System and methods for real-time enhancement of build parameters of a component

A method for controlling a direct metal laser melting system, the method comprising:

• generating a melt pool based on at least one build parameter;
• detecting an optical signal emitted by the melt pool to measure at least one of a size and a temperature of the melt pool;
• and
• modifying in real-time the at least one build parameter based on at least one of the size and the temperature of the melt pool to achieve a desired physical property, wherein detecting an optical signal comprises detecting the optical signal with a confocal optical system including at least one optical sensor.

A method for enhancing build parameters for fabricating a component using a direct metal laser melting system, the method comprising:

• generating a melt pool in a powder bed based on at least one build parameter;
• detecting the optical signal with a conical optical system including at least one optical sensor;
• transmitting an optical signal emitted by the melt pool to the at least one optical sensor;
• limiting the amount of out-of-focus emissions from the optical signal using the confocal optical system including at least one pinhole aperture device;
• determining at least one a size of the melt pool and a temperature of the melt pool based on the optical signal;
• and
• modifying in real-time the at least one build parameter based on at least one of the size and the temperature of the melt pool to achieve a desired physical property.