Reduced heat load and distortion in automated welding assemblies for additive manufacturing parts used for thermal and structural optimization.

Abstract

An additively manufactured component and a method for producing a component from multiple components by welding or adhering the additively manufactured component to a second component. The additively manufactured component includes a connecting portion configured to be welded to the second component and a thermal management feature for removing heat from the connecting portion.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 601,637, filed November 21, 2023, entitled “Reduced Thermal Heat Load and Distortion of Automated Weld Assemblies for Thermally and Structurally Optimized Metal Additive Structural Components,” the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to thermal management and structural reinforcement features for manufacturing components. Background Technology

[0004] Additive manufacturing (AM) systems can produce metal structures (called building blocks) with geometrically complex shapes, including some that are difficult or impossible to create using conventional manufacturing processes. AM technology is used to create building blocks layer by layer (i.e., slice by slice). This process can be repeated to form the next slice of the building block, and so on. Because each layer is deposited on top of the previous one, AM allows for the formation of structures that were previously impossible to create using conventional non-AM manufacturing techniques. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects of the invention to offer a basic understanding of such aspects. This overview is not a comprehensive summary of all anticipated aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or essential elements of all aspects, nor to depict the scope of any or all aspects. Its purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that follows.

[0006] Various aspects of this disclosure relate to an additive manufacturing (AM) component configured to be welded to a second component, the AM component including a portion configured to be welded to the second component and thermal management features for removing heat from the joint portion when the joint portion is welded to the second component.

[0007] This disclosure further relates to a structural vehicle component having: a first additively manufactured component having a first component first connecting feature and a first component second connecting feature; a second additively manufactured component having a second component first connecting feature and a second component second connecting feature connected to the first component first connecting feature via an adhesive; and a joint structure extending from the first component second connecting feature to the second component second connecting feature, wherein a first end of the joint structure is welded to the first component second connecting feature, and a second end of the joint structure is welded to the second component second connecting feature.

[0008] Various aspects of this disclosure further relate to a method for joining an additively manufactured component to a second component, the method comprising joining an additively manufactured component joining portion of the additively manufactured component to a second component joining portion of the second component via welding, while removing heat generated by welding via a thermal management feature of the additively manufactured component.

[0009] It will be understood that, for those skilled in the art, other aspects of the modular components and methods for producing the components will become clear from the following detailed description, which is illustrated and described in detailed examples by way of illustration. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the disclosed subject matter may be varied or modified, all without departing from this disclosure. Therefore, the drawings and detailed description should be regarded in an illustrative manner rather than a limiting one. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figures 1a-1d illustrate exemplary powder bed melting (PBF) systems during different stages of operation.

[0011] Figure 2 An example of a wire-directed energy deposition (DED) AM device is shown.

[0012] Figure 3 Examples of certain aspects of a direct metal deposition (DMD) AM device are shown.

[0013] Figure 4a shows an example of an assembly with thermal management features according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0014] Figure 4b shows the assembled state of the components of Figure 4a according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0015] Figure 5a shows an example of an assembly with thermal management features according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 5b shows the assembled state of the components of Figure 5a according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 6Examples of welding processes according to various aspects of this disclosure are shown.

[0018] Figure 7 The following are shown in accordance with the aspects of this disclosure: Figure 6 An exemplary microstructure produced by the welding process.

[0019] Figures 8a-8d illustrate exemplary joint structures and welding paths according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 9a shows an example of a component according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 9b shows a partial cross-sectional view of the component of Figure 9a according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0022] Figure 10 An example assembly system is shown, which includes multiple robots configured to perform various operations of assembling and connecting the components described herein.

[0023] Figure 11 A graph showing the enthalpy of melting for various phase change materials that can be used with aspects of this disclosure is provided.

[0024] Figure 12 Exemplary representative diagrams of various components of an exemplary controller that can be used with aspects of this disclosure are shown.

[0025] Figure 13 Examples of computer systems according to various aspects of this disclosure are shown.

[0026] Figure 14 Examples of various system components according to various aspects of this disclosure are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The detailed examples set forth below with reference to the accompanying drawings are intended to provide a description of various exemplary embodiments of the concepts disclosed herein, and are not intended to represent the only embodiments that may be practiced with respect to this disclosure. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing those skilled in the art with a thorough and complete disclosure that adequately conveys the scope of the concepts. However, this disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components may be shown in block diagrams or simplified forms, or omitted entirely, to avoid obscuring the various concepts presented throughout this disclosure.

[0028] I. Terminology:

[0029] Throughout the specification, references to "one aspect" or "an aspect," or "one example" or "an example" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment or example may be a feature included in at least one example of the invention. Therefore, the phrases "in one aspect" or "in an aspect," or "one example" appearing throughout the specification do not necessarily all refer to the same example. Furthermore, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be combined in any suitable combination and / or sub-combination of one or more embodiments or examples.

[0030] The term “exemplary” as used in this disclosure means “serving as an example, instance or illustration” and should not necessarily be construed as being preferred or advantageous relative to other embodiments set forth in this disclosure.

[0031] Throughout this disclosure, the terms “substantially” or “approximately” can be used as modifiers for geometric relationships between elements or for the shape of elements or parts. While the terms “substantially” or “approximately” are not limited to specific variations and can cover any variation at a level of variation that is understood to be acceptable by one of ordinary skill in the art, some examples are provided below. In one example, the terms “substantially” or “approximately” may include a variation smaller than 10% of the size of an object or part. In another example, the terms “substantially” or “approximately” may include a variation smaller than 5% of the size of an object or part. If the terms “substantially” or “approximately” are used to define an angular relationship between one element and another element, a non-limiting example of the terms “substantially” or “proximal” may include a variation of 5 degrees or less. These examples are not intended to be limiting and may be increased or decreased based on an understanding of limitations acceptable to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0032] For the purposes of this disclosure, directional terms are generally expressed relative to a standard reference system when the aspects or articles described herein are in the direction of use. In some examples, directional terms are generally expressed relative to a left-hand coordinate system.

[0033] For example, the terms "a" and "an" refer not only to a single entity but also to general categories that can be illustrated with concrete examples. The terms "a" and "an" are interchangeable with the term "at least one." The phrases "at least one of..." and "including at least one of..." followed by an enumeration refer to any one item in the enumeration, as well as any combination of two or more items. Unless otherwise stated, all numerical ranges include non-integer values ​​between their endpoints.

[0034] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” and “fourth,” as well as other numerical values, may be used in this disclosure. It will be understood that, unless otherwise stated, these terms are used only in their relative sense. In particular, certain components may exist in interchangeable and / or identical multiples (e.g., in pairs). For these components, the names “first,” “second,” “third,” and / or “fourth” may be applied to the components in the description for convenience only.

[0035] The term “additive manufacturing (AM) or AM part” may be used throughout this disclosure. The term “AM” includes any known additive manufacturing or 3D printing technology. Some examples include, but are not limited to, powder bed fusion, direct energy deposition (DED), fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), and filament or extruded material-based DED. Therefore, all additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies, including those currently conceived or under commercial development, are applicable without departing from the principles of this disclosure. Aspects of this disclosure may also relate to non-metallic additive manufacturing and / or metallic / binder additive manufacturing (e.g., binder jetting), which forgoes an energy beam source and instead applies a binder or other adhesive to form each layer. In the case of binder jetting, the cured or green form may be sintered or melted in a furnace and / or infiltrated with bronze or other alloys.

[0036] The term "powder bed fusion (PBF)" is used throughout this disclosure. PBF systems can encompass a wide variety of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, systems, and methods. Therefore, PBF systems or processes mentioned in this disclosure can include printing technologies such as direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), electron beam melting (EBM), selective thermal sintering (SHS), selective laser melting (SLM), and selective laser sintering (SLS). PBF melting and sintering technologies can further include, for example, solid-state sintering, liquid-phase sintering, partial melting, complete melting, chemical bonding, and other bonding and sintering technologies.

[0037] The term "melt" may be used throughout the disclosure to describe any permanent fixation or adhesion of AM powder or other known materials. In some examples, the term "melt" may include sintering, melting, and / or adhesion (e.g., via an adhesive or binder) of individual powder particles.

[0038] The term "non-AM manufacturing" can be used throughout this disclosure to cover any manufacturing technique other than AM. Some examples may include subtractive manufacturing techniques (e.g., machining) and / or any or a combination of extrusion, stamping, forging, molding, or casting, to name just a few non-limiting examples. Furthermore, non-AM can refer to any known method used to form a non-metallic part. For example, non-AM can also cover parts formed from composite materials, including any or a combination of carbon fibers, para-aramid (Kevlar™), glass fibers, or substrates thereof, bonded or otherwise laminated via synthetic polymers (e.g., epoxy resins, vinyl esters, polyester resins, or combinations thereof).

[0039] The term "welding" can be used throughout this disclosure to describe any permanent or semi-permanent connection of two or more structures or features. While the term "welding" is not intended to be limited to the examples described herein, some examples include joining materials (typically metals or thermoplastics) by applying heat, pressure, or a combination of both, with the aim of forming a permanent bond between the materials. This can be achieved using a variety of techniques and methods, including but not limited to electric arc welding, shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, tungsten inert gas welding, oxy-fuel welding, resistance welding, spot welding, seam welding, laser welding, electron beam welding, friction welding, plasma arc welding, brazing, or soldering.

[0040] The terms "friction welding" or "stir welding" can be used throughout this disclosure to describe any permanent or semi-permanent connection of two or more structures or features. While not intended to be limiting, stir welding can include any solid-state welding process that joins materials by applying a rotating tool to a workpiece. The heat generated by friction between the tool and the workpiece, combined with the mechanical stirring action of the tool, causes the material to soften, thereby allowing two or more surfaces or objects to be forged together.

[0041] The term "structural component in a vehicle" may include, but is not limited to, the frame, subframe, or components that bear loads due to vehicle dynamics. In some examples, the term "structural component" may be distinguished from other vehicle components (e.g., seats, steering wheel, exhaust system, etc.).

[0042] II. Overview

[0043] Additive manufacturing (AM) systems can produce structures with geometrically complex shapes, including some that are difficult or impossible to create using conventional manufacturing processes. Furthermore, AM systems offer unparalleled efficiency in rapidly producing parts and provide freedom in designing and quickly modifying structures in response to changing demands or further structural optimization, without the need for rework as typically required with conventional non-AM manufacturing processes.

