Axiomatic Design of a Test Artifact for PBF-LM Machine Capability Monitoring

Powder Bed Fusion Laser Melting (PBF-LM) additive manufacturing technology is expected to have a remarkable impact on the industrial setting, making possible the realization of a metallic component with very complex designs to enhance product performance. However, the industrial use of the PBF-LM system needs a capability monitoring system to ensure product quality. Among the various studies developed, the investigation of methodology for the actual machine capability determination has been faced and still represents an open point. There are multiple authors and institutes proposing different investigation methods, ranging from the realization of samples (ex situ analysis) to installing monitoring devices on the machine (in situ analysis). Compared to other approaches, sample realization allows for assessing how the machine works through specimen analysis, but it is sensitive to the sample design. In this article, we first present an analysis of a well-known test artifact from an Axiomatic Design perspective. Second, based on the customer needs analysis and adjustments with respect to the use of hypothetical additive production lines, a new test artifact with an uncoupled design matrix is introduced. The proposed design has been experimentally tested and characterized using artifact made of Inconel 718 superalloy to evaluate its performance and representativeness in machine capability assessment. The results show an accurate identification of beam offset and scaling factor considering all the building platform positions. In addition, the artifact is characterized by a reduced building time (more than 90% with respect to the reference NIST artifact) and a halved inspection time (from 16 h to 8 h).