Quality detection of laser additive manufacturing process based on coaxial vision monitoring

Sensor Review ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 512-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Chen ◽  
Yongzhen Yao ◽  
Yuhua Huang ◽  
Wenkang Wang ◽  
Caiwang Tan ◽  
...  

Purpose This paper aims to explore the influences of different process parameters, including laser power, scanning speed, defocusing distance and scanning mode, on the shape features of molten pool and, based on the obtained relationship, realize the diagnosis of forming defects during the process. Design/methodology/approach Molten pool was captured on-line based on a coaxial CCD camera mounted on the welding head, then image processing algorithms were developed to obtain melt pool features that could reflect the forming status, and it suggested that the molten pool area was the most sensitive characteristic. The influence of the processing parameters such as laser power, traverse speed, powder feed rate, defocusing distance and the melt pool area was studied, and then the melt pool area was used as the characteristic to detect the forming defects during the cladding and additive manufacturing process. Findings The influences of different process parameters on molten pool area were explored. Based on the relationship, different types of defects were accurately detected through analyzing the relationship between the molten pool area and time. Originality/value The findings would be helpful for the quality control of laser additive manufacturing.

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 919-929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Chen ◽  
Jyoti Mazumder

Purpose The aim of this research is to study the influence of laser additive manufacturing process parameters on the deposit formation characteristics of Inconel 718 superalloy, the main parameters that influence the forming characteristics, the cooling rate and the microstructure were studied. Design/methodology/approach Orthogonal experiment design method was used to obtain different deposit shape and microstructure using different process parameters by multiple layers deposition. The relationship between the processing parameters and the geometry of the cladding was analyzed, and the dominant parameters that influenced the cladding width and height were identified. The cooling rates of different forming conditions were obtained by the secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS). Findings The microstructure showed different characteristics at different parts of the deposit. Cooling rate of different samples were obtained and compared by using the SDAS, and the influence of the process parameters to the cooling rate was analyzed. Finally, micro-hardness tests were done, and the results were found to be in accordance with the micro-structure distribution. Originality/value Relationships between processing parameters and the forming characteristics and the cooling rates were obtained. The results obtained in this paper will help to understand the relationship between the process parameters and the forming quality of the additive manufacturing process, so as to obtain the desired forming quality by appropriate parameters.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 849-856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farui Du ◽  
Jinqian Zhu ◽  
Xueping Ding ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Honglin Ma ◽  
...  

Purpose A wire-based additive manufacturing system works with high manufacturing efficiency and low dimensional precision. The purpose of this paper is to study the dimensional characteristics of Ti-6Al-4V thin-walled parts with wire-based multi-laser additive manufacturing in vacuum. Design/methodology/approach Wire-based multi-laser additive manufacturing was carried out to understand the effect brought from different parameters. The Ti-6Al-4V thin-walled parts were formed by different height increments, power inputs and inter-layer cooling times in vacuum. Findings The result shows that, with the number of layers increment, the layer width of thin-walled part increases gradually in the beginning and stabilizes soon afterward. Height increment, laser power and inter-layer cooling time could affect the energy input to the deposited bead and heat accumulation of thin-walled part. The layer width decreases, while the height increment increases. The increment of laser power could increase the layer width. And, the increment of inter-layer cooling time (more than 5 s) has little effect on the layer width. Originality/value The heat dissipation mode of thin-walled parts in vacuum and the influence of different parameters on layer width are explained in this paper. It provides a reference for further understanding and controlling dimension precision of Ti-6Al-4V thin-walled part with wire-based multi-laser additive manufacturing in vacuum. At the same time, it provides a reference for researches of dimensional characteristics in the additive manufacturing industry.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sapam Ningthemba Singh ◽  
Sohini Chowdhury ◽  
Yadaiah Nirsanametla ◽  
Anil Kumar Deepati ◽  
Chander Prakash ◽  
...  

Investigation of the selective laser melting (SLM) process, using finite element method, to understand the influences of laser power and scanning speed on the heat flow and melt-pool dimensions is a challenging task. Most of the existing studies are focused on the study of thin layer thickness and comparative study of same materials under different manufacturing conditions. The present work is focused on comparative analysis of thermal cycles and complex melt-pool behavior of a high layer thickness multi-layer laser additive manufacturing (LAM) of pure Titanium (Ti) and Inconel 718. A transient 3D finite-element model is developed to perform a quantitative comparative study on two materials to examine the temperature distribution and disparities in melt-pool behaviours under similar processing conditions. It is observed that the layers are properly melted and sintered for the considered process parameters. The temperature and melt-pool increases as laser power move in the same layer and when new layers are added. The same is observed when the laser power increases, and opposite is observed for increasing scanning speed while keeping other parameters constant. It is also found that Inconel 718 alloy has a higher maximum temperature than Ti material for the same process parameter and hence higher melt-pool dimensions.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shimin Dai ◽  
Hailong Liao ◽  
Haihong Zhu ◽  
Xiaoyan Zeng

