Additive manufacturing (AM) has been forging ahead rapidly in both technological capabilities and industry adoption in recent years. This is largely due to the benefits provided by AM’s unmatched flexibility when it comes to design freedom, material customization, and lead-time reduction. However, there is a noticeable lag when considering advancements in inspection capabilities and approaches to keep pace with the increased implementation of AM. As previously mentioned, a primary benefit of AM is that it is highly customizable and can generate complex geometries. While this can be a major advantage for design optimization and cost savings, it can also generate a scenario where the parts built become extremely difficult to inspect. Regarding additive inspection, it is critical to concentrate on nondestructive inspection (NDI) specifically since the focus is on the actual component to be used as opposed to coupons or test versions. This is important because structural and material properties can vary from part to part within the same build, as well as the same part when 3D printed, ultimately leading to a lack of confidence during the final approval process.
NDI can be broken down into four main elements including internal defects, external defects, dimensional accuracy, and surface roughness. However, internal defects present the greatest lack of uncertainty and confidence when focusing on most AM parts. Although there are several material types and printing technologies used in AM, metal laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) printed parts are mostly used for industrial applications.