In-situ Void Detection Using Deposition Maps in Electrochemical Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

In-situ void detection using deposition maps in ECAM processes is described. A deposition cycle forms a layer, which is mapped by applying a mapping voltage to each pixelated electrode (e.g., previously used to form the layer) while monitoring the current through each electrode. This mapping current depends on the positional relationship between the electrode and the deposited layer and is added to a deposited layer dataset together with mapping currents through other electrodes. A deposition map is then updated with this deposited layer dataset. The deposition map may reflect any undesirable voids in one or more deposited layers. The deposition map is inspected to select one or more deposition actions (e.g., The deposition action may involve continuing deposition with the same parameters, updating the parameters, mitigation potential voids (e.g., by developing a void mitigation parameter set), and/or stopping deposition (and optionally performing scrap-marking).

1 . A method of operating an ECAM system comprising a build plate and a printhead with a set of pixelated electrodes, the method comprising:
 performing a deposition cycle using a deposition parameter set thereby forming a deposited layer on the build plate, wherein a subset of pixelated electrodes is selectively activated from the set of pixelated electrodes according to the deposition parameter set thereby causing an ionic flow through an electrolyte provided between at least the subset of pixelated electrodes and the printhead;   mapping the deposited layer by applying a mapping voltage to each pixelated electrode in the subset of pixelated electrodes and monitoring a current through each pixelated electrode in the subset of pixelated electrodes, wherein the current through each pixelated electrode in the subset of pixelated electrodes depends on a positional relationship between each pixelated electrode in the subset of pixelated electrodes and the deposited layer;   updating a deposition map with a deposited layer dataset representing the current through each pixelated electrode in the subset of pixelated electrodes;   inspecting the deposition map in accordance with a set of inspection parameters and different portions of the deposition map to select one or more deposition actions from a set of action options, wherein the set of action options comprises:
 (a) continuing with an additional deposition cycle using the deposition parameter set thereby forming an additional deposited layer at least in part over the deposited layer, 
 (b) updating the deposition parameter set thereby generating an updated deposition parameter set and continuing with the additional deposition cycle using the updated deposition parameter set thereby forming the additional deposited layer at least in part over the deposited layer, and 
 (c) stopping any further deposition; 
   performing the one or more deposition actions using the ECAM system thereby forming an electroplated component; and   inspecting the deposition map for the electroplated component to assign a quality rating to the electroplated component, wherein the quality rating is selected from two or more quality rating options.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 different portions of the deposition map comprise a critical portion and a non-critical portion, and   the set of inspection parameters for the critical portion is different from the set of inspection parameters for the non-critical portion.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing an ex-situ inspection of the electroplated component by performing one or more selected from the group consisting of (a) cross-sectioning and visually inspecting, (b) a computed tomography (CT) scan, (c) heat-conduction testing, and (d) electric-conduction testing; and   updating the set of inspection parameters based on correlations of the ex-situ inspection and values in the deposition map.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the set of action options further comprises (d) determining a void mitigation parameter set, performing a void mitigation cycle on the deposited layer using the void mitigation parameter set thereby converting the deposited layer into a mitigated deposited layer, and mapping the mitigated deposited layer, and   the deposited layer dataset is updated based on mapping the mitigated deposited layer.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a set of operations comprising:
 determining a void mitigation parameter set,   performing the void mitigation cycle on the deposited layer using the void mitigation parameter set thereby converting the deposited layer into a mitigated deposited layer, and   mapping the mitigated deposited layer is repeated one or more times until the deposited layer dataset is within a set threshold.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of actions, from which the action is determined and performed, further comprises (e) performing a scrap-marking deposition cycle thereby forming a scrap-marking layer over the deposited layer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the deposition map is a three-dimensional array of values comprising one layer formed by the deposited layer dataset. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the deposited layer dataset represents a level of direct contact between the deposited layer and the subset of pixelated electrodes by dividing a total charge through the subset of pixelated electrodes, obtained while mapping the deposited layer, to a total current through the subset of pixelated electrodes. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the deposited layer dataset comprises multiple values such that each of the multiple values represents the current through a corresponding pixelated electrode in the subset of pixelated electrodes. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the multiple values in the deposited layer dataset are binary values representing the current through each pixelated electrode in the subset of pixelated electrodes being (a) lower than or equal to a set current threshold or (b) greater than the set current threshold. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the set current threshold corresponds to an electrode in the set of pixelated electrodes contacting the deposited layer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein each of the multiple values in the deposited layer dataset is proportional to a corresponding gap between the deposited layer and a corresponding electrode in the subset of pixelated electrodes. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein each of the multiple values in the deposited layer dataset is proportional to a contact area between the deposited layer and a corresponding electrode in the subset of pixelated electrodes. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 any subset of the deposited layer dataset, representing each pixelated electrode in the subset of pixelated electrodes with the current greater than the set current threshold, defines a part of a filled portion subset corresponding to the deposited layer dataset, any additional subset of the deposited layer dataset, representing each pixelated electrode in the subset of pixelated electrodes with the current that is lower than/equal to the set current threshold, defines a part of a void portion subset corresponding to the deposited layer dataset,   the part of the filled portion subset and the part of the void portion subset collectively form the deposited layer dataset, and   the void portion subset represents any unplanned voids in the deposited layer.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the deposition map comprises a previous layer dataset representing a previously deposited layer, formed on the build plate before the deposited layer such that the previously deposited layer is positioned between the build plate and the deposited layer, and   the previous layer dataset forms at least a part of the filled portion subset.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 different portions of the deposition map comprise a critical portion and a non-critical portion, and   the set of inspection parameters comprises determining one or more of:
 (a) a combined size of the void portion subset, 
 (b) an individual size of each void portion in the void portion subset, and 
 (c) an overlap of the void portion subset with the critical portion of the deposition map. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the individual size of each void portion is determined based on a number of adjacent values within the void portion subset. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the deposited layer is one of multiple layers forming an electroplated component, and   the method further comprises performing an ex-situ inspection of the electroplated component by performing one or more selected from the group consisting of (a) cross-sectioning and visually inspecting, (b) a computed tomography (CT) scan, (c) heat-conduction testing, and (d) electric-conduction testing.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising updating the set of inspection parameters based on results of the ex-situ inspection. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the set of inspection parameters is updated based on correlations of the results of the ex-situ inspection and values in the deposition map.