About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium (SFF Symp 2026)
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| Symposium
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2026 Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium (SFF Symp 2026)
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| Presentation Title |
Smoke, Mirrors, and Melt Pools: An assessment of commercial in-situ monitoring solutions for metal laser powder bed fusion |
| Author(s) |
Abdalla R. Nassar, Liam Adler-Pollock , Christopher Apple |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Abdalla R. Nassar |
| Abstract Scope |
In the context of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB), the ability to detect and correct process drifts and anomalies has long been the "Holy Grail" of additive manufacturing. In-situ inspection promises near-real-time identification of flaws and non-conformances during production. Indeed, lab-scale and commercial systems have been developed and demonstrated to identify some process and part flaws.
To assess the state-of-the-art of in-situ inspection, five commercially viable solutions were demonstrated within an ASTRO-ASTM-InSPIRE sponsored challenge. These companies — Addiguru, Additive Assurance, Applied Optimization, JENTEK Sensors, and Phase3D — demonstrated their solution on a commercial PBF-LB system. Here, we overview the technologies demonstrated along with insights on their current utility. Furthermore, we demonstrate that combining high-resolution melt pool imaging with near-infrared long-exposure imaging enables the detection of flaws on the order of tens of microns in thin-walled lattice structures. Applications include quality assurance for heat exchangers and other thin-walled structural components. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Undecided |