Systems, methods and apparatuses are used for monitoring material processing using imaging signal density calculated for an imaging beam directed to a workpiece or processing region, for example, during inline coherent imaging (ICI). The imaging signal density may be used, for example, to monitor laser and e-beam welding processes such as full or partial penetration welding. In some examples, the imaging signal density is indicative of weld penetration as a result of reflections from a keyhole floor and/or from a subsurface structure beneath the keyhole. The monitoring may include, for example, automated pass/fail or quality assessment of the welding or material processing or parts produced thereby. The imaging signal density may also be used to control the welding or material processing, for example, using imaging signal density data as feedback. The imaging signal density may be used alone or together with other measurements or metrics, such as distance or depth measurements.

A method and an apparatus for collecting powder samples in real-time in powder bed fusion additive manufacturing may involves an ingester system for in-process collection and characterizations of powder samples. The collection may be performed periodically and uses the results of characterizations for adjustments in the powder bed fusion process. The ingester system of the present disclosure is capable of packaging powder samples collected in real-time into storage containers serving a multitude purposes of audit, process adjustments or actions.

A method and an apparatus for collecting powder samples in real-time in powder bed fusion additive manufacturing may involves an ingester system for in-process collection and characterizations of powder samples. The collection may be performed periodically and uses the results of characterizations for adjustments in the powder bed fusion process. The ingester system of the present disclosure is capable of packaging powder samples collected in real-time into storage containers serving a multitude purposes of audit, process adjustments or actions.

An additive manufacturing system including a two-dimensional energy patterning system for imaging a powder bed is disclosed. Improved structure formation, part creation and manipulation, use of multiple additive manufacturing systems, and high throughput manufacturing methods suitable for automated or semi-automated factories are also disclosed.

A method and an apparatus for collecting powder samples in real-time in powder bed fusion additive manufacturing may involves an ingester system for in-process collection and characterizations of powder samples. The collection may be performed periodically and uses the results of characterizations for adjustments in the powder bed fusion process. The ingester system of the present disclosure is capable of packaging powder samples collected in real-time into storage containers serving a multitude purposes of audit, process adjustments or actions.

A production planning system (6) for a raw materials industry plant (ANL), which determines the production planning data (Pi) thereof and specifies said data to the automation system (1) of the plant (ANL). A state monitoring system (7) determines previous and future anticipated states (Z1) of components of the plant (ANL). A quality determination system (8) determines states (Z2) of output products (Ai) produced and still to be produced by the plant (ANL) and/or past and future states (Z3) of the plant (ANL) as a whole. A maintenance planning system (9) and/or the production planning system (6) receive, from the state monitoring system (7), the states (Z1) of the components of the plant (ANL), determined by the state monitoring system (7) and, from the quality determination system (8), the states (Z2 and Z3) of the output products (Ai) and/or of the plant (ANL) as a whole, determined by the quality determination system (8). They consider the data received from the state monitoring system (7) and from the quality determination system (8) in the determination of maintenance planning data (W) and/or the production planning data (Pi).

An additive manufacturing system including a two-dimensional energy patterning system for imaging a powder bed is disclosed. Improved optical systems supporting beam combining, beam steering, and both patterned and unpatterned beam recycling and re-use are described.

A method and an apparatus for collecting a powdered material after a print job in powder bed fusion additive manufacturing may involve a build platform supporting a powder bed capable of tilting, inverting, and shaking to separate the powder bed substantially from the build platform in a hopper. The powdered material may be collected in a hopper for reuse in later print jobs. The powder collecting process may be automated to increase efficiency of powder bed fusion additive manufacturing.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to manage process excursions. An example apparatus includes a digital twin comparer to determine when a product fails to satisfy a tolerance metric of a digital twin, and a fingerprint manager to generate a fingerprint corresponding to a sensor pattern. The example apparatus also includes a node interfacer to determine a number of workstations of a process control system that exhibit the fingerprint, and an excursion statistics calculator to invoke a corrective action for respective ones of the number of workstations, the corrective action based on a threshold count of the number of workstations that exhibit the fingerprint.

A method and an apparatus pertaining to recycling and reuse of unwanted light in additive manufacturing can multiplex multiple beams of light including at least one or more beams of light from one or more light sources. The multiple beams of light may be reshaped and blended to provide a first beam of light. A spatial polarization pattern may be applied on the first beam of light to provide a second beam of light. Polarization states of the second beam of light may be split to reflect a third beam of light, which may be reshaped into a fourth beam of light. The fourth beam of light may be introduced as one of the multiple beams of light to result in a fifth beam of light.