Speed to Market

With Dr. Mihaela Vlasea

Fewer flaws in less time.

From the lab of Dr. Mihaela Vlasea

It can take up to a year to refine the process parameters for manufacturing new parts. But Dr. Mihaela Vlasea’s team have innovated Additive Manufacturing at the micro, meso and macro levels to gain insights into the process, reduce error and speed up the cycle.

For example, in Laser Powder Bed Fusion, improper set up can result in faulty porosity, rendering an expensive sample part unusable. By combining microscopy with physics-based models, Dr. Vlasea and her team are able to rapidly map the parameter space, zero-in on ideal conditions and produce optimized parts.

ZEISS XRM gives Dr. Vlasea the ability to leverage more predictive power, thus improving the efficiency, quality and economics of precision parts made by Additive Manufacturing.

Additive manufacturing process optimization

Additive manufacturing part characterization

Additive manufacturing quality inspection

Visualization of the aspect ratio of the pore space in a tensile specimen.

Additive manufacturing part characterization

Visualization of the pore size distribution in a tensile specimen.

Additive manufacturing process optimization

Visualization of pore morphology classes for process parameter optimization. Based on the pore morphology visualized via XRM, researchers can tune the laser power and velocity to reduce pores.

“We can showcase, visually, exactly what it is that we’re manufacturing and where the problems are.”

Dr. Mihaela Vlasea’s work in Additive Manufacturing is rapidly changing the industry landscape. Her research focuses on innovative design, process optimization and material development for metal AM, where she’s bridging technological gaps to deliver improved part quality and reliability at decreased cost.