[0044] Typically, when combining multiple components to form a product (such as a car or a sub-part), it may be necessary to join multiple additive manufacturing (AM) components and / or combinations of AM and non-AM components to form a desired structure. When joining multiple additively manufactured (ADM) components using processes such as welding, stir welding, or the use of structural adhesives, overheating during the joining process and / or during use of the joined components can lead to warping, residual stress, adhesive failure, and / or material degradation. These adverse effects can compromise the integrity and performance of the final assembly. Therefore, effective thermal management and / or structural support strategies are needed, which can be integrated into the design of the ADM part itself. In the examples described herein, various thermal management features and systems are incorporated into the ADM part optimized for thermal management of the components to be joined. Some examples include, but are not limited to, the integration of thermal sinks, heat transfer pathways, and / or phase change materials. For example, a thermal sink may include fins or lattice structures that increase the surface area in contact with a fluid (e.g., air) and / or a phase change material to control heat at the joint. Heat transfer pathways may be implemented to transfer heat from the joint. Phase change materials (PCMs) can be implemented to absorb and release heat during phase change in order to stabilize temperature fluctuations during component bonding and / or during use of multi-component structures.

[0045] III. Detailed Examples

[0046] Additive manufacturing (AM) systems, such as powder bed fusion (PBF) systems, can produce structures (called building blocks) with geometrically complex shapes, including some shapes that are difficult or impossible to create using conventional manufacturing processes. PBF systems create building blocks layer by layer (i.e., slice by slice). Each slice is formed by depositing a layer of powder (e.g., metal or metal powder) and melting (e.g., melting and cooling) the region in the metal powder layer that coincides with the cross-section of the building block in the slice. This process can be repeated to form the next slice of the building block, and so on.

[0047] Figures 1a-1d show corresponding side views of examples of a PBF system 100 that can be used with aspects of this disclosure during different stages of operation. As noted above, the specific embodiments shown in Figures 1a-1d are one of many suitable examples of PBF systems employing the principles of this disclosure. It should also be noted that the elements in Figures 1a-1d, as well as elements in other figures of this disclosure, are simplified and not necessarily drawn to scale, but may be drawn larger or smaller and / or with reduced detail for the purpose of better illustrating the concepts described herein. The PBF system 100 may include: a depositor 101 that can deposit each layer of metal powder; an energy beam source 103 that can generate an energy beam; a scanner 105 that can guide or redirect the energy beam to melt the powder material; and a build plate 107 that can support one or more build elements (such as build element 109).

[0048] The PBF system 100 may also include a build base plate 111 positioned within a powder bed container. The powder bed container has walls 112. The build base plate 111 allows the build plate 107 to descend gradually, enabling the depositor 101 to deposit the next layer. In some examples, the entire assembly may be located within a chamber 113, which may enclose other components to protect the equipment, provide atmospheric (e.g., inert) and temperature regulation, and mitigate the risk of contamination. The depositor 101 may include a hopper 115 containing powder 117 (such as metal powder) and a leveler 119 that levels the top of each layer of deposited powder.

[0049] Referring specifically to Figure 1a, this figure illustrates the PBF system 100 after the slice of component 109 has been melted but before the next layer of powder deposition. In fact, Figure 1a shows the timeline in which the PBF system 100 has deposited and melted the partially completed component in multiple layers to form the current state of component 109. The deposited layers form a powder bed 121 comprising deposited but unmelted powder.

[0050] Figure 1b illustrates a PBF system 100 at a certain stage in which the build base plate 111 can be lowered by a certain powder layer thickness 123. The lowering of the build base plate 111 causes the build component 109 and the powder bed 121 to drop by a certain powder layer thickness 123, such that the tops of the build component and the powder bed are lower than the tops of the powder bed container wall 112 by an amount equal to the powder layer thickness. In this way, for example, a space with a uniform thickness equal to the powder layer thickness 123 can be formed on the tops of the build component 109 and the powder bed 121.

[0051] Figure 1c illustrates a PBF system 100 at a stage in which a depositor 101 is positioned to deposit powder 117 in a space formed above the top surface of the builder 109 and the powder bed 121, defined by the powder bed container wall 112. In this example, the depositor 101 moves above the defined space while releasing powder 117 from a hopper 115. A leveler 119 can level the released powder to form a powder layer 125 having a thickness substantially equal to the powder layer thickness 123 (see Figure 1b). Therefore, the powder in the PBF system can be supported by a powder material support structure, which may include, for example, a builder plate 107, a build base plate 111, the builder 109, the wall 112, etc. It should be understood that the illustrated thickness of the powder layer 125 (i.e., the powder layer thickness 123 (Figure 1b)) is greater than the actual thickness used in the example involving 150 previously deposited layers discussed above with reference to Figure 1a.

[0052] Figure 1d illustrates the PBF system 100 at a stage in which, after the deposition of powder layer 125 (Figure 1c), energy beam source 103 generates energy beam 127, and scanner 105 guides and / or redirects the energy beam along the surface of powder layer 125 to melt, sinter, and / or molten the next slice in build 109. In various aspects of this disclosure, the energy beam source may be one or more lasers 103, in which case energy beam 127 is a laser beam. The scanner may include one or more motors, galvanometers, gimbals, optics, etc. Controlling one or more mirrors and / or lenses to reflect and / or refract the laser beam to manipulate it to scan selected areas of the powder layer may include an optical system that uses one or more motors to control one or more mirrors and / or lenses to manipulate the laser beam to scan selected areas of the powder layer 125 to be melted. Scanner 105 may include one or more gimbals and actuators, which may be motor-controlled, to rotate and / or translate the energy beam source to position the energy beam and / or optics (such as one or more focusing or defocusing optics) to allow the energy beam to be focused / defocused. In various aspects, energy beam source 103 and / or scanner 105 may modulate the energy beam, for example, by turning the energy beam on and off and / or controlling the divergence of the energy beam 103 during scanning by scanner 105, such that the energy beam applies only to appropriate regions of the powder layer and / or controls the energy applied to the powder layer. For example, in various aspects of this disclosure, the energy beam may be modulated by a digital signal processor (DSP). Deflectors may include any system known in the art, such as a galvanometer-scanner or galvanometer, and / or a grating scanner. It should be noted that although a single energy beam source 103 and / or scanner 105 is shown, aspects of this disclosure are applicable to and include systems with multiple energy sources and / or scanners.

[0053] Figure 2 An exemplary wire-directed energy deposition (“DED”) system 200 for AM using wire or extruded material is shown. The wire DED system 200 may include a depositor 202 and a build plate 208. The depositor may deposit each layer of wire or extruded material from a supply device 203. A laser 203 or other energy source may generate heat to melt each layer of material during deposition and form a melt pool 206. The build plate may support one or more build elements (such as build element 210). Figure 2 The example illustrates a wire DED system 200 after multiple layers of build 210 have been deposited and while a new layer 212 is being deposited. During the deposition of the new layer, build 210 can remain stationary, and the depositor 202 and laser 204 can span the length and width of the build, respectively, while releasing wire and generating heat. Alternatively, or in combination with the movement of laser 203, build 210 can move below the depositor and laser 203. Laser 204 can generate a laser beam 114 that can pass through or be influenced by an optical system scanner 205, which uses reflection and / or refraction to manipulate the laser beam to scan a selected area to be melted.

[0054] In various aspects of this disclosure, scanner 205 may include one or more gimbals and actuators that can rotate and / or translate the laser source to position the energy beam. By controlling scanner 205, laser beam 214 can be scanned in the x and / or y directions to allow the laser to scan the wire or extruded material from depositor 202. In various aspects, energy beam source 103 and / or scanner 205 may modulate the energy beam, for example, by turning the energy beam on and off and / or focusing or defocusing the energy beam as scanner 205 scans, such that the energy beam is applied only in appropriate areas of the wire or extruded material supplied by the depositor. For example, in various aspects of this disclosure, the energy beam may be modulated by a digital signal processor (DSP). Scanner 205 may include any system known in the art, such as a galvanometer-scanner or galvanometer, and / or a grating scanner. It should be noted that although a single energy beam source 203 and / or scanner 205 are shown, aspects of this disclosure can be used with and include systems having multiple energy sources and / or deflectors.

[0055] Another example of AM technology that can be used to form AM components is direct metal deposition (DMD). Figure 3Exemplary embodiments of certain aspects of a DMD apparatus 300 are shown. The DMD apparatus 300 uses a supply nozzle 303 that moves in a predetermined direction 319 to push powder streams 305a and 305b into a laser beam 307, which is directed toward a workpiece 313 that can be supported by a substrate. The supply nozzle 303 may also include mechanisms for flowing a shielding gas 317 to protect the welding area from oxygen, water vapor, or other components.

[0056] The powdered metal is then melted by laser 307 in the molten pool region 311, and this powdered metal can then be bonded to the workpiece 313 as a region of deposition material 309. The dilution region 315 can include a region of the workpiece 313 where the deposited powder is integrated with a localized portion of the workpiece 313. The supply nozzle 303 can be supplied by a computer numerical control (CNC) robot or a gantry (e.g., as described below). Figure 3 The robot (or gantry crane) or other computer-controlled mechanism provides support. The supply nozzle 303 can move multiple times along a predetermined direction of the substrate under computer control until an initial layer of deposited material 309 is formed on the desired area of ​​the workpiece 313. The supply nozzle 303 can then scan the area directly above the previous layer to deposit successive layers until the desired structure is formed. Generally, the supply nozzle 303 can be configured to move relative to all three axes, and in some cases, the supply nozzle can be configured to rotate a predetermined amount about its own axis.

[0057] When forming AM (Advanced Modeling) parts, a data model of the desired 3D object to be manufactured is rendered. The data model is a virtual design of the 3D object. Therefore, the data model can reflect the geometric and structural features of the 3D object, as well as its material composition. Data models can be created using various methods, including CAE-based optimization, 3D modeling, photogrammetry software, and camera imaging. CAE-based optimization can include, for example, cloud-based optimization, fatigue analysis, linear or nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA), and durability analysis.

[0058] 3D modeling software can thus include one of many commercial 3D modeling software applications. The data model can be rendered using a suitable computer-aided design (CAD) package. Therefore, the CAD package can further implement an error analysis step, under which the 3D model can be analyzed and errors identified and corrected.

[0059] After error correction, the data model can be "sliced" by a software application called a slicer, generating a set of instructions for "3D printing" the object, compatible with and associated with the specific 3D printing technology used. Many slicing programs are commercially available. Typically, a slicing program converts the data model into a series of individual layers representing thin slices (e.g., 50-500 micrometers thick, or thicker if an AM method other than PBF is implemented) of the object to be printed, along with a file containing AM device-specific instructions for printing these successive individual layers to produce a representation of the data model as a building block or workpiece.

[0060] The layers and related instructions associated with the AM method do not need to be planar or have the same thickness. For example, in some embodiments, depending on factors such as the technical complexity of the AM equipment and specific manufacturing goals, the layers in the component structure may be nonplanar and / or may vary with respect to their respective thickness in one or more cases.

