Additive Manufacturing Inspection

Additive manufacturing (AM) inspection is important for ensuring the quality of AM parts, especially for applications in industries such as aerospace or defence, where reliability is critical.

Additive manufacturing inspection technology needs to be able to cope with the unique challenges associated with AM parts, including complex geometries, internal defects, uneven surfaces, material variations, and more. In addition, there may be a need to work in accordance with specialised standards or requirements, while additional processing steps can pose different challenges for non-destructive testing.

Because AM parts are built layer-by-layer, they require dimensional inspections to check the material properties right through the part for quality control purposes.

Press Releases

Find out more about additive manufacturing at TWI:

Additive Manufacturing and Sour Service Standards – A Q&A

Research into additive manufactured part use in sour service environments.

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Revolutionise Your Additive Manufacturing with TWI

TWI is one of the few organisations anywhere in the world to have access to a ground-breaking coaxial electron beam wire additive manufacturing (AM) system.

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Paper Outlines Sustainable Additive Manufacturing Solution

Research into the use of a novel new AM technique using aluminium wire extrusion.

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Core Research Programme (CRP) and Joint Industry Projects (JIP)

Core Research

Each year the TWI Core Research Programme (CRP) addresses challenges on behalf of our Industrial Members as well as developing specific technologies and processes. Each of the projects under the CRP is focussed on engineering, materials or manufacturing technologies.

Find out more here

Joint Industry Projects

TWI also conducts Joint Industry Projects (JIPs) that bring together groups of Industrial Members to share the cost of research activities in areas of mutual industrial interest, gaining exclusive access to the outcomes. These projects cover a broad range of topics.

Find out more here

Processes

AM parts can be inspected using a range of different processes, including X-ray computed tomography (XCT), digital radiography (DR), and a range of laser and advanced ultrasound and eddy current techniques.

XCT, for example, is a powerful NDT technique capable of producing volumetric three-dimensional density data of a scanned part, as well as allowing for in-situ loading if components. DR, meanwhile, delivers a two-dimensional rendering of the density and material thickness of uniformly shaped regions of interest.

Additive Manufacturing Inspection at TWI

TWI has decades of experience in additive manufacturing inspection, including having co-created and updated guidance notes for the certification of additively manufactured parts and facilities. These notes, written alongside Lloyd’s Register, were created to help manufacturers qualify the safety of components made using additive manufacturing / 3D printing.

Our expertise in additive manufacturing, materials, and NDT inspection techniques combine to support a range of industry sectors. Our experts can advise on a range of inspection processes, including how qualification and certification requirements compare with conventional manufacturing processes.

There isn't a single NDT technique that fits all applications, meaning that consideration needs to be made for both in-line and post-production inspection of AM parts. TWI can help you decide the most suitable technique for your requirements as well as providing sample inspection services.

Standards and Guidelines

There are a number of existing standards that can be applied to different AM parts:

ISO

ISO/ASTM TR 52905:2023: Additive manufacturing of metals – non-destructive testing and evaluation - defect detection in parts
ISO/ASTM TR 52906:2022: Additive manufacturing — non-destructive testing — intentionally seeding flaws in metallic parts
ISO/ASTM 52941:2020: AM - System performance and reliability - standard test method for acceptance of powder-bed fusion machines

ASTM

ASTM E3166-20e1 - Standard guide for non-destructive examination of metal additively manufactured aerospace parts after build
ASTM E3353-22 - Standard guide for in-process monitoring using optical and thermal methods for laser powder bed fusion
ASTM WK69731 - Guide for additive manufacturing - non-destructive testing (NDT) for use in directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing processes

Our experts can advise on the suitability of NDT techniques for different AM materials and defects, as shown below:

Ultrasonic Testing (UT): ISO 13588:2019. This is also relevant for AM, especially for complex geometries
Radiographic Testing (RT): ISO 17636-1:2022. This standard can be applied to AM parts for detecting internal defects
Computed Tomography (CT): ASTM E1441-11(2017). This is widely used for AM parts, especially for complex internal structures
Eddy Current Testing (ECT): ISO 15548-1:2013. Useful for surface and near-surface defect detection in conductive materials used in AM
Liquid Penetrant Testing (LPT): ASTM E1417/E1417M-21. Applicable for surface defect detection, particularly in AM processes that may introduce surface anomalies
Magnetic Particle Testing (MPT): ASTM E1444/E1444M-16: Effective for detecting surface and near-surface defects in ferromagnetic materials, relevant in some metal AM processes

To find out more about additive manufacturing inspection at TWI and how we can help solve your challenges to ensure the quality of AM parts, please email contactus@twi.co.uk.

For more information please email:

contactus@twi.co.uk