Measurement object for roughness Qualification of AM surfaces

Make a plan

1. Build morQ on an AM system

Optimize build parameters

Develop process parameters for new materials

Transfer build parameters between machines

Post-process the surfaces

Optimize surface finishing processes

Assess new surface finishing technologies

Evaluate geometrical tolerances

Apply coatings (optional)

Enhance AM component performance

Evaluate functional surfaces and test improved properties

Oerlikon Metco coating solutions

Oerlikon Balzers coating solutions

2. Perform full analysis

Quantify surface texture (primary, waviness and roughness in all build directions)

Evaluate geometric features

Feed back results for optimizing the design-to-part process

Typical surface texture measurements shown

Understand challenges for the AM process and post-processing

Surfaces are of sufficient size to measure aerial roughness according to ISO25178.

Surfaces are built in all build directions:

Top Skin (TS); Up Skin (US); Side Skin (SS); Down Skin (DS); Bottom Skin (BS)

A series of hole geometries serves to highlight the limitation of surface finishing of small features. The hole diameters are 1, 2, 3 and 4 mm.

Trench-like geometries present
sharp corners in various aspect
ratios. This is challenging to build
accurately.

The morQ’s build orientation is designed so that the part is mostly self supporting while containing the highest amount of variety of surfaces.

A 5 mm hole, with a pipe feature attached is located at the bottom of the morQ. Here, deep hole finishing and coating processes will struggle.

The shaft serves multiple
functions:

Hold the morQ in finishing and coating processes

Free hanging geometry on the logo

Marking of unique ID for traceability

Convex and Concave surfaces simulate complex skins, where the AM process can really shine. Controlled roughness on these is very important.

Organize the data

Our strategy

Each morQ has a space to contain a unique identifier. On the reverse of the Oerlikon logo, a section is reserved to
engrave ID numbers prior to the AM build process.
Here is how we’ve done it: C3D1B4ID42 (Complex 3D Sample Series 1 / Batch 4 / ID Number 42)
Each surface also has a unique identifier and is named with
the following:
- The ‘layer’ number that the surface is located at
- The rotational position number of the surface, counting
  clockwise; Every empty space on Level 2 and Level 4 counts as a position also.
- The front of the morQ is also the Top Skin
The highlighted example:
The Top Skin is located on Level 3, Position 1, so this surface is called *L3-1.

Layer number

Rotation number

Get results

Surface roughness

Measure each surface with aerial surface texture measurement
technologies according to ISO 25175.

Avoid using profile measurements, as the results may be ambiguous due to the complex surface morphologies on AM Parts.

The surfaces will exhibit many structures: melt tracks, embedded powder particles, layer effects, etc. and need to be quantified.

The measurements below were taken with the following parameters:

Measurement size 2.04 x 2.04 mm

Low-pass filter with nesting index S₁ = 100 µm

Form removal with polynomial = 2

S and L filter with nesting index S₂ = 10 µm

Geometry

For the verification of surface quality it is important for the morQ to contain complex geometrical shapes that present difficult to reach positions, undercuts, inside and outside surfaces. This presents a challenge for the AM process and any finishing process that may be necessary and coating process. Below, there is information on all surface geometries, labelled according to the naming conventions explained on the previous tab.

S-F Surface: Waviness

Top Skin

Up Skin

Side Skin

Down Skin

Sa = 3.0 µm	Sa = 12.6 µm	Sa = 7.1 µm	Sa = 36.8 µm
Sz = 22.6 µm	Sz = 130.1 µm	Sz = 83.1 µm	Sz = 307.6 µm
Sku = 2.6	Sku = 3.8	Sku = 5.1	Sku = 3.9
Ssk = 0.1	Ssk = 0.5	Ssk = 0.6	Ssk = 0.8

S-L Surface: Roughness

Top Skin

Up Skin

Side Skin

Down Skin

Sa = 0.7 µm	Sa = 6.9 µm	Sa = 5.6 µm	Sa = 14.6 µm
Sz = 38.5 µm	Sz = 162.3 µm	Sz = 92.8 µm	Sz = 388.6 µm
Sku = 68.2	Sku = 9.4	Sku = 6.2	Sku = 11.4
Ssk = 3.7	Ssk = 1.5	Ssk = 0.6	Ssk = 0.5

SEM Micrographs

Top Skin

Up Skin

Side Skin

Down Skin

Unique Identifier

Orientation

Feature

Dimensions (mm)

L1-1	SS (90°)	Flat Surf	10 x 10
L2-1	US (135°)	Flat Surf	10 x 10
L2-2			EMPTY
L2-3	SS (90°)	Concave Surf	10 x 10, R: 7.25, C: 2
L2-4			EMPTY
L2-5	DS (45°)	Flat Surf	10 x 10
L2-6			EMPTY
L2-7	SS (90°)	Convex Surf	10 x 10, R: 7.25, C: 2
L2-8			EMPTY
L3-1 (X) TOP	TS (180°)	Flat Surf	10 x 10
L3-2	US (135°)	Trench Surf	Depth: 2; 1.5:1, 1:1, 0.5:1
L3-3	SS (90°)	Flat Surf	10 x 10
L3-4	DS (40°)	Tube	ID: 5, OD: 7; C:11
L3-5	BS (0°)	Flat Surf	10 x 10
L3-6	DS (45°)	Trench Surf	Depth: 2; 0.5:1, 1:1, 1.5:1
L3-7	SS (90°)	Flat Surf	10 x 10
L3-8	US (135°)	Multiple Holes (locations given from centre)	ø1 (-3, 2.5), 2 (0, 2.5), 3 (3, 2.5), 4 (0, -1.5); Depth: 3
L4-1	US (135°)	Flat Surf	10 x 10
L4-2			EMPTY
L4-3	SS (90°)	Concave Surf	10 x 10, R: 7.25, C: 2
L4-4			EMPTY
L4-5	DS (45°)	Flat Surf	10 x 10
L4-6			EMPTY
L4-7	SS (90°)	Convex Surf	10 x 10, R: 7.25, C: 2
L4-8			EMPTY
L5-1	SS (90°)	Flat Surf	10 x 10

Break performance barriers!

High performance AM applications can reach their full potential when design for post-processing happens early on. Surface engineering of the AM substrate and addition of Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBC) and Physical Vapor Deposition coatings (PVD) can enable AM components to operate in the most demanding environments.

morQ