 ) configured to process the non-consolidated particulate build material which was separated from the process gas stream by means of the particle separation device ( 18 ).
8 . Apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the second streaming channel element branch ( 15 b ) extends towards a build material recycling device configured to recycle separated non-consolidated particulate build material, particularly a build material recycling device of the apparatus ( 1 ), and/or towards a demagnetizing device configured to demagnetize non-consolidated particulate build material which was magnetized during separation via the particle separation device, particularly a demagnetizing device of the apparatus ( 1 ).
9 . Apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the second streaming channel element branch ( 15 b ) is at least partly oriented towards ground.
10 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a detection device ( 22 ) configured to detect the concentration of non-consolidated particulate build material in the process gas stream and to generate a detection information indicating the detected concentration of non-consolidated particulate build material in the process gas stream.
11 . Apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a control unit ( 24 ) being configured to control operation of the particle separation device ( 18 ) on basis of the detection information.
12 . Particle separation device ( 18 ) for an apparatus ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , the particle separation device ( 18 ) being configured to separate non-consolidated build material from a process gas stream streaming through at least one streaming channel element ( 15 ) of the apparatus ( 1 ).
13 . Method for separating non-consolidated particulate build material from a process gas stream streaming through at least one streaming channel element ( 15 ) communicating with a process gas stream inlet ( 9 a ) and/or a process gas stream outlet ( 9 b ) of the process chamber ( 7 ) of an apparatus ( 1 ) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects ( 2 ), particularly an apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a particle separation device ( 18 ) for the apparatus of claim 1 that is configured to separate non-consolidated build material from a process gas stream streaming through at least one streaming channel element ( 15 ) of the apparatus ( 1 ) is used for separating non-consolidated build material from the process gas stream streaming through the streaming channel element ( 15 ).