Observation of Laser 3D Printing

I. Project Background

3D Printing technology, also known as Additive Manufacturing (AM), is different from traditional "subtractive manufacturing" that involves cutting blanks and "equivalent material manufacturing" such as casting and forging. 3D Printing technology has distinct characteristics, including the gradual volume growth of products from scratch, high freedom in shape design, and no need for forming molds.

Figure | 3D Printing

With enormous advantages such as rapid prototyping, no need for molds, and almost no geometric restrictions on product shapes, 3D Printing technology has shown broad application prospects in industrial fields that require customized and irregular parts, such as biomedicine, mold manufacturing, and aerospace. It is one of the representative advanced manufacturing technologies that have emerged and developed vigorously in recent years.

II. Solution

With the vigorous development of 3D printing technology, the research and application of laser melting deposition and surface remelting mechanisms for complex alloys can significantly optimize the mechanical properties of 3D printed parts. With the help of high-speed photography technology, researchers can realize the visualization of the printing process during this period, and real-time capture the morphology of the liquid metal molten pool and the surface integrity regulated by laser.

Figure | High-Speed Photography Setup Diagram

The formation and solidification of the liquid molten pool mark the transformation of the shape and performance of metal materials. Under the irradiation of a high-energy laser beam, the spherical metal powder particles converged at the light spot rapidly melt to form a liquid molten pool. As the laser beam moves quickly, the molten pool will solidify rapidly and form a printing layer. Although the formation process of the molten pool is short, it contains rich physical and chemical laws. Under different printing process parameters, the mechanical properties and surface quality of the parts are also different.

Figure | 3D Printing Equipment Structure Diagram

In the process of laser melting the metal powder bed, it will not only create a main molten pool but also bring splashed droplets and escaping high-temperature plasma. From the perspective of thermodynamics and dynamics, the metal heated to a certain temperature in the area may react with the gas in the active atmosphere and generate different reaction products. Observing the generation, range, and direction consistency of splashes under different powers and speeds through a high-speed camera is directly related to the quality of laser 3D printing.

In addition to studying local phenomena such as metal molten pools and splashes, high-speed cameras can also observe the real-time transportation and mixing process of metal powder particles before laser 3D printing, and make timely adjustments to ensure that the metal powder particles accurately and uniformly converge at the center of the light spot of the high-energy laser beam, which has important application value in the field of additive manufacturing research.

III. Shenshi Intelligent High-Speed Cameras

Shenshi Intelligent domestic high-speed cameras are fully functional high-speed cameras designed for fields such as high-speed industry, high-end scientific research, national defense and military industry, and aerospace. For different needs such as process improvement, fault monitoring, and equipment research and development, we can provide customized solutions. Customers are welcome to consult and purchase.