US 12,296,538 B2
Methods for laser calibration in additive manufacturing systems, and systems configured for same
Gunaranjan Chaudhry, Karnataka (IN); Thomas Dobrowolski, The Woodlands, TX (US); Chad Yates, Houston, TX (US); Jayesh Jain, The Woodlands, TX (US); Mackenzie Dreese, Oklahoma City, OK (US); and Lakshmi Jyotshna Vendra, Spring, TX (US)
Assigned to Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Mar. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/653,017.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/155,260, filed on Mar. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0011144 A1, Jan. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/31 (2021.01); B22F 10/36 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B23K 26/03 (2006.01); B23K 26/06 (2014.01); B23K 26/70 (2014.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/393 (2017.08) [B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/31 (2021.01); B22F 10/36 (2021.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B23K 26/03 (2013.01); B23K 26/0626 (2013.01); B23K 26/705 (2015.10); B29C 64/153 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An additive manufacturing system comprising: a laser;
a sensor configured for measuring a thermal energy of a portion of a part produced by the additive manufacturing system by obtaining data from a meltpool of feedstock material formed using the laser;
a monitoring system comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the monitoring system to:
irradiate at least a first layer of the portion of the part produced by additive manufacturing by pulsing the laser using varying amounts of power and scan speed in different regions;
measure thermal emissions with a sensor to obtain a thermal energy density of the portion, including the thermal energy density in each of the different regions of the portion, the thermal emissions are measured synchronously with the pulsing of the laser to obtain thermal energy density values;
determine a volumetric energy density of the laser used for varying the amounts of power in each of the different regions from the thermal energy density values measured in each of the different regions using a pre-established relationship between the volumetric energy density and the thermal energy density values;
calculate a delivered laser power of each of the different regions using the volumetric energy density determined from the pre-established relationship between the volumetric energy density and the thermal energy density values; and
flag the laser for calibration when a difference between the delivered laser power and an applied laser power exceeds a threshold value; and
a controller configured to correct for deviations in the delivered laser power versus the applied laser power in the different regions of the portion by adjusting the power provided by the laser responsive to the delivered laser power.