[0061] In addition to instructions specifying the content and manner of object formation, several conventional, often AM device-specific methods are used to provide the AM device with the appropriate physical materials necessary for forming the build-up. In DMD technology, for example, one or more metal powders may be provided to layer the structure using such metals or metal alloys. In selective laser melting (SLM), selective laser sintering (SLS), and other PBF-based AM methods (see below), the material may be provided as a powder into a chamber that supplies powder to the build-up platform. Depending on the AM device, other technologies may be used to provide the printing material.

[0062] Then, based on the provided instructions, the corresponding data slices of the 3-D object are printed using the material. In an AM device using laser sintering, the laser scans the powder bed and melts the powder together where the structure is desired, as described above with respect to Figures 1a-1D, avoiding scanning areas where the slice data indicates no content needs to be printed. This process can be repeated until the desired structure or component is formed, after which the component is removed from the AM device (manually or by an automated process). In fused deposition modeling, as described above, the part is constructed by applying successive layers of support material and model to a substrate. Generally, for the purposes of this disclosure, any suitable AM ​​or 3-D printing technology can be conceived and employed to achieve the purposes described herein.

[0063] Any or a combination of the assembly, welding, and / or AM manufacturing equipment described above may be manually controlled, or may be wholly or partially (e.g., a combination of manual and automatic) computer numerical control (CNC) manufacturing equipment, wherein any or all of the operations are computer-controlled. Additional aspects of the computer-automated control described herein are referenced below. Figure 10 and Figures 12-14 Further detailed description. While examples are provided herein, the automated assembly and connection of components contemplated in this disclosure are not limited to the aspects or features listed or described herein, and may include any known systems or methods.

[0064] Figures 4a and 4b illustrate examples of AM components that include thermal management features for controlling temperature during connection of the AM component to another component and / or for controlling temperature throughout the component's lifespan. Figure 4a illustrates an example of an AM component 401 that can be connected to or configured to be connected to a second component 403. In some examples, the second component 403 may be conventionally manufactured or non-AM manufactured. In other aspects of this disclosure, the second component 403 may be an AM component. The AM component 401 may include a connection region or segment to be permanently connected to the second component 403. In one example embodiment, the connection region or segment may include a receiving portion 409. The receiving portion 409 may be, for example, a recess or channel sized to receive a corresponding received portion 411 of the second component 403.

[0065] In some examples, AM component 401 may include a cavity 405 having thermal management features therein. In some examples (e.g., as shown in Figures 4a and 4b), the thermal management features may be a lattice structure within the cavity, which is formed to increase the surface area in contact with a fluid (e.g., air) within the cavity 405. In additional examples (further described below), the cavity 405 may be filled or partially filled with a liquid or other fluid, and / or may be filled or partially filled with a phase change material that removes heat energy from the portion of AM component 401 near the receiving portion 409. It should be noted that while exemplary lattice structures are shown in Figures 4a and 4b, any structure that increases the surface area within the cavity 405 and / or serves as a heat sink may be implemented without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0066] Furthermore, in some examples, the second component 403 may include a cavity 407 having thermal management features therein. In some examples (e.g., as shown in Figures 4a and 4b), the thermal management features may be a lattice structure within the cavity, which is formed to increase the surface area in contact with a fluid (e.g., air) within the cavity 407. In additional examples (further described below), the cavity 407 may be filled or partially filled with a liquid or other fluid, and / or may be filled or partially filled with a phase change material that removes heat energy from the portion of the second component 403 near the receiving portion 411. It should be noted that while exemplary lattice structures are shown in Figures 4a and 4b, any structure that increases the surface area within the cavity 407 and / or serves as a heat sink may be implemented without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0067] Figure 4b illustrates an example of the assembly process of AM component 401 and second component 403 according to various aspects of this disclosure. In one example, adhesive 415 may be applied to one or more surfaces of the received portion 411. AM component 401 and second component 403 can then be assembled as indicated by the arrows in Figure 4b. The aforementioned assembly and adhesive application can be performed manually (e.g., by an assembler or technician), or can be partially or fully automated, as described below. Figure 10 The adhesive can be any known adhesive or foaming adhesive. In some exemplary embodiments, the adhesive can be a two-component curable adhesive, such as epoxy, polyurethane or polyurethane foam, expanding or foaming adhesive, or other adhesive or bonding agent. In another example, the adhesive and / or foam can cure when heat is applied, and thus the joined composite structure can be subjected to heating and / or placed in an autoclave or oven to cure the adhesive at the joints. In yet another example, the adhesive can be an ultraviolet (UV) curable adhesive or bonding agent configured to solidify or cure upon exposure to UV light. In some examples, either or both of AM component 401 and / or second component 403 may include one or more window slots or openings 413. The opening may be configured to allow UV light to pass through it to cure the adhesive 415 once AM component 401 and second component 403 are mounted or otherwise connected to each other and in a desired alignment (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4b).

[0068] In some examples, the aforementioned adhesive 415 may be used to temporarily maintain or otherwise sustain the alignment between AM component 401 and second component 403 until the two components are permanently joined, for example, by welding as described below. For example, either or both of AM component 401 and / or second component 403 may include one or more openings (e.g., opening 413) and / or other joining features configured to allow adhesive to be injected therein and / or to cure the adhesive via UV light or a chemical reaction. Furthermore, in addition to the joint between AM component 401 and second component 403, windows or openings may be included for welding components at other locations.

[0069] As described above, in one exemplary embodiment of the connection between AM component 401 and second component 403, a welding process can be used to connect the two components by welding at one or more joints (e.g., as indicated by reference numeral 417 in FIG. 4b). In some examples, AM component 401 and second component 403 can be welded together via stir welding or friction welding techniques (as described below). Figure 6 (As detailed in Figure 8d). Furthermore, as discussed below, the joint and / or welding patterns may be non-linear, or may include keyed or notched features as described below with respect to Figures 8a-8d.

[0070] Thermal management features in cavities 405 and / or 407 can be configured to remove heat energy from the joint of AM component 401 and / or second component 403 during the welding process or otherwise reduce the temperature at the joint. Reducing localized heat during the welding process can prevent any or a combination of distortion, residual stress, and microstructural anomalies in the heat-affected zone, and / or can improve the microstructure of the material at the weld / joint, as described below. To further improve localized heat at the joint during the welding / joining of AM component 401 and second component 403, stir welding and / or friction welding can be used, as detailed below.

[0071] As described above, adhesive 415 can be applied to temporarily connect AM component 401 and second component 403 prior to welding, and / or structurally connect AM component 403 and second component 401. Thermal management features in cavities 405 and / or 407 can further prevent adhesive 415 from failing due to overheating during assembly of AM component 401 and second component 403 and / or when the assembled components are in use. If any or both of the assembled AM component 401 and / or second component 403 are subjected to high heat or temperature fluctuations during use (e.g., in an engine compartment or as an engine component), it may be advantageous to reduce or otherwise remove heat at the joint during the use of said components.

[0072] In one exemplary embodiment, either or both of cavities 405 and / or 407 may be configured to be filled with a phase change material (PCM). A PCM is a substance that absorbs or releases heat energy during a phase change, thereby providing a method for temperature regulation. Therefore, heat distribution in the welding zone can be controlled more effectively, thereby improving thermal management during the welding process. Figure 11 As shown in the graph, various materials with different melting enthalpy ranges can be used to control the heat at or near the joint of AM component 401 and / or second component 403. In one example, any nitrate and hydroxide can be selected as the PCM due to the thermal properties and phase change characteristics of nitrates and hydroxides, and added to either or both of cavities 405 and / or 407. Some non-limiting examples of nitrates include, but are not limited to, sodium nitrate (NaNO3), sodium nitrite (NaNO2), or potassium nitrate (KNO3), which may include solutions and / or binary and ternary mixtures thereof. Some examples of hydroxides may include, but are not limited to, barium hydroxide octahydrate (Ba(OH)2·8H2O), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2), aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3), or sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and may include solutions and / or binary and ternary mixtures thereof. It should be noted that the foregoing materials are provided by way of example only, and any PCM can be selected based on the desired temperature at or near the joint. As stated above, if as Figure 11 If the maximum temperature required, indicated by line 1201, is 200 to 300 degrees Celsius, then the selected PCM may include the aforementioned nitrates and hydroxides. The quantity or volume of the PCM can be determined based on the change in enthalpy during the transient phase transition.

[0073] In some examples, before the welding process begins, cavities 405 and / or 407, or both, are filled with a selected nitrate or hydroxide PCM. This allows the phase change material to reach thermal equilibrium with its surroundings. During welding, as heat is generated, the PCM absorbs excess heat, thus changing from a solid to a liquid and maintaining a near-constant temperature during the phase transition. This process helps maintain a stable temperature in the weld zone, reducing the risk of overheating and associated defects. The PCM can resolidify after the welding operation is completed and / or the temperature has decreased.

[0074] In another example that can be used with the foregoing examples, the PCM can be configured to manage heat near cavities 405 and / or 407 to prevent the adhesive (e.g., adhesive 415) from overheating and weakening during use when subjected to high heat or temperature fluctuations. The aforementioned implementation of the PCM (and the management of heat at adhesive 415) may be particularly advantageous in preventing the structural adhesive from softening or undergoing a glass transition at temperatures greater than 100 degrees Celsius when either the joint and / or AM component 401 and / or the second component 403 is located near the exhaust system or turbocharger component in the engine compartment, or at the exhaust system or turbocharger component and / or anywhere else in the vehicle component that may be subjected to high heat and / or temperature fluctuations. It should be noted that the aforementioned PCM material can be used in combination with or as an alternative to the aforementioned AM thermal management features (e.g., lattice structures or other heat sinks) within cavities 405 and / or 407. For example, cavities 405 and / or 407 may omit the lattice structure or other AM-formed heat sink features shown in Figures 4a and 4b, and the cavities may instead be filled with PCM material or the aforementioned materials.

[0075] In another example that can be used with any or a combination of the features described herein, cavities 405 and / or 407 may be configured to allow fluid (e.g., gas or liquid) to pass through or circulate therein during the welding step to cool the joint during welding and prevent localized overheating at the joint. For example, either or both of cavities 405 and / or 407 may have a fluid pump connected thereto, allowing fluid to circulate within the cavity. It should be noted that the aforementioned circulation of fluid within the cavity may be used in combination with or as an alternative to the aforementioned AM thermal management features (e.g., lattice structures or other heat sinks) within cavities 405 and / or 407. For example, cavities 405 and / or 407 may omit the lattice structures or other AM-formed heat sink features shown in Figures 4a and 4b, and the cavity may instead be an open cavity for fluid circulation. In another example that can be used with any of the foregoing examples, once the welding operation is completed, the aforementioned fluid can be discharged from cavities 405 and / or 407, and any or a combination of the aforementioned PCMs can be added to one or more cavities and any openings for providing fluid and / or PCM seals to allow for further thermal management at the joint when AM component 401 and / or second component 403 are used in a vehicle.

