3D Model Deformation to Reduce Additive Manufacturing Supports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive manufacturing for complex parts or assemblies requires significant support material, increasing costs and time due to the need for support material removal, which is not efficiently addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves acquiring a digital model, discretizing it, and digitally altering the shape to reduce support material requirements through simulated deformation, such as elastic deformation or cross-sectional area reduction, while ensuring the altered shape can be manufactured without plastic deformation and optimizing support material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If support material is used for additive manufacturing of complex parts, then the manufacturing capability is improved, but the cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by digitally deforming the 3D model before manufacturing to optimize the build structure. The system performs simulation and deformation of the digital model in advance to minimize overhangs and reduce support material requirements, thereby reducing build time without compromising manufacturing capability
2Ease of manufacture
If support material is used for additive manufacturing of complex parts, then the manufacturing capability is improved, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary digital deformation of the 3D model to optimize the geometry for additive manufacturing. By simulating and deforming the model beforehand, the system minimizes overhangs and reduces support material requirements, directly reducing material consumption while maintaining manufacturing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the digital model's geometry through simulated deformation. The system changes parameters such as model orientation, shape, and structure in the digital domain to reduce support material requirements, thereby reducing material loss without affecting the final part quality
3Manufacturing precision
If support material is removed from the manufactured part, then the final part quality is improved, but the time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary optimization of the digital model to minimize support material requirements before manufacturing. By pre-deforming the model to reduce overhangs and optimize build geometry, the system reduces the amount of support material that needs to be removed, thereby reducing post-processing time while maintaining part quality
4Loss of substance
If the digital model shape is altered through deformation, then the support material requirement is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanics substitution by replacing physical trial-and-error with digital simulation and deformation. The system uses computational algorithms to automatically deform the digital model and optimize it for additive manufacturing, eliminating the need for manual iteration and reducing process complexity despite the advanced digital tools required
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces the time and costs associated with additive manufacturing by minimizing the need for support material, achieving a 40-56% reduction in build time and 52-54% reduction in support material usage, resulting in substantial material savings.
Implementation Method 1
the step of altering the shape of the discretized digital model includes elastically deforming the shape of the discretized digital model
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method that relies on the principles of material science, deformable body mechanics, continuum mechanics and additive manufacturing to reduce the costs associated with additive manufacturing. Physical properties are used by numerical solution methods, such as the Finite Element Method (FEM) or Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), to deform an original model of an object to be manufactured into a viable configuration that reduces fabrication material, time, and cost when manufacturing an object through additive manufacturing.