Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing has often been used for complex, low volume parts. But adoption is increasing with the ability to produce more complex parts by designing products specifically for additive manufacturing and improving the technology and process. Costs are also being reduced through higher quality, reliability and stability of the process as well as faster production speeds. Powder bed fusion systems utilize a heat source—such as a laser—to sinter or melt ultra-fine layers of material like powdered metal to fuse into the desired shape.

MKS Solutions for Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing

Challenges in Powder Bed Fusion	MKS Solutions
Machine Accuracy	Fast, high-power laser measurement and profiling High precision motorized positioners and advanced motion controllers High energy optics
Reproducibility and repeatability	Fast, high-power laser measurement and profiling High precision motorized positioners and advanced motion controllers
Long-term Stability	Robust, stable optical mounts
Reducing Cost and Process Time	Fast, high-power laser measurement and profiling

Your Partner for Additive Manufacturing

Long-term partner for additive manufacturing companies
Thousands of photonics products and lasers supplied for additive manufacturing
Broad range of market-leading products for additive manufacturing: beam profilers, sensors, positioners, optics, opto-mechanics, UV lasers
- Proven performance
- Product availability
Ability to scale with you
Global corporation and presence

Beam Analysis	Motion Control	Optics	Opto-Mechanics
High power laser thermal sensors High power beam profilers Laser power/energy meters	Linear positioners Vertical positioners Advanced motion controllers	High energy mirrors High energy lenses High energy windows Custom optical assemblies	Mirror mounts Lens positioners Posts and pedestals

Laser Beam Analysis

Even with the advantages that lasers provide over traditional tools, lasers systems can degrade over time, leading to reduced output power or a change in focus. This, in turn, could result in lower quality laser operations, including sintering. Therefore, it is very important to monitor your laser beam frequently, and the critical parameters of the laser should be checked before and after each important step of the laser manufacturing process.

Causes of Laser System Degradation

Thermal Effects
Debris from Process
Vibrations and Shock

Figure 1. As the laser emerges from the laser source (left), it runs through a variety of laser delivery components, such as free-space optics and process fibers, which can change the power levels and beam profile (center). The laser beam next moves through the laser processing head. Mirrors and lenses and cover glass can also have a significant impact on power levels, size, and shape (right).

Figure 2. The relationship between power density and focus drift, and how a slight drift can have a large effect.

Criteria for Beam Analysis Instruments

There are three types of beam analysis instruments to monitor your laser: (1) sensors and detectors to measure power, (2) power meters to process the information provided by sensors and (3) beam profilers to determine focus position and other beam characteristics. Shown below are the main criteria for choosing such instruments.

Laser Sensors

Compatible with laser wavelength
Power/energy range/density
Beam size
Calibrated power measurement

Power Meters

Compatible with sensor
Connect to system/PC
Track process data over time
Compare multiple measurements at once

Beam Profilers

Measurement of multiple attributes
- Focal shift
- Focal spot size
- Laser power and power density
- Changes over time
- Laser propagation characteristics
Speed of measurement

Ariel™ All-In-One High Power Laser Sensor

Measures high power industrial lasers in closed and confined spaces.

	Ariel™
Spectral Range	450-550 & 900-1100 nm
Power Range	200 mW to 8 kW
Energy Range	Up to 2.4 kJ
Maximum Beam Diameter	22 mm (Gaussian)
Response Time	3 s
Interface Options	Built-in display Blue Tooth USB
Other Features	Battery powered (>15 hrs life) Not water cooled Compact, industrial package Detachable diffuser

Focus Quality is Just as Important as Power Level

Figure 3. Relationship between power density and focus spot size. A laser beam with half of the focus spot size results in a four times higher power density.

BeamWatch^® Technology

BeamWatch^® captures images of the Rayleigh scatter created by the laser beam as it travels through air molecules.

Compatible with higher power lasers
No cooling required
Real time measurements
No wear or maintenance

BeamWatch^® AM Integrated High Power Beam Profiler

BeamWatch® AM was specifically designed for powder bed fusion. It combines our non-contact laser measurement technology with a NIST-traceable power sensor to measure all critical laser beam parameters in real time on additive manufacturing production lines.

	BeamWatch^® AM
Spectral Range	1060 to 1080 nm
Power Range	0 to 1000 kW
Energy Range	Up to 2.4 kW
Maximum Beam Diameter	6 mm
Minimum Focus Spot Size	50 µm
Accuracy	NIST-traceable calibration, ±3%
Communication	USB 2.0 and 3.0
Other Features	Patented non-contact measurement Real-time monitoring of beam profile ISO-compliant measurement results Fully automated operation

BeamPeek™ Integrated High Power Beam Profiler

BeamPeek™ is a camera-based system that provides simultaneous beam profiling, focal spot analysis and power measurement within seconds.

