L-PBF AM process failures causal chain: an FMEA-based monitoring approach for process control

The laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing process offers many advantages. However, its industrial integration still needs to be improved due to the certification constraints of the produced parts. Thus, this paper proposes a phenomenological causal chain of process failures to ensure the control of the L-PBF process and further certify the quality of the parts produced. Consequences of unsuitable thermal regimes are analysed using a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) approach, allowing a more global understanding of all the causal chain-related data. The proposed approach is based on standard acquisition equipment available on industrial machines and proves relevant for identifying process failures. Experimental validation of the proposed monitoring method is implemented on a use case using dedicated software. Finally, it is shown that the method is relevant in this confrontation and compatible with the time scale of the process for future NC integration and real-time monitoring.