[0076] Figures 5a and 5b illustrate further examples of AM components, which include thermal management features for controlling temperature during connection of the AM component to another component and / or for controlling temperature throughout the component's lifespan. Figure 5a illustrates an example of an AM component 501, which may be connected to or configured to be connected to a second component 503. In some examples, the second component 503 may be conventionally manufactured or non-AM manufactured. In other aspects of this disclosure, the second component 503 may be an AM component. The AM component 501 may include a connection area or segment 509 (alternately referred to herein as a weld area) to be permanently connected to the second component 503.

[0077] In some examples, AM component 501 may include a cavity 505 having thermal management features therein. In some examples (e.g., as shown in Figures 5a and 5b), the thermal management features may be a lattice structure within the cavity, formed to increase the surface area in contact with a fluid (e.g., air) within the cavity 505. In additional examples (further described below), the cavity 505 may be filled or partially filled with a liquid or other fluid, and / or may be filled or partially filled with a phase change material that removes heat from the portion of AM component 501 located at the welded region 509. It should be noted that while exemplary lattice structures are shown in Figures 5a and 5b, any structure that increases the surface area within the cavity 505 and / or serves as a heat sink may be implemented without departing from the scope of this disclosure. AM component 501 may further include one or more thermally insulated cavities 506 as thermal management features. Insulating cavities can be used to form thermal barriers to block process heating and / or thermal interruptions, and to reduce the energy load at cavities 505 and / or 507 (described below), and can further prevent heat immersion or localized overheating in areas outside the welding zone during the welding process. In some examples, the insulating cavity may be an air space or other cavity filled with air. In other examples, the insulating cavity may be filled with fluid or allow fluid to circulate therein, and / or may include a phase change material, as described in further detail below.

[0078] The second component 503 may include a cavity 507 having thermal management features therein. In some examples (e.g., as shown in Figures 5a and 5b), the thermal management features may be a lattice structure within the cavity, formed to increase the surface area in contact with a fluid (e.g., air) within the cavity 507. In additional examples (further described below), the cavity 507 may be filled or partially filled with a liquid or other fluid, and / or may be filled or partially filled with a phase change material that removes heat energy from the portion of the second component 503 near the welding region 509. It should be noted that while exemplary lattice structures are shown in Figures 5a and 5b, any structure that increases the surface area within the cavity 507 and / or serves as a heat sink may be implemented without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The second component 503 may further include one or more thermally insulating cavities 506. The insulating cavity can be used to form a thermal barrier to block process heating and reduce the energy load at cavities 507 and / or 505, and can further prevent hot immersion or localized overheating in areas outside the welding zone during the welding process. In some examples, the insulating cavity 506 can be an air space or other cavity filled with air. In other examples, the insulating cavity can be filled with fluid or allow fluid to circulate therein, and / or may include a phase change material, as described in further detail below.

[0079] Figure 5b illustrates an example of the assembly process of AM component 501 and second component 503 according to various aspects of this disclosure. In one example, the joint 511 between AM component 501 and second component 503 may be welded to form a weld 512 that permanently secures AM component 501 or otherwise connects it to second component 503. As described in further detail below, the alignment and welding of the components may be performed manually (e.g., by an assembler or technician) or may be partially or fully automated using a series of robots, as described below regarding... Figure 10 A more detailed description.

[0080] In some examples, AM component 501 and second component 503 can be welded together via any known welding process. In another aspect, which can be used in combination with the aforementioned welding techniques, AM component 501 and second component 503 can be joined via stir welding or friction welding techniques (as described below). Figure 6 (As detailed in Figure 8d). Furthermore, as discussed in more detail below, the joint and / or welding patterns may be linear and / or non-linear, or may include keyed or notched features as described below with respect to Figures 8a-8d.

[0081] The thermal management features in cavities 505 and / or 507 can be configured to remove heat energy from the joint of AM component 501 and / or second component 503 during the welding process or otherwise reduce the temperature at the joint. Reducing localized heat during the welding process can prevent any or a combination of distortion, residual stress, and microstructural anomalies in the heat-affected zone, and / or can improve the microstructure of the material at the weld / joint, as described below. To further improve localized heat at the joint during the welding / joining of AM component 501 and second component 503, stir welding and / or friction welding can be used, as detailed below. Furthermore, the aforementioned insulating cavity 506 can reduce heat load and / or heat immersion outside the weld area 509.

[0082] In one exemplary embodiment, any one or a combination of cavities 405 and / or 407 and / or insulating cavities 506 can be configured to be filled with PCM, which absorbs or releases heat energy during phase transition, thereby providing a method for temperature regulation. Therefore, the heat distribution in the welding zone 509 can be controlled more effectively, thereby improving thermal management during the welding process. Figure 10 As shown in the graph, various materials with different enthalpy ranges can be used to control the heat at or near the joint of AM component 501 and / or second component 503. In one example, any nitrate and hydroxide can be selected as the PCM due to the thermal properties and phase change characteristics of nitrates and hydroxides, and added to any one or both of cavities 505 and / or 507 and / or 506. It should be noted that the aforementioned materials are provided only as examples, and any PCM can be selected based on the maximum desired temperature in the region adjacent to the joint. As mentioned above, if a maximum temperature of 200 to 300 degrees Celsius is required, the selected PCM may include the aforementioned nitrates and hydroxides. The quantity or volume of the PCM can be determined based on the change in enthalpy during the transient phase change.

[0083] In some examples, prior to the start of the welding process, cavities 505 and / or 507 and / or 506, or any combination thereof, are filled with a selected nitrate or hydroxide PCM. This allows the phase change material to reach thermal equilibrium with its surroundings. During welding, as heat is generated, the PCM absorbs excess heat, thus changing from a solid to a liquid and maintaining a near-constant temperature during the phase transition. This process helps maintain a stable temperature in the weld zone, reducing the risk of overheating and associated defects. The PCM may solidify after the welding operation is completed and / or the temperature has decreased. It should be noted that the aforementioned PCM material can be used in combination with or as an alternative to the aforementioned AM thermal management features (e.g., the lattice structure of other heat sinks) within cavities 505 and / or 507 and / or 506. For example, cavities 505 and / or 507 and / or 506 may omit the lattice structure or other AM heat sink features shown in Figures 5a and 5b, and the cavities may alternatively be filled with PCM material or the aforementioned materials.

[0084] In another example that can be used with any or a combination of the features described herein, cavities 505 and / or 507 and / or 506 may be configured to allow fluid (e.g., gas or liquid) to pass through or circulate therein during the welding step to cool the joint during welding and prevent localized overheating at the joint. For example, any one or both of cavities 505 and / or 507 and / or 506 may have a fluid pump connected thereto, allowing fluid to circulate within the cavity. It should be noted that the aforementioned circulation of fluid within the cavity may be used in combination with or as an alternative to the aforementioned AM thermal management features (e.g., lattice structures or other heat sinks) within cavities 505 and / or 507 and / or 506. For example, cavities 505 and / or 507 and / or 506 may omit the lattice structures or other AM-formed heat sink features shown in Figures 5a and 5b, and the cavity may instead be an open cavity for fluid circulation. In another example that can be used with any of the foregoing examples, once the welding operation is completed, the aforementioned fluid can be discharged from any or a combination of cavities 405 and / or 407 and / or 509, and any or a combination of the aforementioned PCMs can be added to one or more cavities and any openings for providing fluid and / or PCM seals to allow for further thermal management at the joint, for example, when AM component 501 and / or second component 503 are used in a vehicle.

[0085] While the welding processes described herein may include any known welding processes, one welding process that offers additional advantages is micro friction stir welding (uFSW). Figure 6An example of the uFSW process is shown, which can be used to join components as described herein (e.g., the aforementioned AM components 401 and 501 and the second components 403 and 503). Typically, when forming large, lightweight structural assemblies, individual components are precisely aligned and joined, but thin-walled aluminum alloy components are prone to distortion due to high assembly forces and thermal distortion loads. Standard high-heat-input welding methods can distort thermally conductive material (e.g., aluminum) structural assemblies. The uFSW process is a locally low-energy joining method that can be used to repeatedly join low-mass / thin-walled components. The uFSW process described herein is a solid-state welding process that joins materials by applying a rotating tool 655 to workpieces (e.g., the first component 601, which can be similar to the aforementioned AM components 401 and 501, and the second component 603, which can be similar to the aforementioned second components 403 and 503). Figure 6 As shown, when axial force 601 is applied to the tool, the tool rotates (e.g., in direction 602). The heat generated by friction between the tool 655 and workpieces 601 and 602, combined with the mechanical stirring action of the tool, causes the material to soften, thereby allowing the material to be forged together. This produces a high-quality weld with minimal defects and significantly improves the quality of welds on thin metal workpieces (e.g., aluminum alloys as described above).

[0086] Figure 7 Exemplary cross-sectional views of the microstructure of a joint / weld using the uFSW process are shown. 712(a) shows an example of welding two materials at a rotational speed of 1150 revolutions per minute (rpm) (e.g., the tool rotates in direction 602). 712(b) shows an example of welding two materials at a rotational speed of 2000 rpm.

[0087] Figures 8a and 8b illustrate exemplary welding paths for joining two or more components according to aspects of this disclosure. In one example, a first component 801 (which may be similar to AM components 401 and 501 described above or 901 described below) may have a toothed joint or other nonlinear joint configured to engage or otherwise mate with a toothed joint or nonlinear joint of a second component 801, which may be similar to second components 403 and 503 described above and / or second component 903 described below. A rotary tool (e.g., 655 described above) may travel along the path (e.g., as shown below in Figure 8c) while rotating. Nonlinear tool paths and nonlinear welding can further enhance the strength of the weld between two or more components and can further prevent deformation or other defects at the weld. Alternative, non-limiting examples of welding paths 812a, 812b, and 812c are further illustrated in Figure 8d.

