Patent ID: 9314972
Filing Date: 2016-04-19
CPC Classification: B22F,B23K,B29C,B33Y,Y02P

Claim Text:
1. Apparatus for additive layer manufacturing of an article from a material rendered solid when impinged by a focussed beam of laser radiation, including: (a) a source of at least two laser beams; (b) scanners having optical axes about which laser beams are scanned, respectively, at least one of the scanners being tilted with respect to a planar field such that the optical axis of the at least one scanner subtends an acute angle with the planar field, and the scanners being oriented relative to one another such that the laser beams are each moved by the scanners, respectively, across the planar field whereby the planar field is common to the scanners, and (c) a support dedicated to support the material within the planar field and movable step wise to allow successive manufacturing layer cycles; and (d) a respective lens operatively associated with each said at least one scanner and by which the focal plane of laser light transmitted from the at least one scanner towards the planar field is tilted with respect to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of that scanner.