OCTOBER 2021AEROSPACEDEFENSEREVIEW.COM19but also complications. Machine vendor qualified material to soften come with processing recipes for the material that is dependent on a variety of part geometry, machine parameter, and environmental factors to produce parts with consistent material properties. In some cases, the machine parameter settings such as power, path speed, and path trajectory are proprietary to the machine vendor, so the user must trust that the process will yield a component that meets specifications. One of the advantages touted by the AM industry is the ability to change material properties by varying the process selectively. We have yet to figure out how to qualify such material property variable components. 3) Qualify the ComponentIn the end, users want to end components that meet the required specifications. Material and process qualification is simply a means to the end goal of a functional component or system. Here, many of the traditional quality systems for checking dimensional tolerances, surface finish, and internal material consistency are adequate. AM component qualification processes are sometimes more stringent since the process is relatively new to many companies. As the industry gains more confidence in AM, these processes will become less expensive and more streamlined. For many in the AM industry, the focus is on developing and selling machines, developing and selling materials, or selling end components. To move the entire industry from prototyping to production, all of the various players will need to work more closely together. As an example, Hexcel focused first on qualifying the material, then qualifying the process, and finally producing final parts that are flying and qualified on several aerospace programs. In this case, Hexcel is in charge of each part of the process from materials, to process, to end components so all can be coordinated and traced. Where these functions are done separately, the supply chain will be required to work together to achieve the quality to which we have become accustomed to traditional manufacturing. Companies that have been successful with production applications have treated Additive Manufacturing as any new manufacturing process and have developed quality procedures that conform with the overall quality system they have developed and established for all of the components and systems they produce. The key to accelerating the move from prototyping to production is treating additive manufacturing as any other manufacturing process and integrating it with the overall manufacturing production systems in place today. Robert Yancey
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