Purpose For the laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technology, the side surface quality is essentially important for industrial applicated parts, such as the inner flow parts. Contour is generally adopted at the parts’ outline to enhance the side surface quality. However, the side surface roughness (Ra) is still larger than 10 microns even with contour in previous studies. The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of contour process parameters, laser power and scanning velocity on the side surface quality of the AlSi10Mg sample. Design/methodology/approach Using L-PBF technology to manufacture AlSi10Mg samples under different contour process parameters, use a laser confocal microscope to capture the surface information of the samples, and obtain the surface roughness Ra and the maximum surface height Rz of each sample after analysis and processing. Findings The results show that the side surface roughness decreases with the increase of the laser power at the fixed scanning velocity of 1,000 mm/s, the side surface roughness Ra stays within the error range as the contour velocity increases. It is found that the Ra increases with the scanning velocity increasing and the greater the laser power with the greater Ra increases when the laser power of contour process parameters is 300 W, 350 W and 400 W. The Rz maintain growth with the contour scanning velocity increasing at constant laser power. The continuous uniform contour covers the pores in the molten pool of the sample edge and thus increase the density of the sample. Two mechanisms named “Active adhesion” and “Passive adhesion” cause sticky powder. Originality/value Formation of a uniform and even contour track is key to obtain the good side surface quality. The side surface quality is determined by the uniformity and stability of the contour track when the layer thickness is fixed. These research results can provide helpful guidance to improve the surface quality of L-PBF manufactured parts.


Materials ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 450
Author(s):  
Johan Lindwall ◽  
Andreas Lundbäck ◽  
Jithin James Marattukalam ◽  
Anders Ericsson

The development of process parameters and scanning strategies for bulk metallic glass formation during additive manufacturing is time-consuming and costly. It typically involves trials with varying settings and destructive testing to evaluate the final phase structure of the experimental samples. In this study, we present an alternative method by modelling to predict the influence of the process parameters on the crystalline phase evolution during laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB). The methodology is demonstrated by performing simulations, varying the following parameters: laser power, hatch spacing and hatch length. The results are compared in terms of crystalline volume fraction, crystal number density and mean crystal radius after scanning five consecutive layers. The result from the simulation shows an identical trend for the predicted crystalline phase fraction compared to the experimental estimates. It is shown that a low laser power, large hatch spacing and long hatch lengths are beneficial for glass formation during PBF-LB. The absolute values show an offset though, over-predicted by the numerical model. The method can indicate favourable parameter settings and be a complementary tool in the development of scanning strategies and processing parameters for additive manufacturing of bulk metallic glass.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gowtham Venkatraman ◽  
Adam Hehr ◽  
Leon M. Headings ◽  
Marcelo J. Dapino

Purpose Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is a solid-state joining technology used for three-dimensional printing of metal foilstock. The electrical power input to the ultrasonic welder is a key driver of part quality in UAM, but under the same process parameters, it can vary widely for different build geometries and material combinations because of mechanical compliance in the system. This study aims to model the relationship between UAM weld power and system compliance considering the workpiece (geometry and materials) and the fixture on which the build is fabricated. Design/methodology/approach Linear elastic finite element modeling and experimental modal analysis are used to characterize the system’s mechanical compliance, and linear system dynamics theory is used to understand the relationship between weld power and compliance. In-situ measurements of the weld power are presented for various build stiffnesses to compare model predictions with experiments. Findings Weld power in UAM is found to be largely determined by the mechanical compliance of the build and insensitive to foil material strength. Originality/value This is the first research paper to develop a predictive model relating UAM weld power and the mechanical compliance of the build over a range of foil combinations. This model is used to develop a tool to determine the process settings required to achieve a consistent weld power in builds with different stiffnesses.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fusheng Dai ◽  
Shuaifeng Zhang ◽  
Runsheng Li ◽  
Haiou Zhang

Purpose This paper aims to present a series of approaches for three-related issues in multiaxis in wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) as follows: how to achieve a stable and robust deposition process and maintain uniform growth of the part; how to maintain consistent formation of a melt pool on the surface of the workpiece; and how to fabricate an overhanging structure without supports. Design/methodology/approach The principal component analysis-based path planning approach is proposed to compute the best scanning directions of slicing contours for the generation of filling paths, including zigzag paths and parallel skeleton paths. These printing paths have been experimented with in WAAM. To maintain consistent formation of a melt pool at overhanging regions, the authors introduce definitions for the overhanging point, overhanging distance and overhanging vector, with which the authors can compute and optimize the multiaxis motion. A novel fabricating strategy of depositing the overhanging segments as a support for the deposition of filling paths is presented. Findings The second principal component of a planar contour is a reasonable scanning direction to generate zigzag filling paths and parallel skeleton filling paths. The overhanging regions of a printing layer can be supported by pre-deposition of overhanging segments. Large overhangs can be successfully fabricated by the multiaxis WAAM process without supporting structures. Originality/value An intelligent approach of generating zigzag printing paths and parallel skeleton printing paths. Optimizations of depositing zigzag paths and parallel skeleton paths. Applications of overhanging point overhanging distance and overhanging vector for multiaxis motion planning. A novel fabricating strategy of depositing the overhanging segments as a support for the deposition of filling paths.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Chuong Tran ◽  
Yu-Lung Lo ◽  
Trong-Nhan Le ◽  
Alan Kin-Tak Lau ◽  
Hong-You Lin

