Additive Manufacturing Process Monitoring and Control Technologies

This SBIR will demonstrate coaxial thermal imaging using the Stratonics ThermaViz® sensor as a uniquely effective tool for tracking process metrics, at high-speed, during laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The Phase II project will then develop this sensing technique for LPBF process qualification and closed-loop control. The key is integrating ThermaViz into UTC’s AMSENSE® in situ monitoring architecture, which enables automated data collection, tracking X/Y position of the melt pool on the build surface, and implementing data processing algorithms on time scales suitable for closed-loop control. Next the team will develop and implement algorithms for ThermaViz data that quantify build quality and enable real-time control. In parallel to the algorithm development, the research team will finalize the design of a low-cost “industrial grade” coaxial camera that can be implemented quickly across the DoD supply chain in Phase III, and then mount the final sensor on an EOS M280 system to demonstrate process control and qualification on the brand of LPBF system that is most relevant to the supply chain. Finally, the team will demonstrate that build performance can be equalized across disparate LPBF systems and on a design of interest to our supply chain partner, Honeywell.