Acoustic monitoring method for additive manufacturing processes
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsScott Alan Gold, Thomas Graham Spears
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Abstract
A method of monitoring an additive manufacturing process in which a directed energy source is used to create a weld pool at an exposed build surface of a mass of powdered material, and selectively fuse the powdered material to form a workpiece, the method including measuring acoustic energy generated by the weld pool to generate a measured acoustic profile.
Claims17
A method of monitoring an additive manufacturing process in which a directed energy source is used to create a weld pool at an exposed build surface of a mass of powdered material, and selectively fuse the powdered material to form a workpiece, the method comprising:
- measuring acoustic energy generated by the weld pool to generate a measured acoustic profile;
- and
- controlling at least one aspect of the additive manufacturing process in response to the measured acoustic profile,
- wherein the step of controlling includes taking a discrete action in response to the acoustic signal profile deviating from a baseline acoustic profile.
A method of making a workpiece, comprising:
- depositing a powdered material so as to define a build surface;
- directing a build beam from a directed energy source to create a weld pool in the build surface, and selectively fuse the powdered material in a pattern corresponding to a cross-sectional layer of the workpiece;
- measuring acoustic energy generated by the weld pool to generate a measured acoustic profile;
- and
- controlling at least one aspect of the method of making the workpiece in response to the measured acoustic profile,
- wherein the step of controlling includes taking a discrete action in response to the acoustic signal profile deviating from a baseline acoustic profile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.