SLM Solutions launches quality assurance software
February 22, 2022
SLM Solutions, Lübeck, Germany, a producer of Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) AM machines, has announced the launch of its new quality assurance software, SLM.Quality. This solution will enable customers to perform build job evaluations, process qualifications and certifications for single parts or series production. For industrial customers, it is stated that SLM.Quality can improve the traceability and documentation of key process data.
Industrial aerospace and automotive customers face high productivity and quality expectations, more challenging part requirements, and increasing compliance demands from industry regulators. To meet these challenges in Additive Manufacturing, a robust and seamless quality assurance system is vital, especially for serial production.
With the optional SLM.Quality API, industrial customers can integrate this process within their production control system. The API is also reputedly of value to research institutes and universities, which have used it to deep dive into evaluating events, condition and process monitoring data, and apply the retrospective information to their research areas, such as data science.
Using SLM.Quality, customers can visualise and evaluate their build data so that they can validate their parts and streamline their processes. As well as build insights, SLM.Quality also offers a documentation process.
“SLM.Quality is the ideal quality assurance solution to enable additive manufacturers to adopt the best-in-class industry practices by performing process qualification and part validation activities even more efficiently than before,” stated Nicolas Lemaire, Product Manager Software & Product Control. “The solution is flexible as we offer a ready-to-use desktop application with visualisation dashboards and a reporting tool, but also an API to enable seamless access to the process data for the MES and Production control system.”
SLM.Quality is globally supported, and the company states that no advanced training is necessary to operate SLM.Quality with SLM machines. The software is compatible with the SLM 125, SLM 280, SLM 500, and SLM 800, and is said to have already had a positive impact on industrial customers and research institutes that have been running the beta programme.
