QUALITY CONTROL OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURED PARTS

• US 20150024233A1
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: GUNTHER, Steven Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 10,183,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/601
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/12 by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/18 by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/40 Structures for supporting workpieces or articles during manufacture and removed afterwards
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/64 by thermal means control of energy beam parameters for post heating B22F10/364
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/66 by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/68 Cleaning or washing
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/85 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/33 translatory in the deposition plane
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/49 Scanners
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/53 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/04 Welding for other purposes than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/124 using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3076 Aircrafts blades, propellers B29L2031/08
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3097 Cosmonautical vehicles; Rockets
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32189 : Compare between original solid model and measured manufactured object
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37345 : Dimension of workpiece, diameter
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49023 : 3-D printing, layer of powder, add drops of binder in layer, new powder
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/40 : Minimising material used in manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 : Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12396 : Discontinuous surface component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 : Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses to fabricate additive manufactured parts with in-process monitoring are described. As parts are formed layer-by-layer, a 3D measurement of each layer or layer group may be acquired. The acquisition of dimensional data may be performed at least partially in parallel with the formation of layers. The dimensional data may be accumulated until the part is fully formed, resulting in a part that was completely inspected as it was built. The as-built measurement data may be compared to the input geometrical description of the desired part shape. Where the part fails to meet tolerance, it may be amended during the build process or rejected.

Claims

1. A manufacturing and quality control method for fabricating a fabricated part from a series of layers, the method comprising:

sequentially forming one or more layers of the series of layers, using additive manufacturing from a stock material and based upon a geometric description, to form an at least partially completed in-process part;

synchronously acquiring dimensional data about at least a portion of the one or more layers; and

comparing the geometric description to the dimensional data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronously acquiring includes acquiring dimensional data about the in-process part after each layer of the series of layers is formed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronously acquiring is performed sequentially after the sequentially forming.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the sequentially forming and the synchronously acquiring until each layer in the series of layers is formed into the fabricated part.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the sequentially forming, the synchronously acquiring, and the comparing until each layer in the series of layers is formed into the fabricated part.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing is performed by a computer and includes reporting a difference between the dimensional data and the geometric description.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing is performed by a computer and includes outputting to a display device images representative of the comparing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing includes calculating a measured difference between the dimensional data and the geometric description.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the comparing includes comparing a predetermined tolerance limit to the measured difference.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

ceasing the sequentially forming of the in-process part if the measured difference is outside of the predetermined tolerance limit.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

indicating the need for post-fabrication processing if the measured difference is outside of a predetermined tolerance limit.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the sequentially forming includes sequentially forming based upon forming parameters, the method further comprising:

adjusting the forming parameters based upon the measured difference;

wherein the forming parameters include one or more of processing speed, resolution, stock material composition, temperature, and energy applied to the stock material.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronously acquiring includes detecting energy emanating from the portion of the one or more layers.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronously acquiring includes non-contact detection.

15. A fabricated part formed by the method of claim 1.

16. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a deposition device;

a dimensional measuring device; and

a controller programmed to control the method of claim 1;

wherein the deposition device is configured to perform the sequentially forming, and wherein the dimensional measuring device is configured to perform the synchronously acquiring.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a fabrication chamber, within which the deposition device is configured to perform the sequentially forming;

wherein the dimensional measuring device includes an energy emitter and an energy detector positioned within the fabrication chamber.

18. A manufacturing and quality control method for fabricating a fabricated part from a series of layers, the method comprising:

sequentially forming layers of the series of layers, using additive manufacturing from a stock material and based upon a geometric description, to form the fabricated part;

synchronously acquiring, using 3D optical scanning, dimensional data about the fabricated part after each layer of the series of layers is formed; and

comparing, by a computer, the geometric description to the dimensional data, wherein the comparing includes calculating a measured difference between the dimensional data and the geometric description and comparing a predetermined tolerance limit to the measured difference.

19. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

a deposition device;

a dimensional measuring device; and

a controller programmed to control the method of claim 18;

wherein the deposition device is configured to perform the sequentially forming, and wherein the dimensional measuring device is configured to perform the synchronously acquiring.

20. An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

means for forming a fabricated part from a series of layers and based upon a geometric description;

means for acquiring dimensional data about the fabricated part during formation of the fabricated part; and

means for comparing the geometric description to the dimensional data.