Phase3D has been awarded a Phase 1 contract by the US Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) that will see it conduct further research into additive manufacturing quality inspection.
In collaboration with the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI), Phase 3D will advance the development of Fringe Research, a real-time inspection and certification technology for powder-based additive manufacturing.
The contract will focus on combining data from multiple sensors to improve defect detection, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of in-situ monitoring. This improvement, Phase 3D believes, will ‘pave the way’ for early detection of part defects and enable interventions during the build process.
Phase3D also anticipates that this development will reduce scrap rates and improve overall yield, helping customers to reduce project lead times, increase machine utilisation and ensure the quality of builds. The impact of this collaborative effort with the US Air Force and UDRI, Phase3D says, will extend beyond the immediate benefits to the aerospace industry.
“Phase3D’s heightmap data does not exist in a vacuum. While we have seen excellent correlation and predictive capabilities from heightmap layer data from structured light, we are excited to announce the development of incorporating multiple data streams to increase detection capabilities to our customers,” said Dr. Niall O’Dowd, Founder and CEO of Phase3D.
Phase3D has been working to further advance the capabilities of real-time inspection for 3D printing for many years, introducing an early adopter program for its technology in 2023, and since commencing work with the likes of the US AFRL and Oak Ridge National Laboratory for cold spray and binder jet processes.
