Multi-Laser Powder Bed Fusion Defect Prediction Model

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current additive manufacturing technologies lack a comprehensive tool to predict defect formation and its dependency on process parameters in multi-laser powder bed fusion operations, complicating the production of high-quality components.

Innovation Solution

An analysis tool comprising a build file module, preprocessor, prime module, and defect code module that processes inputs such as laser overlap, scan speed, and power to generate temperature maps, defect maps, and time-location maps, predicting defect locations and sizes, and providing preliminary quality metrics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multi-laser additive manufacturing is used to increase production rate and allowable part size, then productivity is improved, but defect formation becomes more complex and unpredictable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverate of productionVSAvoidmaterial quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The analysis tool performs preliminary prediction of defect formation before actual manufacturing by simulating the multi-laser process and identifying potential defect locations and types. This allows process parameters to be optimized in advance, ensuring material quality while maintaining high productivity through multi-laser operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If traditional iterative design approach is used to adjust parameters and examine results, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but loss of time increases due to multiple trials

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequality toleranceVSAvoiditerative prototyping time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The analysis tool performs preliminary prediction of defect formation before actual manufacturing by simulating the multi-laser process and identifying potential defect locations and types. This allows process parameters to be optimized in advance, ensuring material quality while maintaining high productivity through multi-laser operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The analysis tool creates a virtual model of the additive manufacturing process that replicates the physical system's behavior. By working with this digital copy, parameter optimization can be performed virtually without time-consuming physical iterations, while still achieving the manufacturing precision needed for quality assurance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If comprehensive analysis of process parameters is conducted to predict defect formation, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple modules required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedefect prediction accuracyVSAvoidanalysis tool structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The analysis tool is divided into distinct functional modules: a build file module for input management, a preprocessor for data preparation, a prime module for core analysis, and a defect code module for defect prediction. This segmentation allows each module to specialize in specific tasks, improving overall reliability through focused functionality while managing complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The analysis tool integrates multiple functions into a unified system that handles build file processing, parameter analysis, defect prediction, and result visualization. This multi-functionality improves reliability by ensuring comprehensive analysis while managing complexity through integrated design that reduces the need for separate standalone tools.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Enables the prediction of defect formation in multi-laser additive manufacturing, reducing the need for empirical prototyping and minimizing costly trial-and-error processes, thereby enhancing production efficiency and quality.

Implementation Method 1

a temperature map representing local temperature increase as a result of prior layers, stripes and hatching, laser thermal interaction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal interaction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

multi-laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser heating: Laser

Implementation Method 3

laser thermal interaction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentEP4467266A1Predictive model for multi-laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing
Publication Date: 2024.11.27 RTX CORP
  • EP4467266A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4467266A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4467266A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

An analysis tool for multi-laser additive manufacturing including a build file module; a preprocessor in operative communication with the build file module; a prime module in operative communication with the preprocessor; and a defect code module in operative communication with the prime module.