Optomec, a leading global supplier of production grade additive manufacturing systems for 3D printed metals and printed electronics, now offers Smart Additive Manufacturing (SmartAM™) technology for use in hybrid CNC machine tools. SmartAM technology provides a closed loop control that monitors and adjusts key process parameters during the build to help ensure metal parts with consistent qualities.
In additive manufacturing 3D metal parts are built-up layer by layer with powdered metal that is melted with a laser. As the build progresses heat build-up in the part can affect the size of the melt pool which in turn can affect the microstructural properties and dimensional accuracy of the printed metal. For many years Optomec has offered real time process monitoring to control the size of the melt pool in its standalone LENS metal 3D Printers and is now making this same technology available in its LENS Print Engine for integration with CNC mills, lathes, robots, custom gantries, or even laser cutting and welding systems.
SmartAM technology consists of:
- special focusing optics
- a melt pool sensor
