An in-situ millimeter-wave diagnostic for droplet characterization during jetting-based additive manufacturing processes

摘要

Additive manufacturing systems are becoming progressively more capable of printing geometrically complex structures from a wide range of materials. To ensure the print quality of these materials over the duration of the build process, there is a need for in-situ diagnostics which can provide real-time information during fabrication, as well as information that can be processed after print completion. Here we present an in-situ radio frequency diagnostic for liquid metal jetting, which employs a millimeter-wave waveguide device to monitor the impedance changes caused by moving droplets. Experimental results indicate promise for the characterization of size, timing, and motion of metal droplets in an advanced manufacturing system.