Working chamber for rapid prototyping by sintering layers of powdered material includes a second movable platform to act as material supply device

摘要

A three-dimensional object is built up in layers by sintering material, e.g. powdered metal, with a scanning laser on a platform carried on a piston (5). The working chamber (4) also contains an identical piston (9) to act as a metering device, which displaces material to be fed as the next layer by a sliding doctor blade (20). The piston sides (18) match the contours (19) of the platforms. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) An arrangement of this kind in which the working chamber (4) includes overflow compartments with their own displacement pistons that also act as material store for the next cycle; (2) The process of building up a three-dimensional object by radiation sintering with the platform piston (5) initially in the fully raised position and the metering piston (9) in the bottom position. The two platforms can be used alternately in successive cycles as building platforms and as metering device. The chamber (4) can be sealed and filled with a protective gas, and can also be heated.