Additive manufacturing (AM) is rapidly emerging from rapid prototyping to industrial production [1]. Thus, providing AM parts with a tagging feature that allows identification, like a fingerprint, can be crucial for logistics, certification, and anti-counterfeiting purposes since nearly any geometry can be produced by AM with stolen data or reverse engineering of an original product. However, the mechanical and functional properties of the replicated part may not be identical to the original ones and pose a safety risk [2].

Several methods are already available, which range from encasing a detector to leveraging the stochastic defects of AM parts for the identification, authentication, and traceability of AM components. The most prevailing solution consists of local process manipulation, such as printing a quick response (QR) code [3] or a set of blind holes on the surface of the internal cavity of hollow components. Local manipulation of components may alter the properties. The external tagging features can be altered or even removed by post-processing treatments. Integrating electronic systems [4] in AM parts can be used to identify and authenticate components with complex or customized geometries. However, metal-based AM, especially in powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) techniques, has a strong shielding effect that interferes with the communication between the reader and the transponder.

Our work suggests a methodology for the identification, authentication, and traceability of AM components using microstructural features in AM components. We will show a workflow that includes analysing 3D micro computed tomography data and selecting a set number of voids that fulfil the identification criteria. We will show the results this workflow produces for a series of 20 Al-based cuboid samples with identical processing parameters and discuss their prospects and limitations. The workflow can help to establish a non-tamperable connection between an additively manufactured part and its digital data and hence link the physical and the digital world.

References

[1] R. Goulina; et. al., Materials special issue, 2020, 12(17), 7066.

[2] A. Sola Materials; et. al., Materials, 2022, 15, 85.

[3] D., Lehmhus, et. al., Procedia Technol, 2016, 26, Issue 1, 284-301

[4] S., Gultekin, A., Ural, U. Yaman; Procedia Manuf., 2019, 39, 519-525.