[0088] Figures 9a and 9b illustrate another example of a component with a specific geometry optimized for joining via welding and / or for thermal management. An exemplary first component 901 may be joined to or configured to be joined to a second component 903. In some examples, either or both of the first component and / or the second component 903 may be conventionally manufactured or non-AM manufactured. In other aspects of this disclosure, either or both of the first component 901 and the second component 903 may be AM components. The first component 901 and / or the second component 903 may include a main joining region or segment 909 for permanently joining the first component 901 to the second component 903. In the example shown in Figure 9a, the first component 901 and the second component 903 may be joined via an adhesive joint 909. The adhesive may be any known adhesive or foaming adhesive. In some exemplary embodiments, the adhesive may be a two-component curable adhesive, such as epoxy, polyurethane or polyurethane foam, expanding or foaming adhesive, or other adhesives or bonding agents. In another example, the adhesive and / or foam can cure when heat is applied, and thus the joined composite structure can be subjected to heating and / or placed in an autoclave or oven to cure the adhesive at the joints. In yet another example, the adhesive can be a UV-curable adhesive or bonding agent configured to solidify or cure upon exposure to UV light. In some examples, either or both of the first component 901 and / or the second component 903 may include one or more window slots or openings (not shown). These openings can be configured to allow UV light to pass through them once the first component 901 and the second component 903 are mounted or otherwise connected to each other and in a desired alignment, to cure the adhesive at the adhesive joint 909.

[0089] To further strengthen the connection between the first component 901 and the second component 903, a compliant joint structure 910 (hereinafter alternatively referred to as a joint structure) may be used. The compliant joint structure may be a rigid, semi-rigid, and / or semi-elastic structure, and may be configured to extend from the first component at the second connection feature 909b of the first component (hereinafter alternatively referred to as the weld area) to the second component at the second connection feature 909a of the second component (hereinafter alternatively referred to as the weld area). In some examples, the compliant joint structure 910 may be manufactured using conventional methods or non-AM manufacturing methods. In another example, the compliant joint structure may be manufactured using AM manufacturing processes. The compliant joint structure 910 may be configured to adhere to or weld to the weld area (e.g., 909a and / or 909b) or the second connection feature of the first component 901 and the second component 903 to improve the strength of the overall structure. In some examples, the compliant joint structure 910 can be permanently attached to the first component 901 and the second component 903 at welded areas 909a and 909b via the uFSW process described above. As further described in detail below, the alignment and welding of the components can be performed manually (e.g., by an assembler or technician) or can be partially or fully automated using a series of robots, as described below regarding... Figure 10 A more detailed description.

[0090] Figure 9b shows a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of an example of a welded area (e.g., welded areas 909a and / or 909b) or a second connecting feature of a first component 901 or a second component 903. As shown in Figure 9b, either or both of the first component 901 and / or the second component 903 can be AM components and can include a cavity 906 in which a thermal management feature is provided and / or used as a thermal insulation cavity. The thermal management feature and / or the thermal insulation cavity may share features with or be similar to any of the thermal insulation cavities and / or thermal management features described with respect to Figures 4a, 4b, 5a and / or 5b. The thermal management feature can be a lattice structure within the cavity, which is formed to increase the surface area in contact with fluids (e.g., air) within the cavity. Furthermore, the lattice structure implemented in the cavity can provide structural support to counteract axial forces (e.g., in the uFSW process) during the process. Figure 6 The force applied in the direction 601.

[0091] In additional examples (further described below), any one or combination of cavities 906 may be filled or partially filled with a liquid or other fluid, and / or may be filled or partially filled with a phase change material that partially removes heat energy from the weld area 909. It should be noted that while an exemplary lattice structure is shown in FIG. 9b, any structure that increases the surface area within the cavity and / or serves as a heat sink may be implemented without departing from the scope of this disclosure. AM component 901 and / or second component 903 may further include one or more insulating cavities. Insulating cavities can be used to form thermal barriers to block process heating and reduce energy load, and can further prevent heat immersion or localized overheating in areas outside the weld area during the welding process. In some examples, the insulating cavity may be an air space or other cavity filled with air. In other examples, the insulating cavity may be filled with a fluid or allow fluid to circulate therein, and / or may include a phase change material, as described in further detail below.

[0092] Each of the compliant joint structure 910 and the welded areas 909a and / or 909b can be welded together via any known welding process. Alternatively, they can be joined via stir welding or friction welding (as described above). Figure 6 (See Figure 8d for details). Furthermore, as discussed above, the joint and / or weld patterns can be linear and / or non-linear, or can include keyed or notched features as described below with respect to Figures 8a-8d.

[0093] The thermal management features in cavity 906 can be configured to remove heat from the joint during the welding process or otherwise reduce or stabilize the temperature at the joint. Reducing localized heat during the welding process can prevent any or a combination of distortion, residual stress, and microstructural anomalies in the heat-affected zone, and / or can improve the microstructure of the material at the weld / joint, as described below. To further improve localized heat at the joint during welding / joining of the compliant joint structure with the first component 901 and / or the second component 903, stir welding and / or friction welding can be used, as detailed above. Furthermore, the aforementioned insulating cavity 906 can reduce heat load and / or heat immersion outside the weld area 909.

[0094] In one exemplary embodiment, any one or combination of cavities 906 can be configured to be filled with PCM, which absorbs or releases heat energy during phase transition, thereby providing a method for temperature regulation. Therefore, the heat distribution in the welding zone 909 can be controlled more effectively, thereby improving thermal management during the welding process. Figure 10As shown in the graph, various materials with different enthalpy ranges can be used to control the heat at or near the joint. In one example, any nitrate or hydroxide can be selected as the PCM due to the thermal properties and phase change characteristics of nitrates and hydroxides, and added to any one or combination of them in cavity 906. It should be noted that the foregoing materials are provided only as examples, and any PCM can be selected based on the maximum expected temperature in the region adjacent to the joint. As stated above, if as Figure 11 If the maximum temperature required, indicated by line 1201, is 200 to 300 degrees Celsius, then the selected PCM may include the aforementioned nitrates and hydroxides. The quantity or volume of the PCM can be determined based on the enthalpy during the transient phase transition.

[0095] In some examples, any one or combination of cavities 906 may be filled with a selected nitrate or hydroxide PCM before the welding process begins. This allows the phase change material to reach thermal equilibrium with its surroundings. During welding, as heat is generated, the PCM absorbs excess heat, thus changing from a solid to a liquid and maintaining a near-constant temperature during the phase transition. This process helps maintain a stable temperature in the weld zone, reducing the risk of overheating and associated defects. The PCM may solidify after the welding operation is completed and / or the temperature has decreased. It should be noted that the aforementioned PCM material may be used in combination with or as an alternative to the aforementioned AM thermal management features (e.g., the lattice structure of other heat sinks) within cavity 906. For example, as mentioned above, any one or combination of cavities 906 may omit the lattice structure or other AM-formed heat sink features shown in Figure 9b, and the cavity may alternatively be filled with PCM material or the aforementioned materials.

[0096] In another example that can be used with any of the features described herein, any of the cavities 906 or combinations thereof can be configured to allow fluid (e.g., gas or liquid) to pass through or circulate therein during the welding step to cool the joint during welding and prevent localized overheating at the joint. For example, any of the cavities 906 or combinations thereof may have a fluid pump connected thereto, allowing fluid to circulate within the cavity. It should be noted that the aforementioned circulation of fluid within the cavity can be used in combination with or as an alternative to the aforementioned AM thermal management features (e.g., lattice structures or other heat sinks) within the cavity. For example, the cavity may omit the lattice structure or other AM-formed heat sink features shown in FIG. 9b, and the cavity may instead be an open cavity for fluid circulation. In another example that can be used with any of the foregoing examples, once the welding operation is complete, the aforementioned fluid can be discharged from any of the cavities 906 or combinations thereof, and any of the aforementioned PCMs or combinations thereof can be added to one or more cavities and any openings for providing fluid and / or PCM sealing to allow for further thermal management at the joint, for example, when the component is used in a vehicle.

[0097] By combining stir welding with optimized AM thermal and structural features, components can be permanently assembled with reduced distortion. Furthermore, the combination of the AM thermal and structural features described herein with uFSW (uFSW) below allows for the automation of processes for forming components, assembling components, and welding or otherwise joining multiple components, as further detailed below.

[0098] The above steps can be partially or fully automated. For example, any one or a combination of the steps of manufacturing or acquiring the component, alignment, welding, adhesion and / or UV curing and / or thermal management can be partially or fully automated.

[0099] An example of the aforementioned automation includes assembly systems and / or methods. Figure 10 A non-limiting example is shown of automating the method of manufacturing the assembled parts described herein using assembly system 1400. In one example, assembly system 1400 may be a fixture assembly system. At least one structure of the disclosed parts may be additively manufactured, for example, as described above with respect to Figure 1a- Figure 3 As described above. In some aspects, at least one of the at least two structures can be a part, component, node, assembly, and / or other additively manufactured structure, which may include two structures that have been previously linked. For example, the structure or part may be at least a portion or segment associated with a vehicle, such as a vehicle chassis, sheet metal, base piece, body, frame, suspension components, braking components, and / or another vehicle component that will be combined with one or more non-AM components.

[0100] Structures to be joined in connection with the assembly of assembled components can be manufactured to have one or more features that facilitate or enable various assembly operations (e.g., joining) without the use of jigs, such as one or more features for preventing or reducing unintended movement and / or deflection of the structure during one or more jigless assembly operations. For example, one or more structures to be joined in connection with jigless assembly of a vehicle can be additively manufactured with one or more features designed to provide stability, strength, and / or rigidity (e.g., as described above with respect to Figures 4a and 4b). Additional examples of such features may include grid, cellular, and / or lattice structures that can be co-printed with the structure (e.g., when the structure is additively manufactured) and can be located inside and / or outside the structure.

[0101] In one example, the assembly system may include multiple robots, at least one of which may be positioned to connect one structure to another without the use of grippers. A first robot may be configured to engage and hold a first structure, to which one or more other structures may be engaged during various operations performed in connection with gripperless assembly of at least a portion of a larger component. For example, the first robot may engage and hold a first structure that is an AM component or includes AM components, which will be engaged with a second structure that is an AM component or a non-AM component, or includes AM components or non-AM components, and the second structure may be engaged and held by a second robot. Various operations performed using the first structure (e.g., connecting the first structure to one or more other structures, which may include two or more previously engaged structures) may be performed at least partially within the assembly unit comprising the multiple robots. Thus, during gripperless operations using the first structure, at least one of the robots may be guided (e.g., controlled) to operate with a level of precision commensurate with gripperless operations.

[0102] This disclosure provides various aspects, at least in part, of guiding one or more robots to perform assembly operations (including pre-assembly and / or post-assembly operations) within an assembly system. It will be understood that the various features described herein can be practiced together. For example, an exemplary embodiment illustrated in one figure of this disclosure may be implemented in another embodiment illustrated in another figure of this disclosure.

[0103] Figure 10A perspective view of an exemplary assembly system 1400 is shown. The assembly system 1400 can be used for various operations associated with the assembly of components, such as the robotic assembly of a vehicle or its components as described above. The assembly system 1400 may include one or more elements associated with the assembly of at least a portion of a vehicle without clamps. For example, one or more elements of the assembly system 1400 may be configured for one or more operations in which, during robotic assembly, a first structure is coupled to one or more other structures without the use of any clamps.

