Precision Analysis of Part Manufacturing Using SLM Method

Abstract

The technology of part manufacturing by means of 3D printing is currently the essential tool in fast production of prototypes and significantly participates in shortening the development an innovation time of the product. In manufacturing by means of a 3D printer as well as in any other manufacturing technology, the precision of the end product is affected by a variety of factors and effects that shall be familiarised with in order to provide high dimensional and shape precision.The research specified in this post is focused on dimensional and shape precision analysis of part manufacturing using the Selective Laser Melting method (SLM). This technology manufactures a prototype by selectively melting metallic powder layer by layer by means of a laser. A CAD model of a specific shape was designed for the purpose of the analysis. An orientation of this part was designed by means of SLM 280HL workspace with regard to minimisation of the internal stress. The part itself was made of AlSi12 material and printed on this machine. The part was afterwards digitised by means of Atos II 3D optical scanner. The data obtained by digitising were compared to the nominal CAD model. The comparison was a basis for the evaluation of the resulting dimensional and shape precision of a prototype manufactured by means of this technology.