Tag Archives: additive manufacturing reliability

In AM, It’s All About the Temperature!

matchstick-thermometerMichael Molitch-Hou from Engineering.com recently spoke with Stratonics President, Jim Craig, about the status of sensor technology integration in additive manufacturing. Jim discusses the direct link between the thermal dynamics that occur during the process and the resultant material properties.

Cameras are commonly used to visualize melt pools. However, considerable uncertainty in size results from an assortment of camera settings, e.g. gain, sensitivity and threshold levels. The Stratonics ThermaViz® sensor eliminates these uncertainties with its true temperature, thermal imaging technology. It provides accurate and high resolution measurement of melt pool temperature, size, cooling rate, and detection of anomaly formation events.  An accurate melt pool size measurement is a result of tracing the precise isotherm of solidification, e.g. separating the liquid and solid material.

Article: “For Stratonics and Metal 3D Printing the Heat is on    “http://www.engineering.com/3DPrinting/3DPrintingArticles/ArticleID/13133/For-Stratonics-and-Metal-3D-Printing-the-Heat-Is-on.aspx?ENGCOM=

 

Thermal Imaging

Relating AM Process Variable to Outcomes

Additive manufacturing (AM) has the ability to fabricate complex geometries and components with improved efficiency and performance, not possible with conventional methods. A current challenge still remains in certifying processes and qualifying components in the effort to transition from prototyping to widespread adoption of AM for production.  Process reliability and the repeatability of material properties require understanding, monitoring, and controlling thermal conditions throughout the part and melt pool geometry. Continue reading →