Abstract: Apparatuses for dynamically sensing infrared (IR) radiation in an electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF) printer are provided. A radiation collector receives radiation from a surface of the powder bed. An IR-transparent material rejects one or more non-IR wavelengths, and a lens focuses the IR radiation onto an optical fiber. The IR radiation is carried from the vacuum chamber of the printer to a sensor, where IR information is determined based on the received IR radiation. The IR information may be received from the sensor and used by the print controller to modify one or more parameters, such as beam intensity or scanning rate, on the fly or during the next print cycle. An occlusion member can be used to selectively block or expose the radiation collector to protect the radiation collector from condensation of vapor from vaporization of particles at high temperatures.

Abstract: Apparatuses for dynamically sensing infrared (IR) radiation in an electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF) printer are provided. A radiation collector receives radiation from a surface of the powder bed. An IR-transparent material rejects one or more non-IR wavelengths, and a lens focuses the IR radiation onto an optical fiber. The IR radiation is carried from the vacuum chamber of the printer to a sensor, where IR information is determined based on the received IR radiation. The IR information may be received from the sensor and used by the print controller to modify one or more parameters, such as beam intensity or scanning rate, on the fly or during the next print cycle. An occlusion member can be used to selectively block or expose the radiation collector to protect the radiation collector from condensation of vapor from vaporization of particles at high temperatures.

Abstract: In various aspects, an apparatus for an electron-beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF) printer includes a radiation collector configured to collect radiation in an ultraviolet (UV) spectrum at a powder bed surface within a vacuum chamber during an electron beam scanning cycle of EB-PBF operation, an optical fiber configured to be transparent to the radiation in the UV spectrum and configured to receive the radiation at the powder bed surface via the radiation collector, and a processor configured to receive one or more extracted wavelengths of radiation in the UV spectrum based on the radiation carried on the optical fiber.