Method for manufacturing part by fused deposition modeling, and aviation part

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a part by fused deposition modeling, and an aviation part. The method comprises: by means of a fused deposition modeling process, using a non-metallic material for 3D printing to obtain a printed part, wherein in the fused deposition modeling process, each printed layer is formed with at least three outer contours, a layer height used in the fused deposition modeling process is 110% to 115% of a layer height used in a conventional process, and a line width used in the fused deposition modeling process is 130% to 150% of a line width used in the conventional process; and performing post-processing on the printed part to obtain a part. By means of the technical solution, the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: the mechanical properties of a manufactured part are improved, reaching or even exceeding the mechanical properties of an injection-molded part of a same material; and the surface quality of the part is improved, and the surface quality requirements of a civil aircraft for interior parts can be met.

Description

Methods for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling and aerospace parts Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aerospace parts manufacturing technology, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling and aerospace parts. Background Technology

[0002] In civil aviation, non-metallic materials are widely used in the interiors of cockpits, passenger cabins, and cargo holds, as well as in various systems. With technological advancements and industry maturity, non-metallic additive manufacturing technology has gained favor in the aerospace industry, enabling the production of lightweight structural components and functional parts with integrated multi-part designs for civil aircraft. Due to its advantages of short cycle times, low cost, and no need for mold making, it can play a significant role in all design stages of civil aviation, facilitating rapid design iteration of parts.

[0003] Fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology is the most widely used and has the most complete material system among non-metallic additive manufacturing technologies in civil aviation. However, parts manufactured using traditional FDM technology have limited mechanical properties and often cannot reach the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts; parts manufactured using traditional FDM technology also have layered textures on their surfaces and relatively rough surface quality, which cannot fully meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft interior parts. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One objective of this invention is to provide a method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling and aerospace parts, which can overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, improve the mechanical properties of the manufactured parts, reach or even exceed the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts of the same material, improve the surface quality of the parts, and meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0005] The above-mentioned objective of the present invention is achieved by a method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling, the method comprising:

[0006] Non-metallic materials are 3D printed using fused deposition modeling (FDM) to obtain printed parts. The FDM process employs at least three outer contours per printing layer, the layer height of the FDM process is 110% to 115% of the layer height used in conventional processes, and the linewidth of the FDM process is 130% to 150% of the linewidth used in conventional processes.

[0007] The printed part is post-processed to obtain the final part.

[0008] According to the above technical solution, the method of manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: the mechanical properties of the manufactured parts are improved, reaching or even exceeding the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts of the same material, and the surface quality of the parts is improved, which can meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0009] Preferably, the non-metallic material is ULTEM9085, the layer height used in the fused deposition modeling process is 0.279–0.292 mm, and the linewidth used in the fused deposition modeling process is 0.65–0.75 mm.

[0010] According to the above technical solution, the method of manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: for ULTEM9085 material, the mechanical properties of the manufactured parts are improved, reaching or even exceeding the mechanical properties of injection molded parts of the same material, and the surface quality of the parts is improved, which can meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0011] Preferably, the non-metallic material is polycarbonate, the layer height used in the fused deposition modeling process is 0.22-0.23 mm, and the linewidth used in the fused deposition modeling process is 0.52-0.60 mm.

[0012] According to the above technical solution, the method of manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: for polycarbonate materials, the mechanical properties of the manufactured parts are improved, reaching or even exceeding the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts of the same material, and the surface quality of the parts is improved, which can meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0013] Preferably, the post-processing includes sandblasting the printed parts.

[0014] According to the above technical solution, the method of manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: through sandblasting, the surface of the parts is smoother and cleaner, without the surface texture of traditional FDM parts, and the surface quality of the parts is improved, which can meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0015] Preferably, the sandblasting treatment uses white corundum.

[0016] According to the above technical solution, the method of manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: by using a suitable spray material (white corundum), the surface of the parts is smoother and cleaner, without the surface texture of traditional FDM parts, the surface quality of the parts is improved, and it can better meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0017] Preferably, the white corundum is 80-150 mesh.

[0018] According to the above technical solution, the method of manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: by using white corundum with an appropriate mesh size (80-150 mesh), the surface of the parts is smoother and cleaner, without the surface texture of traditional FDM parts, and the surface quality of the parts is improved, which can better meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0019] Preferably, the post-processing further includes: after sandblasting the printed part, spraying the printed part with a primer with a viscosity of 1200 cps or higher.

[0020] According to the above technical solution, the method of manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: by spraying a thick primer, the surface of the parts is smoother and cleaner, without the surface texture of traditional FDM parts, the surface quality of the parts is improved, and it can better meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0021] Preferably, the post-processing further includes applying putty to the printed part between the sandblasting step and the primer application step.

