Additive Manufacturing Support Device for Overhangs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing additive manufacturing methods for components with material overhangs require additional support structures that increase production time and material consumption, as these structures need to be formed and later removed, which is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing installation with an electrically controllable support device featuring a movable support arm that temporarily holds a support element during the additive manufacturing process, allowing it to support layers until they solidify and then remove the support without the need for post-production removal, reducing material consumption and production time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional support structures are used for material overhangs, then the component can be manufactured with complex geometries, but production time and material consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The support device is designed as a movable, electrically controllable unit that can dynamically adjust its position and orientation during the additive manufacturing process. The support arm can be moved to different locations and angled to match the specific geometry of overhangs being manufactured, allowing the same device to adapt to various component shapes and sizes without requiring pre-configured fixed support structures for each geometry type.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device serves multiple functions: it provides support during material deposition, can be repositioned for different overhang locations, and can accommodate various component geometries. This universal support mechanism replaces the need for geometry-specific support structures, enabling a single device to handle diverse manufacturing scenarios.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional support structures are used for material overhangs, then the component can be manufactured with complex geometries, but material consumption increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The movable support arm can be dynamically repositioned to provide support only where and when needed during the layer-by-layer manufacturing process. This dynamic positioning minimizes the amount of support material required compared to conventional fixed support structures that must be designed to accommodate the entire overhang geometry in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device is positioned and configured in advance for each specific deposition location, allowing precise placement of support only in the immediate vicinity of the overhang being manufactured. This preliminary positioning ensures support material is used efficiently and only where structurally necessary.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed support structures are used, then manufacturing setup is simplified, but the support structures cannot be reused for different component geometries
Solution Approach 1:
The support device incorporates electrically controllable movement capabilities that allow it to be repositioned and reconfigured for different component geometries. This dynamic adjustability maintains ease of operation through automated control while providing versatility across various manufacturing scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces fixed mechanical support structures with an electrically controllable movable support system. This substitution allows for programmable positioning and adjustment, combining the simplicity of automated control with the flexibility to adapt to different geometries through electronic control rather than mechanical reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
A manufacturing installation for the additive manufacturing of components, each provided with at least one material overhang, has at least one building platform on which the particular component can at least partially be additively manufactured. In order to reduce the material consumption and the time to produce additively manufactured components, the manufacturing installation has at least one preferably electrically controllable support device with at least one movable support arm for the at least temporary holding of at least one support element, arranged on the support arm, during the additive manufacture of the particular component above the building platform.