[0104] Assembly system 1400 may include a group of robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, and 1417. Robot 507 may be referred to as a "keystone robot". Assembly system 1400 may include part holders 1420, 1421, and 1422 that hold parts and structures for robot access, which may be, for example, AM parts or non-AM parts as described herein.

[0105] Assembly system 1400 may also include computing system 1429 for issuing commands to various controllers of the robot in assembly unit 1405, as described in more detail below. In this example, computing system 1429 is wirelessly connected to the robot. Assembly system 1400 may also include metering system 1431, which can accurately measure the position of the robot's robotic arm and / or the position of the structure held by the robot. As mentioned above, in some examples, the structure does not need to be connected within any fixture. Instead, at least one of the robots in assembly unit 1405 can provide the functionality intended for the fixture, as described in this disclosure. For example, the robot may be configured to directly contact (e.g., using the end effector of the robotic arm) the structure to be assembled within assembly unit 1405, such that those structures can be engaged and held without any fixture. Furthermore, at least one of the robots can provide the functionality intended for the locator and / or fixture table. For example, cornerstone robot 1407 may replace the locator and / or fixture table in assembly system 1400.

[0106] The cornerstone robot 1407 may include a base and a robotic arm. The robotic arm may be configured for movement, which may be directed by computer-executable instructions loaded into a processor communicatively connected to the cornerstone robot 1407.

[0107] The cornerstone robot 1407 may include an end effector and / or be connected to an end effector configured to engage and hold a structure, such as a first component for assembly. The end effector may be a component configured to dock with at least one structure. Examples of end effectors may include clamps, grippers, pins, or other similar components that facilitate gripperless engagement and retention of the structure by the robot. In some embodiments, the structure may be a segment of a vehicle chassis, body, frame, plate, base member, suspension component, steering knuckle, braking component, etc. For example, the structure may include a suspension component formed using an AM (Advanced Aging) process.

[0108] The cornerstone robot 1407 can maintain a connection with the structure via an end effector, while a set of other structures are connected (directly or indirectly) to the structure. As described above, in some examples, the structure to be held by at least one of the robots (e.g., a first structure) can be additively manufactured with one or more features that facilitate engagement and retention of those structures by at least one of the robots without the use of any grippers.

[0109] While holding the structure, the cornerstone robot 1407 can position (e.g., move) the first structure; that is, the position of the first structure can be controlled by the cornerstone robot 1407 when held by the cornerstone robot. The cornerstone robot 1407 can hold the structure by, for example, using the end effector of the cornerstone robot's robotic arm to grip or grasp the structure. For example, the cornerstone robot 1407 can hold the structure and apply sufficient pressure to it by contacting one or more surfaces of the structure with gripper fingers, clamps, etc., so that the cornerstone robot controls the position of the structure. That is, when held by the cornerstone robot 1407, the structure may be prevented from moving freely in space, and the movement of the structure may be constrained by the cornerstone robot. As described above, the structure may include one or more features that facilitate gripperless engagement and retention of the structure by the cornerstone robot 1407.

[0110] When other structures (including sub-components, substructures of the structure, etc.) are attached to the structure, the cornerstone robot 1407 can maintain engagement with the structure via an end effector. The structure and the assembly of one or more structures attached thereto can be referred to as the structure itself, but may also be called a "component" or "sub-component." Once the cornerstone robot 1407 engages the structure, it can maintain engagement with the component, and once engaged, the structures can be aligned with each other (e.g., in an exemplary embodiment of bonding, or otherwise using adhesives or bonding agents to join the structures).

[0111] The robot 1409 of the assembly system 1400 may be similar to the cornerstone robot 1407 and may therefore include a corresponding end effector configured to engage with a structure that can be connected to a structure held by the cornerstone robot. In some embodiments, the robot 1409 may be referred to as an "assembly robot" and / or a "material handling robot". The robot 1413 of the assembly unit 505 may be used to influence the structural connections between structures. For example, the robot 1415 may be referred to as an "adhesive robot". The adhesive robot 1415 may be similar to the cornerstone robot 1407, except that the adhesive robot may include a tool located at the distal end of a robotic arm configured to apply structural adhesive to at least one surface of the structure held unsecured by the cornerstone robot and at least one surface of the structure held unsecured by the assembly robots 1409 and 1411 before or after the structure is positioned relative to other structures at joining proximities for connection with other structures. The joining proximities may be locations that allow a first structure to join to a second structure. In some examples, the first and second structures can be joined by applying an adhesive, with the structures located close to each other and the adhesive subsequently curing.

[0112] However, structural adhesives may require time to cure. In such cases, the robot holding the first and second structures together might need to maintain them in a near-joint position for a period of time to allow the structures to be joined by the structural adhesive or bonding agent after it has fully cured. In some examples, a fast-curing adhesive can be used initially to temporarily hold the parts together, and then an adhesive or bonding agent (which can have increased strength compared to a fast-curing adhesive) can be applied after the parts are assembled.

[0113] In this regard, robot 1413 of assembly system 1400 can be used to apply and rapidly cure the adhesive. In this example aspect, a rapid-curing UV adhesive can be used, and UV light can be applied by robot 1415, which may be referred to as a "UV robot". UV robot 1415 can be similar to cornerstone robot 1407, except that the UV robot may include a tool located at the distal end of a robotic arm, which can be configured to apply UV light to the adhesive applied by adhesive robot 1413. That is, when the first structure and / or the second structure are within a proximity position of connection obtained through the direction of at least one of the robotic arms of cornerstone robot 1407 and / or assembly robots 1409, 1411, UV robot 1415 can cure the adhesive after it has been applied to the structure. In the above aspects, a second robot (e.g., robot 1413) or the same UV robot (1415) can apply subsequent or final adhesives or bonding agents.

[0114] In some respects, replacing clamps and / or other part-holding tools at least partially with a curable adhesive can provide a more reliable connection at one or more locations on a structural assembly that requires support, particularly where such locations are almost or completely inaccessible to clamps and / or other part-holding tools. Additionally, replacing clamps and / or other part-holding tools at least partially with a curable adhesive can provide the ability to add more structure to the structural assembly before applying (permanent) structural adhesives or bonding agents.

[0115] Robot 1417 can be further used to influence structural connections between structures. For example, robot 1417 may be referred to as a "welding robot." Welding robot 1417 can be similar to cornerstone robot 1407, except that the welding robot may include a tool located at the distal end of a robotic arm, configured to weld and connect at least one surface of the structure held unsecured by the cornerstone robot and at least one surface of the structure held unsecured by assembly robots 1409 and 1411 before or after the structure is positioned relative to other structures at a connection proximity position for connection with other structures. In some examples, welding robot 1417 may be configured for uFSW welding, as described above regarding... Figure 6 -As shown in Figure 8d. The welding proximity position can be a position that allows the first structure to be connected to the second structure.

[0116] According to various aspects of this disclosure, Figure 10One or more of the robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, and 1417 shown may be fixed to the surface of the assembly unit. In other aspects of this disclosure, one or more of the robots may include or be connected to a component configured to move the robot within the assembly unit. For example, a carrier 1419 may be connected to robot 1417.

[0117] Any one or a combination of the aforementioned robots may be further configured to provide the thermal management actions described above (e.g., pumping fluid or gas through thermal management features, installing or filling thermal management features with PCM as described herein) and / or sealing any openings once PCM is applied to the thermal management features of one or more components.

[0118] The assembly system may further include a control system for controlling the operations described herein. In one exemplary control system, each of robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, and 1417 may be connected to a controller (e.g., Figure 10 The controllers 1607, 1609, 1611, 1613, 1615, and 1617 shown are communicatively connected. Each of the controllers 1607, 1609, 1611, 1613, 1615, and 1617 may include, for example, a memory and a processor communicatively connected to that memory (e.g., as described below regarding...). Figure 12 (as shown in Figure 15). One or more of controllers 1607, 1609, 1611, 1613, 1615, and 1617 may be implemented as a single controller, which is communicatively connected to one or more of the robots controlled by the single controller.

[0119] Computer-readable instructions for performing fixtureless assembly can be stored in the memory of controllers 1607, 1609, 1611, 1613, 1615, and 1617, and the processor of the controllers can execute the instructions to cause robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, and 1417 to perform the various operations described herein.

[0120] Controllers 1607, 1609, 1611, 1613, 1615, and 1617 can be communicatively connected to one or more components of associated robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, or 1417, for example, via wired (e.g., bus, or other interconnection) and / or wireless (e.g., wireless LAN, wireless intranet) connections. For example, each controller can issue commands, requests, etc., to one or more components of the associated robots to perform various gripperless operations. Controllers 1607, 1609, 1611, 1613, 1615, and 1617 can issue commands, etc., to the robotic arms of associated robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, or 1417, and can guide the robotic arms, for example, based on a set of absolute coordinates relative to a global unit reference frame of assembly unit 1405. In various embodiments, controllers 1607, 1609, 1611, 1613, 1615, and 1617 can issue commands, etc., to tools attached to the distal end of the robotic arm. For example, the controllers can control the operation of the tool, including any one or a combination of the operations described herein. Controllers 1607, 1609, 1611, 1613, 1615, and 1617 can issue commands, etc., to end effectors located at the distal end of the robotic arm. For example, the controllers can control the operation of the end effector, including engaging, retaining, and / or manipulating the structures described herein, such as to assemble and / or align components relative to each other.

[0121] According to various other aspects, similar computing systems (such as computing system 1429) also have processors and memory (which may include the following regarding...). Figure 12 The features shown in Figure 15 can be communicatively connected to one or more of controllers 1607, 1609, 1611, 1613, 1615, and 1617. In various aspects of this disclosure, the computing system can be communicatively connected to the controllers via wired and / or wireless connections (e.g., local area network, intranet, wide area network, etc.). In some examples, the computing system can be implemented within one or more of controllers 1607, 1609, 1611, 1613, 1615, and 1617. In some other examples, the computing system can be located outside of assembly unit 1405.

[0122] The processor of the computing system can execute instructions loaded from memory, and the execution of instructions can enable the computing system to issue commands to controllers 1607, 1609, 1611, 1613, 1615, and 1617, such as by transmitting messages including commands to one of the controllers through a network connection or other communication link.

[0123] In some examples, one or more of the commands may indicate a set of coordinates and may indicate an action to be performed by one of the robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, 1417 associated with one of the controllers receiving the command. Examples of actions that can be indicated by the command include guiding the movement of the robotic arm, manipulating tools, engaging a structure via an end effector, rotating and / or translating the structure, and so on. For example, a command issued by a computing system may cause the controller 1611 of assembly robot 1411 to guide the robotic arm of assembly robot 1411 such that the distal end of the robotic arm can be positioned based on a set of coordinates indicated by the command.

