Development of the optical method for measure the wire feed speed in the electron beam additive manufacturing process

The need of measuring the wire feed speed in the process of electron-beam additive manufacturing instead of measuring the drive rollers rotation speed is proved. Factors that have a negative effect on the result of the technological process are listed. A new method for measuring the wire feed speed, based on image processing from a photo-detector array, is proposed. The possibility of implementing this method with using industrial technical solutions, applied in human interface devices, is shown. The transient characteristics of wire speed control channel, obtained experimentally with the help of raw input technology, have been studied. The workability of this method and the possibility of its application for building a feedback sensor for the wire feed speed control loop in additive technology are substantiated.