Monitoring Approach to Evaluate the Performances of a New Deposition Nozzle Solution
Title: Monitoring Approach to Evaluate the Performances of a New Deposition Nozzle Solution for DED Systems
Authors and full affiliations: Federico Mazzucato (1), Simona Tusacciu (2), Manuel Lai (2), Sara Biamino (3), Mariangela Lombardi (3) and Anna Valente (1); 1 SUPSI, ISTePS-Institute of Systems and Technologies for the Sustainable Production, Galleria 2, Manno (6928), Switzerland; 2 IRIS S.r.l., Via Papa Giovanni Paolo II, 26, 10043 Orbassano, TO, Italy; 3 Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
Keywords: direct deposition machine; scanner systems; metallic additive manufacturing
Purpose: Promote the use of closed loop control systems and the adoption of a new deposition nozzle solution designed at the Department of Innovative Technologies of University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland.
Design/methodology/approach: Analysis of the powder flow profile and of the powder distribution in three different cases (one active nozzle, two active nozzles, two active nozzles with a substrate at 15 mm). The first evaluation is done using theoretical models based on the Navier-Stokes equations and a simulation software; the second one is available thanks to a high-speed acquisition camera that records the variation of the powder flow during the experimental tests.
Main findings: 1) the solution of a shielding gas external to the carrier gas decreases the powder spread in correspondence to the deposition plane; 2) the employed model does not fit the experimental results. A new and more complex theoretical model must be implemented to simulate the process.
Benefits: The analysed deposition nozzle can be a good solution for the improvement of the catchment efficiency of a Direct Energy Deposition system, reducing the powder spread in correspondence to the deposition plane.
Full reference: MAZZUCATO, Federico, et al. Monitoring approach to evaluate the performances of a new deposition nozzle solution for DED systems. Technologies, 2017, 5.2: 29.
