| abstract |
The invention relates to a method and a device for the bonding of material to give three-dimensional objects, by means of selective heating using electromagnetic energy (5), which is either non-coherent and/or non-monochromatic and/or non-directed at a wavelength of 100 nm to 1 mm. The radiation can be emitted in a point or linear form or else planar. Several radiation sources can also be combined to improve the rapidity of the method. The selectivity of the fusion is achieved by the application of an absorber (4) to defined partial regions of a layer of powder substrate (2) and subsequent heating of the absorber by means of electromagnetic energy (5) with a wavelength of 100nm to 1 mm. The heated absorber (4) releases the energy therein to the surrounding powder substrate which is then fused and bonded together after the subsequent cooling. The method is significantly more flexible, economic and rapid than conventional laser sintering. |