Phase3D and Rowan University’s Digital Engineering Hub (DEHub) are working together to advance data-driven metal additive manufacturing research, education, and process confidence.
The public research institution has partnered with the in-situ quality assurance technology provider in a bid to support process understanding, anomaly detection, qualification research, and hands-on education in data-driven manufacturing.
Rowan students and researchers now have access to calibrated, unit-based heightmaps from the metal additive manufacturing process, allowing them to make better-informed decisions 'at the moment they matter most.'
The collaboration is said to have demonstrated its practical value during the first build Rowan's team ran independently after installation of a new metal additive manufacturing system.
Having paired a DMG MORI LASERTEC 30 SLM US system with Phase3D’s Fringe Inspection, a build preparation output error caused the first 60 layers to print only the contours of the parts, skipping the intended infill or support structures. Such errors would result in a defective part, while also posing a danger to the printer state. A high-risk transition from an erroneous contours-only setting to full infill without the intended supporting geometry could lead to peeling, deformation, or protrusions above the powder bed. A single protruding part can also disrupt the recoater and create cascading effects across the build and damage the printer. With such an error occurring so early in a build, many operators would cancel this part as a precaution or continue with unmeasured risk.
With Fringe Inspection and the support of Phase3D, Rowan was able to develop a clear stop condition that would allow them to proceed with the build. If the Fringe Inspection heightmaps showed part protrusions, abnormal swelling, improper powder coverage, or evidence that the parts were not forming correctly, the team would cancel the build immediately.
Throughout the transition, the Rowan and Phase3D teams monitored the height of the melted areas after exposure and checked the subsequent powder layers for recoater-related issues. Fringe Inspection was able to supply the measurement data needed to make a 'defensible go/no-go' decision as the build progressed.
The heightmaps captured the transition from contour-only layers to the bulk part geometry, with the measurements showing that the parts were printing successfully, with no signs of swelling, part protrusion, or peeling. The powder layers also remained healthy, with no indication that the recoater was being disrupted. With that evidence, the team continued the build to successful completion.
“Day one is when inspection must prove its value. This build did not follow the plan, but Rowan did not have to choose between cancelling reflexively and hoping for the best,” said Niall O’Dowd, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Phase3D. “Fringe Inspection gave the team a measurement-driven basis to continue, without the possibility of a build crash or printer installation delay.”
