OBJECT PRODUCTION USING AN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS AND QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF THE OBJECT

摘要

Methods and apparatus for producing and assessing at least part of an object (2), the methods comprise: performing, using Additive Manufacturing apparatus (8), an Additive Manufacturing process to produce a test specimen (30, 34, 38) and at least part of an object (2); performing, using micro-tomography apparatus (40), on the test specimen (30, 34, 38), a micro-tomography process to create a digital model (50) of the internal structure of the test specimen (30, 34, 38); determining whether or not the model (50) satisfies one or more criteria; and, if the model (50) satisfies the criteria, determining that the at least part of the object (2) produced by performing the Additive Manufacturing process is acceptable, or, if the model (50) does not satisfy the criteria, determining that the at least part of the object (2) produced by performing the Additive Manufacturing process is not acceptable.