AM Quality Monitoring Using Sensor Baselines for Supply Chains
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Solution Overview
Problem
The aerospace and other industries face challenges in adopting additive manufacturing components due to inadequate quality control in supply chains, particularly for industries with stringent regulations, where vendors lack the resources and expertise to validate these components effectively.
Innovation Solution
An Additive Manufacturing Quality Management (AMQM) system that uses sensors to capture production data, compares it to a baseline profile, and generates quality control notifications for non-conforming components, allowing for remedial actions, thereby enhancing quality assurance without requiring vendors to perform extensive validation tests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vendors perform extensive validation tests on AM components, then quality control and reliability improve, but cost and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs validation tests during the additive manufacturing production process itself, rather than after completion. Sensors capture process data in real-time and compare it against baseline profiles to identify deviations before the component is finished, enabling early detection of quality issues without requiring separate validation time
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors AM component fabrication by capturing sensor data during production, comparing it to baseline profiles, and providing real-time feedback on process deviations. This closed-loop feedback enables quality control without adding separate validation steps, as the monitoring occurs concurrently with manufacturing
2Reliability
If vendors perform extensive validation tests on AM components, then quality control and reliability improve, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The AM component fabrication system performs its own quality validation through integrated sensors and baseline profile comparison, eliminating the need for external validation resources. The system uses its own process data to validate component quality, making external validation capital and expertise unnecessary
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it monitors process parameters, validates component quality, and generates baseline profiles for future comparisons. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate validation equipment and expertise into a single integrated system
3Reliability
If comprehensive quality control measures are implemented in AM supply chains, then component integrity improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates digital baseline profiles that replicate the sensor data patterns of successfully manufactured components. These baseline copies serve as reference standards for validating future productions, eliminating the need for physical reference samples or complex validation protocols while maintaining high integrity standards
4Manufacturing precision
If real-time monitoring of AM processes is implemented, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical measurement and inspection equipment with sensor-based monitoring that captures process data electronically. This substitution of mechanical systems with sensor/data-based systems achieves high manufacturing precision while reducing overall system complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
Additive Manufacturing Quality Management (AMQM) systems (10) and methods (60) are provided, which enhance quality control across Additive Manufacturing (AM) supply chains from which AM components are obtained. In various embodiments, the AMQM system includes an AM machine (20) utilized to produce AM components (40) in accordance with AM design data (34). A first sensor (42) is coupled to the AM machine and, during fabrication of AM components (40) by the AM machine (20), captures sensor readings pertaining to the AM fabrication process. When executed by a processor (44), computer-executable code causes the AMQM system to: (i) compile part-specific sensor profiles (110, 112, 114) from sensor readings captured by the first sensor (42) during fabrication of the AM components (40), and (ii) generate user notifications indicating whether remedial action should be performed for any of the AM components (40) based, at least in part, on conformance of the part-specific sensor profiles (110, 112, 114) with a baseline sensor (42) profile corresponding to the AM design data (34).