DED Basics
Directed energy deposition (DED) is based on a laser process in which a laser beam generates a melt pool on a substrate. An additional metallic powder material is transported to the melt pool, where it becomes molten. Due to a feed movement, the molten material cools down and welding tracks are formed.
By placing weld tracks side by side and on top of one another, a buildup can be obtained. You can then generate three-dimensional structures by depositing one layer or track at the top of another already welded layer or track
Why You Need Monitoring for DED
- DED additive technology is growing in acceptance and importance for high-end applications such as space and aviation.
- Increased use in research and production requires improved process stability and better understanding of process conditions.
- Large variety of parameters leads to high complexity and requires a deep understanding of the process.
- Temperature distribution inside the melt pool contains information about process parameters.
- Understanding the effects of variations in laser power, scanning speed and powder feed rate are critical to process stability.