US 11,674,904 B2
Systems and methods for additive manufacturing operations
Vivek R. Dave, Concord, NH (US); Mark J. Cola, Santa Fe, NM (US); R. Bruce Madigan, Butte, MT (US); Alberto Castro, Santa Fe, NM (US); Glenn Wikle, Santa Fe, NM (US); Lars Jacquemetton, Santa Fe, NM (US); and Peter Campbell, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Assigned to Sigma Additive Solutions, Inc., Santa Fe, NM (US)
Filed by Sigma Additive Solutions, Inc., Santa Fe, NM (US)
Filed on Jun. 29, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/915,858.
Application 16/915,858 is a continuation of application No. 16/234,333, filed on Dec. 27, 2018, granted, now 10,717,264.
Application 16/234,333 is a continuation of application No. 15/282,822, filed on Sep. 30, 2016, granted, now 10,207,489, issued on Feb. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/235,232, filed on Sep. 30, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2020/0398550 A1, Dec. 24, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01N 21/71 (2006.01); B33Y 50/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); G01N 21/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/66 (2006.01); G01N 21/84 (2006.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01)
CPC G01N 21/71 (2013.01) [B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/00 (2014.12); G01N 21/00 (2013.01); H01L 22/12 (2013.01); G01N 2021/8411 (2013.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
monitoring, by a first additive manufacturing device, an additive manufacturing operation performed on a build area of the first additive manufacturing device using one or more sensors of the first additive manufacturing device;
storing first data generated by the one or more sensors in a database;
evaluating spectral characteristics of the first data;
determining first efficiency data of the additive manufacturing operation based on the spectral characteristics of the first data;
storing the first efficiency data in the database;
monitoring, by a different second additive manufacturing device, an additive manufacturing operation performed on a build area of the second additive manufacturing device using one or more sensors of the second additive manufacturing device;
storing second data generated by the one or more sensors of the second additive manufacturing device in the database;
evaluating the spectral characteristics of the second data;
determining second efficiency data of the additive manufacturing operation performed by the second additive manufacturing device based on the spectral characteristics of the second data;
comparing the second efficiency data to the stored first efficiency data;
generating results based on the comparing;
calibrating the second additive manufacturing device using the results; and
executing at least one subsequent additive manufacturing operation with the second additive manufacturing device.