EOS, the global technology and quality leader for high-end additive manufacturing (AM) solutions, and MTU Aero Engines, Germany's leading engine manufacturer, are closely cooperating to develop quality assurance measures for metal engine components using additive manufacturing. The two companies have now signed a framework agreement for the joint strategic development of their technologies.

The first result of these joint endeavors is the optical tomography (OT) developed by MTU, an ideal and powerful complement to the modular EOS monitoring portfolio. In addition to several sensors that monitor the general system status, the camera-based OT technology controls the exposure process and melting characteristics of the material at all times, to ensure optimum coating and exposure quality.

Dr. Adrian Keppler, head of sales and marketing (CMO) at EOS says, "MTU and EOS have been working intensively for several years, and this collaboration is now about to develop into an even closer, partner-based technological cooperation, centered on their quality assurance tool. The OT solution enables us to perform an even more holistic quality control of the metal additive manufacturing process—layer by layer and part by part. A very large proportion of the quality control process that previously took place downstream can now be performed during the manufacturing process, with a considerable saving in quality assurance costs. This also allows us to satisfy a central customer requirement in the area of serial production."

Quality assurance is especially important in the field of serial production, because it is vital both for ensuring repeatable high component quality and for continually reducing the quality control costs of components made using the technology, which ultimately serves to reduce unit costs. The system settings and process parameters are constantly monitored in the ongoing manufacturing process on EOS systems, to ensure that system and manufacturing process conditions are ideal for maximum component quality.