High-throughput AM testing system for parallel specimen analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mechanical testing in additive manufacturing (AM) is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and costly, requiring significant human intervention and resources, which hinders the optimization of AM process parameters and material development.
Innovation Solution
A high-throughput mechanical test system that allows for autonomous testing of multiple specimens on a single build plate, reducing operator interaction and enabling rapid data acquisition and analysis, while varying AM build parameters to correlate with material properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional serial mechanical testing is used, then testing accuracy and reliability are maintained, but testing time and operational complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The testing system segments the build plate into multiple independent test zones, each capable of being tested simultaneously. Multiple specimens are arranged in parallel on the build plate, allowing concurrent testing of multiple samples rather than sequential testing, thereby reducing total testing time while maintaining reliability through parallel independent measurements
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges multiple testing operations into a single integrated process. Multiple specimens are tested simultaneously on one build plate using a unified testing apparatus, combining what would traditionally require separate testing sessions into one coordinated operation, thus reducing time loss without compromising testing reliability
2Measurement precision
If conventional serial mechanical testing is used, then detailed individual specimen analysis is achieved, but operational complexity and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The testing apparatus is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple specimen types and testing configurations through a single system. The apparatus can accommodate different specimen geometries and testing requirements while maintaining precise measurement capabilities, reducing operational complexity by eliminating the need for multiple specialized testing setups
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses identical or replicated measurement instrumentation for each test zone on the build plate, ensuring that each specimen receives the same level of measurement precision. This copying approach maintains analytical precision across all specimens while simplifying operations through standardized, repeatable testing procedures rather than complex individual configurations
3Productivity
If multiple specimens are tested in parallel, then productivity and development speed increase, but system complexity and initial investment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from one-dimensional sequential testing to two-dimensional parallel testing by utilizing the spatial dimension of the build plate. Multiple specimens are arranged across the surface area of the build plate, enabling simultaneous testing in different spatial locations, thereby increasing productivity without requiring proportionally higher system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple specimens are prepared and positioned on the build plate in advance before the testing process begins. This preliminary arrangement of specimens in their final test positions eliminates the need for repeated loading and unloading operations, increasing throughput while keeping the testing system itself relatively simple and focused on the measurement function
Data Source
AI summary
A method of testing a multi-specimen additive manufacturing build plate includes acquiring and installing the multi-specimen build plate in a test system, aligning one or more force exertion tools with respective selected specimens, imparting a force on the selected specimen(s), collecting test data from each selected specimen, and analyzing the collected data to identify a potential correlation between material behavior for the selected specimen and its applied manufacturing build parameter(s). A system and a non-transitory medium are also disclosed.