GE Aviation engineers are following Sigma Lab’s lead in the development of an in-process quality assurance (IPQA) system.
Note: An IPQA system serves as a closed loop controller to instruct 3D printing machines. Thus, IPQA and closed loop controller are interchangeable in terminology.
On May 24, 2013 , GE Aviation and Sigma Labs signed a joint technology development agreement (JDTA) to advance and implement in-process inspection technology for additive manufacturing. GE Aviation did not announce that the company was actively developing an IPQA but to advance a system that was already in existence.
Sigma Labs researched and developed a method to monitor and control processes in real-time and published their findings in the report “In Process Quality Assurance for Aerospace Welding Applications” in 2009 . Ever since the signing of the JDTA, GE additive manufacturing articles follow information that can be found from media articles from Sigma Lab’s subsidiary, B6 Sigma.
http://www.b6sigma.com/index.php?page=media
Sigma Labs was founded by Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists who are experts in mining and analyzing ill-defined data sets in the process of metal 3D printing.
Todd Rockstroh, consulting engineer who heads the effort in laser additive manufacturing at GE Aviation in Cincinnati, OH, discusses in multiple articles the challenge of data management.
June 4, 2013 : Big Data Meets 3D Printing
http://www.gereports.com/post/77209216443/big...to-monitor
Sept 26, 2013 : GE Share Additive Manufacturing Success Stories
http://additivemanufacturing.com/2013/09/26/g...h-amazing/
What Todd Rockstroh describes is the configuration step of IPQA execution by Sigma Labs.
Prabhjot Singh, manager of GE Additive Manufacturing Lab, expressed his desire to have some means of controlling 3D printers. At this moment, the lack of a process controller causes issues in repeatability, reliability, and productivity.
June 6, 2013 , not long after signing the JDTA, a GE spokesperson describes to Design News how high speed sensors and data algorithm from Sigma Labs can capture information at extremely high rates and process that data for meaningful use.
On Feb 28, 2014 , Motley Fool reported that a discussion with Steve Ligouri, executive director of GE Global Innovation, “a few months ago” revealed that GE has been taking apart top of the line 3D printers and modify the mechanics to push the technological limits of the devices.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/02...t-imp.aspx
On Mar 7, 2014 , Prahbjot Singh has changed his tone from ambiguity to decisiveness in mentioning GE's active pursuit of high speed sensors and data analysis systems and the integration of this system into laser and electron beam 3D printing machines.
The use of high speed sensors and the analysis of data are all methodologies of Sigma Labs. GE borrows from Sigma Labs the technology that is developed to control 3D printers and is in the process of maturing the technology for aerospace application. As the Motley Fool article alludes to GE becoming the most important name in 3D printing, so shall Sigma Labs for the development of IPQA to advance the 3D printing industry.
