…Powder-bed 3D printing is one of the more popular metal 3D printing methods and is generally known for producing high-quality metal parts. However problems can arise with residual stress due to part orientation and temperature changes during the 3D printing process. This is caused by rapid heating and cooling of the previous melt spot as a new layer of metal powder is applied and melted. This stressing can cause separation from support structures, distortions in the objects shape and occasionally complete part failure.
Amanda Wu and her fellow LLNL Accelerated Certification of Additively Manufactured Metals – ACAMM – Strategic Initiative team members Wayne King, Gilbert Gallegos and Mukul Kumar have developed a process to quickly and accurately detect the types of stresses that typically lead to part failure. It uses a process called digital image correlation – DIC – to record almost imperceptible changes in the 3D printed part by photographing it before it is removed from the build plate and then again after. Any distortions that were detected are measured by comparing the digital images before and after removal using advanced software.
This newly developed method was independently confirmed by Los Alamos National Laboratory – LANL – using a process called neutron diffraction, which can detect residual stresses by measuring the diffraction of a neutron beam sent through the part. This is currently the most accurate stress measuring method, however the process can only be done at one of three research labs in the country. Obviously that makes the process highly impractical. The LLNL researchers’ DIC stress test results were confirmed to be extremely accurate by the ND experiments at LANL….
Every Thursday is #3dthursday here at Adafruit! The DIY 3D printing community has passion and dedication for making solid objects from digital models. Recently, we have noticed electronics projects integrated with 3D printed enclosures, brackets, and sculptures, so each Thursday we celebrate and highlight these bold pioneers!
Have you considered building a 3D project around an Arduino or other microcontroller? How about printing a bracket to mount your Raspberry Pi to the back of your HD monitor? And don’t forget the countless LED projects that are possible when you are modeling your projects in 3D!
The Adafruit Learning System has dozens of great tools to get you well on your way to creating incredible works of engineering, interactive art, and design with your 3D printer! We also offer the LulzBot TAZ – Open source 3D Printer and the Printrbot Simple Metal 3D Printer in our store. If you’ve made a cool project that combines 3D printing and electronics, be sure to let us know, and we’ll feature it here!
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Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.
