Method and device for producing component

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a component (100, 100A, 100B), the method comprises the following steps: a) producing a substrate (10) in an additive manufacturing method, whereby the substrate has a plurality of material layers (1, 2, 3,...) which are superimposed in a first building direction (AR1), and b) applying at least one material web (20, 30) to the outer contour of the substrate by applying a plasticized material bundle, the material layers (1, 2, 3,...) are arranged such that the at least one material web (20, 30) connects a plurality of material layers of the material layers (1, 2, 3,...) to each other. The invention further relates to a device for producing a component and for carrying out the method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a device for producing a component using at least one additive manufacturing method. Background Art

[0002] There are a variety of additive manufacturing methods. All methods in this group are based on so-called layer build-up methods. This means that the component is produced layer by layer. This enables the production of very complex components.

[0003] However, components produced using additive manufacturing methods have anisotropic material properties. In this context, "anisotropy" means that the material properties differ depending on the direction in which the forces act. This is due to the layer-by-layer construction process, in which one layer is applied one after the other. The construction direction usually corresponds to the Z direction, i.e. the vertical axis in space. At the transition from one layer to the next, material weakening occurs due to poor layer adhesion. As a rule, components are significantly more stable and more load-bearing transversely to the construction direction than along the construction direction. This problem leads to the fact that components must be explicitly designed and simulated for additive methods. If components that have been conventionally manufactured so far are produced by means of a layer-by-layer additive method, this can lead to premature component failure. Summary of the invention

[0004] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide a possibility of how improved components can be produced using additive manufacturing methods. In particular, these components should meet high mechanical requirements.

[0005] This object is achieved by a method for producing a component according to claim 1 and a device according to claim 9. Further advantageous embodiments are revealed by the dependent claims and the following description.

[0006] A method for producing a component is provided, the method comprising the following steps:

[0007] a) generating a base body by an additive manufacturing method, whereby the base body has a plurality of material layers which are arranged one above the other in a first building direction, and

[0008] b) applying at least one material web to the outer contour of the base body by applying a plasticized material strand, so that the at least one material web connects a plurality of the material layers to one another.

[0009] The component to be produced therefore has at least one material web in addition to the base body. The desired outer dimensions of the component are only achieved by means of the material web or the plurality of material webs. In addition to the base body and the at least one material web, the component can also have, for example, component elements, which are connected to the base body during the production of the base body or the application of the at least one material web. For example, these component elements can be sheet metal components, preferably sheet metal profiles or cast components. For example, the component elements can be designed as connecting elements for connecting the component to another component.

[0010] The component is preferably finished by at least one material web. The matrix is ​​generated by means of an additive manufacturing method. In this case, the matrix is ​​built up layer by layer by arranging a plurality of material layers one after the other and one above the other on a building platform. The material layers are preferably generated in a building plane, wherein a plurality of building planes are arranged one above the other to generate the matrix. The material layers are preferably constructed by applying and / or melting and solidifying the material in a plurality of rows arranged side by side. The direction along which the material layers are stacked is referred to as the first building direction. The matrix can be constructed by means of any additive manufacturing method, such as three-dimensional printing, laser sintering, etc., and is preferably constructed from a plastic material or a metal material or a metal alloy.

[0011] According to the invention, at least one material web is now applied to the outer contour of the substrate in such a way that the at least one material web connects a plurality of material layers in the material layer to each other. The application of the first material web is carried out by laying a plasticized material bundle. Here, plasticization refers to the transition of a substance from a solid state to a deformable or flowable state, which is then plastically deformable. Polymers and metal wires are preferably used as printing materials. The material web is applied to the outside of the substrate and extends over a plurality of material layers in the already existing material layers of the substrate. In particular, the at least one material web can connect all layers of the substrate to each other. For this purpose, the at least one material web is applied in a manner deviating from the first building direction. For example, the at least one material web can be applied to the outer contour of the substrate obliquely or transversely to the first building direction relative to the first building direction. Thus, the anisotropic properties of the substrate can be corrected. In this context, the anisotropic properties refer to the fact that the substrate tends to have weakness along the axis of the building direction, which is caused by the layer-by-layer building structure. By now connecting and overlapping the layers of the substrate by one or more material webs, higher component rigidity and component service life can be achieved.

