Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
In-Process Monitoring of Additive Manufacturing
Project Description
In Phase I of this project MLPC, WSU, and AFIT were successfully able to identify several optical data features that are indicative of the quality of components built with the selective laser melting additive manufacturing process. Four unique optical sensors were identified to collect this information and they include infrared and visible wavelength high-speed cameras and spectrometers. The sensors used in Phase I were very expensive, university developed, and produce very big data sets. In this phase II proposal MLPC and their collaborators will continue this work by developing a new low-cost sensor system to specifically track key data features identified in Phase I. This sensor system will then be used to perform in-process quality monitoring and qualification of manufactured parts. In Phase II this analysis will also be extended to electron beam freeform fabrication. To complete the project MLPC, WSU, and AFIT will continue analysis of the Phase I sensor data to identify more obscure process quality data, and develop process maps that correlate sensor output to part microstructure. Then MLPC and AFIT will design and build the low-cost sensor system to track all key data, and test it on MLPCs custom build additive manufacturing test cell. Next MLPC will perform the necessary programming and data processing to implement a process monitoring system that will show sensor data position on the process maps in real-time, thus enabling in-process quality assurance. MLPC will then study and report the cost savings NASA could gain with this technology. Finally, MLPC will test this concept on an electron beam system and determine its viability for that process. At the end of Phase II the TRL will be 5, and this product will be ready for licensing for commercial use in existing additive manufacturing machines, and the MLPC developed additive manufacturing system will be available for licensing as a package unit with the integrated sensor system.
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Anticipated Benefits
The sensor technology and analysis and control protocols developed under this STTR project will allow improved process control and verification for additive manufacturing (AM) conducted by selective laser melting (SLM) and by e-beam processing. The technology as applied to SLM supports the goals of the AM lab at Marshall Space Flight Center and the Materials Genome Initiative of the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate. The technology as applied to e-beam supports the goals of electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) developed at Langley Research Center. Implementation of the technology can improve or enable the manufacture of all parts envisioned to be made by these methods. This impacts a number of space platforms and terrestrial applications that is too large to list. Of particular value to NASA will be the technologies ability to provide a high degree of in-process monitoring to verify build quality. Documentation of actual build conditions can be generated that will constitute a key aspect of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) data, improving confidence levels for additively manufactured parts and allowing them to qualify for transition into NASA flight missions. NASA also has an interest in using the in situ process data to inform and verify modeling of additive manufacturing processes.
The aerospace commercial applications have strong overlap with NASA applications, including strong interest in fabrication of rocket engine components and a variety of other lightweighted structures. There are three aspects of the sensor technology of particular interest to commercial market: 1) implementation of process observation and build metrics quantification that is not currently available in commercial laser additive manufacturing machines; 2) guidance of more rapid additive manufacturing process developement; 3) exploitation of the in situ process monitoring to provide feedback that would enable closed-loop process control. The Army (via ARDEC) has also expressed interest in the sensor technology. Finally, the small business on this STTR has an interest in using the STTR sensor technology to help develop miniature additive manufacturing techniques to make components for the medical device industry. More »
The aerospace commercial applications have strong overlap with NASA applications, including strong interest in fabrication of rocket engine components and a variety of other lightweighted structures. There are three aspects of the sensor technology of particular interest to commercial market: 1) implementation of process observation and build metrics quantification that is not currently available in commercial laser additive manufacturing machines; 2) guidance of more rapid additive manufacturing process developement; 3) exploitation of the in situ process monitoring to provide feedback that would enable closed-loop process control. The Army (via ARDEC) has also expressed interest in the sensor technology. Finally, the small business on this STTR has an interest in using the STTR sensor technology to help develop miniature additive manufacturing techniques to make components for the medical device industry. More »
Project Library
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARCTOS Technology Solutions, LLC | Lead Organization | Industry | Dayton, Ohio |
Langley Research Center
(LaRC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Hampton, Virginia |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Ohio
-
Virginia
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