Partnering for AM Research Quality and Innovation
Research organizations and universities have the need to stay on the cutting-edge of technology and innovation, while attracting top quality research professionals and students. Whether testing new materials and processes, optimizing process parameters, or accelerating industry adoption, researchers strive to achieve results that benefit both the private and public sectors.
Quality is a crucial component of these initiatives and Sigma Additive Solutions provides the deep expertise, systems and data to monitor and analyze the additive manufacturing process in real-time. Sigma was founded in 2010 by high-level scientists from the world-renowned Los Alamos National Labs. This strong research background backs up our company mission statement to be the ‘QA standard for additive manufacturing:
To accomplish this, we collect thermal data on the AM build process, apply data analytics to make the in-situ monitoring data meaningful, and use that data to create a machine learning feedback loop that improves both individual part quality and the entire manufacturing process. In collaboration with our research partners, we then make this data available to our customers, partners, and eventually, everyone in the industry.
Sigma Additive Solutions’ PrintRite3D is an advanced and highly functional machine agnostic solution that integrates with all major 3D metal printers and facilitates applications like:
- Basic and advanced AM research
- Optimizing and developing process parameters
- Develop new applications
- Enable medium- to high-complexity parts
- Support public and private partnerships
- Foster entrepreneurial ventures
Sigma Additive Solutions’ PrintRite3D is compatible with all major metal additive printer manufacturers. By actively monitoring the melting and melt pool process and providing real-time defect detection, PrintRite3D helps you achieve high-quality output that meets regulatory and certification requirements. The solution is based on a decade of intensive research and collaboration with OEM providers and research institutions and is designed to enable end-users and service providers to manufacture parts with confidence.
Commercial, nonprofit and academic research facilities require a solution that maximizes the potential of metal additive manufacturing and mitigates risks. Sigma Additive Solutions PrintRite3D in-process quality assurance (IPQA) solution completes the digital thread and enables engineers, researchers and scientists to print qualified metal parts that meet the strictest guidelines and standards.
Those institutions that are actively defining QA standards for metal AM and those who are first to accomplish this will gain significant recognition and competitive advantage. Sigma can assist your R&D and prototyping initiatives to improve part performance and develop reliable standards.
Benefits of PrintRite3D for research and academic institutions:
- Gain access to actionable data when its most useful – during the build process
- Fast, non-destructive means for evaluating 3D printed metal integrity
- Gain the next level of visibility into the LPBF build process – to ensure parts look as good inside as they do on the outside
- Identify the location, size and type of anomalies
- Handshake with eligible software to determine the effect of anomalies on part performance
- Reduce pre-production trials: Identify optimum parameter, gas flow and support strategies that affect part quality
- Reduce and/or eliminate the cost and time for CT scanning and HIPing
- Equip design and engineering personnel and students with the latest in AM quality standards and techniques
