Digital Twin in the Real-time Ultrasonic Assessment of Additively Manufactured PLA Parts

Digital twin (DT) is a modern concept that allows for the creation of the digital model of the manufacturing process, and hence for the product life-cycle monitoring. DT could provide manufacturing details and identify potential shifts and anomalies during printing. It has a significant potential in additive manufacturing as an avenue to address manufacturing uncertainties. In this study, the digital twin for the fused deposition modeling method of the additive manufacturing was developed. DT provides information about the speed of sound within the material. Information about the sound speed is used to evaluate the elastic properties of printed material. The results of sound speed measurements in the PLA samples printed using various combinations of parameters of the printing process are analyzed. Using the measurements results, the response surface linking the elastic properties of the material to the parameters of the printing process is established. Based on the information about speed of sound within the material, further actions could be taken on the adjustment of the printing process in order to obtain desirable properties. An analytical model of the sound speed propagation within the material was developed and evaluated using the experimental data. It is suggested that DT combined with the printing response surface is a valuable approach to control of the printing process. This integrated approach demonstrates considerable promise in steering additive manufacturing towards the attainment of specified material properties.