Patent ID: 8794263
Filing Date: 2014-08-05
Classification: B01D,B22F,B29C,B33Y,Y02P,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising: a build chamber; a module for providing a focused energy beam for consolidating layer-by-layer powder material in the build chamber to build an article; a gas flow circuit for passing a flow of gas through the build chamber during the manufacturing process; and a filter assembly; the filter assembly comprising: a filter housing having a gas inlet and a gas outlet for permitting gas flow in one direction from said inlet to said outlet, said housing being detachably coupled to the gas flow circuit such that the filter housing is removably-mountable to the additive manufacturing apparatus and a filter element located within the filter housing between the gas inlet and the gas outlet to, in use, filter volatile and/or explosive particles from the gas of the gas flow circuit; the filter housing further comprising: a first valve actuatable to seal the gas inlet and a second valve actuatable to seal the gas outlet, the filter housing arranged for allowing flow of a liquid through the filter housing in a direction opposite to said one direction for neutralizing the volatile and/or explosive particles trapped by the filter element and to remove the filter element.