Additive Manufacturing In Situ and Ex Situ Geometric Data Registration

Recently, the number and types of measurement devices that collect data that are used to monitor laser-based powder bed fusion of metals processes and inspect additive manufacturing metal parts have increased rapidly. Each measurement device generates data in a unique coordinate system and in a unique format. Data alignment is the process of spatially aligning different datasets to a single coordinate system. It is part of a broader process called “data registration.” This paper provides a data registration procedure and includes an example of aligning data to a single, reference, coordinate system. Such a reference coordinate system is needed for downstream applications, including data analytic, artificial intelligence, and part qualification.