Purpose Depending on an experimental approach to find optimal parameters for producing fully dense (relative density > 99%) Inconel 718 (IN718) components in the selective laser melting (SLM) process is expensive and offers no guarantee of success. Accordingly, this study aims to propose a multi-scale simulation framework to guide the choice of processing parameters in a more pragmatic manner. Design/methodology/approach In the proposed approach, a powder layer, ray tracing and heat transfer simulation models are used to calculate the melt pool dimensions and evaporation volume corresponding to a small number of laser power and scanning speed conditions within the input design space. A layer-heating model is then used to determine the inter-layer idle time required to maximize the temperature convergence rate of the solidified layer beneath the power bed. The simulation results are used to train surrogate models to construct SLM process maps for 3,600 pairs of the laser power and scanning speed within the input design space given three different values of the underlying solidified layer temperature (i.e., 353 K, 673 K and 873 K). The ideal selection of laser power and scanning speed of each process map is chosen based on four quality-related criteria listed as follows: without the appearance of key-hole melting; an evaporation volume less than the volume of the d90 powder particles; ensuring the stability of single scan tracks; and avoiding a weak contact between the melt pool and substrate. Finally, the optimal laser power and scanning speed parameters for the SLM process are determined by superimposing the optimal regions of the individual process maps. Findings The feasibility of the proposed approach is demonstrated by fabricating IN718 test specimens using the optimal processing conditions identified by the simulation framework. It is shown that the maximum density of the fabricated parts is 99.94%, while the average density is 99.88% and the standard deviation is less than 0.05%. Originality/value The present study proposed a multi-scale simulation model which can efficiently predict the optimal processing conditions for producing fully dense components in the SLM process. If the geometry of the three-dimensional printed part is changed or the machine and powder material is altered, users can use the proposed method for predicting the processing conditions that can produce the high-density part.


Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinqiang Ning ◽  
Daniel Sievers ◽  
Hamid Garmestani ◽  
Steven Liang

Temperature distribution gradient in metal powder bed additive manufacturing (MPBAM) directly controls the mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy of the build part. Experimental approach and numerical modeling approach for temperature in MPBAM are limited by the restricted accessibility and high computational cost, respectively. Analytical models were reported with high computational efficiency, but the developed models employed a moving coordinate and semi-infinite medium assumption, which neglected the part dimensions, and thus reduced their usefulness in real applications. This paper investigates the in-process temperature in MPBAM through analytical modeling using a stationary coordinate with an origin at the part boundary (absolute coordinate). Analytical solutions are developed for temperature prediction of single-track scan and multi-track scans considering scanning strategy. Inconel 625 is chosen to test the proposed model. Laser power absorption is inversely identified with the prediction of molten pool dimensions. Latent heat is considered using the heat integration method. The molten pool evolution is investigated with respect to scanning time. The stabilized temperatures in the single-track scan and bidirectional scans are predicted under various process conditions. Close agreements are observed upon validation to the experimental values in the literature. Furthermore, a positive relationship between molten pool dimensions and powder packing porosity was observed through sensitivity analysis. With benefits of the absolute coordinate, and high computational efficiency, the presented model can predict the temperature for a dimensional part during MPBAM, which can be used to further investigate residual stress and distortion in real applications.


Metals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sazzad H. Ahmed ◽  
Ahsan Mian

Selective Laser Melting (SLM) is a popular additive manufacturing (AM) method where a laser beam selectively melts powder layer by layer based on the building geometry. The melt pool peak temperature during build process is an important parameter to determine build quality of a fabricated component by SLM process. The melt pool temperature depends on process parameters including laser power, scanning speed, and hatch space as well as the properties of the build material. In this paper, the sensitivity of melt pool peak temperature during the build process to temperature dependent material properties including density, specific heat, and thermal conductivity are investigated for a range of laser powers and laser scanning speeds. It is observed that the melt pool temperature is most sensitive to melt pool thermal conductivity of the processed material for a set of specific process parameters (e.g., laser power and scan speed). Variations in the other mechanical–physical properties of powder and melt pool such as density and specific heat are found to have minimal effect on melt pool temperature.


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