Seeing Inside Multilayer, Multi-material, and Multi-hatch Additive Manufacturing with the Extreme Brilliant Source [SIM3AM]

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is the most common additive manufacturing technology. It involves complex laser-matter interactions that occur in microseconds which is difficult to characterise. Existing work uses X-ray imaging to study a laser melting of a single powder layer and is far from the true LPBF process. Here, we request a long-term proposal to co-develop a state-of-the-art facility with ID19 to image the LPBF process: (1) we will deliver an in situ AM rig (that can perform multi-hatch/layer) to the ESRF; co-develop (2) ultra-fast correlative imaging techniques to monitor fast dynamics during LPBF; (3) employ multi-beam technologies to reduce defects; exploit the big data acquired to (4) develop machine-learned algorithms for image segmentation, and (5) advance multiphysics process simulation to predict the process and support experimental design. This work will advance our understanding of LPBF and underpin the expected growth of the global AM market (~$100bn in 10 years).