[0012] Particularly preferably, the at least one material web is generated by means of a DED method. The DED method (direct energy deposition method) refers to a three-dimensional printing technology in which a material beam is generated by means of a printing device with a nozzle and is laid down layer by layer to form a three-dimensional printed object. The printed material is plasticized (for example by means of an electric arc or a laser beam), transferred to a surface, where it solidifies and forms a material-locked connection with the material located below it. Particularly preferably, the WAAM method is used as the DED method. In wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), a metal wire is melted using an electric arc and applied layer by layer to the component in the desired shape by means of a multi-axis manipulator to generate the desired material web. With the DED method, in particular WAAM, very high material coverage rates can be achieved, whereby the component can be manufactured significantly more economically than with other additive methods. In addition, components manufactured by the DED method have a rougher surface, which is then better suitable for many post-processing methods, such as dip painting. Furthermore, when using corresponding wire materials, the material webs produced using this method are distinguished by a high ductility.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that in step b), a plurality of material webs are applied side by side to the outer contour of the base body. Preferably, adjacent material webs touch or overlap so that they form a continuous layer. This forms an additional layer on the outer contour, which further strengthens the above-mentioned effect.

[0014] In terms of the load path-compliant construction of the component, it is advantageous if, in one embodiment, the at least one material web or the plurality of material webs extend in the load direction of the component. In this way, the component strength can be increased and components with excellent performance can be produced.

[0015] In a variant, the method may have the further step of:

[0016] c) Producing an additional structure by applying at least one further material web to at least one material web produced in step b), such that two or more material webs are arranged one on top of the other in a second building direction, wherein the second building direction is different from the first building direction and in particular extends transversely to the first building direction. In this way, a selective material thickening can be achieved, which allows compensation of radii or points in the underlying material structure. This can reduce the risk of stress cracks. The additional structure can also be designed in the form of reinforcing ribs or the like. The additional structure achieves a higher component service life and creates new design freedoms in terms of component geometry.

[0017] It is particularly preferred that a material web or a plurality of material webs or an additional structure form at least one outer contour section of the component. In one design, the material web or the additional structure can be formed on the entire outer contour of the component. The outer contour of the component carries most of the component load. In the following way, one material web or a plurality of material webs or additional structures together form the outer contour of the component, which outer contour can be constructed to conform to the load path. As a result, more degrees of freedom are obtained in the construction direction of the substrate. The substrate can be optimized in terms of rapid manufacturing. For example, a substrate with a layer structure can be manufactured with minimal manufacturing time and then final processing is performed by an outer contour or an outer contour section that conforms to the load path. Time saving and cost reduction are achieved thereby. In addition, step effects at the component surface of the substrate can be compensated, which in turn leads to a higher component service life. In addition, the necessity of reprocessing processes can also be reduced.

[0018] It is particularly preferred if the component is a vehicle component and in particular a body structure component or a chassis component.

[0019] In another aspect, the invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a component, the apparatus comprising: a building platform arranged at a first positioning device, wherein the first positioning device is configured to rotate and tilt the building platform in space. The building platform can have any suitable form and can, for example, have a flat plate and / or a support structure suitable for supporting the component to be manufactured. The building platform can be positioned for the method by the first positioning device and maintained in a defined manner in space.

[0020] The device further comprises a printing device having a nozzle for discharging a material strand, wherein the printing device is configured to plasticize the material strand. The term "plasticized" is to be understood here as the material being in a deformable or flowable state, wherein it can be plastically deformed. The material leaves the nozzle as a strand, i.e. as an uninterrupted material segment.

[0021] The printing device is arranged at a second positioning device, which is provided for positioning the nozzle in space. The building platform can be positioned for the method by the first positioning device and held in a defined manner in space.

[0022] The device also includes a control device, which is configured to operate the first positioning device and the second positioning device to position the building platform and the nozzle in a preset position and operate the printing device. For this purpose, the control device is preferably in corresponding operative connection with the positioning device and the printing device.

[0023] It is particularly advantageous in this device that the building direction of the component body relative to the platform can be changed arbitrarily and multiple building directions can be realized on the component body. This makes it possible to achieve the advantages already described for this method. Due to the positionability of the platform and the nozzle on both sides, it is possible to always carry out the building in the direction of the vertical axis (z axis) in space.

[0024] The positioning device is preferably an automatic multi-axis system. In a preferred design, the first positioning device and / or the second positioning device is a multi-axis, especially at least six-axis industrial robot. The multi-axis positioning device can realize free positioning in space, especially free positioning on all six spatial axes, thereby achieving optimized degrees of freedom. In addition, the industrial robot realizes rapid positioning in a large working area, and thus also realizes rapid production of large components.

