The problem: Residual stress in additive manufactured parts
A research institution is interested in developing more accurate crack propagation models in Inconel parts manufactured using the additive manufacturing technique selective laser melting (SLM). They must validate numerical models with experimental data.
The testing method: X-ray diffraction
X-ray diffraction was used to measure the planar principal stress on the surface of various locations in an L-shaped SLM component.

The Xstress robot allows for fast programmable measurement points which provided the experimental data the research team required. At most locations, the experimentally measured data and predicted stress was within 10%. These results helped the team validate and refine their simulation.
The results
The chart below shows a comparison of numerical and experimental principal residual stresses at 17 locations.

Instruments used for this application
Xstress Robot
Xstress Robot makes stress measurements by X-ray diffraction easy and flexible on complicated parts, large and small.
Related articles
Stresstech Bulletin 13: Types of Residual Stresses
Stresstech Bulletin 12: Measurement Methods of Residual Stresses