A ‘SmartScan’ Better Handles the Heat of Metal 3D Printing

The high temperatures required for some forms of 3D printing can lead to product deformations. “SmartScan” software from the University of Michigan directs a laser to avoid these thermal-based flaws.

“This problem gets even more serious for parts with really thin features,” said Chinedum Okwudire , U-M associate professor of mechanical engineering and corresponding author of the paper in Additive Manufacturing. “The heat doesn’t have a lot of room to spread, so you need to be smart about how you move the laser around, otherwise your part will deform in really weird ways.”