Manufacturing assistance system for an additive manufacturing system

A method for operating a manufacturing assistance system for an additive manufacturing system, the method comprising:

• generating process data, by a process sensor unit, from measurements of one or more hardware sensors of the process sensor unit during manufacturing an object by the additive manufacturing system, wherein the process sensor unit is arranged at the additive manufacturing system and comprises one or more hardware sensors selected from a position sensor configured to measure the position of a spot of a scanner of the additive manufacturing system, a distance sensor configured to measure a position of a substrate inside a manufacturing chamber of the additive manufacturing system, a contact sensor configured to determine a contact between the substrate and a doctor blade of the additive manufacturing system, and a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of cooling water and/or gas inside the manufacturing chamber,
• generating image data, by an imaging sensor unit, of an object during manufacturing inside the manufacturing chamber by one or more imaging sensors of the imaging sensor unit, wherein the one or more imaging sensors are arranged inside or outside of the manufacturing chamber,
• generating error data, by an error detection unit, based on a human error or interference and during manufacture of the object, wherein the error detection unit is arranged inside or outside the manufacturing chamber, and sending the generated error data to an electronic control unit comprising a computing element,
• collecting, by the electronic control unit, the process data generated by the process sensor unit, the image data generated by the imaging sensor unit, and the error data generated by the error detection unit,
• determining, by the electronic control unit, a current state of the object by correlating the process data, the image data, and the error data to verify if the object being manufactured meets predefined requirements or has any failure, and
• determining a subsequent step to be performed in the additive manufacturing system and executing the determined subsequent step during manufacturing the object.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for a manufacturing assistance system for an additive manufacturing system, which, when executed by a processing element, is adapted to perform operations comprising:

• generating process data, by a process sensor unit, from measurements of one or more hardware sensors of the process sensor unit during manufacturing an object by the additive manufacturing system, wherein the process sensor unit is arranged at the additive manufacturing system and comprises one or more hardware sensors selected from a position sensor configured to measure the position of a spot of a scanner of the additive manufacturing system, a distance sensor configured to measure a position of a substrate inside a manufacturing chamber of the additive manufacturing system, a contact sensor configured to determine a contact between the substrate and a doctor blade of the additive manufacturing system, and a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of cooling water and/or gas inside the manufacturing chamber,
• generating image data, by an imaging sensor unit, of an object during manufacturing inside the manufacturing chamber by one or more imaging sensors of the imaging sensor unit, wherein the one or more imaging sensors are arranged inside or outside of the manufacturing chamber,
• generating error data, by an error detection unit, based on a human error or interference and during manufacture of the object, wherein the error detection unit is arranged inside or outside the manufacturing chamber, and sending the generated error data to an electronic control unit comprising a computing element,
• collecting, by the electronic control unit, the process data generated by the process sensor unit, the image data generated by the imaging sensor unit, and the error data generated by the error detection unit,
• determining, by the electronic control unit, a current state of the object by correlating the process data, the image data, and the error data to verify if the object being manufactured meets predefined requirements or has any failure, and
• determining a subsequent step to be performed in the additive manufacturing system and executing the determined subsequent step during manufacturing the object.