Inline Optical Coherence Tomography for Multidirectional Process Monitoring in a Coaxial LMD-w Process

Applied Sciences, vol. 12, pp. 2701

Abstract

Within additive manufacturing, process stability is still an unsolved challenge. Process instabilities result from the complexity of laser deposition processes and the dependence of the quality of the workpiece on a variety of factors in the process. Because a stable process is dependent on many different factors, permanent precise inline monitoring is required. The suitability of the optical coherence tomography (OCT) measuring system integrated into a wire-based laser metal deposition (LMD-w) process for the task of process control results from its high resolution and high measuring speed, and from coaxial integration into the laser process, which allows for a spatially and temporally resolved representation of the weld bead topography during the process. To realize this, a spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) system was developed and integrated into the beam path of the process laser. With the aid of suitable optics, circular scanning was realized, which allows for the 3D depth information to be displayed independently of the direction of movement of the processing head and the centrally running wire. OCT makes it possible to detect the process-typical topography deviations caused by process variations and thus paves the way for adaptive process control that could make additive laser processes more reproducible and precise in the future.

Authors 5

1. Charlotte Stehmar corresponding Aachen Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT

   Affiliation as printed

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, Steinbachstraße 17, 52074 Aachen, Germany

2. Marius Gipperich Aachen Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT

   Affiliation as printed

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, Steinbachstraße 17, 52074 Aachen, Germany

3. Markus Kogel‐Hollacher

   Precitec (Germany)

   Affiliation as printed

   Precitec Optronik GmbH, Schleussnerstraße 54, 623263 Neu-Isenburg, Germany

4. Alfredo Velazquez Iturbide Aachen Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT

   Affiliation as printed

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, Steinbachstraße 17, 52074 Aachen, Germany

5. Robert Heinrich Schmitt Aachen Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL)

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, Steinbachstraße 17, 52074 Aachen, Germany

   Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL), RWTH Aachen University, Campus-Boulevard 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany