Metal 3D printing is transforming manufacturing, particularly in high-end sectors like aerospace, yet defects and quality risks pose significant challenges. To address this, BLT is now introducing BLT-PrintInsight, a groundbreaking software solution launching at Formnext 2025.
Designed for PBF-LB/M, this intelligent quality system integrates online monitoring and offline analysis to manage the full printing lifecycle, ensuring process visibility, control and traceability. Using multi-source data fusion and AI-driven analysis, it delivers end-to-end quality management: real-time defect detection and feedback, coupled with post-process risk assessment.
Online Monitoring With Process Visibility and Intelligent Control
The online monitoring module automates defect recognition and correction with advanced vision algorithms, reducing human effort and improving detection accuracy. Key functions include powder spreading online monitoring and scanning online monitoring.
Powder spreading online monitoring enables real-time powder bed quality inspection, detecting defects like powder shortage, uneven powder spreading, collapse and recoater collision, and making automatic corrections to prevent defects early.
Scanning online monitoring supports real-time laser scanning quality inspection, spotting issues like burnt spots and slag buildup, enabling immediate alerts for operator intervention.
Offline Analysis Offers Precision and In-depth Traceability
The offline analysis module supports quality management and process optimization, using post-print data to evaluate part quality, pinpoint risk areas, and improve processes. It brings together 3D model visualization, defect record management, multi-source data fusion dashboard and one-click quality report generation.
3D model visualization, leveraging 3D reverse modeling, reconstructs part models to precisely map AI-identified defects onto a digital twin. This enables users to intuitively grasp risk distributions and overcomes the limitations of traditional defect locating.
Defect record management enables users to rate defect risks, manage defect lists, customize detection model sensitivity and report abnormal issues with one click. User-submitted defect samples continuously refine AI models, enhancing accuracy over time.
The multi-source data fusion dashboard accesses and aligns multidimensional data, including printing parameters, environmental data, machine and system status and visual images of powder spreading and melting. Its one-click anomaly tracing feature helps users trace defect origins, solving issues of fragmented data and delayed assessments.
One-click quality report generation presents risk layers, defect locations and types, and their associated abnormal images, building customer trust with transparent traceability and evidence-based delivery.
Custom Upgrades Offer Even More Value
To meet diverse application needs, BLT-PrintInsight offers three professional value-added packages:
Defect Self-Training Platform
Allows users to customize detection models using their own defect samples.
Near-Infrared Melt Pool Monitoring
Captures real-time thermal radiation signals to generate thermographic maps, enabling precise identification of overheating or lack of fusion.
Video Monitoring
Records the full printing process with support for playback and automatic cleanup.
Get more details on the required hardware configurations for these value-added packages here. https://www.xa-blt.com/en/blt-print-insight/
Enabling Data-Driven Quality Management
BLT-PrintInsight leverages online monitoring to collect process data in real time, while offline analysis performs deep examination and intelligent diagnosis. Together, they provide the insights needed for process improvement and machine and system control, establishing a robust, data-driven quality framework that helps users produce better parts faster and with greater confidence.
Intelligent Detection. Assured Reliability. Experience BLT-PrintInsight first-hand at the BLT booth at Formnext 2025, Hall 12.0, Booth D81.
