An additive manufacturing system includes a cabinet, an electron beam system, at least one imaging device, and a computing device. The cabinet is configured to enclose a component and defines a pinhole extending therethrough. The electron beam system is configured to generate an electron beam directed toward the component. Interactions between the component and the electron beam generate x-ray radiation. The at least one imaging device is configured to detect the x-ray radiation through the pinhole. The computing device is configured to image the component based on the x-ray radiation detected by the at least one imaging device.

An automated welding apparatus and computer-implemented method are described which generally perform the steps of: scanning a joint interface of a workpiece using a three-dimensional scanner (S4); determining a volume to be filled by a welding process (S6); determining a specification for the welding process based on the volume to be filled using an algorithm (S8, S10); and controlling a welding device so as to execute the specification by moving the welding device relative to the workpiece (S12).

An automated welding apparatus and computer-implemented method are described which generally perform the steps of: scanning a joint interface of a workpiece using a three-dimensional scanner (S4); determining a volume to be filled by a welding process (S6); determining a specification for the welding process based on the volume to be filled using an algorithm (S8, S10); and controlling a welding device so as to execute the specification by moving the welding device relative to the workpiece (S12).

A computing device for controlling the operation of an additive manufacturing machine comprises a memory element and a processing element. The memory element is configured to store a three-dimensional model of a part to be manufactured, wherein the three-dimensional model defines a plurality of cross sections of the part. The processing element is in communication with the memory element. The processing element is configured to receive the three-dimensional model, determine a path across a surface of each cross section, wherein the path includes a plurality of parallel lines, calculate a power for a radiation beam to scan each of the lines, such that the power varies from line to line non-linearly according to a length of the line, and calculate a scan speed for the radiation beam for each of the lines, such that the scan speed varies line to line non-linearly according to the power of the radiation beam.

A computing device for controlling the operation of an additive manufacturing machine comprises a memory element and a processing element. The memory element is configured to store a three-dimensional model of a part to be manufactured, wherein the three-dimensional model defines a plurality of cross sections of the part. The processing element is in communication with the memory element. The processing element is configured to receive the three-dimensional model, determine a path across a surface of each cross section, wherein the path includes a plurality of parallel lines, calculate a power for a radiation beam to scan each of the lines, such that the power varies from line to line non-linearly according to a length of the line, and calculate a scan speed for the radiation beam for each of the lines, such that the scan speed varies line to line non-linearly according to the power of the radiation beam.

A system and method for monitoring and controlling build quality during electron beam manufacturing of a build part. The system may include at least one electron beam source to direct at least one electron beam onto a plurality of deposited layers of metallic powder to form a melt pool, a detector to detect in real-time backscattered energy ejected from the melt pool and indicative of a defect in the build part and generate a detection signal representative of the defect. A controller receives and analyzes the detection signal and generates a corrective signal for control of at least one of the actuator and the at least one electron beam source to direct the at least one electron beam onto the plurality of deposited layers of metallic powder to sequentially consolidate patterned portions of the plurality of deposited metallic powder layers to adaptively form the three-dimensional build part.

A system and method for monitoring and controlling build quality during electron beam manufacturing of a build part. The system may include at least one electron beam source to direct at least one electron beam onto a plurality of deposited layers of metallic powder to form a melt pool, a detector to detect in real-time backscattered energy ejected from the melt pool and indicative of a defect in the build part and generate a detection signal representative of the defect. A controller receives and analyzes the detection signal and generates a corrective signal for control of at least one of the actuator and the at least one electron beam source to direct the at least one electron beam onto the plurality of deposited layers of metallic powder to sequentially consolidate patterned portions of the plurality of deposited metallic powder layers to adaptively form the three-dimensional build part.

A computing device for controlling the operation of an additive manufacturing machine comprises a memory element and a processing element. The memory element is configured to store a three-dimensional model of a part to be manufactured, wherein the three-dimensional model defines a plurality of cross sections of the part. The processing element is in communication with the memory element. The processing element is configured to receive the three-dimensional model, determine a plurality of paths, each path including a plurality of parallel lines, determine a radiation beam power for each line, such that the radiation beam power varies non-linearly according to a length of the line, and determine a radiation beam scan speed for each line, such that the radiation beam scan speed is a function of a temperature of a material used to manufacture the part, the length of the line, and the radiation beam power for the line.

A computing device for controlling the operation of an additive manufacturing machine comprises a memory element and a processing element. The memory element is configured to store a three-dimensional model of a part to be manufactured, wherein the three-dimensional model defines a plurality of cross sections of the part. The processing element is in communication with the memory element. The processing element is configured to receive the three-dimensional model, determine a plurality of paths, each path including a plurality of parallel lines, determine a radiation beam power for each line, such that the radiation beam power varies non-linearly according to a length of the line, and determine a radiation beam scan speed for each line, such that the radiation beam scan speed is a function of a temperature of a material used to manufacture the part, the length of the line, and the radiation beam power for the line.

A computerized method, system, program product and additive manufacturing (AM) system are disclosed. Embodiments provide for modifying object code representative of an object to be physically generated layer by layer by a computerized AM system using the object code. The computerized method may include providing an interface to allow a user to manually: select a region within the object in the object code, the object code including a plurality of pre-assigned build strategy parameters for the object that control operation of the computerized AM system, and selectively modify a build strategy parameter in the selected region in the object code to change an operation of the computerized AM system from the plurality of pre-assigned build strategy parameters during building of the object by the computerized AM system.