Using pyrometry to identify porosity in additively manufactured structures
| DWPI Title: Identifying porosity in structure by additive manufacturing process, comprises receiving pyrometry data comprising images of layers, using pyrometry data to generate temperature data, using temperature data for identifying shapes fit, and identifying conditions of shapes fit and outlier shapes |
| Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying porosity in a structure made by an additive manufacturing process in which a laser is scanned across layers of material to form the structure. Pyrometry data comprising images of the layers acquired during additive manufacturing of the structure is received. The pyrometry data is used to generate temperature data comprising estimated temperatures of points in the layers in the images of the layers. The temperature data is used to identify shapes fit to high temperature areas in the images of the layers. Conditions of the shapes fit to the high temperature areas in the images of the layers are identified. Outlier shapes are identified in the shapes fit to the high temperature areas in the images of the layers using the conditions of the shapes. |
| Use: The method is useful: for identifying porosity in a structure made by an additive manufacturing process, in which a laser is scanned across layers of material to form the structure; in a system (all claimed); for identifying voids or pores in structures that are made by additive manufacturing processes; and for identifying voids in a structure using pyrometry data that is obtained during the building of the structure by an additive manufacturing process e.g. laser powder bed fusion. |
| Advantage: The method: utilizes pyrometry data to predict the locations of voids in additively manufactured structures; may modify the control of additive manufacturing system by process controller that identifies voids in structure, hence reduces the formation of undesirable voids in structure; and reduces the number of outlier shapes, hence reduces the occurrence of voids in a structure. |
| Novelty: Identifying (M1) porosity in a structure (102) made by an additive manufacturing process, in which a laser (104) is scanned across layers (106) of material (108) to form the structure, comprises: (a) receiving pyrometry data comprising images of the layers acquired during additive manufacturing of the structure; (b) using the pyrometry data to generate temperature data comprising estimated temperatures of points in the layers in the images of the layers; (c) using the temperature data for identifying shapes fit to high temperature areas in the images of the layers; (d) identifying conditions of the shapes fit to the high temperature areas in the images of the layers; and (e) identifying outlier shapes using the conditions of the shapes. |
| Filed: 3/12/2020 |
| Application Number: US16817340A |
| Tech ID: SD 14971.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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