Beam Parameter Selection by Segment for Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current additive manufacturing techniques often result in suboptimal surface and sub-surface quality of build parts due to inadequate consideration of part positioning relative to the manufacturing instrument, leading to increased post-processing costs and potential scrap rates.
Innovation Solution
An additive manufacturing system that determines geometrical characteristics such as the angle of incidence between the beam line and the surface normal of each segment of a build part, allowing for the selection of tailored beam parameters to improve surface quality by adjusting power, scan speed, beam diameter, and offset for different segments based on their specific positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single set of beam parameters is used for the entire build part, then the manufacturing process is simple and fast, but the surface and sub-surface quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The build part is divided into multiple segments based on geometrical characteristics such as angle of incidence. Each segment is then assigned a tailored set of beam parameters, allowing different regions to be manufactured with optimized quality while maintaining overall process efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Different beam parameters (power, scan speed, beam diameter, offset) are applied to different segments of the build part based on their specific geometrical characteristics. This ensures that each region receives the appropriate manufacturing conditions for its local requirements, improving overall surface and sub-surface quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If beam parameters are optimized for each segment based on geometrical characteristics, then surface and sub-surface quality improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of geometrical characteristics and selection of beam parameters for each segment before the actual manufacturing process. This pre-planning allows the complex parameter optimization to be done offline, keeping the real-time manufacturing process relatively simple while still achieving high quality results.
Solution Approach 2:
The additive manufacturing system automatically determines the geometrical characteristics of each segment and selects appropriate beam parameters without requiring external intervention. This self-service capability handles the complexity internally while presenting a simple interface to the user.
3Ease of manufacture
If beam parameters are optimized for each segment, then post-processing requirements reduce, but the setup and measurement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex manual measurement and analysis methods with automated computational determination of geometrical characteristics. Software algorithms calculate angle of incidence and other geometrical properties based on the digital model and build orientation, eliminating the need for physical measurement while achieving the same optimization goals.
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 enhances the surface and sub-surface quality of build parts, reducing the need for post-processing treatments and minimizing scrap rates by optimizing the additive manufacturing process in real-time.
Implementation Method 1
The deposited layers are selectively fused via the application of a focused energy source, such as a laser, which heats and bonds the material
Data Source
AI summary
Additive manufacturing system includes one or more processors configured to determine one or more geometrical characteristics of each of multiple segments of a build part at a candidate position of the build part relative to an additive manufacturing instrument. The geometrical characteristics include an angle of incidence between a beam line extending from a beam emitter and a surface normal of a respective skin of the corresponding segment proximate to the beam line. The one or more processors select, based on the determined geometrical characteristics, a first set of beam parameters for forming a first segment of the build part and a second set of beam parameters for forming a second segment of the build part. At least one of the beam parameters in the second set differs from the beam parameters in the first set.