APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BUILDING A THREE-DIMENSIONAL ARTICLE

• Main Author: FEENSTRA, FRITS KORNELIS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 21.05.2008
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; CASTING; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING METALLIC POWDER; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

The invention provides an apparatus for building a three-dimensional article in sequential cross-sectional layers, which apparatus comprises: a powder delivery system comprising one or more reservoirs (1) for delivering a powder and a powder spreading system (2); a printing system (10) for delivering a liquid; a build chamber (3) comprising a outer wall, an inner wall and a build platform (7,8) which is movable along the inner wall of the build chamber; and a powder recovery system (11); wherein more than 25% of the outer wall of the build chamber is in communication with the powder recovery system and/or the build platform is capable of releasing unused powder (directly) from the build chamber in a downward direction into the powder recovery system. The invention further provides a method building a three-dimensional article wherein use is made of said apparatus.