Cantilever Structure Forming with Inclined Support and Path Control

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing additive manufacturing techniques, such as laser melting deposition, face challenges in forming cantilever structures due to the need for extensive support structures, which increase processing time and material waste, as they require machining and cannot efficiently create angles greater than 30° inclination without compromising the forming quality.

Innovation Solution

A forming method that includes adding an inclined supporting portion with an acute angle to the cantilever structure, allowing for layer-by-layer deposition with varying energy densities for different scanning paths to support the suspended portion, enabling the formation of cantilever structures with larger angles of inclination and reducing the need for multiple supports.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If support structures are added under the cantilever structure to ensure formation, then the part can be formed without changing deposition direction, but the processing time and material cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforming qualityVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the support structures after the cantilever structure is formed. The support structures are temporarily added during formation to ensure stability, then removed through selective dissolution or machining, eliminating the need for permanent supports and reducing material waste and processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary deposition of support structures before forming the cantilever structure. These supports are deposited in advance to provide necessary stability during the formation process, then removed after the main structure is complete, allowing the cantilever to be formed without changing deposition direction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If support structures are added under the cantilever structure, then formation is enabled, but material waste increases due to support removal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforming qualityVSAvoidmaterial waste

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the support structures after the cantilever structure is formed. The support structures are temporarily added during formation to ensure stability, then removed through selective dissolution or machining, eliminating the need for permanent supports and reducing material waste and processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses temporary support structures that are designed to be removed after serving their purpose. These supports are made from materials that can be easily removed (such as water-soluble materials or materials with different melting points), allowing them to be discarded after formation without significant material waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Shape

If the deposition direction is changed to form the cantilever structure, then the structure can be formed directly, but the crystal structure and performance are affected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecantilever structureVSAvoidcrystal structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary deposition of support structures before forming the cantilever structure. These supports are deposited in advance to provide necessary stability during the formation process, then removed after the main structure is complete, allowing the cantilever to be formed without changing deposition direction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Manufacturing precision

If machining is performed on the part surface before forming, then surface oxidation and roughness are prevented, but the manufacturing complexity and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface qualityVSAvoidmanufacturing process

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent maintains continuous laser melting deposition without interrupting for machining operations. The deposition process proceeds continuously from the base layer through the cantilever structure, eliminating the need for intermediate machining steps and maintaining surface quality through the inherent smoothness of the deposition process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 method allows for the efficient formation of cantilever structures with larger angles of inclination, reducing the number of supports and material waste, while maintaining forming quality by adjusting energy densities and scanning paths to compensate for gravitational collapse during the deposition process.

Implementation Method 1

laser melting deposition technique is a kind of additive manufacturing technique with advanced direct energy deposition

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser melting deposition: Laser

Implementation Method 2

laser melting deposition of the part

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS20230339022A1Forming part with a cantilever structure and its forming method

Publication Date: 2023.10.26 AECC SHANGHAI COMML AIRCRAFT ENGINE MFG CO LTD

AI summary

A forming method and a forming part with a cantilever structure. The forming method includes: obtaining a model of the part to be formed, adding an inclined supporting portion to the cantilever structure, performing layer separating and slicing process on the model, performing scanning path planning on each forming layer. A suspended area and a non-suspended area are provided in a plurality of forming layers forming the inclined surface, frame scanning path includes a first path and a second path, the first path corresponds to the non-suspended area and the second path corresponds to the suspended area. Based on the size of the angle of inclination, setting process parameters for preparation for the first path and the second path, and printing layer by layer based on the set process parameters for preparation.