公开(公告)号：US11478854B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-25

申请号：US16987969

申请日：2020-08-07

Applicant: Sigma Labs, Inc.

Inventor： Vivek R. Dave ,  David D. Clark ,  Matias Roybal ,  Mark J. Cola ,  Martin S. Piltch ,  R. Bruce Madigan ,  Alberto Castro

IPC: B22F10/20 ,  B29C64/153 ,  B29C64/386 ,  B22F10/00 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  G05B19/418 ,  B29C64/393 ,  B22F10/30 ,  B22F10/10

Abstract: This invention teaches a multi-sensor quality inference system for additive manufacturing. This invention still further teaches a quality system that is capable of discerning and addressing three quality issues: i) process anomalies, or extreme unpredictable events uncorrelated to process inputs; ii) process variations, or difference between desired process parameters and actual operating conditions; and iii) material structure and properties, or the quality of the resultant material created by the Additive Manufacturing process. This invention further teaches experimental observations of the Additive Manufacturing process made only in a Lagrangian frame of reference. This invention even further teaches the use of the gathered sensor data to evaluate and control additive manufacturing operations in real time.

公开(公告)号：US11458576B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-04

申请号：US16182478

申请日：2018-11-06

Applicant: SIGMA LABS, INC.

Inventor： Lars Jacquemetton ,  Vivek R. Dave ,  Mark J. Cola ,  Glenn Wikle ,  R. Bruce Madigan

IPC: B23K31/12 ,  B22F12/00 ,  B23K26/342 ,  B33Y10/00

Abstract: This disclosure describes an additive manufacturing method that includes monitoring a temperature of a portion of a build plane during an additive manufacturing operation using a temperature sensor as a heat source passes through the portion of the build plane; detecting a peak temperature associated with one or more passes of the heat source through the portion of the build plane; determining a threshold temperature by reducing the peak temperature by a predetermined amount; identifying a time interval during which the monitored temperature exceeds the threshold temperature; identifying, using the time interval, a change in manufacturing conditions likely to result in a manufacturing defect; and changing a process parameter of the heat source in response to the change in manufacturing conditions.

公开(公告)号：US20220001497A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-06

申请号：US17375983

申请日：2021-07-14

Applicant: Sigma Labs, Inc.

Inventor： Vivek R. Dave ,  Mark J. Cola

IPC: B23K31/12 ,  G01J5/08 ,  G01J5/04 ,  B22F10/20 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  B23K26/342 ,  B23K26/03 ,  B41M5/26 ,  G01K11/00 ,  G01N25/72

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to the monitoring and control of additive manufacturing. In particular, a method is shown for removing errors inherent in thermal measurement equipment so that the presence of errors in a product build operation can be identified and acted upon with greater precision. Instead of monitoring a grid of discrete locations on the build plane with a temperature sensor, the intensity, duration and in some cases position of each scan is recorded in order to characterize one or more build operations.

公开(公告)号：US20190255654A1

公开(公告)日：2019-08-22

申请号：US16282004

申请日：2019-02-21

Applicant: Sigma Labs, Inc.

Inventor： Darren Beckett ,  Scott Betts ,  Martin Piltch ,  R. Bruce Madigan ,  Lars Jacquemetton ,  Glenn Wikle ,  Mark J. Cola ,  Vivek R. Dave ,  Alberto M. Castro ,  Roger Frye

IPC: B23K26/34 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  B23K15/00 ,  B23K26/354

Abstract: This disclosure describes various methods and apparatus for characterizing an additive manufacturing process. A method for characterizing the additive manufacturing process can include generating scans of an energy source across a build plane; measuring an amount of energy radiated from the build plane during each of the scans using an optical sensing system that monitors two discrete wavelengths associated with a blackbody radiation curve of the layer of powder; determining temperature variations for an area of the build plane traversed by the scans based upon a ratio of sensor readings taken at the two discrete wavelengths; determining that the temperature variations are outside a threshold range of values; and thereafter, adjusting subsequent scans of the energy source across or proximate the area of the build plane.

公开(公告)号：US10317294B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-11

申请号：US15276452

申请日：2016-09-26

Applicant: SIGMA LABS, INC.

Inventor： Vivek R. Dave ,  Mark J. Cola ,  R. Bruce Madigan ,  Martin S. Piltch ,  Alberto Castro

IPC: G01K13/00 ,  B23K9/04 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/00 ,  B23K26/342 ,  B23K26/70 ,  B22F3/105 ,  B23K15/00 ,  B23K10/02 ,  B23K9/095 ,  G01J3/28 ,  G01J3/443 ,  G01N21/71

Abstract: An optical manufacturing process sensing and status indication system is taught that is able to utilize optical emissions from a manufacturing process to infer the state of the process. In one case, it is able to use these optical emissions to distinguish thermal phenomena on two timescales and to perform feature extraction and classification so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process. In other case, it is able to utilize these optical emissions to derive corresponding spectra and identify features within those spectra so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process.

公开(公告)号：US20160185048A1

公开(公告)日：2016-06-30

申请号：US14945247

申请日：2015-11-18

Applicant: Sigma Labs, Inc.

