# US 11,027,535 B2 · Systems and method for advanced additive manufacturing

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- Number: US 11,027,535 B2
- Document ID: US11027535B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/638,913
- Filed: 2017-06-30
- Published: 2019-01-03
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-30
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Rogier Sebastiaan Blom; John Freer; Dean Michael Robinson; Subhrajit Roychowdhury; Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027535B2

## CPC

- C25D 21/12: Process control or regulation (controlling or regulating in general G05)
- B22F 3/105: by using electric current {other than for infrared radiant energy}, laser radiation or plasma (B22F3/11 takes precedence){; by ultrasonic bonding (B22F3/115 takes precedence)}
- B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
- B22F 10/36: of energy beam parameters
- B22F 12/90: Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
- G05B 19/4099: Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
- B22F 10/00: Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder (apparatus or devices therefor B22F12/00)
- B22F 10/10: Formation of a green body
- B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
- B22F 12/49: Scanners
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- C25D 3/44: Aluminium
- C25D 17/12: Shape or form (C25D17/14 takes precedence)
- G05B 2219/35134: 3-D cad-cam
- G05B 2219/49007: Making, forming 3-D object, model, surface
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
- C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A manufacturing computer device for dynamically adapting additive manufacturing of a part is configured to store a model of the part including a plurality of build parameters. The manufacturing computer device is also configured to receive current sensor information of at least one current sensor reading of a melt pool from a build of the part in progress. The computer device is further configured to determine one or more attributes of the melt pool based on the current sensor information. Moreover, the computer device is configured to calculate at least one unseen attribute of the melt pool. In addition, the computer device is configured to determine an adjusted build parameter based on the at least one unseen attribute, the one or more attributes, and the plurality of build parameters. The computer device is also configured to transmit the adjusted build parameter to a machine currently manufacturing the part.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A manufacturing computer device for dynamically adapting additive manufacturing of a part, said manufacturing computer device comprising at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device, said at least one memory device stores a model of a build process for the part including a plurality of build parameters, said manufacturing computer device configured to:
receive current sensor information of at least one current sensor reading of a melt pool from a build of the part in progress, wherein the current sensor information is received from one or more sensors, and wherein the melt pool represents additional material already added to the part;
determine one or more attributes of the melt pool based on the current sensor information;
calculate at least one unseen attribute of the melt pool, wherein the at least one unseen attribute is not directly observable by the one or more sensors; and
determine an adjusted build parameter based on the at least one unseen attribute, the one or more attributes, and the plurality of build parameters.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said manufacturing computer device is further configured to:
store a build file for building the part including the plurality of build parameters;
receive a plurality of build information, wherein each build information of the plurality of build information includes sensor information of a build of the part by a machine using the build file; and
generate the model of the build process for the part based on the build file and the plurality of build information.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The manufacturing computer device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said manufacturing computer device is further configured to:
receive a plurality of sensor information from a build of the part; and
update the model of the build process for the part based on the received plurality of sensor information.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the one or more attributes of the melt pool include at least one of a melt pool width, a melt pool height, a melt pool temperature profile, and a two dimensional (2D) melt pool shape.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one unseen attribute of the melt pool includes a melt pool depth and a three dimensional (3D) melt pool shape.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of build parameters include at least one of a power of a laser device, a scan speed of a laser device, a desired melt pool size, and a desired melt pool temperature profile.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the current sensor information is received from at least one of a photomultiplier tube, a photodiode, an infrared camera, a charged-couple device (CCD) camera, a CMOS camera, a pyrometer, or a high-speed visible-light camera.

### Claim 8

A method for dynamically adapting additive manufacturing of a part, said method implemented using a manufacturing computer device, the manufacturing computer device including a processor in communication with a memory, said method comprising:
storing a model of a build process for the part including a plurality of build parameters;
receiving current sensor information of at least one current sensor reading of a melt pool from a build of the part in progress;
determining one or more attributes of the melt pool based on the current sensor information;
calculating at least one unseen attribute of the melt pool;
determining an adjusted build parameter based on the at least one unseen attribute, the one or more attributes, and the plurality of build parameters; and
transmitting the adjusted build parameter to a machine currently manufacturing the part.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising:
storing a build file for building the part, the build file including the plurality of build parameters;
receiving a plurality of build information, wherein each build information of the plurality of build information includes sensor information of a build of the part by a machine using the build file; and
generating the model of the build process for part based on the build file and the plurality of build information.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method in accordance with claim 9 further comprising:
receiving a plurality of sensor information from a build of the part; and
updating the model of the build process for the part based on the received plurality of sensor information.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein determining one or more attributes of the melt pool comprises determining one or more of a melt pool width, a melt pool height, a melt pool temperature profile, and a two dimensional (2D) melt pool shape.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein calculating at least one unseen attribute comprises calculating one or more of a melt pool depth and a three dimensional (3D) melt pool shape.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein determining an adjusted build parameter comprises determining at least one of a power of a laser device, a scan speed of a laser device, a desired melt pool size, and a desired melt pool temperature profile.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein receiving a plurality of sensor information comprises receiving the sensor information from at least one of a photomultiplier tube, a photodiode, an infrared camera, a charged-couple device (CCD) camera, a CMOS camera, a pyrometer, or a high-speed visible-light camera.

### Claim 15

A system for dynamically adapting additive manufacturing of a part, said system comprising:
an additive manufacturing machine configured to build the part based on a build file;
a plurality of sensors configured to monitor the additive manufacturing machine while building the part; and
a manufacturing computer device comprising at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device, said manufacturing computer device configured to:
store a model of a build process for the part including a plurality of build parameters;
receive current sensor information of at least one current sensor reading of a melt pool from a build of the part in progress, wherein the current sensor information is
received from one or more sensors, and wherein the melt pool represents additional material already added to the part;
determine one or more attributes of the melt pool based on the current sensor information;
calculate at least one unseen attribute of the melt pool, wherein the at least one unseen attribute is not directly observable by the one or more sensors;
determine an adjusted build parameter based on the at least one unseen attribute, the one or more attributes, and the plurality of build parameters; and
transmit the adjusted build parameter to a machine currently manufacturing the part.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said manufacturing computer device is further configured to:
store a build file for building the part including the plurality of build parameters;
receive a plurality of build information, wherein each build information of the plurality of build information includes sensor information of a build of the part by an additive manufacturing machine using the build file; and
generate the model of the build process for the part based on the build file and the plurality of build information.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system in accordance with claim 16, wherein said manufacturing computer device is further configured to:
receive a plurality of sensor information from a build of the part; and
update the model of the build process for the part based on the received plurality of sensor information.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the one or more attributes of the melt pool include at least one of a melt pool width, a melt pool height, a melt pool temperature profile, and a two dimensional (2D) melt pool shape.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the at least one unseen attribute of the melt pool includes a melt pool depth and a three dimensional (3D) melt pool shape.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the plurality of build parameters include at least one of a power of a laser device, a scan speed of a laser device, a desired melt pool size, and a desired melt pool temperature profile.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the current sensor information is received from at least one of a photomultiplier tube, a photodiode, an infrared camera, a charged-couple device (CCD) camera, a CMOS camera, a pyrometer, or a high-speed visible-light camera.