EMITD3D: A Laser Diode Array Approach to Metal Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

Emitd3D was intended to be a proof of concept machine for a laser array based additive manufacturing machine. The use of a laser array is a unique approach to additive manufacturing because it uses an array of lasers to print an entire layer at one time. The design of this method is an attempt to speed up the already proven method of powder bed fusion. A machine was designed and built to determine the different challenges that would come with this method of additive manufacturing. These challenges include the cost and complexity of using many lasers, over melting powder where lasers overlap, and inconsistent output power from each laser. These challenges can be overcome by designing application specific lasers, shaping the laser beam and employing rigorous testing procedures. Emitd3D does not prove the method to be viable, but it does provide many important lessons to be incorporated in the next prototype machine.