Many of the benefits of additive manufacturing also present
new challenges for quality control. One of these challenges is to the practice
of destructive testing. With large batch sizes and predictable metallurgical
qualities across all billet material, it makes sense to sacrifice one part in
order to verify quality. But with additive manufacturing, it may not be
feasible to destructively test a part. Material powder quality, complex design
geometries and the relative lack of established design principles all introduce
potential for flaws in printed parts.
To solve this problem, SLM Solutions developed two
monitoring strategies that collect data directly from the deposition process:
laser power monitoring and melt pool monitoring. The former involves refracting
the laser beam via a beam splitter and directs it into a photodiode. This data
shows real-time laser power output. Melt pool monitoring measures the reflected
energy from the melt pool.
With this data, metal additive builds can be tracked and improved,
leading to faster and more cost-effective quality assurance. Check out the
video above to learn more about these features.
For more information about this machine, visit the SLM Solutions
website.