Selection and installation of high resolution imaging to monitor the PBFam process, and synchronization to post-build 3D computed tomography

Industrial applications of PBFAM continue to expand, and there is a growing interest in the use of sensors to monitor the build process. Sensor data collected during the build process provides insight into process physics and may also lead to a reduction in overall fabrication time and cost by offering an alternative to extensive post-build nondestructive inspection for quality control. Ultimately, sensor data may serve as feedback for real-time control systems that automatically repair flaws before they are buried by subsequent layers. In this work, high resolution images are explored as a means of monitoring the PBFAM build process inside a 3D Systems ProX320. Key design considerations for camera selection and integration are discussed. Methods and algorithms are developed to calibrate and map layer-wise imagery to laser scan vectors. Images are stacked and exported to standardized 3D data formats to enable easy inspection and comparison to post-build 3D computed tomography (CT) volumes.