Siemens, Europe’s largest industrial manufacturing company, has partnered with Interspectral, a Swedish software company, to develop 3D visualization tools for metal additive manufacturing.
“To improve and ultimately industrialize metal additive manufacturing you need to capture, explore and understand large amounts of heterogeneous data from the process and increase domain knowledge,” said Andreas Graichen, Head of Additive Manufacturing Center of Competence at Siemens.
“There is a need for a tool that generates true insights and new knowledge from the data.”
3D visualization of metal parts
Founded in 2014, Interspectral specializes in volume rendering, 3D visualization, imaging, and 3D scanning. In 2017, the company started a project with Siemens’ gas turbine business in Finspång. The outcome was the development of AM Explorer, Interspectral’s 3D visualization tool which optimizes the production and design of 3D printed components to repair industrial turbines.
This project is supported by Visual Sweden, an initiative based in Östergötland focused on promoting innovation and regional growth in the field of visualization and image analysis. Thomas Rydell, Business Developer & Co-founder, Interspectral, stated:
“Based on our core visualization technology we are designing an intuitive tool that will support interactive exploration and collaboration. Using AM Explorer, Siemens will learn more from the data that they collect, increase domain knowledge and minimize trial and error.”
AM Explorer
AM Explorer has been designed to import and visualize a large amount of heterogeneous data from the metal additive manufacturing process in one environment.
This allows CAD files, scan, camera, and sensor data, as well as metrology systems, to be fused and visualized within the same tool. As a result, engineers can easily control all of this information and detect anomalies as the process continues. Rydell added:
“The collaboration with Siemens represents the beginning of a new and very exciting market segment for Interspectral. The project is a great example of how our 3D software platform can bring value to companies working with complex 3D data and digital twins.”
“We believe 3D-visualization, including AR and VR, will be a key component in the industrialization of additive manufacturing and tools such as the AM Explorer will be one part of the solution in our additive manufacturing roadmap at Siemens,” explained Graichen.
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Featured image shows CAD visualization of metal components. Image via Interspectral.
