Phase3D is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), bringing Fringe Inspection™ to the university's additive manufacturing facilities.
The installation provides students and researchers with access to metrology-grade, in-situ inspection from the very first build, enabling objective, layer-by-layer measurements throughout the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process. As research programmes evolve, every build contributes to a growing body of traceable measurement data that supports materials development, process optimisation, machine qualification and a deeper understanding of additive manufacturing performance.
"As researchers, we want to understand how our parts will perform. Traditionally that means sending samples for CT scanning, which is both expensive and time consuming."
- Dr. Amir Mostafaei , Illinois Institute of Technology
Why In-Situ Inspection Matters for Additive Manufacturing Research
For decades, additive manufacturing research has followed a familiar workflow.
Develop a material. Print a sample. Send it for CT scanning or destructive testing. Analyse the results. Refine the process. Repeat. While this approach has helped advance the industry, it is also expensive, time-consuming and only provides insight once a build has been completed.
Researchers increasingly need to understand what happens during the manufacturing process itself, not simply evaluate the finished part. Earlier visibility into build quality allows engineers to investigate process variation, identify defects sooner and develop stronger links between manufacturing conditions and final component performance.
This is where in-situ inspection for additive manufacturing is changing the research landscape.
Measuring Every Layer with Metrology-Grade Accuracy
Unlike monitoring systems that rely on AI inference or image classification, Fringe Inspection™ captures metrology-grade measurements of every layer throughout the build.
Rather than predicting what may have happened, the system records objective measurement data as the part is manufactured, providing researchers with traceable information that can be correlated directly with post-build inspection and mechanical testing.
As Phase3D CEO Dr. Niall O'Dowd explains:
"We don't use AI. Instead, we use metrology-grade scanning equipment. Every decision we provide our customers is based on traceable data."
For research institutions, this distinction is significant. Explainable, traceable measurements provide far greater confidence than black-box decision making, particularly when validating new materials, manufacturing parameters or qualification strategies.
Reducing Reliance on Costly CT Scanning
Computed tomography remains one of the most valuable inspection methods available for metal additive manufacturing, but it is also one of the most expensive and time-intensive stages of many research programmes.
By collecting accurate measurement data throughout the build, researchers gain visibility into process behaviour long before a component reaches post-processing.
The objective is not to replace CT scanning, but to complement it with build-time inspection data that helps identify potential defects earlier, reducing unnecessary investigation while providing valuable context for subsequent analysis.
Connecting Process Data with Part Performance
The real value of layer-by-layer inspection lies in understanding how manufacturing behaviour influences final part performance.
Researchers can investigate how process anomalies correlate with porosity, fatigue life, mechanical properties and overall component quality, building stronger relationships between what happens during production and how the finished part performs in service.
Because Fringe Inspection™ measures every layer, potential defects can be identified, located and characterised throughout the build. This provides valuable context when correlating manufacturing data with CT scans, destructive testing or fatigue analysis, helping researchers better understand the root causes of part performance.
Supporting the Future of Metal Additive Manufacturing
The partnership with Illinois Institute of Technology reflects Phase3D's continued commitment to supporting universities and research organisations advancing the future of metal additive manufacturing.
By providing students and researchers with access to metrology-grade, in-situ inspection technology, Phase3D is helping generate the high-quality process data needed to accelerate materials research, improve process qualification and advance additive manufacturing towards repeatable, production-ready manufacturing.
As those datasets continue to grow, they become more than records of individual builds. They become valuable research assets that deepen our understanding of LPBF processes and help move the industry beyond trial-and-error development.
As Dr. O'Dowd concludes:
"Without metrology-grade quality inspection systems, additive manufacturing will stay in the prototyping phase forever."
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