US Patent 11084099 Discrete lot powder management for additive manufacturing

A method of additive manufacturing includes supplying additive manufacturing powder to a build area of an additive manufacturing machine. The method includes fusing a portion of the powder to form a part, and removing a non-fused portion of the powder from the build area into a removable vessel for storing non-fused powder after building a part. The method can include supplying additive manufacturing powder to a build area, fusing a portion of the powder, and removing a non-fused portion of the powder all on a single discrete lot of additive manufacturing powder without mixing lots.