Eddy current sensor array and eddy current sensor system for additive manufacturing
AssigneeHexagon Technology Center GmbH
InventorsSilvan Meile, Charles Leopold Elisabeth Dumoulin, Matthias Burri
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Abstract
An additive manufacturing apparatus for manufacture of aluminum parts layer-by-layer, the apparatus comprising an eddy current sensor for in-process measuring of contour and defects of manufactured layers with a defect resolution of at least 0.25 mm. Preferably, the eddy current sensor is embodied as a differential mode line sensor with dual use of sensor coils. Preferably, the array of the line sensor comprises a zig-zag-arrangement of sensor coils with a cross section of 0.15 mm2 maximal and with a core with an initial magnetic permeability of at least 5000, preferably a permalloy or metal glass coil core.
Claims13
An eddy current sensor array comprising:
- a plurality of sensor coils, wherein:
- the cross section of a respective sensor coil of the plurality of sensor coils is at most 0.15 mm2,
- the sensor coils are lined up along a line (x), wherein each two successive sensor coils of the plurality of sensor coils are alternately offset to the line (x) such that the distance (dx) between a center (c) of each two successive coils in direction of the line (x) is less than the straight distance (s) between the centers (c), and
- wherein each coil has a core with an initial relative magnetic permeability of at least 5000,
- wherein:
- the eddy current sensor array comprises a conductive full or hybrid metal base, whereby the coils are fixed by one end of a respective core onto the base and a respective core is thermally connected to the base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.