Inventor： Vivek R. Dave ,  David D. Clark ,  Matias Roybal ,  Mark J. Cola ,  Martin S. Piltch ,  R. Bruce Madigan ,  Alberto Castro

IPC: B29C67/00 ,  G05B19/418

Abstract: This invention teaches a multi-sensor quality inference system for additive manufacturing. This invention still further teaches a quality system that is capable of discerning and addressing three quality issues: i) process anomalies, or extreme unpredictable events uncorrelated to process inputs; ii) process variations, or difference between desired process parameters and actual operating conditions; and iii) material structure and properties, or the quality of the resultant material created by the Additive Manufacturing process. This invention further teaches experimental observations of the Additive Manufacturing process made only in a Lagrangian frame of reference. This invention even further teaches the use of the gathered sensor data to evaluate and control additive manufacturing operations in real time.

Abstract translation: 本发明教导了用于添加剂制造的多传感器质量推理系统。 本发明还进一步教导了能够辨别和解决三个质量问题的质量体系：i）处理与过程输入不相关的异常或极不可预测的事件; ii）工艺变化或所需工艺参数与实际操作条件之间的差异; 以及iii）材料结构和性能，或由添加剂制造过程产生的所得材料的质量。 本发明进一步教导了仅在拉格朗日参照系中进行的添加剂制造过程的实验观察。 本发明甚至进一步教导了使用所收集的传感器数据来实时评估和控制添加剂制造操作。

公开(公告)号：US20210404886A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-30

申请号：US17372321

申请日：2021-07-09

Applicant: SIGMA LABS, INC.

Inventor： Vivek R. Dave ,  Mark J. Cola ,  R. Bruce Madigan ,  Martin S. Piltch ,  Alberto Castro

IPC: G01K13/00 ,  G01N21/71 ,  G01J3/28 ,  G01J3/443 ,  B22F10/20 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/00 ,  B23K26/342 ,  B23K26/70 ,  B23K9/04 ,  B23K9/095 ,  B23K10/02 ,  B23K15/00

Abstract: An optical manufacturing process sensing and status indication system is taught that is able to utilize optical emissions from a manufacturing process to infer the state of the process. In one case, it is able to use these optical emissions to distinguish thermal phenomena on two timescales and to perform feature extraction and classification so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process. In other case, it is able to utilize these optical emissions to derive corresponding spectra and identify features within those spectra so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process.

公开(公告)号：US20210379666A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-09

申请号：US17409711

申请日：2021-08-23

Applicant: Sigma Labs, Inc.

Inventor： Vivek R. Dave ,  R. Bruce Madigan ,  Mark J. Cola ,  Martin S. Piltch

IPC: B22F12/00 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  B29C64/153 ,  B29C64/393

Abstract: This invention teaches a quality assurance system for additive manufacturing. This invention teaches a multi-sensor, real-time quality system including sensors, affiliated hardware, and data processing algorithms that are Lagrangian-Eulerian with respect to the reference frames of its associated input measurements. The quality system for Additive Manufacturing is capable of measuring true in-process state variables associated with an additive manufacturing process, i.e. those in-process variables that define a feasible process space within which the process is deemed nominal. The in-process state variables can also be correlated to the part structure or microstructure and can then be useful in identifying particular locations within the part likely to include defects.

公开(公告)号：US11073431B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-27

申请号：US16678945

申请日：2019-11-08

Applicant: SIGMA LABS, INC.

Inventor： Vivek R. Dave ,  Mark J. Cola ,  R. Bruce Madigan ,  Martin S. Piltch ,  Alberto Castro

IPC: G01J3/30 ,  G01K13/00 ,  G01N21/71 ,  G01J3/28 ,  G01J3/443 ,  B22F10/20 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/00 ,  B23K26/342 ,  B23K26/70 ,  B23K9/04 ,  B23K9/095 ,  B23K10/02 ,  B23K15/00 ,  B22F10/30

Abstract: An optical manufacturing process sensing and status indication system is taught that is able to utilize optical emissions from a manufacturing process to infer the state of the process. In one case, it is able to use these optical emissions to distinguish thermal phenomena on two timescales and to perform feature extraction and classification so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process. In other case, it is able to utilize these optical emissions to derive corresponding spectra and identify features within those spectra so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process.

公开(公告)号：US20200249099A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-06

申请号：US16678945

申请日：2019-11-08

Applicant: SIGMA LABS, INC.

Inventor： Vivek R. Dave ,  Mark J. Cola ,  R. Bruce Madigan ,  Martin S. Piltch ,  Alberto Castro

IPC: G01K13/00 ,  G01N21/71 ,  G01J3/28 ,  G01J3/443 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/00 ,  B23K26/342 ,  B23K26/70 ,  B22F3/105 ,  B23K9/04 ,  B23K9/095 ,  B23K10/02 ,  B23K15/00

Abstract: An optical manufacturing process sensing and status indication system is taught that is able to utilize optical emissions from a manufacturing process to infer the state of the process. In one case, it is able to use these optical emissions to distinguish thermal phenomena on two timescales and to perform feature extraction and classification so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process. In other case, it is able to utilize these optical emissions to derive corresponding spectra and identify features within those spectra so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process.