Automated Laser Ultrasonics for Metal 3D Printing Inspection

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Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an exponentially growing manufacturing technique which offers numerous advantages over alternative methods in terms of design flexibility, waste and lead-time reduction. More specifically, the Wire Arc AM (WAAM) technology enables the production of metal structures both small and large, while reducing the manufacturing duration and cost by approximately 50%. Some of the alternative, subtractive methods include forging and extensive machining which can result in higher costs and material waste. The aim of my PhD project is the automation of remote ultrasonic inspection of components using robotic means coupled with laser ultrasonics to perform in-process Non-Destructive Evaluation during the WAAM cycle. Non-Destructive evaluation (NDE) is a widely used method of quality assurance and structural integrity in the manufacturing industry. Using laser ultrasonics rather than transducer-based ultrasound enables a non-contact inspection which is ideal for in-process inspection in the manufacturing industry, since the manufacturing process radiates high temperatures. Laser ultrasound can also cope with the complexity of the components among other advantages.