Elastic Wave Monitoring of AM Test Artifacts for Defect Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive Manufacturing (AM) faces challenges in real-time in-situ quality monitoring due to geometric complexity and variability in part quality, leading to defects such as layer defects, porosity, and residual stresses, which current NDE/NDT techniques struggle to detect effectively, especially in hostile production environments.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing two- and three-dimensional test artifacts with periodic internal and surface structures, monitored with elastic waves and field sensors, to analyze spectral characteristics and detect defects through deterministic first-principles physical models and machine learning techniques, enabling real-time in-situ inspection and quality monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional NDE/NDT techniques are used for defect detection in additive manufacturing, then the inspection process is simple to implement, but the detection precision is insufficient due to geometric complexity and variability in part quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces test artifacts with known geometries and embedded defects as intermediaries between the inspection system and the actual manufactured parts. These artifacts serve as reference standards that simplify the measurement process while enabling precise defect detection through comparison, thereby resolving the contradiction between detection precision and measurement difficulty
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs multiple inspection parameters including elastic wave propagation characteristics, spectral analysis frequencies, and various field sensor measurements. By changing and analyzing multiple parameters simultaneously, the system achieves high detection precision for complex geometric variations and defects that would be difficult to detect with single-parameter methods
2Reliability
If real-time in-situ monitoring is implemented using elastic waves and field sensors, then the quality monitoring capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is segmented into modular functional units: elastic wave generation modules, field sensor arrays, spectral analysis processors, and comparison engines. Each module performs a specific function and can be independently configured, which reduces overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive quality monitoring capability
Solution Approach 2:
The test artifacts serve multiple functions: they act as both the inspection target and the reference standard, eliminate the need for separate calibration specimens, and enable both defect detection and process parameter optimization. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by consolidating multiple requirements into a single integrated solution
3Manufacturing precision
If comprehensive quality monitoring is performed during additive manufacturing, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the productivity decreases due to additional monitoring time
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic wave and field sensor measurements are performed continuously throughout the additive manufacturing process without interrupting build operations. Quality data is collected in real-time as each layer is deposited, enabling continuous monitoring that improves precision without sacrificing productivity through batch inspection or process stoppages
Solution Approach 2:
The test artifacts with known defect characteristics are prepared in advance as reference standards. By having pre-characterized artifacts ready for comparison, the system can immediately evaluate build quality without requiring time-consuming post-process calibration or reference measurements, thus maintaining both high precision and productivity
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 allows for rapid real-time monitoring of fiber-to-fiber and layer-to-layer bond quality, mechanical strength, and defect detection, reducing machine time and material waste, and improving manufacturing throughput and quality consistency.
Implementation Method 1
monitored with elastic waves and field sensors, to analyze spectral characteristics
Implementation Method 2
field sensors, to analyze spectral characteristics and detect defects
Data Source
AI summary
A set of multi-mode elastic wave generating and detecting devices and field sensors are utilized in a real-time in-situ monitoring system based on the quality assessment of a specially designed article made by an additive manufacturing machine. The original invention disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/731,366 involves the transmission and reception of waves into a periodic test artifact while it is being built. The current invention involves the transmission and reception of multi-mode waves into a test artifact, the processing of data from narrow and wide field-of-view sensors, and correlating and relating the waveforms and sensor data while it is being built using physics-based and machine learning models. The disclosed system may initiate control and real-time corrective actions based on the properties and characteristics of the obtained waveforms and sensor data and their correlations and functional relationships.