A high-precision three-dimensional laminated and shaped object is shaped based on a captured image. A three-dimensional laminating and shaping apparatus includes a material ejector that ejects a material of a three-dimensional laminated and shaped object onto a shaping table, a light beam irradiator that irradiates the ejected material with a light beam, an image capturer that captures a molten pool formed by irradiating the ejected material with the light beam, a scanning direction determiner that determines a scanning direction of the light beam with respect to a shaped object based on a change in a position of the shaping table, a detector that detects the molten pool based on an image captured by the image capturer and the scanning direction, and a shaping controller that controls at least one of an output of the light beam and a scanning speed of the light beam based on the detected molten pool.

A device for detecting at least one thermographic image including a thermal camera sensitive to infrared radiation for acquiring the thermographic image; a protective case, inside which the thermal camera is inserted, having a window through which the thermal camera is able to acquire the thermographic image; a screen, positioned outside the protective case and movable between a first operating position at which it is superposed on the window to protect it from environmental disturbances and a second operating position wherein it is shifted from the window, allowing the thermal camera to acquire the thermographic image; a pneumatic system for supplying air inside the protective case having an inlet outside the protective case; a computerised command and control unit; the pneumatic system includes means for adjusting and distributing the air operating inside the protective case and in communication with the external inlet controlled by the computerised command and control unit.

A method for inspection of additive manufactured parts and monitoring operational performance of an additive manufacturing apparatus is provided. The method includes a heating step for heating an area of a build platform on which at least one part is built by the additive manufacturing apparatus. An obtaining step is used for obtaining, in real-time during an additively manufactured build process, a thermographic scan of the area of the build platform. An evaluating step evaluates, by a processor, the thermographic scan. A determining step determines, based on the evaluating, whether an operational flaw with the additive manufacturing apparatus has occurred or a defect in the at least one part has occurred.

A device for measuring the temperature of a melt, particularly of a molten metal, comprises an optical fiber and a guiding tube having an immersion end and a second end opposite to the immersion end. The optical fiber is partially arranged in the guiding tube. An inner diameter of the guiding tube is larger than an outer diameter of the optical fiber. A first plug is arranged at the immersion end of or within the guiding tube proximate the immersion end of the guiding tube. The optical fiber is fed through the first plug and the first plug reduces a gap between the optical fiber and the guiding tube.

A pyrometric detection device for use in an apparatus for producing three-dimensional work pieces comprises a pyrometric detecting unit (10) configured to receive thermal radiation emitted at different points of a detection plane in a detection direction and a calibration device (12) comprising a substrate (14) and a plurality of light guides (16) each having a first end (18) for coupling light into the light guide (16) and a second end (20) for emitting light from the light guide (16), the second end (20) being fixed to the substrate (14). The substrate (14) is adapted to be removably arranged relative to the pyrometric detecting unit (10) in such a manner that the second ends (20) of the plurality of light guides (16) are arranged in the detection plane and emit light in the detection direction, in a calibration state of the pyrometric detection device.

A device for measuring the temperature of a melt, particularly of a molten metal, includes an optical fiber and a guiding tube having an immersion end and a second end opposite to the immersion end. The optical fiber is partially arranged in the guiding tube. An inner diameter of the guiding tube is larger than an outer diameter of the optical fiber. A first plug is arranged at the immersion end of or within the guiding tube proximate the immersion end of the guiding tube. The optical fiber is fed through the first plug and the first plug reduces a gap between the optical fiber and the guiding tube.

Scanning Laser Epitaxy (SLE) is a layer-by-layer additive manufacturing process that allows for the fabrication of three-dimensional objects with specified microstructure through the controlled melting and re-solidification of a metal powders placed atop a base substrate. SLE can be used to repair single crystal (SX) turbine airfoils, for example, as well as the manufacture functionally graded turbine components. The SLE process is capable of creating equiaxed, directionally solidified, and SX structures. Real-time feedback control schemes based upon an offline model can be used both to create specified defect free microstructures and to improve the repeatability of the process. Control schemes can be used based upon temperature data feedback provided at high frame rate by a thermal imaging camera as well as a melt-pool viewing video microscope. A real-time control scheme can deliver the capability of creating engine ready net shape turbine components from raw powder material.

A Ruhrstahl-Heraeus (RH) apparatus for performing a vacuum degassing process of molten metal includes a sensor hole formed at a lower vessel of a vacuum vessel; a continuous temperature measuring device mounted on the sensor hole and including a light-to-temperature converter measuring temperature based on received light, a light guide rod receiving light from a measurement target, an optical fiber transferring the light received by the light guide rod to the light-to-temperature converter, a connector connecting the optical fiber to the light guide rod while maintaining straightness of the optical fiber, a primary protection tube enclosing an outer peripheral surface of the light guide rod, a flexible heat resistant tube protecting the optical fiber, and a joint connected to the flexible heat resistant tube and provided with a cooling gas injection tube; and a cooling gas supply unit supplying cooling gas to the cooling gas injection tube.

A device to measure a temperature of molten metal may include an infrared sensor effective to measure the temperature of the molten metal, a sheath having an open end, a sealed end, and a channel extending from the open end to the sealed end, and an infrared-transparent window disposed between the infrared sensor and the channel of the sheath. The open end of the sheath is disposed near the infrared sensor and the sealed end of the sheath extends into the molten metal. The infrared-transparent window or rod is disposed between the infrared sensor and the channel of the sheath such that the infrared sensor can measure the temperature through the infrared-transparent window or rod, the channel, and the sealed end. The infrared-transparent window or rod seals the infrared sensor from the channel in the sheath.

An additive manufacturing temperature controller/temperature sensor uses one or more spectrophotometric sensors to monitor temperature of successive layers and preferably localized sections of successive layers of a melt pool, and transients thereof, of an object being generated for the purpose of dynamic control of the additive manufacturing device and/or quality control of the generated object manufactured with the additive manufacturing device. Generally, the additive manufacturing temperature controller/sensor apparatus monitors temperature of a section of the object during manufacture as a function of wavelength, time, position, and/or angle to determine melt extent in terms of radius and/or depth.