[0022] According to the above technical solution, the method of manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: it can effectively fill the uneven parts on the surface of the parts, improve the adhesion of the primer, make the surface of the parts smoother and cleaner, without the surface texture of traditional FDM parts, improve the surface quality of the parts, and better meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0023] The above-mentioned objectives of the present invention are also achieved by an aerospace part manufactured by a method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling as described in any of the foregoing aspects.

[0024] According to the above technical solution, the aviation parts of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: the mechanical properties of the manufactured parts are improved, reaching or even exceeding the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts of the same material, and the surface quality of the parts is improved, which can meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-layer outer contour of a method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the post-processing steps of a method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The following describes specific embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that, in order to provide a concise description, this specification cannot exhaustively describe all features of the actual embodiments. It should be understood that, in the actual implementation of any embodiment, just as in any engineering or design project, various specific decisions are often made to achieve the developer's specific goals and to meet system-related or business-related constraints, and this can change from one embodiment to another. Furthermore, it is understood that although the efforts made in this development process may be complex and lengthy, for those skilled in the art related to the content disclosed in this invention, some design, manufacturing, or production modifications based on the technical content disclosed herein are merely conventional technical means and should not be construed as insufficient content of this disclosure.

[0028] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the claims and description shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in the patent application description and claims of this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. The terms "an" or "a" and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including" and similar terms mean that the element or object preceding "comprising" or "including" encompasses the element or object listed following "comprising" or "including" and its equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. The terms "connected" or "linked" and similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, nor are they limited to direct or indirect connections.

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-layer outer contour of a method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the post-processing steps of a method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling includes:

[0031] Non-metallic materials are 3D printed using fused deposition modeling (FDM) to obtain printed parts. The FDM process employs at least three outer contours per printing layer, the layer height of the FDM process is 110% to 115% of the layer height used in conventional processes, and the linewidth of the FDM process is 130% to 150% of the linewidth used in conventional processes.

[0032] Post-processing is performed on the printed parts to obtain the finished product.

[0033] It should be noted that the term "conventional process" used in this document refers to the conventional fused deposition modeling (FDM) process, which was commonly used prior to this application. The process parameters (e.g., layer height, linewidth, etc.) may vary depending on the non-metallic materials used in the FDM process.

[0034] According to the above technical solution, the method of manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: the mechanical properties of the manufactured parts are improved, reaching or even exceeding the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts of the same material, and the surface quality of the parts is improved, which can meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0035] Specifically, conventional fused deposition modeling (FDM) typically uses a single outer contour layer, while the FDM process of this invention uses at least three outer contour layers per printing layer (also known as multiple contours). The layer height (also known as large layer height) used in the FDM process of this invention is 110% to 115% of the layer height used in conventional processes, and the linewidth (also known as large linewidth) used in the FDM process of this invention is 130% to 150% of the linewidth used in conventional processes. By combining and improving these three process parameters—multiple contours, large layer height, and large linewidth—the mechanical properties of the manufactured parts are improved, reaching or even exceeding the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts made of the same material. Furthermore, this invention provides effective post-processing for the printed parts from FDM, improving the surface quality of the parts and meeting the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft interior parts.

[0036] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the non-metallic material used in fused deposition modeling is ULTEM9085 (a polyetherimide material manufactured by SABIC, ULTEM being a trademark). The layer height used in conventional processes is 0.254 mm, and the linewidth used in conventional processes is 0.50 mm. The layer height used in the fused deposition modeling process of the present invention is 0.279–0.292 mm, and the linewidth used in the fused deposition modeling process of the present invention is 0.65–0.75 mm. Furthermore, as mentioned above, conventional processes (conventional fused deposition modeling processes) typically use one outer contour layer, while the fused deposition modeling process of the present invention uses at least three outer contour layers per printed layer.

[0037] According to the above technical solution, the fused deposition modeling method for manufacturing parts of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: For ULTEM9085 material, the mechanical properties of the manufactured parts are improved, reaching or even exceeding the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts made of the same material; the surface quality of the parts is improved, meeting the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts. Specifically, for ULTEM9085 material, the highest tensile strength of the XZ-direction test specimen of parts manufactured by the traditional fused deposition modeling process is 65 MPa, while the highest tensile strength of the XZ-direction test specimen of parts manufactured by the fused deposition modeling process of the present invention is 80 MPa. The mechanical properties of the manufactured parts are improved, reaching or even exceeding the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts made of the same material; furthermore, the surface quality of the parts is improved, meeting the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0038] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the non-metallic material used in fused deposition modeling is polycarbonate. The layer height and linewidth used in conventional processes are 0.20 mm and 0.40 mm, respectively. In the fused deposition modeling process of this invention, the layer height is 0.22–0.23 mm and the linewidth is 0.52–0.60 mm. Furthermore, as mentioned above, conventional processes (conventional fused deposition modeling processes) typically use one outer contour layer, while the fused deposition modeling process of this invention uses at least three outer contour layers per printed layer.