[0025] The printing device is preferably configured to provide a plasticized material beam made of a plastic material or a metal material. For example, such a printing device can be designed as a plastic extrusion head, by means of which a beam made of a classified plastic material is output. For example, the printing device can also melt a metallic wire material by means of an energy source. For example, a resistive current or an electron beam can be used as an energy source. The use of a laser beam or an electric arc is particularly preferred.

[0026] In one embodiment, the control device is configured to move the building platform and the nozzle simultaneously, in particular during operation of the printing device. This allows the component body to be tilted or rotated together during the application of the material. For example, the component body and the nozzle can be arranged relative to each other in such a way that the material beam is applied essentially in the direction of gravity and essentially perpendicular to the surface of the component body. In this way, even complex component surfaces can be provided with additional material webs in an optimized position. This results in better material application and better bonding of the material to an already existing substrate.

[0027] It is particularly advantageous for the method that the base body is produced and the at least one material web is applied by means of the same device described above. This not only achieves the advantages and technical effects described for the device, but also reduces the number of required handling processes to a minimum.

[0028] Features and details described in relation to the device also apply in relation to the method according to the invention, and vice versa, so that with regard to the disclosure of the various aspects of the invention, reference is always made to one another.

[0029] Further advantages, features and details of the invention are obtained from the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, the features mentioned in the claims and in the description may be essential to the invention individually or in any combination. Whenever the term "may" is used in this application, it refers not only to technical possibilities but also to practical technical implementations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The following is a description of an embodiment with the aid of the accompanying drawings. Here, it is shown in a schematic diagram:

[0031] Figure 1 The method steps for producing an exemplary component are shown.

[0032] Figure 2 and Figure 3 Exemplary method steps for manufacturing other components are shown, and

[0033] Figure 4 An exemplary apparatus for performing the method is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] exist Figure 1 In the manufacturing method schematically shown in FIG, a base body 10 is first generated on a building platform 210 by means of an additive manufacturing method. The base body is constructed of a plurality of material layers 1, 2, 3, ..., which are stacked along a first building direction AR1. The material layers 1, 2, 3, ... are generated in sequence. Exemplarily, each material layer is generated by a DED method, for which a plasticized material strand is laid at a preset position from a nozzle 232 by means of a printing device 230. In principle, however, the base body 10 can also be generated by any other additive manufacturing method.

[0035] To produce the component 100 , after the base body 10 has been produced, at least one material web 20 is applied to the outer contour of the base body. Figure 1 2 , three material webs 20, 22 and 24 are shown by way of example. The material webs are produced by laying down plasticized material strands by means of a printing device 230. Here, the material webs 20, 22, 24 are arranged relative to the base body 10 in such a way that they connect a plurality of material layers 1, 2, 3, ... to one another. Figure 1 A material web extending transversely over a material layer is shown by way of example. The material web is preferably produced by means of a DED method and particularly preferably by means of a WAAM method.

[0036] according to Figure 1 , the material webs are arranged spaced apart from each other at the outer contour of the base body 10. Alternatively, Figure 2As shown in , the material webs can also be adjacent to each other or partially intersect each other and form a continuous material layer (see material webs 30, 31, 32, ... at component 100A). In this design, each material web 30, 31, 32 also extends transversely on multiple material layers 1, 2, 3 of the substrate 10 and connects these material layers to each other.

[0037] Figure 3 The following design is shown, in which an additional structure 40 is formed on the base body 10 of the component 100B. The additional structure 40 has at least two material webs 20 and 42, which are arranged one on top of the other in a second building direction AR2. The second building direction AR2 is different from the first building direction AR1 and runs transversely to the first building direction in the example shown. In this additional structure, the material web also extends over a plurality of material layers 1, 2, 3 and connects these material layers to one another.

[0038] For laying down material web(s) 20 , 22 , 24 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 42 , building platform 210 is preferably tilted and / or possibly rotated so that the material web(s) can be laid down on underlying substrate 10 , preferably in the direction of gravity.

[0039] The component 100, 100A, 100B produced by the method may, in addition to the base body 10 and the at least one material web 20, 30, also have, for example, component elements (not shown), which are connected to the base body 10 during the production of the base body 10 or during the application of the at least one material web 20, 30. For example, these component elements may be sheet metal components, preferably sheet metal profiles or cast components. For example, the component elements may be designed as connecting elements for connecting the component to other components.

[0040] Figure 4 An exemplary device 200 for manufacturing a component is shown, preferably a device according to one of the previous embodiments. The device 200 comprises a building platform 210, which is arranged at a first positioning device 220. The first positioning device 220 is in particular a multi-axis industrial robot. The first positioning device 220 is provided for rotating and tilting the building platform 210 in space.

