Sigma Labs Inc (SASI)

[jjsmith77]

Sigma Lab's Automated 3D Printer Controller for Quality Assurance

Sigma Lab's patent:
http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&p=1&S1=%28%28mark+AND+cola%29+AND+vivek%29&OS=mark+and+cola+and+vivek&RS=%28%28mark+AND+cola%29+AND+vivek%29[/url]
and
http://pdfaiw.uspto.gov/.aiw?Docid=20130126483&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fappft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-adv.html%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPG01%2526p%3D1%2526S1%3D%252528%252528mark%252BAND%252Bcola%252529%252BAND%252Bvivek%252529%2526OS%3Dmark%252Band%252Bcola%252Band%252Bvivek%2526RS%3D%28%28mark%252BAND%252Bcola%29%252BAND%252Bvivek%29&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=12A849EE0732[/url]

INSPECT, the closed loop controller:
]http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.b6sigma.com%2Fuploads%2FDataSheets%2FPrintRite3D%2520Spec%2520Sheet_REV1.pdf&ei=dUwoVfnLLsr5ggTziYHoBQ&usg=AFQjCNGxbN9tCYlRjj5-30n0kfHVTB8dLQ&sig2=HmnFBoCLqdBc7pEgHBT5Fg&bvm=bv.90491159,d.eXY&cad=rja[/url]
and
http://b6sigma.com/uploads/DataSheets/PrintRite3D%20INSPECT.pdf[/url]

(In layman's terms)
Claims: 1. A method for control of a fusion welding process
a. Melt the metal powder into a weld pool with a 3D printer
b. Measure the temperature of this weld pool
c. Using calculations, predict the heat of the weld pool based on current printer parameters
d. Compare predicted heat to actual measured amount by sensors
e. Change the 3D printer parameters if predicted heat amount is not the same as actual heat measured



[0033] Based on one or more such thermal measurements, the weld pool volume can be directly estimated and controlled as follows: ...

[0041] The optimizer module can have a fitness function… defined by comparing the measured thermal response to the predicted thermal response…and iterates on parameter sets until this fitness is within a pre-determined tolerance…

[0054] When the weld pool volume varies from its desired setpoint, this can be detected by the thermal sensors, the weld pool frequency sensors, or combinations thereof…

[0055] Once a shift is detected, the real-time controller 14 can have an internal logic table that analyzes the nature… Based on pre-determined rules.., the controller 14 can decide which machine variable will be the best choice

[0056] The controller 14 can then make changes to the process variables welding machine tool 15...

[0057] The process continues indefinitely as long as the welding process 10 is in progress.

[0058] A supervisory controller 16 can also ensure that the chosen response vector produced the desired effect--otherwise it will seek an alternative vector, update the response vector database 17, or both. Updating the response vector database can allow the controller 14 to "learn" the process as it encounters more instances and examples of anomalous behaviour.