Additive manufacturing is a rapidly growing field where 3-dimensional parts can be produced layer by layer. NASA’s electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF³) technology is being evaluated to manufacture metallic parts in a space environment. The benefits of EBF³ technology are weight savings to support space missions, rapid prototyping in a zero gravity environment, and improved vehicle readiness. The EBF³ system is composed of 3 main components: electron beam gun, multi-axis position system, and metallic wire feeder. The electron beam is used to melt the wire and the multi-axis positioning system is used to build the part layer by layer. To insure a quality deposit, a near infrared (NIR) camera is used to image the melt pool and solidification areas. This paper describes the calibration and application of a NIR camera for temperature measurement. In addition, image processing techniques are presented for deposit assessment metrics.

Date Published: 22 May 2013
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 8705, Thermosense: Thermal Infrared Applications XXXV, 87050M (22 May 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2018233

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8705:
Thermosense: Thermal Infrared Applications XXXV
Gregory R. Stockton; Fred P. Colbert, Editor(s)