Optical system
An additive manufacturing system has a build surface supporting a precursor material to be fused by incident light energy. The system includes an optics assembly to direct the incident light energy along a beam path in a first direction toward the build surface, and an energy management system. The energy management system includes a beam block disposed along the beam path. The beam block has an aperture allowing the incident light energy to pass through the beam block in the first direction. The beam block also has a surface to absorb or deflect, away from the beam path, light energy traveling in a second direction different from the first direction. The energy management system also includes a heat sink to receive heat energy from at least a portion of the light energy traveling in the second direction.
1 . A method for additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
directing laser energy along a beam path toward a build surface;
fusing a portion of a precursor material on the build surface;
providing an optics support structure having a plurality of support columns and a plurality of support plates spanning between two or more support columns at respective locations along a length of the plurality of support columns; and
supporting at least one optical component of an optics assembly on the plurality of support columns.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving an optical system in at least one direction using a gantry system.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein moving the optical system in the at least one direction includes displacing the optical system a maximum of about 40 micrometers in a direction away from an axis of the optical system when the optical system vibrates at a resonance frequency of the optical system.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the optics assembly and the optics support structure have a resonance frequency between about 400 hertz (Hz) and about 450 Hz.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one support plate has a thickness between about 15 millimeters (mm) and about 25 mm.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one support column includes a tube formed from a composite material.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining alignment of the at least one optical component using the plurality of support plates during thermal expansion of the plurality of support plates.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein each support plate is axisymmetric.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing each of the plurality of support plates with an optical support aperture at or near a center of the support plate and receiving the at least one optical component in the optical support aperture.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing each of the plurality of support plates with at least two support coupling holes at or near a periphery of the support plate and engaging each of the at least two support coupling holes with a respective support column of the two or more support columns.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling at least one support plate to at least one support column using a clamp having a jaw extending from and cooperating with the at least one support plate to form a throat and receiving the at least one support column with the throat, providing a through hole aligned with a bore hole of the at least one support plate, and receiving a fastener with the through hole and the bore hole to adjust a size of the throat to fasten the at least one support column within the throat.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring heat between at least one of the plurality of support plates and a heat transfer conduit carrying a working fluid.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising making thermal contact between a thermal coupling hole on each of the plurality of support plates with the heat transfer conduit.
14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising circulating the working fluid through a return conduit within a support column.
15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a plurality of heat transfer conduits and a plurality of heat transfer plates, each of the plurality of heat transfer plates spanning between two or more heat transfer conduits and comprising a heat transfer component at least partially surrounding the beam path between two optical components of the optics assembly, absorbing and/or deflecting light energy and/or heat energy using the plurality of heat transfer conduits and the plurality of heat transfer plates, and receiving heat energy from the plurality of heat transfer plates using the plurality of heat transfer conduits.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising deflecting light energy away from the beam path using a beam block.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising absorbing heat energy using a heat sink.
18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising flowing a coolant through the plurality of heat transfer conduits and absorbing heat energy from the plurality of heat transfer plates and/or the plurality of support plates using the coolant.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising receiving a coil in thermal and fluid communication with the plurality of heat transfer conduits in a channel within each of the plurality of support plates.
20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein supporting the at least one optical component includes supporting the at least one optical component with two or more support plates.
21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising supporting the at least one optical component with at least one platform spanning between and supported by two or more support posts.