Fraunhofer IWS releases powder stream monitor

April 21, 2022

Powder measurement device POWDERscreen is expected to accelerate the adoption of highly automated Additive Manufacturing production lines (Courtesy Fraunhofer IWS)
Powder measurement device POWDERscreen is expected to accelerate the adoption of highly automated Additive Manufacturing production lines (Courtesy Fraunhofer IWS)

As Additive Manufacturing processes continue to grow in complex industries such as aerospace, the number of companies turning to industrial Additive Manufacturing increases. The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS Dresden has developed a powder measuring device for laser cladding, the POWDERscreen, to streamline the use and adoption of highly automated production lines.

In the future, this powder flow meter is hoped to make it possible to measure exactly which metals flow in what quantity into the laser focus. This approach can reduce the costs of powder-based laser cladding, improve the quality of the components produced and make the entire production process repeatable.

“So far, powder-based laser cladding still falls short of its potential,” stated Rico Hemschik, the engineer at Fraunhofer IWS who has developed POWDERscreen. “With the powder flow meter, we are taking a big step towards a more efficient, controlled and automated Additive Manufacturing process.”

To make this possible, the system combines modern sensor technology with special software, a screen, and interfaces for data transfer. Photosensors count the particles in the powder stream, and the software uses them to calculate the feed rates. The screen displays the processed data to the machine operator.

POWDERscreen can be mounted on any process head for powder laser cladding; one application example thought to illustrate its strengths well is the COAXquattro nozzle. This process head was developed at Fraunhofer IWS to feed up to eight different powders or wires in separate channels into the laser focus to produce in-situ alloys. Since the COAXquattro supports up to 30 g per second per channel, significant powder rates can be achieved. Because of the large feed rates, the combination of COAXquattro and POWDERscreen is said to be particularly suitable for high-performance processes in which large and complex components have to be produced, coated or repaired with high quality, reproducibility and speed.

POWDERscreen can also be combined with other process monitoring systems developed by Fraunhofer IWS. These include the Emaqs camera for process control, the COAXjay sensor box or the LIsec measurement system for powder cone geometry. Via its interfaces, POWDERscreen can be integrated together with these devices into modern industrial environments or solutions for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). For example, analog data output is possible via a voltage interface, via the IIoT protocol “Message Queuing Telemetry Transport” (MQTT) or data transfer via software.

In the future, such combined process monitoring systems may also be used to independently generate digital twins of additively manufactured components. The information about where the laser melted, alloyed and shaped which powder and in what quantity can in principle also be automatically merged into a virtual computer model. The researchers at Fraunhofer IWS also see application potential for POWDERscreen in the aerospace industry, among others. There, for example, the system can be used to reproduce and repair intricately shaped turbine blades with the Additive Manufacturing processes in consistently high quality.

www.iws.fraunhofer.de

In the latest issue of Metal AM magazine

Download PDF
 

Extensive AM industry news coverage, as well as the following exclusive deep-dive articles:

  • Metal powders in Additive Manufacturing: An exploration of sustainable production, usage and recycling
  • Inside Wayland Additive: How innovation in electron beam PBF is opening new markets for AM
  • An end-to-end production case study: Leveraging data-driven machine learning and autonomous process control in AM
  • Consolidation, competition, and the cost of certification: Insight from New York’s AM Strategies 2024
  • Scandium’s impact on the Additive Manufacturing of aluminium alloys
  • AM for medical implants: An analysis of the impact of powder reuse in Powder Bed Fusion

The world of metal AM to your inbox

Don't miss any new issue of Metal AM magazine, and get the latest industry news. Sign up to our twice weekly newsletter.

Sign up

Discover our magazine archive…

The free to access Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine archive offers unparalleled insight into the world of metal Additive Manufacturing from a commercial and technological perspective through:

  • Reports on visits to leading metal AM part manufacturers and industry suppliers
  • Articles on technology and application trends
  • Information on materials developments
  • Reviews of key technical presentations from the international conference circuit
  • International industry news

All past issues are available to download as free PDFs or view in your browser.

Browse the archive

Looking for AM machines, metal powders or part manufacturing services?

Discover suppliers of these and more in our comprehensive advertisers’ index and buyer’s guide, available in the back of Metal AM magazine.

  • AM machines
  • Process monitoring & calibration
  • Heat treatment & sintering
  • HIP systems & services
  • Pre- & post-processing technology
  • Powders, powder production and analysis
  • Part manufacturers
  • Consulting, training & market data
View online
Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap