摘要 |
The invention concerns an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object layer by layer using a powdery material which can be solidified by irradiating it with an energy beam, said apparatus comprising an electron gun for generating said energy beam and a working area onto which the powdery material is distributed and over which the energy beam sweeps during irradiation. The invention is characterized in that the apparatus is provided with a system for feeding controlled amounts of a reactive gas into the apparatus such as to contact the reactive gas with material positioned on the working area, said reactive gas being capable of, at least when having been exposed to the energy beam, reacting chemically and/or physically with the material positioned on the working area. The invention also concerns a method for operating an apparatus of the above type.
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