	BeamPeek™
Spectral Range	532 and 1030 to 1080 nm
Power Range	10 to 1000 kW
Maximum Beam Diameter	10 mm
Minimum Focus Spot Size	34.5 µm
Accuracy	NIST-traceable calibration, ±5%
Communication	USB 2.0 and 3.0
Other Features	Integrated camera, meter & beam dump Measures cross-sectional intensity Beam dump cooling (no water or fan) Fully automated operation

Power Meters

Ophir laser power and energy meters work on the smart plug principle. This means that almost any power meter can work – plug and play – with almost any of the wide range of Ophir optical sensors.

Power Meters		Virtual Power Meters
Centauri	StarBright Handheld	Juno+	EA-1
Extensive graphic displays on 7-in full color touchscreen display Advanced measurement processing Single- or dual-channel versions USB and RS-232 interfaces, with user-friendly software application Analog and TTL output External trigger input	Portable use For transmission checks "in the field" Variety of measurement modes and displays USB & RS-232 interfaces	USB connection to use PC as monitor User-friendly software Extensive graphic displays of data Advanced measurement processing Data logging	Ethernet adapter enables remote control and monitoring of sensor Telnet, HTTP and UDP protocols supported Interact with sensor through custom software or MKS user-friendly software Data logging

Motion Control

Galvanometer Scanners and Linear Positioners

Galvos

Advantages
- Used to steer laser
- Fast scanning (meters/sec) with sharp corners
Limitations
- Limited field of view (~100-200 mm)
- Limited focal spot size (10-20 µm)

Linear Positioners

Advantages
- Used to position target or…
- Used to position galvo(s)
- Large field of view
- Allows tight focal spots (<10 µm)
Limitations
- Not as fast as galvos

Combined Galvo-Linear Positioners System

Combines speed of galvos with FOV allowed by positioners
Galvo and positioners can be synchronized with advanced motion controller
Enables "stitching":
- Galvo process for "cells"
- Positioners place next cell as target
- Repeat galvo process

	Galvos	Linear Positioners	Combined System
Speed & Acceleration	Fast	Not as fast	Fast
Field of View (FOV)	Limited	Large	Large
Focal Spot Size	Limited	Tighter	Tight

MKS offers a full range of positioners and motion controllers
Galvos purchased separately – MKS controllers can interface with galvos

Guaranteed Motion Control Performance

Stages that MKS ships meet or exceed the guaranteed specifications
Metrology reports included with each stage (ASME B5.57 and ISO 230-2 standards)
Typically, the product will perform ~2x better than the guarantee

IDL-LM Series Linear Motor Positioners

Highest load capacity and speed of all linear motor positioners for demanding production environments

	IDL-LM Series
Travel Range	100 to 1,200 mm
Speed	2 m/sec
Load Capacity	450 to 2,000 N
Pitch	±0.15 to ±0.65 µrad
Yaw	±0.15 to ±0.4 µrad
Accuracy	±2 to ±5 µm
Repeatability	±0.25 to ±0.5 µm
Other Features	Ironless Linear Motor Recirculating ball bearings Industrial grade hard covers

GTS-V Series High Precision Vertical Positioner

Highly accurate, repeatable and fast vertical motion in a compact unit

	GTS-V Series
Travel Range	30 to 70 mm
Speed	5-10 m/sec
Load Capacity	40 to 70 N
Pitch	±0.25 to ±0.80 µrad
Roll	±0.25 to ±0.80 µrad
Accuracy	±0.75 to ±1.75 µm
Repeatability	±0.1 to ±0.5 µm
Other Features	Direct vertical guiding system Folded DC motor Unobstructed access to payload

IMS Series Long-Travel Aluminum Linear Positioners

High load capacity, long travel, fast movement capable of high-duty cycles in industrial applications

	Stepper Motor	DC Motor
Travel Range	300 to 600 mm
Speed	100 m/sec	200 mm/sec
Load Capacity	600 N
Pitch	±37 to ±50 µrad
Yaw	±15 to ±30 µrad
Accuracy	±2.5 to ±4 µm
Other Features	Double-row recirculating ball bearings Linear motor version available

ILS Series Mid-Travel Aluminum Linear Positioners

High load capacity, mid-travel, fast movement capable of high-duty cycles in light industrial applications

