I-Corps: A Low-Cost Structured Light Monitoring System for Additive Manufacturing Processes

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发用于金属添加剂制造(MAM)的结构光光学监控系统。金属添加剂制造(MAM)是一个快速发展的行业，影响着航空航天、能源和医疗等行业。然而，缺乏对零件质量的过程中监控被认为是快速、广泛的行业采用的障碍。正在开发的监测系统被设计为在MAM过程中实施，以在过程中测量部件的质量并检测缺陷。拟议的技术可能允许部件合格和增加部件产量，同时降低制造过程的成本并提高美国制造业的竞争力。此外，与传统的减法技术相比，该技术还可以减少材料浪费。这项技术的目标是通过允许立即取消包含缺陷部件的制造来降低MAM的每部件成本。该i-Corps项目基于用于金属添加剂制造(MAM)的结构光监控系统(SLM)的开发。SLM使用投影仪和相机来快速测量零件在MAM设置中制造过程中多个特征的三维高度。将SLM的尺寸结果与技术人员预定义的值进行比较，以确定零件是否在缺陷公差范围内。包括专利测量模型，以测量每个测量点的不确定度，以进一步支持统计部件健康监测方法。初步结果表明，SLM能够解决小至25微米的孔洞缺陷和小至80微米的粉末沉积缺陷。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a structured light optical monitoring system for metal additive manufacturing (MAM). Metal additive manufacturing (MAM) is a rapidly expanding industry, impacting aerospace, energy, and medical industries, among others. However, the lack of in-process monitoring for part quality is recognized as a hindrance to rapid, wide-scale industry adoption. The monitoring system under development is designed to be implemented within the MAM process to measure the quality of parts and detect defects in an in-process fashion. The proposed technology may allow for part qualification and increased part output while reducing the cost of the fabrication process and increasing US manufacturing competitiveness. In addition, the proposed technology may reduce material waste when compared to traditional subtractive techniques. The goal of this technology is to reduce the per-part cost of MAM by allowing immediate cancellation of builds that include defective parts.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a structured light monitoring system (SLMS) for metal additive manufacturing (MAM). SLMS uses a projector and a camera to quickly measure the three-dimensional height of multiple features of a part during its fabrication in MAM settings. Dimensional results from the SLMS are compared against values predefined by technicians to determine if the part is within defect tolerance. A patented measurement model is included to gauge the uncertainty of each measurement point to further bolster the statistical part health monitoring method. Initial results show that the SLMS is capable of resolving porosity defects as small as 25 microns, and powder deposition defects as small as 80 microns.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.