Additive Manufacturing Beam Alignment With Optical Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing additive manufacturing systems face challenges in maintaining precise alignment of energy beams with the optical axis, which affects the properties of three-dimensional objects being manufactured, particularly due to changes in temperature and environmental conditions.

Innovation Solution

The system employs beam alignment operations using beam positioning elements and sensors to adjust the energy beam's axial and angular orientation based on sensor information from a measurement beam split from the energy beam, allowing for real-time alignment and compensation for temperature changes during the manufacturing process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If real-time beam alignment operations are implemented using beam positioning elements and sensors, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam alignment precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where beam sensors detect the actual position of the energy beam and provide this information to the controller, which then adjusts the beam positioning elements to correct any misalignment. This closed-loop feedback system continuously monitors and corrects beam alignment, ensuring high manufacturing precision while automating the alignment process to manage the inherent system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment operations with an automated optical-mechanical system. Instead of relying on operators to physically adjust beam positioning elements, the system uses beam sensors to detect beam position and a controller to automatically actuate the positioning elements, substituting human mechanical operations with an automated sensing-and-actuation system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If beam alignment is continuously monitored and adjusted during manufacturing, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment consistencyVSAvoidalignment operation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains continuous beam alignment monitoring and adjustment throughout the additive manufacturing process. The beam sensors continuously detect beam position, and the controller continuously adjusts the beam positioning elements as needed, ensuring that alignment is maintained without interruption throughout the entire manufacturing operation, thereby improving reliability without requiring separate alignment cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary beam alignment operations before the actual additive manufacturing begins. The controller uses the beam sensors to pre-adjust the beam positioning elements to optimal positions, ensuring that the beam is properly aligned before material deposition starts. This preliminary action reduces the need for frequent adjustments during manufacturing, minimizing time loss while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 approach ensures precise alignment of the energy beam with the optical axis, mitigating misalignments and maintaining consistent quality of three-dimensional objects by adapting to changing conditions, thereby enhancing the manufacturing process.

Implementation Method 1

a beam splitter disposed downstream from the one or more beam positioning elements and configured to split a measurement beam from the energy beam

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBeam splitting: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

one or more beam sensors configured to determine one or more parameters of the measurement beam, with the measurement beam propagating along a measurement path to the one or more beam sensors

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical detection: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentUS12552105B2Alignment of energy beams in additive manufacturing systems and machines

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 CONCEPT LASER

AI summary

An additive manufacturing system may include an irradiation device configured to emit an energy beam having a manufacturing power level selected to additively manufacturing a three-dimensional object by irradiating a powder material, and a controller configured to perform one or more beam alignment operations when irradiating the powder material. The irradiation device may include a beam source, one or more beam positioning elements, a beam splitter configured to split a measurement beam from the energy beam, and one or more beam sensors configured to determine one or more parameters of the measurement beam. The one or more beam alignment operations may include determining position information of the energy beam based on the one or more parameters of the measurement beam, and aligning the energy beam with an optical axis of the irradiation device by adjusting a position of the one or more beam positioning elements based on the position information.