	Stepper Motor	DC Motor
Travel Range	50 to 250 mm
Speed	50 m/sec	100 mm/sec
Load Capacity	250 N
Pitch	±15 to ±42 µrad
Yaw	±12 to ±25 µrad
Accuracy	±0.6 to ±1.7 µm
Other Features	Double-row recirculating ball bearings Linear motor version available

Motion Controllers

XPS-D	XPS-RLD
High performance, complex motion trajectories Up to 8 axes Extensive analog and digital I/O Can synchronize galvos and positioners Best for the most demanding applications	High performance, complex motion trajectories Up to 4 axes Analog and digital I/O Can synchronize galvos and positioners Good for demanding R&D and low volume production

Optics

Criteria for Selecting Optics

Wavelength
Laser Damage Threshold
- Substrate Material
- Coating
Reflectivity/Transmission
Size and Shape

High-Energy Laser Mirrors

Very high reflectivity and damage thresholds

	High-Energy Laser Mirrors
Wavelength (nm)	1064 nm
CW Damage Threshold	3 kW/cm²
Pulsed Damage Threshold	45 J/cm2 @ 10 ns, 20 Hz
Reflectivity	R_s > 99.7% R_p > 99%
Diameter	1 and 2 in.
Substrate Material	UV Grade Fused Silica
Angle of Incidence	45°

High-Energy Singlet Spherical Lenses

Very high transmission and damage thresholds

	High-Energy 1064 nm Lenses
Wavelength (nm)	1064 nm
Pulsed Damage Threshold	15 J/cm² @ 20 ns, 10 Hz
Average Reflectivity per Surface	< 0.25%
Diameter	1 inch
Substrate Material	High Purity Fused Silica
Shapes	Plano-Convex (Standard Product) Other Shapes Available as Custom Orders

Fused Silica Singlet Spherical Lenses

Good performance and value over broad spectral ranges

	Fused Silica 1064 nm Lenses
Wavelength (nm)	1064 nm
Pulsed Damage Threshold	12 J/cm² @ 10 ns, 10 Hz
Reflectivity per Surface	R_max< 0.25%
Diameter	0.25 to 2 in.
Substrate Material	UV Fused Silica
Shapes	Plano-Convex Bi-Convex Plano-Concave Bi-Concave

1-µm Fiberlens™ Aspheric Lenses

Improved performance over spherical lenses for high power 1 µm industrial fiber lasers

	Fiberlens™ Aspheric Lenses
Wavelengths	1030-1090 nm
Pulsed Damage Threshold	20 J/cm²
Reflectivity per Surface	< 0.2%
Diameters	12 to 300 mm
Effective Focal Lengths	20 to 500 mm
Substrate Material	High Purity UV Fused Silica
Shapes	Aspherical-Plano Aspherical-Spherical Aspherical-Aspherical

1 µm High Power Singlet and Doublet Lenses

High damage thresholds for high power 1-µm industrial fiber lasers

	1 µm Lenses Series
Wavelengths	1030-1090 nm
Pulsed Damage Threshold	20 J/cm²
Reflectivity per Surface	< 0.2%
Diameters	1 to 2 inch
Effective Focal Lengths	100 to 229 mm
Substrate Material	High Purity UV Fused Silica
Other Features	Coating can be adjusted for other wavelengths (e.g., 266, 356, 532 nm)

1 µm High Power Optical Windows

High damage thresholds for high power 1-µm industrial fiber lasers

	1 µm Optical Windows
Wavelengths	1030-1090 nm
Pulsed Damage Threshold	20 J/cm²
Reflectivity per Surface	< 0.2%
Diameters	21.5 to 55 mm
Thickness	1.5 to 8 mm
Substrate Material	High Purity UV Fused Silica

1 µm Collimating & Focusing Assemblies

Compatible with leading OEM lasers
Standard products for 100, 125, 150 and 200 mm focal lengths
Customization upon request

Motorized Zoom Lenses

Custom designed for laser cutting heads
1X-4X magnification range
Continuous zoom
>97% total transmission
-15 to +20 mm focus range
½-sec focus time for full range

Opto-Mechanics

Criteria for Selecting Optical Mounts

Resolution/Sensitivity
Long Term Stability
Lockable
Size and Shape

Suprema™ Stainless Steel Mirror Mounts

The industry's best thermal performance for long-term stability

	Suprema^®
Optic Diameters	0.5, 1 and 2 in.
Resolution	50, 100, 127 and 254 TPI
Angular Range	±4° to ±7°
Material	Stainless Steel
Drive Types	Knob Hex Key
Lockable Versions	Yes
Other Features	Clear-edge versions Front- and rear-loading versions Right- and left-handed configurations

HVM Top-Adjust Industrial Mirror Mounts

For use in compact spaces so your hands do not have to cross the beam path for adjustment.

