Axiomatic Design of Test Artifact for Laser Powder Bed Fusion Machine Capability Assessment

Abstract

Additive Manufacturing is increasingly growing in importance in the manufacturing environment, allowing to realize very complex product designs. Identifying the real machine capability is becoming fundamental as additive manufacturing technologies are starting to substitute conventional manufacturing processes. This aspect holds particularly true in the case of Laser Powder Bed Fusion technology. In this case, the method to investigate and determine the actual machine capabilities still represents an open point. In this paper, we propose an analysis of a well-known test artifact from an Axiomatic Design standpoint; based on the results and the review of the Customer Needs, we develop an improved design which is able to ensure a robust analysis for a reliable machine performance check.