Smart Build-Plate for Metal Additive Manufacturing Processes

This paper discusses the development, processing steps, and evaluation of a smart build-plate or baseplate tool for metal additive manufacturing technologies. This tool uses an embedded high-definition fiber optic sensing fiber to measure strain states from temperature and residual stress within the...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Adam Hehr, Mark Norfolk, Dan Kominsky, Andrew Boulanger, Matthew Davis, Paul Boulware
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-01-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/2/360
Description
Summary:This paper discusses the development, processing steps, and evaluation of a smart build-plate or baseplate tool for metal additive manufacturing technologies. This tool uses an embedded high-definition fiber optic sensing fiber to measure strain states from temperature and residual stress within the build-plate for monitoring purposes. Monitoring entails quality tracking for consistency along with identifying defect formation and growth, i.e., delamination or crack events near the build-plate surface. An aluminum alloy 6061 build-plate was manufactured using ultrasonic additive manufacturing due to the process’ low formation temperature and capability of embedding fiber optic sensing fiber without damage. Laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) was then used to print problematic geometries onto the build-plate using AlSi10Mg for evaluation purposes. The tool identified heat generation, delamination onset, and delamination growth of the printed L-PBF parts.
ISSN:1424-8220