Three-dimensional printing systems need inspection systems tied to the manufacturing process, just as other manufacturing systems do, and those systems are increasingly coming to the market.
“The final quality of a part or product, whether produced using traditional or additive methods, remains key to successful manufacturing,” said Ilan Erez, chief financial officer, software products at 3D Systems, which makes metrology software and scanning solutions that inspects 3D printed parts.
Inspection software is particularly needed as 3D-printed designs become more sophisticated.
That type of sophistication is being added to software that optimizes a 3D design for printing, such as lattice generation, support generation, and hollowing out designs to save material, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), a research firm with an arm that studies emerging technologies.
New functionality is also being added to software that prepares the design for printing and guides the printer during a print session for operations such as slicing, self-leveling, and in-process inspection, according to PWC.
Several companies are stepping up to the plate to offer inspection systems that can be tied to the overall 3D printing process, including Sigma Labs, which has developed PrintRite3D process control and quality assurance software. The application allows manufacturers to monitor and assess product quality during the manufacturing process.
The company has also recently updated its PrintRite3D Inspect, targeted to companies incorporating 3D printing into manufacturing processes.
The software, updated to version 1.3.2, allows users to inspect the metallurgical properties of parts while they’re being manufactured. The software speeds and simplifies the inspection process and allows users to catch problems at an early stage, according to the company.
The software features position-related anomaly detection and a data-analysis engine. Users can view production reports to determine causes for manufacturing issues.
Erez’s company, 3D systems, allows for additive manufacturing inspection by combining 3D System’s software with 3D printing to allow verification of the part by comparing it to the the CAD design.
“In an increasingly automated manufacturing environment, it is important to be able to understand, document and share the results of 3D inspection and quality checks quickly and easily,” Erez said.
Inspection of 3D-printed metal parts is particularly compelling, as additive manufacturing systems for metal parts are increasingly popular, according to Wohlers Report 2014 from Wohlers Associates, Fort Collins, Colo.
3-D printed parts crisper and stronger than in early days and can be used in many applications.
When focusing on metal-based additive manufacturing, the report noted 348 metal-based additive manufacturing machines were sold in 2013 compared to 198 in 2012, a 75.8 percent growth. The first report, done in 2000, found fewer than 25 of these machines had been sold that year.
“Companies such as Airbus, General Electric, and Lima Corp. are using these machines to produce complex metal parts for next-generation aerospace and medical products,” said Wohlers, president of Wohlers Associate.
But 3D printing in general also continues to grow.
The motor vehicle industry uses additive manufacturing for product development, although production volumes are typically too high to use the method for most final part applications, according to Wohlers.
In terms of new applications, 3-D printing’s use is growing in the hydroforming, lightweight construction, and thermoforming applications Wohlers said.
In this environment of experimentation and growth, systems that tie 3D-printed parts CAD creation will definitely find a foothold.
