Additive Manufacturing Contour Remelting for Smoother Side Faces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive manufacturing processes, such as 3D printing, often result in shaped bodies with high surface roughness on side faces due to porosity and irregularities, which are difficult to machine and require extensive reworking, especially for complex geometries like copper-based materials.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing process involving the application of new powder layers, where a first high-energy beam melts the powder with a predetermined contour, followed by a second high-energy beam with a deeper melting depth along the contour, reducing porosity and surface roughness by selectively melting and resolidifying the material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additive manufacturing is used to produce shaped bodies with complex geometries, then manufacturing flexibility and geometric complexity are improved, but surface roughness increases and manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a preliminary smoothing action by using a second high-energy beam to rework the melt pool after the initial consolidation. This preliminary action addresses the surface roughness issue immediately during the manufacturing process, preventing the need for extensive post-processing while maintaining the geometric complexity achieved through additive manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of surface roughness and porosity into a benefit by deliberately creating a controlled melt pool with a vapor capillary using the second high-energy beam. This process transforms the irregularities into a smoothing mechanism, where the vapor capillary formation and subsequent resolidification eliminate surface defects and reduce roughness values to below 10 μm
2Manufacturing precision
If reworking processes such as sanding are applied to reduce surface roughness, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical reworking processes like sanding with a thermal field-based approach using a second high-energy beam. This substitution eliminates the need for manual or automated mechanical polishing, significantly improving productivity while achieving surface roughness values below 10 μm through controlled melting and resolidification
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the manufacturing process to self-correct surface defects by using the second high-energy beam to automatically detect and smooth irregularities during the layer consolidation process. The vapor capillary formation and subsequent resolidification occur automatically as part of the manufacturing sequence, eliminating the need for separate post-processing operations and maintaining high productivity
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 process effectively reduces surface roughness on side faces of additively manufactured shaped bodies, eliminating the need for complex reworking and enhancing the quality and service life of the components by minimizing porosity and irregularities.
Implementation Method 1
melting the powder of the new layer in a melting region, predetermined for the further layer, with a first high-energy beam
Implementation Method 2
melting the powder of the new layer in a melting region, predetermined for the further layer, with a first high-energy beam
Implementation Method 3
moving a second high-energy beam along a line of travel extending parallel to the machining part of the contour, thereby the further layer and at least part of the uppermost layer of the previous layer arrangement are melted along the line of travel
Implementation Method 4
thereby the further layer and at least part of the uppermost layer of the previous layer arrangement are melted along the line of travel
Implementation Method 5
during which a melt pool with a vapour capillary is produced in the partial segments
Implementation Method 6
making it possible to rework and eliminate irregularities on the surface of a respective layer
Data Source
AI summary
A manufacturing process for additively manufacturing a shaped body includes repeatedly adding a further layer to a previous layer arrangement by I) applying a new layer of a powder to the previous layer arrangement, and II) melting the powder of the new layer in a melting region delimited by a contour, with a first high-energy beam having a first melting depth. At least for some of the further layers, the adding of the further layer further includes III) determining a machining part of the contour, and after step II), moving a second high-energy beam along a line of travel extending parallel to the machining part of the contour, thereby the further layer and at least part of an uppermost layer of the previous layer arrangement are melted along the line of travel. The second high-energy beam has a second melting depth that is greater than the first melting depth.