A Real-Time Communication Architecture for Metal Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing

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Date

2016

Authors

Dunbar, Alexander J.
Nassar, Abdalla R.
Reutzel, Edward W.
Blecher, Jared J.

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University of Texas at Austin

Abstract

Recent advancements in the field of additive manufacturing continue to push its application deeper into commercial use. However, concerns persist regarding the consistency of part quality, methodologies for quality assurance, and cyber-physical system security. These concerns are exacerbated by the closed-system architecture implemented by most commercial powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (PBFAM) machine manufacturers. Though implementation of device and process monitoring equipment is often suggested to address these concerns, deployment is hampered by the inability to extract real-time information from closed systems during the build process, including scanner position, laser power, sensor data, etc. Here, a framework for an open and transparent communication protocol for PBFAM systems is developed and implemented on a 3DSystems ProX-200 machine. Real-time measurement of build process parameters and synchronization with an optical emission sensor is demonstrated. The utility of the protocol and real-time sensing for PBFAM are discussed.

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