ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TEST FEATURE INCLUDING POWDER SAMPLING CAPSULE

• Main Authors: Troitino Lopez, Jose, Crear, Donnell Eugene, Koenig-Urban, Kamilla, McConnell, Eric Eicher, Craft, Tiffany Muller, Hart, Kassy Moy, Medved, Danijel
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.10.2018
• 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; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

A test feature is disclosed that is formed during metal powder additive manufacturing of a production part. The test feature may include a metal powder sample capsule including a chamber for capturing unfused powder from the metal powder additive manufacturing, and a removable cap closing an end of the chamber. Alternatively, a test feature may include a quality control (QC) part, and at least one additional test element including a metal powder sample capsule integrally coupled to the QC part and including a chamber for capturing unfused powder from the metal powder additive manufacturing. The QC part is identical to the production part excepting the at least one test element. The QC part and the at least one test element are formed during the same metal powder additive manufacturing as the production part.