Method for rapid development of additive manufacturing parameter set

A method comprising:

• defining a test part having a plurality of features of a plurality of feature types, wherein the plurality of features includes a first feature that is a bulk type;
• controlling an additive manufacturing (AM) machine to print multiple copies of the test part, wherein the AM machine operates according to a plurality of printing parameters, wherein the controlling includes:
• for each of the multiple copies, generating a set of values for the plurality of printing parameters and
• controlling the AM machine to print each of the multiple copies according to the respective set of values for the plurality of printing parameters;
• obtaining a computed tomography (CT) image of each of the copies of the test part;
• for each of the plurality of feature types, analyzing the CT images to identify a selected set of values for the plurality of printing parameters, wherein the analyzing includes:
• identifying a portion of the CT image related to the first feature and
• assessing density of the first feature based on an average grayscale value of the portion of the CT image;
• and
• controlling the AM machine to print production parts according to, for each feature type of the production parts, the selected set of values for the plurality of printing parameters.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions that include:

• defining a test part having a plurality of features of a plurality of feature types, wherein the plurality of features includes a first feature that is a bulk type;
• controlling an additive manufacturing (AM) machine to print multiple copies of the test part, wherein the AM machine operates according to a plurality of printing parameters, wherein the controlling includes:
• for each of the multiple copies, generating a set of values for the plurality of printing parameters and
• controlling the AM machine to print each of the multiple copies according to the respective set of values for the plurality of printing parameters;
• obtaining a computed tomography (CT) image of each of the copies of the test part;
• for each of the plurality of feature types, analyzing the CT images to identify a selected set of values for the plurality of printing parameters, wherein the analyzing includes:
• identifying a portion of the CT image related to the first feature and
• assessing density of the first feature based on an average grayscale value of the portion of the CT image;
• and
• controlling the AM machine to print production parts according to, for each feature type of the production parts, the selected set of values for the plurality of printing parameters.

An apparatus comprising:

• processor hardware;
• and
• memory hardware coupled to the processor hardware, wherein the memory hardware is configured to store instructions, for execution by the processor hardware, that include:
• defining a test part having a plurality of features of a plurality of feature types, wherein the plurality of features includes a first feature that is a bulk type;
• controlling an additive manufacturing (AM) machine to print multiple copies of the test part, wherein the AM machine operates according to a plurality of printing parameters, wherein the controlling includes:
• for each of the multiple copies, generating a set of values for the plurality of printing parameters and
• controlling the AM machine to print each of the multiple copies according to the respective set of values for the plurality of printing parameters;
• obtaining a computed tomography (CT) image of each of the copies of the test part;
• for each of the plurality of feature types, analyzing the CT images to identify a selected set of values for the plurality of printing parameters, wherein the analyzing includes:
• identifying a portion of the CT image related to the first feature and
• assessing density of the first feature based on an average grayscale value of the portion of the CT image;
• and
• controlling the AM machine to print production parts according to, for each feature type of the production parts, the selected set of values for the plurality of printing parameters.