Identifying and addressing process and quality issues can be a tough obstacle course if it is not done in real time. Here is the thing, very few solutions currently enable to identify such issues in real time, especially when it comes to metal AM applications. These issues become of paramount importance as they slow down consistency and repeatability often required to achieve serial production.
Software provider Materialise and provider of quality assurance software Sigma Labs, Inc. have decided to combine their expertise to enhance the scalability of metal AM applications. They have developed a new platform that combines the Materialise Control Platform and Sigma Labs’ PrintRite3D® sensor technology.
The Materialise Control Platform (MCP) is an embedded hardware solution that provides end-users more control over the AM process. By integrating the MCP with Sigma Labs’ PrintRite3D® sensor technology, the companies have created the possibility to identify quality issues and intervene to correct them in real time. This improves the productivity in metal AM and reduces scrap rates, paving the way for manufacturers to advance their operations and implement metal AM in serial production, Materialise explains in a press release.
“The platform we’ve developed eliminates one of the most common roadblocks for manufacturers interested in using metal additive manufacturing for serial production,” said Materialise CTO Bart van der Schueren. “The platform is open and flexible allowing manufacturers to take control of their specific processes to fit their unique applications. This makes it possible for customers to leverage their expertise and truly take advantage of the customization and localization benefits that AM provides.”
Both organizations ambition now to work with end-users and machine producers to refine processes for their unique applications. They are now looking for partners across industries who are interested in expanding their use of metal AM in serial production.
Mark Ruport, President and CEO of Sigma Labs, stated, “I am very pleased with our long relationship with Materialise and the close collaboration between our engineering teams. We believe the combination of the Materialise Control Platform with Sigma’s real-time melt pool monitoring, and analytics software has created a significant breakthrough in the additive manufacturing industry. I look forward to future opportunities to collaborate and find ways to continue to improve the quality and consistency of 3D metal printing as more companies go into production in the coming years.”
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