Method for selective laser sintering and system for selective laser sintering suitable for said method

摘要

A method and a device perform selective laser sintering. In the method for laser sintering, energy is applied linearly to a cross-sectional surface of the component to be produced in order to compact the powdery material. In the case of components with cross-sectional surfaces that have a curved contour, the application of energy can be guided in a line-shaped manner following the curved contour so that the contour of the workpiece that develops is continuously replicated. Advantageously, irregularities in the contour, which are caused by the raster predetermined by the laser sintering method, can thus be largely avoided. The device for laser sintering includes a powder delivery unit which can rotate about a rotational axis located in the interior of an annularly closed cross-section of the workpiece to be produced.

主权项

1. A method for selective laser sintering, comprising:
producing a workpiece or portion thereof layer by layer by irradiating a powder bed of material which forms the workpiece by laser energy, the workpiece at least partially having a curved contour in a cross section defined by the surface of the powder bed as a cross sectional plane, the workpiece having an annularly closed cross section as defined by the surface of the powder bed as a cross sectional plane, and the producing the workpiece or portion thereof, comprising
forming only a first sub-portion of the curved contour by a first application of energy by a laser beam, the first application of energy performed with the laser beam being guided so as to follow the curved contour to continuously replicate the contour in portions of the powder bed sintered by the laser beam, andforming further sub-portions of the curved contour adjacent to the first sub-portion by further applications of energy by a laser beam only when the material of the first sub-portion has cooled down below a required temperature.