[0039] According to the above technical solution, the method of manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: for polycarbonate materials, the mechanical properties of the manufactured parts are improved, reaching or even exceeding the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts of the same material, and the surface quality of the parts is improved, which can meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0040] Of course, ULTEM9085 and polycarbonate are merely examples of non-metallic materials used in the fused deposition modeling process of the method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can understand, based on the disclosure of this application, that other suitable non-metallic materials (e.g., nylon, etc.) may also be used without departing from the protection scope of the claims of this application.

[0041] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, post-processing includes sandblasting the printed parts. According to the above technical solution, the fused deposition modeling method for manufacturing parts of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: through sandblasting, the surface of the parts is smoother and cleaner, without the surface texture of traditional FDM parts, thus improving the surface quality of the parts and meeting the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0042] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, white fused alumina is used for sandblasting. According to the above technical solution, the fused deposition modeling method for manufacturing parts of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: by using a suitable blasting material (white fused alumina), the surface of the parts is smoother and cleaner, without the surface texture of traditional FDM parts, thus improving the surface quality of the parts and better meeting the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft interior parts.

[0043] In some embodiments, the white fused alumina is 80-150 mesh. According to the above technical solution, the method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: by using white fused alumina of a suitable mesh size (80-150 mesh), the surface of the parts is smoother and cleaner, without the surface texture of traditional FDM parts, and the surface quality of the parts is improved, which can better meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0044] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the post-processing further includes: after sandblasting the printed part, spraying a primer (also known as a thick primer) with a viscosity of 1200 cps or higher onto the printed part. According to the above technical solution, the fused deposition modeling method for manufacturing parts of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: by spraying a thick primer, the surface of the part is smoother and cleaner, without the surface texture of traditional FDM parts, thus improving the surface quality of the part and better meeting the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts.

[0045] In some embodiments, the post-processing further includes applying putty to the printed part between the sandblasting step and the primer spraying step. According to the above technical solution, the fused deposition modeling method for manufacturing parts of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: it can effectively fill uneven portions on the surface of the part, improve the adhesion of the primer, make the part surface smoother and cleaner, eliminate the surface texture of traditional FDM parts, improve the surface quality of the part, and better meet the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft interior parts.

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an aerospace part is manufactured by a fused deposition modeling method as described in any of the foregoing aspects. Based on the above technical solution, the aerospace part of the present invention can achieve the following beneficial technical effects: the mechanical properties of the manufactured part are improved, reaching or even exceeding the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts made of the same material; the surface quality of the part is improved, meeting the surface quality requirements of civil aircraft for interior parts. For example, the fused deposition modeling method of the present invention can manufacture aerospace parts such as aircraft cockpit air vent grilles.

[0047] The specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the above specific embodiments do not constitute a limitation on the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications based on the above disclosure without exceeding the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling, comprising: Non-metallic materials are 3D printed using fused deposition modeling (FDM) to obtain printed parts. The FDM process employs at least three outer contours per printing layer. The layer height used in the FDM process is 110% to 115% of the layer height used in conventional processes, and the linewidth used in the FDM process is 130% to 150% of the linewidth used in conventional processes. The printed part is post-processed to obtain the final part.

2. The method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The non-metallic material is ULTEM9085, the layer height used in the fused deposition modeling process is 0.279–0.292 mm, and the linewidth used in the fused deposition modeling process is 0.65–0.75 mm.

3. The method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The non-metallic material is polycarbonate, the layer height used in the fused deposition modeling process is 0.22-0.23 mm, and the line width used in the fused deposition modeling process is 0.52-0.60 mm.

4. The method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The post-processing includes sandblasting the printed parts.

5. The method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The sandblasting process uses white corundum.

6. The method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The white corundum is 80-150 mesh.

7. The method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The post-processing also includes: after sandblasting the printed parts, spraying the printed parts with a primer with a viscosity of 1200 cps or higher.

8. The method for manufacturing parts by fused deposition modeling as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The post-processing also includes applying putty to the printed parts between the sandblasting step and the primer spraying step.

9. An aircraft component, characterized in that, The aerospace part is manufactured by the fused deposition modeling method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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