DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR MONITORING A POWDER LAYER IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

• Main Authors: Löfving, Björn, Karlsson, Kristofer
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 27.01.2021
• Subjects: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY; ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OFTHREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVEAGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING,STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; CASTING; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING METALLIC POWDER; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

Devices, systems, and methods for monitoring a powder layer (112) in additive manufacturing are disclosed. A method includes receiving leading and trailing image data from an image signal processor (121) that is optically coupled to a plurality of leading and trailing optical fibers (109a, 109b) arranged on a moving powder distributor (108), the leading and trailing image data corresponding to images of the powder layer (112), selecting at least one point (P) on the powder bed (110) that is located within a leading region of interest (402), determining first characteristics of the point (P), when the point (P) is located within a trailing region of interest (406) due to movement of the moving powder distributor (108), determining second characteristics of the point, and comparing the first characteristics to the second characteristics to monitor the powder layer (112) distributed by the moving powder distributor (108).