Patent ID: 11872627
Assignee: GE ADDITIVE GERMANY GMBH
Field: Materials, metallurgy (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  Y | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:
a build unit comprising a laser window through which an irradiation beam is directed toward a build platform, and wherein a reference distance is extended between the build platform and the laser window; and
a fluid flow apparatus forming, via a body with a plurality of openings, a first flow region corresponding to between 0.1% and 10% of the reference distance, a second flow region corresponding to between 2% and 50% of the reference distance, a third flow region comprising at least 20% of the reference distance, and a fourth flow region comprising 20% or less of the reference distance, wherein the first flow region, the second flow region, the third flow region, and the fourth flow region are in adjacent arrangement along the reference distance, and wherein the first flow region is proximate to the build platform and distal to the laser window, and wherein the fourth flow region is proximate to the laser window and distal to the build platform; and
a controller having instructions that perform operations, the operations comprising:
flowing a flow of fluid, via the body, at separate flow rates in the respective first, second, third, and fourth flow regions to generate:
a maximum spatial gradient between a minimum velocity of the third flow region and a maximum flow velocity of the second flow region or a maximum flow velocity of the fourth flow region of approximately 100 1/s; and
a velocity ratio of 1/8 or greater between the respective first, second, third, and fourth flow regions.