Patent ID: 7229272

Claim:
An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object, the apparatus comprising: a container, a support on which the object is built up and which is movable in the vertical direction in the construction container; a coater for applying layers of a solidifiable powder material to the support or a previously solidified layer; a solidification device for solidifying the applied powder material at points in a particular layer corresponding to the object; and a powder treatment device for treating the powder with a fluid prior to solidification, the device comprising: a supply container for the powder comprising an interior, a base and a side wall; a chamber having a boundary with the container which is permeable to a fluid medium in at least one region towards the container interior, the boundary being arranged and structured such that fluid medium is passed into the supply container for fluidizing the powder in the supply container; and a conduit for supplying the fluid medium into the chamber; and a controller for controlling the temperature and at least one of a pressure and a volume flow of the fluid medium.