[0124] Instructions loaded from memory and executed by the processor of the computing system (which instruct the controller to control the robot's movements) can be based on computer-aided design (CAD) data. One or more CAD models can represent the positions corresponding to the various components within assembly unit 1405. Specifically, the CAD model can represent the positions corresponding to one or more of robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, and 1417. Furthermore, the CAD model can represent the positions corresponding to structures and structural repositories (e.g., storage elements within assembly system 1400, such as part holders, where the structure may be located before engagement by the assembly robot). The CAD model can represent the set of coordinates corresponding to the respective initial or base position of each of robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, and 1417.

[0125] For this type of CAD modeling, a reference system can be defined for the coordinate system. The coordinate system can include absolute coordinates, relative coordinates, or a combination thereof. For a set of absolute coordinates, the coordinate system can be a global coordinate system or a global element reference system, and the coordinate system can include assembly elements and regions corresponding to the assembly system 1400 (e.g., may be defined by the assembly elements or regions).

[0126] The coordinate system can be established based on one or more ground references, such as one or more laser prisms, each of which can be measured within the assembly unit, such that, in general, the reference system is defined by a plurality of reference points corresponding to the number of laser prisms. Therefore, the CAD model corresponding to the assembly area can be an as-built CAD model, which can represent the assembly area more accurately than the nominal CAD model. Absolute coordinates based on CAD modeling can provide an acceptable level of accuracy for fixtureless assembly of parts. In one example, guiding robots 507, 509, 511, 1413, 1415, and 1417 based on absolute coordinates established through CAD modeling can follow various industry and / or safety standards to be adhered to when assembling vehicles.

[0127] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, relative coordinates can be used in the assembly system 1400, for example, as an alternative to or supplement to the absolute coordinate system. In particular, relative coordinates can be used in parts of a fixtureless coupling process, where a second structure can be coupled to a first structure and / or to another structure. For example, a controller associated with the assembly robot can guide the robot's arm to the coupling position based on a set of absolute coordinates defined relative to a global unit reference frame. After the assembly robot reaches the coupling position based on said set of absolute coordinates, the position of the robot arm can be measured (e.g., by the assembly robot's controller, by the cornerstone robot's controller, by another controller and / or the processing system, etc.), and the measured position of the assembly robot can be provided to the cornerstone robot's controller. The cornerstone robot's controller can position the cornerstone robot's arm based on the measured position of the assembly robot's arm. Thus, for example, the cornerstone robot's arm can be positioned relative to the assembly robot's arm, rather than correcting the respective positions of each of the cornerstone robot and the assembly robot according to a global unit reference frame, while the controller can maintain agnosticity to the position of either the cornerstone robot or the assembly robot.

[0128] Furthermore, the CAD model can represent one or more operations to be performed as at least one component or sub-component of a constructed part. In other words, the CAD model can simulate the assembly procedure of the assembly system 500, and therefore can simulate each of the motions and / or actions performed by one or more of the robots. The CAD simulation can be converted into a set of discrete operations (e.g., discrete operations may include orientations for an associated set of coordinates), which can be physically performed by one or more of the robots.

[0129] Each of robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, and 1417 may include features common to all robots or some robots. Each robotic arm of robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, and 1417 may include a distal end portion disposed opposite to the proximal end portion of the robotic arm, having an end effector and / or tool, such as an adhesive application tool, a curing tool, etc. The end effector or tool may be located at the distal end portion of the robotic arm. In some embodiments, the distal end portion of the robotic arm may be connected to the end effector or tool (or tool flange) via at least one rotational mechanism and / or translational mechanism, which may provide at least one degree of freedom in the movement of the tool and / or the movement of the structure engaged and held by the tool of the robotic arm.

[0130] According to some embodiments, the tool flange and / or tool may provide one or more additional degrees of freedom (DoF) for rotation and / or translation of the structure engaged and held by the tool. Such additional degrees of freedom may complement one or more degrees of freedom provided by one or more mechanisms that connect the base to the proximal end of the robotic arm and / or connect the distal end of the robotic arm to the tool (or tool flange). Illustratively, the robotic arm of at least one of robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, 1417 may include at least one joint configured for rotation and / or translation at the distal and / or proximal ends, such as a hinge joint, ball joint, and / or other similar joint.

[0131] One or more of the corresponding connectors of robots 1407, 1409, 1411, 1413, 1415, and 1417 (e.g., one or more rotational and / or translational mechanisms connecting various components of one of the robots), the corresponding tool flanges, and / or the corresponding tools can provide at least some (and possibly all) of the six degrees of freedom for the structure engaged and held by the robots. The six degrees of freedom can include forward / backward (e.g., swaying), upward / downward (e.g., heaving), and left / right (e.g., swaying) for translation in space, and may further include yaw, pitch, and roll for rotation in space. It should be noted that the foregoing operations are provided by way of example only. While some specific examples are given, those skilled in the art will understand that other possibilities exist for automatic, semi-automatic, or manual control of the disclosed systems and apparatuses.

[0132] As described above, some or all of the various features and methods described herein may require one or more microcontrollers to control any or all of the operations described herein (e.g., operations of AM systems, non-AM systems, and / or assembly systems). Examples of such controllers 1000 include various components in… Figure 12 The diagram is shown in the form of a representative block diagram. Figure 12 In this microcontroller, controller 1000 includes a CPU 1002, a clock 1004, RAM 1008, ROM 1010, a timer 1012, a bus controller 1014, an interface 1016, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 1018 interconnected via bus 1006. CPU 1002 may be implemented as one or more single-core or multi-core processors and receives signals from interrupt controller 1020 and clock 1004. Clock 1004 may set the operating frequency of the entire microcontroller 1000 and may include one or more crystal oscillators with predetermined frequencies. Alternatively, clock 1004 may receive an external clock signal. Interrupt controller 1020 may also send an interrupt signal to the CPU to suspend CPU operation. Interrupt controller 1020 may transmit an interrupt signal to the CPU when an event requires an immediate CPU response.

[0133] RAM 1008 may include one or more static random access memories (SRAM), dynamic random access memories (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memories (DRAM), double data rate random access memories (DDR SDRAM), or other suitable volatile memories. Read-only memory (ROM) 1010 may include one or more programmable read-only memories (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROM), flash memory, or other types of non-volatile memories.

[0134] Timer 1012 can record time and / or calculate the amount of time between events occurring within controller 1000, count the number of events, and / or generate a baud rate for communication transmission. Bus controller 1014 can prioritize bus usage within controller 1000. ADC 1018 can allow controller 1000 to send pulses to transmit signals to other devices.

[0135] Interface 1016 may include input / output devices that allow controller 1000 to exchange information with other devices. In some embodiments, interface 1016 may include one or more of a parallel port, a serial port, or other computer interfaces.

[0136] Furthermore, aspects of this disclosure can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof, and can be implemented in one or more computer systems or other processing systems. In one aspect of this disclosure, features focus on one or more computer systems capable of performing the functions described herein. Examples of such computer systems 2000 are... Figure 14 As shown in the image.

[0137] Computer system 2000 may include one or more processors, such as processor 2004. Processor 2004 may be connected to communication infrastructure 2006 (e.g., a communication bus, cross-over bar, or network). Various software aspects are described according to this exemplary computer system. After reading this specification, it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to implement various aspects of this disclosure using other computer systems and / or architectures.

[0138] Computer system 2000 may include a display interface 2002 that forwards graphics, text, and other data from communication infrastructure 2006 (or from a frame buffer, not shown) for display on display unit 2030. Computer system 2000 also includes main memory 2008 (preferably random access memory (RAM)) and may also include secondary memory 2010. Secondary memory 2010 may include, for example, a hard disk drive 2012 and / or a removable storage drive 2014, representing a floppy disk drive, magnetic tape drive, optical disc drive, Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive, etc. Removable storage drive 2014 reads from and / or writes to removable storage unit 2018 in a well-known manner. Removable storage unit 2018 represents a floppy disk, magnetic tape, optical disc, USB flash drive, etc., which is read from and written to by removable storage drive 2014. As will be understood, removable storage unit 2018 includes computer-usable storage media in which computer software and / or data are stored.

[0139] Alternative aspects of this disclosure may include auxiliary storage 2010 and may include other similar means for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into computer system 2000. Such means may include, for example, removable storage unit 2022 and interface 2020. Examples of such means may include program boxes and box interfaces (such as those found in video game devices), removable memory chips (such as erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) or programmable read-only memory (PROM)) and associated slots, and other removable storage units 2022 and interfaces 2020 that allow software and data to be transferred from removable storage unit 2022 to computer system 2000.

[0140] Computer system 2000 may also include a communication interface 2024. Communication interface 2024 allows software and data to be transferred between computer system 2000 and external devices. Examples of communication interface 2024 may include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communication port, a PCMCIA slot and card, etc. Software and data transferred via communication interface 2024 are in the form of signals 2028, which may be electronic signals, electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or other signals that can be received by communication interface 2024. These signals 2028 are provided to communication interface 2024 via a communication path (e.g., a channel) 2026. This path 2026 carries signals 2028 and may be implemented using wires or cables, fiber optic cables, telephone lines, cellular links, RF links, and / or other communication channels. In this document, the terms "computer program media" and "computer-usable media" are generally used to refer to media such as removable storage drive 2018, hard disks installed in hard disk drive 2012, and signals 2028. These computer program products provide software for the computer system 2000. Various aspects of this disclosure relate to such computer program products.

[0141] The computer program (also referred to as computer control logic) is stored in main memory 2008 and / or auxiliary memory 2010. The computer program can also be received via communication interface 2024. When implemented, this computer program enables the computer system 2000 to perform features according to various aspects of this disclosure, as discussed herein. In particular, when implemented, the computer program enables the processor 2004 to perform features according to various aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, this list of computer programs represents the controller of the computer system 2000.

[0142] In one aspect of this disclosure, the method is implemented using software that may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into a computer system 2000 using a removable storage drive 2014, a hard disk drive 2012, or a communication interface 2020. The control logic (software), when implemented by a processor 2004, causes the processor 2004 to perform the functions described herein. In some examples, the computer system 2000 may include one or more AM controllers 1904 (e.g., for controlling the functions described above with respect to Figure 1a-). Figure 3 (Any one or combination of the AM system described herein) and / or welding controller 1905 (for controlling any one or combination of the steps described herein). In another aspect of this disclosure, the system is implemented in hardware primarily using, for example, hardware components such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Implementing a hardware state machine to perform the functions described herein will be clear to those skilled in the art.

