Unmet Need:
Metal 3D printing, and in particular selective laser melting (SLM), is an emerging manufacturing technology which enables realization of new, complex parts incorporating a variety of composite materials. Despite SLM’s unique and remarkable ability to produce metal parts with features and mechanical properties not achievable using conventional machining, quality assurance remains an open challenge in the metal 3D printing industry where the integrity of the produced parts highly depends on co-optimization of the powder composition, the part’s geometry, and laser parameters.
Traditionally, manufactured parts undergo expensive, and time consuming X-Ray scans during the post processing stage where defective parts are identified and discarded. Consequently and in anticipation of potential defects when developing new parts, manufacturers need to factor in additional machine time for reprints as they navigate the optimal settings.
Recently there has been a growing interest in in-situ monitoring technologies which can detect defects and anomalies in real time, therefore saving valuable resources. Current in situ monitoring technologies either require major modifications to the industrial printers, or provide very basic information about the melt pool, limiting their ability to optimize the printer parameters. Therefore, there is a need for improved melt pool monitoring solutions, which are integrable, and which will allow for defects to be detected in real time.
Technology Overview
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory have developed an in-situ monitoring system capable of high speed, multi-spectral analysis of the melt pool during laser powder bed fusion. The hardware system which can be easily integrated into existing SLM machines provides a 3D digital print record of every part built. The analysis software provides point resolved extraction of the melt pool temperature and the data can be used to detect defects as they occur and optimize the laser parameters on the go.
Stage of Development
A working prototype has been completed and the technology has been tested on an EOS laser 3D printer.