	HVM Series
Optic Diameters	0.5, 1 and 2 in.
Resolution	80 and 100 TPI
Angular Range	±2.5°, ±3° and ±3.5°
Material	Stainless Steel Anodized Aluminum
Drive Type	Hex Key
Lockable	Yes
Other Features	Alignment pin holes Front- and rear-loading versions

MFM Flexure Mirror Mounts

Shock resistant, designed for "set and forget" applications.

	MFM Series
Optic Diameters	0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 in.
Resolution	80 and 100 TPI
Angular Range	±2.5°
Material	Stainless Steel
Drive Type	Hex Key
Lockable	No
Other Features	Shock resistant Front- and rear-loading versions Adhesive wells for permanent mounting

M Series Mirror Mounts

The industry’s most affordable mirror mounts

	M Series
Optic Diameters	0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 in.
Resolution	100 TPI
Angular Range	±4°
Material	Aluminum
Drive Type	Knob or Hex Key
Other Features	Clear-edge Versions Front- and rear-loading versions Square or D-shaped optic versions Mounting hole located directly below the optical axis

LP Precision Multi-Axis Lens Positioners

Highest performing lens positioners

	LP Series Lens Positioners
Optic Diameters	0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 in.
Resolution	100 TPI (Z-axis: 80 TPI)
Adjustments	XY, XYZ, XYZθxθy
Material	Aluminum
Drive Type	Knob w/ Hex Hole & Knurled Ring
Lockable	Yes
Other Features	Zero-free play XY mechanism Adapters for other optics

Compact Lens Positioners

Ideal solution for applications with limited table space

	Compact Lens Positioners
Optic Diameter	0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 in.
Resolution	100 TPI
Adjustments	XY, XYZ, XYθz, XYZθxθy, XYZθxθyθz
Material	Anodized Aluminum
Drive Type	Hex Key
Lockable Version	Yes
Other Features	Adapters for other optics Alignment pin holes

A-Line™ Fixed Position Lens Mounts

Fast, easy and economic mounting, aligning and focusing of optics

	A-Line™ Fixed Lens Mounts
Optic Diameters	0.5 to 3.0 in.
Maximum Optic Edge Thickness	3, 6, 7 and 9 mm
Material	Aluminum
Other Features	Self-aligning design Large clear aperture Compatible with A-Line lens alignment system

PX Forkless Optical Pedestals

Long-term stability of a pedestal at 1/3 the space

	PX Forkless Pedestals
Diameter	1.0 in. (1.25 in. flange)
Heights	1, 2, 3 and 4 in.
Material	Stainless Steel
Other Features	Accessories for varying heights and mounting configurations

Vibration Control

The Industry Standard for Vibration Control

Established in 1969, Newport developed steel-clad, honeycomb core tables
Extensive offering of tables, workstations, isolation systems and vibration control
Custom table solutions

Honeycomb Optical Breadboards

High performing, robust platform for demanding applications

	PG Series	SG Series
Sizes	12 x 24 in. to 36 x 72 in.	12 x 12 in. to 48 x 96 in.
Thickness	2.3 or 4.3 in.
Working Surface	4.8 mm thick ferromagnetic 430 stainless steel
Damping	Patented modal damping plus Broadband damping	Broadband damping
Surface Flatness	±0.004 in. over 2 ft. square)
Other Features	Vertically bonded trussed hexagonal honeycomb core Individually sealed mounting holes

NewDamp™ Elastomeric Vibration Isolators

Supports and dampens high acceleration amplitudes

	NewDamp™ Elastomeric Isolators
Minimum Loads	6-45 kg
Load Capacity	8 to 200 kg (per isolator)
Loss Factor	0.5 to 0.8 in 10-100 Hz range
Height	1.32 to 3.28 in.
Base Size	2.4 x 2.4 to 4.5 x 4.5 in.
Other Features	Constant natural frequency design Fast settling times Cleanroom compatible Breadboard, Microlock and X95 compatible

RS2000 Optical Table Tops

High performance passive damping for demanding applications

	RS2000 Table Tops
Lengths	3 to 6 ft.
Widths	5 to 16 ft.
Thickness	8 to 24 in.
Working Surface	4.8 mm thick ferromagnetic 430 stainless steel
Damping	2 precision-tuned dampers plus broadband damping
Surface Flatness	±0.004 in. over 2 ft. square)
Other Features	Super rigid trussed honeycomb core Individually sealed mounting holes

Resources

Powder Bed Fusion Brochure(6.8 MB, PDF)