[0143] Figure 14This is a block diagram of various exemplary communication system components available according to one aspect of this disclosure. Communication system 2100 includes one or more accessors 2160, 2162 (which may include, for example, any of the foregoing systems and features) and one or more terminals 2142, 2166. In one aspect, data used according to aspects of this disclosure is input and / or accessed, for example, by accessors 2160, 2162 via terminals 2142, 2166, such as a personal computer (PC), minicomputer, mainframe computer, microcomputer, telephone device, or wireless device (e.g., a personal digital assistant (“PDA”)) or a handheld wireless device connected to server 2143, such as a PC, minicomputer, mainframe computer, microcomputer, or other device having a processor and a data repository and / or connected to the data repository via, for example, a network 2144 (e.g., the Internet or an intranet) and connectors 2145, 2146, 2164. Connectors 2145, 2146, and 2164 include, for example, wired links, wireless links, or fiber optic links. In another exemplary variant, methods and systems according to various aspects of this disclosure operate in an independent environment, such as on a single terminal.

[0144] The various aspects of this disclosure are further described in the following terms:

[0145] Clause 1. An additively manufactured component configured to be welded to a second component, the additively manufactured component comprising: a connecting portion configured to be welded to the second component; and a thermal management feature for removing heat from the connecting portion when the connecting portion is welded to the second component.

[0146] Clause 2. The additive manufacturing component according to Clause 1, wherein the thermal management feature includes channels having a lattice structure therein.

[0147] Clause 3. The additive manufacturing component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the channel includes an inlet feature and an outlet feature in fluid communication with the channel, wherein when the connecting portion is welded to the second component, fluid is supplied via the inlet feature and removed via the outlet feature.

[0148] Clause 4. The additive manufacturing component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the channel includes an opening for filling the channel with a phase change material that removes heat energy from the connection portion when the phase change material undergoes a phase change.

[0149] Clause 5. The additively manufactured component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the phase change material comprises a nitrate or a hydroxide.

[0150] Clause 6. The additively manufactured component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein during the welding of the connecting portion to the second component, the phase change material undergoes a phase change and removes heat from the connecting portion.

[0151] Clause 7. The additively manufactured component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the connecting portion includes one or more openings adjacent to the connecting portion for placing adhesive or for welding through therethrough to connect the additively manufactured component to the second component.

[0152] Clause 8. The additively manufactured component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the connecting portion includes a welding area addition feature corresponding to a second component welding area addition feature of the second component.

[0153] Clause 9. The additively manufactured part according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the added features in the welded area are non-linear patterns.

[0154] Clause 10. The additively manufactured component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the connecting portion is welded to the second component via a friction-stir welding process.

[0155] Clause 11. The additive manufacturing component according to any one of the preceding clauses further includes a thermal barrier feature, wherein the thermal barrier feature includes a cavity in the additive manufacturing component.

[0156] Clause 12. A structural vehicle component, comprising: a first additively manufactured component having a first component first connecting feature and a first component second connecting feature; a second additively manufactured component having a second component first connecting feature and a second component second connecting feature connected to the first component first connecting feature via an adhesive; and a joint structure extending from the first component second connecting feature to the second component second connecting feature, wherein a first end of the joint structure is welded to the first component second connecting feature, and a second end of the joint structure is welded to the second component second connecting feature.

[0157] Clause 13. The structural vehicle component according to Clause 12, wherein a first end of the joint structure is friction-stir welded to a second connecting feature of the first component, and a second end of the joint structure is friction-stir welded to a second connecting feature of the second component.

[0158] Clause 14. The structural vehicle component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein at least the joint structure or the second connection feature of the first component includes a thermal management feature for removing heat generated during welding of the second connection feature of the first component and the joint structure.

[0159] Clause 15. The structural vehicle component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the thermal management feature includes a cavity or channel having a lattice structure therein.

[0160] Clause 16. The structural vehicle component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the cavity or channel includes an inlet feature and an outlet feature in fluid communication with the channel or cavity, wherein fluid is supplied via the inlet feature and removed via the outlet feature when the second connecting feature of the first component is welded to the joint structure.

[0161] Clause 17. The structural vehicle component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the cavity or channel includes an opening for filling the cavity or channel with a phase change material.

[0162] Clause 18. The structural vehicle component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the phase change material comprises a nitrate or a hydroxide.

[0163] Clause 19. The structural vehicle component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the phase change material undergoes a phase change and removes the heat generated during welding of the first component's second connecting feature and the joint structure.

[0164] Clause 20. The structural vehicle component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the first end of the joint structure is welded to the second connecting feature of the first component via a friction-stir welding process.

[0165] Clause 21. The structural vehicle component according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein at least the joint structure or the second connection feature of the first component includes a heat-barrier cavity.

[0166] Article 22. A method for joining an additively manufactured component to a second component, the method comprising: joining an additively manufactured component joining portion of the additively manufactured component to a second component joining portion of the second component via welding, while removing heat generated by the welding via a thermal management feature of the additively manufactured component.

[0167] Clause 23. The method according to Clause 22, wherein the heat generated by the welding is removed by supplying fluid or material to the channels or cavities of the thermal management feature.

[0168] Clause 24. The method according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the fluid channel or cavity includes an inlet feature and an outlet feature in fluid communication with the channel, wherein when the additive manufacturing component is welded to the second component, fluid is supplied via the inlet feature and removed via the outlet feature.

[0169] Clause 25. The method according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the channel includes an opening for filling the channel or cavity with a phase change material that removes heat energy when the phase change material undergoes a phase change.

[0170] Clause 26. The method according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the phase change material comprises a nitrate or a hydroxide.

[0171] Clause 27. The method according to any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the additive manufacturing component connection portion includes one or more openings for placing adhesive or for passing through therethrough for welding.

[0172] This disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to the exemplary embodiments presented throughout this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the concepts disclosed herein can be applied to other technologies for printing nodes and interconnects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the exemplary embodiments presented throughout this disclosure, but are given the full scope consistent with the language of the claims. All structural and functional equivalents of the elements of the exemplary embodiments described throughout this disclosure (which are known or will be known hereafter by those of ordinary skill in the art) are intended to be covered by the claims. Furthermore, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be offered to the public, whether or not such disclosure is expressly stated in the claims. Unless a claim element is expressly stated using the phrase “means for…”, or, in the case of a method claim, using the phrase “steps for…”, no claim element should be construed in accordance with 35 USC §112(f) or similar laws within the applicable jurisdiction.

Claims

1. An additively manufactured component configured to be welded to a second component, the additively manufactured component comprising: The connecting portion is configured to be welded to the second component; and A thermal management feature for removing heat from the connection portion when the connection portion is welded to the second component.

2. The additively manufactured component according to claim 1, wherein, The thermal management feature includes channels having a lattice structure therein.

3. The additively manufactured component according to claim 2, wherein, The channel includes an inlet feature and an outlet feature in fluid communication with the channel, wherein when the connecting portion is welded to the second component, fluid is supplied via the inlet feature and removed via the outlet feature.

4. The additively manufactured component according to claim 2, wherein, The channel includes an opening for filling the channel with a phase change material that removes heat energy from the connection portion as the phase change material undergoes a phase change.

5. The additively manufactured component according to claim 4, wherein, The phase change material contains nitrates or hydroxides.

6. The additively manufactured component according to claim 4, wherein, During the welding of the connecting portion to the second component, the phase change material undergoes a phase change and removes heat from the connecting portion.

7. The additively manufactured component according to claim 1, wherein, The connecting portion includes one or more openings near the connecting portion for placing adhesive or for welding through to connect the additively manufactured component to the second component.

8. The additively manufactured component according to claim 1, wherein, The connecting portion includes a welding area enhancement feature, which corresponds to the welding area enhancement feature of the second component of the second component.

9. The additively manufactured part according to claim 8, wherein, The added feature in the welding area is a non-linear pattern.

10. The additively manufactured part according to claim 1, wherein, The connecting portion is welded to the second component via a friction-stir welding process.

11. The additively manufactured component according to claim 1, further comprising a thermal barrier feature, wherein, The thermal barrier feature includes a cavity in the additively manufactured component.

12. A structural vehicle component, comprising: A first additively manufactured component has a first connecting feature and a second connecting feature. The second additively manufactured component has a second component first connection feature connected to the first component first connection feature via an adhesive; The second connecting feature of the second component; as well as A connector structure that extends from the second connecting feature of the first component to the second connecting feature of the second component, wherein a first end of the connector structure is welded to the second connecting feature of the first component, and a second end of the connector structure is welded to the second connecting feature of the second component.

13. The structural vehicle component according to claim 12, wherein, The first end of the joint structure is friction-stir welded to the second connecting feature of the first component, and the second end of the joint structure is friction-stir welded to the second connecting feature of the second component.

14. The structural vehicle component according to claim 12, wherein, At least the joint structure or the second connection feature of the first component includes a thermal management feature for removing heat generated during welding of the second connection feature of the first component and the joint structure.

15. The structural vehicle component according to claim 14, wherein, The thermal management feature includes cavities or channels having a lattice structure therein.

16. The structural vehicle component according to claim 15, wherein, The cavity or channel includes an inlet feature and an outlet feature in fluid communication with the channel or cavity, wherein when the first component second connecting feature is welded to the joint structure, fluid is supplied via the inlet feature and removed via the outlet feature.

17. The structural vehicle component according to claim 15, wherein, The cavity or channel includes an opening for filling the cavity or channel with a phase change material.

18. The structural vehicle component according to claim 17, wherein, The phase change material contains nitrates or hydroxides.

19. The structural vehicle component according to claim 18, wherein, The phase change material undergoes a phase change and removes the heat generated during the welding of the first component, the second connecting feature, and the joint structure.

20. The structural vehicle component according to claim 19, wherein, The first end of the joint structure is welded to the second connecting feature of the first component via a friction-stir welding process.

21. The structural vehicle component according to claim 12, wherein, At least the joint structure or the second connection feature of the first component includes a heat-barrier cavity.

22. A method for attaching an additively manufactured part to a second part, the method comprising: The additive manufacturing component connection portion of the additive manufacturing component is connected to the second component connection portion of the second component via welding, while the heat generated by the welding is removed via the thermal management feature of the additive manufacturing component.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein, The heat generated by the welding is removed by supplying fluid or material to the channels or cavities of the thermal management feature.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein, The fluid channel or cavity includes an inlet feature and an outlet feature in fluid communication with the channel, wherein when the additive manufacturing component is welded to the second component, fluid is supplied via the inlet feature and removed via the outlet feature.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein, The channel includes an opening for filling the channel or cavity with a phase change material that removes heat energy as the phase change material undergoes a phase change.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein, The phase change material contains nitrates or hydroxides.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein, The additive manufacturing component connection portion includes one or more openings for placing adhesive or for passing through to perform welding.

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