Breakable Connections for Additive Manufacturing Detachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive manufacturing, particularly 3D printing, faces challenges in efficiently producing complex structures with fine details, leading to increased time and risk of contamination due to metal powder residue. Additionally, there is a demand for producing higher quantities of smaller parts quickly, with minimal post-processing.
Innovation Solution
The use of a plurality of products manufactured using additive manufacturing, where at least 50% of the products are connected by breakable connections. These connections are designed to be weak enough to be broken apart manually or with a tool, allowing for easy detachment of individual products without damaging them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If additive manufacturing is used to produce complex structures with fine details, then manufacturing capability is improved, but production time increases and contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the manufacturing process into two distinct stages: (1) bulk production of near-net-shape components using additive manufacturing with support structures, and (2) selective removal of support structures through water jet cutting. This segmentation allows the complex additive manufacturing process to be separated from the time-consuming support removal process, enabling parallel processing and reducing total production time.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structures are designed and manufactured as integral parts of the component during the additive manufacturing process itself. This preliminary action of incorporating support structures into the build process eliminates the need for separate support fabrication and attachment steps, reducing overall production time while maintaining the ability to produce complex geometries with fine details.
2Manufacturing precision
If additive manufacturing is used to produce complex structures with fine details, then manufacturing capability is improved, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the support structure removal process from the additive manufacturing chamber by using water jet cutting as a separate, external post-processing step. This takes the potentially contaminating metal powder removal operation out of the controlled manufacturing environment and performs it in a separate workspace, preventing metal powder residue from contaminating the surrounding area while still enabling the production of complex structures with fine details.
3Productivity
If higher quantities of smaller parts are produced in a single product step, then productivity is improved, but post-processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal support structure that can be used across multiple different component geometries and sizes. This multi-functional support design allows the same basic support architecture to serve numerous smaller parts produced in a single additive manufacturing batch, simplifying the post-processing workflow despite the increased quantity of parts. The standardized support interface enables consistent removal procedures across all parts in the batch.
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 simplifies the detachment process, reduces production time, and prevents contamination by allowing for the easy removal and handling of individual products. It also enables the production of complex parts with fine details and higher quantities of smaller parts in a single product step.
Implementation Method 1
Methods like 3D printing, for example, utilize a metal or metal composition powder being melted layer by layer to manufacture a complex 3D structure
Data Source
AI summary
A plurality of interconnected products manufactured using additive manufacturing or 3D printing, wherein at least 50% of the products of the plurality of products are connected by a breakable connection to at least one neighboring product of the plurality of products, wherein the breakable connection is adapted to be broken apart by a tool adapted to apply force on at least one side of at least two products. A method, tool, and computer program product additively manufacture the products.