Measurement of wear on additive manufactured surfaces via precision metrology and image processing techniques

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) is rapidly developing technology which provide opportunity to generate 3D complex geometries without using any conventional tools. However, it was initially used frequently for rapid prototyping, it has now begun to be used for manufacturing functional machine parts. Wear is a critical phenomenon encountered in functional engineering systems and must be well understood for developing predictive and preventive approach. In this study, it was aimed to determine measurement procedure for additive manufactured AlSi10Mg metal part by using both standard and new technology wear measurement methods such as gravimetric, 2D and 3D optical profilometry, x-ray computed tomography (X-CT) and image processing. Minimum wear volume was measured by gravimetric method as 0,9268 mm3 while maximum was recorded as 1,6403 mm3 by 2D mechanical profilometer. X-CT and image processing methods wear volumes were close to each other and lie between gravimetric and 2D profilometric methods. This study aimed to provide basic understanding about the differences between the wear measurement methods on AM parts and serve further studies on measuring, predicting and preventing wear with more technological methods.