Layer Quality Barcode Visualization for Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive manufacturing processes, such as powder bed fusion, face challenges with powder spread, exposure, and recoating issues, leading to inefficiencies and the need for a method to quickly assess the overall quality of objects composed of thousands of layers during the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the reception of quality indicators for each printed layer, assignment of colors based on these indicators, and visualization as a sequence of colored bars on a graphical user interface, creating a 'health barcode' for rapid identification of issues and overall object quality, allowing for immediate feedback and potential process adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If quality indicators for each layer are collected and analyzed individually, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to the large number of layers (thousands of layers taking days to process)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines quality indicators from thousands of individual layers into a single aggregated quality indicator for the entire object. This merging approach maintains measurement precision by considering all layer qualities while dramatically reducing processing time by evaluating the aggregate rather than each layer separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements online quality assessment that can evaluate quality indicators for only the necessary portion of layers (e.g., up to current layer or critical layers) rather than waiting to process all thousands of layers. This partial action approach provides timely quality feedback without requiring complete layer processing.
2Manufacturing precision
If detailed quality analysis of each layer is performed, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for sophisticated processing systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies the processing system by merging individual layer quality indicators into a single aggregate quality indicator. This approach maintains manufacturing precision by capturing overall object quality while significantly reducing device complexity by eliminating the need for complex systems to process and store data from thousands of individual layers.
3Reliability
If real-time quality monitoring is implemented during manufacturing, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to continuous processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables real-time quality monitoring by calculating aggregate quality indicators based on processed layers up to the current point in manufacturing. This partial action approach provides reliable quality feedback during the process without requiring continuous processing of all future layers, thus maintaining reliability while avoiding excessive time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary quality assessment by evaluating aggregate quality indicators as layers are being printed, allowing early detection of quality issues before the entire object is manufactured. This preliminary action enables timely interventions without waiting for complete manufacturing and full quality analysis.
Data Source
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AI summary
A Method for computer-aided processing of quality information of an object (180) manufactured by stacked printed layers (.., 181, 182,..) in an additive manufacturing system (170), comprising the steps of: - receiving (10) a quality indicator for each printed layer (181, 182,..) of the object (180) from the manufacturing system (170), - assigning (11) a color out of a predefined set of colors to each quality indicator depending on the value of the quality indicator, - visualizing (12) the quality indicators of the received manufactured layers (181, 182,..) as a sequence of colored bars (200) ordered according to the sequence of the manufactured layers (181, 182,..) the color of each bar indicating the value of the quality indicator of the respective printed layer (181, 182,..) on a graphical user interface (130).