Electrochemical additive manufacturing method using deposition feedback control

An electrochemical additive manufacturing method using deposition feedback control, comprising:

• placing a surface of a cathode into an electrolyte solution, wherein an object to be manufactured is constructed by electrochemically depositing material onto the cathode;
• placing an anode array in contact with the electrolyte solution, wherein
• the anode array comprises a plurality of deposition anodes;
• and
• each deposition anode of the plurality of deposition anodes is configured to provide current that flows from the deposition anode to the cathode through the electrolyte solution, resulting in deposition of the material onto the cathode;
• obtaining a build plan that comprises a layer description of each layer of a plurality of layers of the object to be manufactured, wherein the layer description comprises
• a target map comprising a desired presence or absence of the material at a plurality of locations within an associated layer;
• and
• one or more process parameter values that affect a manufacturing process for the associated layer;
• manufacturing each layer of the plurality of layers, wherein manufacturing a layer of the plurality of layers comprises
• applying one or more transformations to the target map associated with the layer;
• calculating a map of desired current output from each deposition anode of the anode array that will generate deposition that corresponds to the target map associated with the layer;
• setting or confirming a position of the cathode relative to the anode array to begin the manufacturing of the layer;
• transmitting control signals to the anode array based on the layer description of the layer;
• measuring one or more feedback signals across the anode array;
• analyzing the one or more feedback signals to produce a deposition analysis that comprises an extent to which deposition has progressed at the plurality of locations within the layer;
• determining whether deposition of the layer is complete based on the deposition analysis;
• when deposition of the layer is not complete,
• determining whether to modify one or more of the one or more process parameter values associated with the layer;
• and,
• when deposition of the layer is complete and when a subsequent layer of the plurality of layers has not been manufactured,
• manufacturing the subsequent layer.