Additive Manufacturing Inspection Sensor for Defect Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing additive manufacturing technologies face challenges in monitoring the quality of material and workpiece layers due to difficulties in integrating inspection sensors, particularly with metallic materials, which can result in anomalies like pores, cracks, and reflections, making it hard to detect defects in real-time during the process.
Innovation Solution
A device with a production platform equipped with a structuring tool and an inspection sensor that includes a line scan camera and line light source, allowing for spatially resolved imaging and movement relative to the production platform, enabling efficient detection of anomalies and defects during the additive manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional inspection sensors are integrated into additive manufacturing devices, then monitoring capability is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection sensor is integrated directly into the production platform, merging the inspection function with the existing manufacturing structure. This eliminates the need for separate inspection equipment and reduces overall device complexity while maintaining monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The production platform is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both the manufacturing base and the inspection platform. The integrated sensor system enables the same structure to perform both production and quality monitoring tasks, reducing the need for additional dedicated inspection equipment.
2Measurement precision
If conventional inspection sensors are integrated into additive manufacturing devices, then monitoring capability is improved, but the structural space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection sensor is nested within the existing production platform structure, utilizing available space efficiently. The sensor is positioned to inspect the material layer from above, fitting within the vertical profile of the manufacturing chamber rather than requiring additional horizontal space.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection approach utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning the sensor above the material layer to be inspected. This vertical arrangement allows inspection without consuming additional horizontal structural space, as the sensor operates in the vertical profile already defined by the production platform.
3Productivity
If metallic powder particles are used in additive manufacturing, then manufacturing capability is improved, but detection difficulty increases due to reflections and cast shadows
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection sensor is positioned at specific locations and orientations to optimize detection of metallic powder layers. By carefully selecting the inspection position and angle, the system can distinguish between reflective surfaces and actual defects, reducing the impact of metallic reflections on detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes optical property changes to detect anomalies. By analyzing variations in light reflection and absorption characteristics, the sensor can identify defects such as pores and cracks that alter the optical properties of the metallic powder layer, enabling detection despite the reflective nature of the material.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for close and efficient monitoring of material and workpiece layers, minimizing defects by providing high-quality images and enabling corrective actions during the process, while being cost-effective and space-efficient, even in confined production environments.
Implementation Method 1
the inspection sensor comprising at least one line scan camera and at least one line light source
Implementation Method 2
Selected powder particles in the powder bed are sintered or melted using an energy beam, such as a laser beam
Implementation Method 3
a first laser beam, which selectively solidifies the particulate material on the production platform
Implementation Method 4
Selected powder particles in the powder bed are sintered or melted using an energy beam
Implementation Method 5
at least one line scan camera and at least one line light source each extend transversely with respect to the movement direction
Data Source
AI summary
A device for additive manufacturing of a workpiece includes a production platform supporting a defined material layer of particulate material, a structuring tool, an inspection sensor, a control unit, and a position encoder. The inspection sensor has a line scan camera and a line light source and is movable along a movement direction relative to the production platform. The position encoder generates a position signal representing a respective instantaneous position of the inspection sensor relative to the production platform. The control unit generates a spatially resolved image of the defined layer using the line light source, the line scan camera, and the position signal. The control unit controls the structuring tool in order to produce a defined workpiece layer by selectively solidifying particulate material of the defined material layer based on the image of the defined material layer and/or an image of a previously produced workpiece layer.