[0041] In addition, the device 200 also has a printing device 230 with a nozzle 232 for discharging a material beam, wherein the printing device 230 is configured to plasticize the material beam. For example, the wire material can be melted into a plasticized material beam by means of an electric arc or laser radiation. The printing device 230 is arranged at a second positioning device 240, which is configured to position the nozzle 232 in space. The second positioning device 240 is preferably a multi-axis industrial robot. In particular, the nozzle can be aligned relative to the building platform 210 or the already manufactured component section.

[0042] Furthermore, a control device 250 is provided, which is configured to control the first positioning device 220 and the second positioning device 240 in order to position the building platform 210 and the nozzle 232 in a preset position and to operate the printing device 230. Preferably, the building platform and the nozzle are positioned relative to each other in such a way that the material web(s) 20, 22, 24, 30, 31, 32, 42 can be applied to the substrate 10 at a preset position and in particular by gravity.

[0043] The control device 250 can preferably be configured to move the building platform 210 and the nozzle 232 simultaneously, in particular during operation of the printing device 230. As a result, the plasticized material strands can be laid down in an optimized manner even on complex geometries for generating the material web(s) 20, 22, 24, 30, 31, 32, 42. For example, the building platform and the nozzle can be positioned such that the nozzle is guided at a constant distance and always perpendicular to the contour of the substrate.

[0044] The above-described apparatus is particularly suitable for producing a base body and laying down (one or more) material webs thereon, thereby saving handling steps. Reference numerals list

[0045] 1, 2, 3 Material layers

[0046] 10 Matrix

[0047] 20, 22, 24, 30, 31, 32, 42 material web

[0048] 40 Additional structures

[0049] 100, 100A, 100B components

[0050] 200 devices

[0051] 210Building Platform

[0052] 220 positioning device

[0053] 230 Printing device

[0054] 232 Nozzle

[0055] 240 positioning device

[0056] 250 Controls

[0057] AR1 and AR2 construction directions

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a component (100, 100A, 100B), the method comprising the following steps: a) generating a base body (10) by an additive manufacturing method, whereby the base body has a plurality of material layers (1, 2, 3, ...) which are arranged one above the other in a first building direction (AR1), and b) applying at least one material web (20, 30) to the outer contour of the base body by applying a plasticized material strand, so that the at least one material web (20, 30) connects a plurality of the material layers (1, 2, 3, . . . ) to one another.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one material web (20, 30) is applied by means of a DED method.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: In step b), a plurality of material webs ( 30 , 31 , 32 , . . . ) are applied next to one another on the outer contour of the base body.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The at least one material web (20) or the plurality of material webs (20, 22, 24, 30, 31) extend in a load direction of the component (100).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising the following further steps: c) generating an additional structure (40) by applying at least one further material web (42) to at least one material web (20) generated in step b) such that two or more material webs (20, 42) are superposed in a second building direction (AR2), wherein: The second building direction (AR2) is different from the first building direction (AR1), and the second building direction (AR2) runs in particular transversely to the first building direction (AR1).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The material web (20) or the plurality of material webs (30, 31, 32, . . . ) or the additional structure (40) forms at least one outer contour section of the component (100).

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The component (100) is a vehicle component and in particular a vehicle body structure component or a chassis component.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The base body (10) is produced and the at least one material web (20, 30) is applied by means of the same device, in particular a device according to any one of claims 7 to 10.

9. An apparatus (200) for manufacturing a component (100), the apparatus comprising: A building platform (210) arranged at a first positioning device (220), wherein the first positioning device (220) is configured to rotate and tilt the building platform (210) in space; a printing device (230), the printing device having a nozzle (232) for discharging a material bundle, wherein the printing device (230) is configured to plasticize the material bundle; a second positioning device (240), the printing device (230) being arranged at the second positioning device and the second positioning device being configured to position the nozzle (232) in space; A control device (250) is configured to control the first positioning device (220) and the second positioning device (240) so as to position the building platform (210) and the nozzle (232) in a preset position and operate the printing device (230).

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein: The first positioning device (220) and / or the second positioning device (240) is a multi-axis industrial robot.

11. The device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The printing device (230) is configured to provide a plasticized material bundle made of a plastic material or a metal material.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein: The control device (250) is configured to move the building platform (210) and the nozzle (232) simultaneously, in particular during operation of the printing device (230).

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