SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MEASURING RADIATED THERMAL ENERGY DURING AN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OPERATION
First Claim
1. An additive manufacturing method, comprising:
- generating a plurality of scans of an energy source across a build plane;
measuring an amount of energy radiated from the build plane during each of the plurality of scans using an optical sensor monitoring the build plane;
determining an area of the build plane traversed during the plurality of scans;
determining a thermal energy density for the area of the build plane traversed by the plurality of scans based upon the amount of energy radiated and the area of the build plane traversed by the plurality of scans;
mapping the thermal energy density to one or more location of the build plane;
determining that the thermal energy density is characterized by a density outside a range of density values; and
thereafter, adjusting subsequent scans of the energy source across or proximate the one or more locations of the build plane.
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Abstract
This disclosure describes various methods and apparatus for characterizing an additive manufacturing process. A method for characterizing the additive manufacturing process can include generating scans of an energy source across a build plane; measuring an amount of energy radiated from the build plane during each of the scans using an optical sensor; determining an area of the build plane traversed during the scans; determining a thermal energy density for the area of the build plane traversed by the scans based upon the amount of energy radiated and the area of the build plane traversed by the scans; mapping the thermal energy density to one or more location of the build plane; determining that the thermal energy density is characterized by a density outside a range of density values; and thereafter, adjusting subsequent scans of the energy source across or proximate the one or more locations of the build plane.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An additive manufacturing method, comprising:
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generating a plurality of scans of an energy source across a build plane; measuring an amount of energy radiated from the build plane during each of the plurality of scans using an optical sensor monitoring the build plane; determining an area of the build plane traversed during the plurality of scans; determining a thermal energy density for the area of the build plane traversed by the plurality of scans based upon the amount of energy radiated and the area of the build plane traversed by the plurality of scans; mapping the thermal energy density to one or more location of the build plane; determining that the thermal energy density is characterized by a density outside a range of density values; and thereafter, adjusting subsequent scans of the energy source across or proximate the one or more locations of the build plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An additive manufacturing method, comprising:
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generating a plurality of scans of an energy source across a build plane; determining a grid region including the plurality of scans, wherein the grid region is characterized by a grid area; generating sensor readings during each of the plurality of scans using an optical sensor; determining a total amount of energy radiated from the build plane during the plurality of scans using the sensor readings; computing a thermal energy density associated with the grid region based upon the total amount of energy radiated and the grid area; determining that the thermal energy density associated with the grid region is characterized by a thermal energy density outside a range of thermal energy density values; and thereafter, adjusting an output of the energy source. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An additive manufacturing method, comprising:
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defining a portion of a build plane as a grid including a plurality of grid regions each having a grid region area; generating a plurality of scans of an energy source across the build plane; generating sensor readings during each of the plurality of scans using an optical sensor; for each of the plurality of scans, mapping portions of each of the plurality of sensor readings to a respective one of the plurality of grid regions; for each of the plurality of grid regions; summing the sensor readings mapped to each grid region; and computing a grid-based thermal energy density based on the summed sensor readings and the grid region area; determining that the grid-based thermal energy density associated with one or more of the plurality of grid regions is characterized by a thermal energy density outside a range of thermal energy density values; and thereafter, adjusting an output of the energy source. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification