Patent ID: 7789037

Claim:
A device for laying at least one thin layer of a powder (P) or powder mixture, the device being used to enable a laser to act on the material contained in a thermal enclosure, the device comprising storage means ( 8 ), powder or powder mixture feeder means ( 12 ), a deposition zone ( 9 ) for depositing said powder or powder mixture taken from said storage means, and means for compacting the powder or powder mixture deposited in said deposition zone, the device being characterized in that it comprises a circular cylinder ( 12 ) provided firstly with at least one groove ( 15 ) formed in an outside surface of said cylinder ( 12 ) and adapted to take powder or powder mixture from a storage means ( 8 ) and feed it to a deposition zone ( 9 ), and secondly with a surface ( 12 a , 16 a ) adapted to compact the powder (P) or powder mixture previously deposited on said deposition zone ( 9 ), said cylinder ( 12 ), said storage means ( 8 ), said deposition zone ( 9 ), and the powder (P) or powder mixture being situated inside said enclosure that is suitable for being maintained at high temperature while enabling the cylinder ( 12 ) to be guided and driven from outside said enclosure.