Senvol It has been announced that the organization has received funding U.S. Army To lead a project aimed at demonstrating the consistency of part performance on different additive machines, located at different sites.
The program’s goal was to reduce the cost of Army ground vehicles systems and increase performance. Senvol, a company that specializes in 3D printing, is using its Senvol ML machine learning software to help reduce the costs associated with material and process development. The software will also allow the Army to create AM parts with consistent performance when they use different systems and sites, according to Senvol.
The program is titled “Applying Machine Learning to Ensure Consistency and Verification of Additive Manufacturing Machine and Part Performance Across Multiple Sites”, and commenced in March 2023, running through March 2025.
Aaron LaLonde, PhD, Technical Specialist – Additive Manufacturing at the U.S. Navy said: “For additive manufacturing to be successfully implemented into the Army’s supply chain, it is essential to be able to produce parts of consistent performance even if different machines are used at different locations. It is easier to say than do. During this program, we are pleased to work with Senvol to demonstrate the use of its machine learning technology to aid in achieving what everyone in the additive manufacturing industry strives for, a truly flexible supply chain.”
Senvol claims that the approach shown in the program can be applied to any AM materials, AM processes, or AM machines. The company will also create and validate an approach to be used for continuing to verify the performance of AM machines and parts when there are changes made to a particular process, such as when a different powder supplier is used.
Senvol ML will be used in the program to establish a model of AM processes and process parameters for AM machines at different locations. Software will be used for complex and interdependent PSPP relationship quantification.
Senvol President Zach Simkin added: “Consistency, or lack thereof, is a problem that nearly everyone in the additive manufacturing industry can relate to. The Army, and DoD in general, has been at the forefront of tackling pressing issues in our industry, and we are pleased to work with them again to demonstrate the use of our machine learning software as a mechanism to ensure consistent part performance across different sites and machines.”
Senvol has worked with the defence sector before. In 2020 the US Air Force sent Senvol ML as part of a multi-laser 3-D printing program. FlexiSpecs was a joint effort of the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. Its goal was to develop a methodology for demonstrating the airworthiness an EOS M400-4 Quad-Laser Metal 3D Printing System.