Process monitoring and analysis per spot, per layer, per part; minimizing risk and reducing quality assurance costs
EOS, worldwide technology and quality leader for high-end Additive Manufacturing (AM) solutions, at this year's formnext in Frankfurt/Germany (hall 3.1, booth F70) will launch EOSTATE MeltPool Monitoring as an add-on to the EOS M 290 DMLS system. This innovative tool paves the way for complete part traceability as well as an automated surveillance and analysis of the melt pool during the DMLS® build process – every spot, every layer, every part. With the tool EOS expands its existing comprehensive portfolio of monitoring solutions for AM by adding this high-performance online monitoring which ensures even greater transparency of the complex build process. As such, EOSTATE MeltPool targets R&D and manufacturing customers with demanding quality requirements.
Dr. Tobias Abeln, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at EOS states: „We developed this powerful, intelligent monitoring solution jointly with plasmo Industrietechnik GmbH, a global high-tech supplier of automated quality assurance systems. Our goal is to set a benchmark for high-end in-process monitoring for AM." And he continues: "With EOSTATE MeltPool Monitoring we offer a powerful expert tool to those who need to improve their quality assurance procedures for AM and who want to build up deep insights into the DMLS process to e.g. support further process development."
Minimizing risk and reducing quality assurance costs
Reliable quality assurance tools play a decisive role in boosting trust in a new technology. The decisive factor for customers on the road towards series manufacturing based on AM is reproducible top-quality parts at the lowest costs per part possible. The EOSTATE MeltPool Monitoring allows to move part quality assurance from post- to in-process, as such not only supporting a better risk management, but as well reducing time and costs for quality assurance and as a consequence overall costs per part.
How does it work: process and functional principle
EOSTATE MeltPool observes the light emitted by the melt pool. Key element are two photodiodes located on- and off-axis, a camera adapter, a specialized signal amplifier and according spectral filters to separate process light from reflected laser light. EOSTATE MeltPool software offers automatic data error correction and real-time process visualization and evaluation. For data analysis, the EOSTATE MeltPool Analysis Toolbox visualizes data in 2D or 3D mappings and enables the evaluation of indication clusters. The tool works based on three advanced algorithms to obtain different data interpretations.
From the collected data conclusions for the resulting quality in the final part can be drawn. For this, customers define corresponding parameters (MPM Parameters) using the open and flexible EOSTATE MeltPool Analysis Toolbox and can set their thresholds in alignment with their particular quality requirements. Live monitoring during the build process of a real part helps to automatically identify error indications based on these MPM parameters. As such, EOSTATE MeltPool is a powerful tool for quality-oriented work in Additive Manufacturing.
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