Use of Miniature Step Gauges to Assess the Performance of 3D Optical Scanners and to Evaluate the Accuracy of a Novel Additive Manufacture Process In this work, we show how miniature step gauges featuring unidirectional and bidirectional lengths can be used to assess the performance of 3D optical scanners as well as the accuracy of novel Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes. A miniature step gauge made of black polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) was used for the performance verification of three different optical scanners: a structured light scanner (SLS), a laser line scanner (LLS), and a photogrammetrybased scanner (PSSRT), having comparable resolutions and working volumes. Results have shown a good agreement between the involved scanners, with errors below 5 xcexbcm and expanded uncertainties below 10 xcexbcm. The step gauge geometry due to the bidirectional lengths, highlights that there is a different interaction between the optical properties of the step gauge under measurement and each optical instrument involved and this aspect has to be considered in the uncertainty budget. The same geometry, due to its great significance in the detection of systematic errors, was used, as a novelty, to evaluate the accuracy of Lithographybased Ceramics Manufacturing (LCM), a proprietary additive manufacturing technology used for the fabrication of medical implants. In particular, two miniature step gauges made of Tricalcium Phosphate (TCP) were produced. Measurements conducted with the SLS scanner were characterized by a negligible error and by an uncertainty of about 5 xcexbcm. Deviations of the manufactured step gauges with respect to the Computer Aided Designed (CAD) model were comprised between xc2xb150 xcexbcm, with positive deviations in the order of 100 xcexbcm on vertical sides. Differences in the order of 50 xcexbcm between the two step gauges were registered.

Smart BuildPlate for Metal Additive Manufacturing Processes This paper discusses the development, processing steps, and evaluation of a smart buildplate or baseplate tool for metal additive manufacturing technologies. This tool uses an embedded highdefinition fiber optic sensing fiber to measure strain states from temperature and residual stress within the buildplate for monitoring purposes. Monitoring entails quality tracking for consistency along with identifying defect formation and growth, i.e., delamination or crack events near the buildplate surface. An aluminum alloy 6061 buildplate was manufactured using ultrasonic additive manufacturing due to the processxe2x80x99 low formation temperature and capability of embedding fiber optic sensing fiber without damage. Laserpowder bed fusion (LPBF) was then used to print problematic geometries onto the buildplate using AlSi10Mg for evaluation purposes. The tool identified heat generation, delamination onset, and delamination growth of the printed LPBF parts.