In Situ Measurements of Melt-Pool Length and Cooling Rate During 3D Builds of the Metal AM-Bench Artifacts

This work provides results and analysis of the in situ thermal measurement acquired during the 3D builds performed for the 2018 additive manufacturing benchmark tests. The objective is to provide context for post-process characterization of distortion, residual strain, and microstructure, which are reported elsewhere in this Journal, and to provide validation data for thermal models of the build process. Four bridge artifacts (75 mm long, 5 mm wide, 12.5 mm tall) are created in each of three builds using a commercial laser powder bed fusion system. The builds are performed using nickel super alloy 625 (IN625). High-speed infrared thermography performed during four of the builds is used to measure the melt-pool length and cooling rate within a select region. The temperature of the substrate and build volume is measured during the fifth build to provide data to establish the boundary conditions for thermal models.