Cavitation Jet Support Structure Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
The removal of support structures from additively manufactured metal materials requires skilled manual intervention, making it difficult to achieve quality stability and production automation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the suspension of abrasive particles in a process liquid, cutting the support structure along a specific surface, and using a cavitation jet with a controlled angle to remove the support structure from the workpiece, while simultaneously smoothing the surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual work or cutting is used to remove support structure, then support structure can be removed, but quality stability and production automation cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical removal operations with an automated water jet cutting system. The high-pressure water jet, potentially combined with abrasive particles, enables automated support structure removal while maintaining consistent quality through programmable control, thus resolving the contradiction between automation extent and quality stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs hydraulic principles by using high-pressure water jets to remove support structures. This fluid-based approach enables automated operation with consistent results, achieving both production automation and quality stability simultaneously by replacing manual mechanical processes with controllable hydraulic systems.
2Extent of automation
If support structure is removed manually or by cutting, then support structure can be removed, but the process is difficult to automate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex manual removal operations with a streamlined water jet cutting system. This substitution simplifies the manufacturing process while enabling automation, as the water jet system can be programmatically controlled to remove support structures without requiring skilled manual intervention or complex mechanical cutting apparatus.
3Productivity
If conventional removal methods are used, then support structure can be removed, but surface smoothing is not achieved simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the support structure removal function with the surface smoothing function into a single water jet cutting operation. By combining these two functions, the process achieves both productivity improvement (through automation and single-step operation) and manufacturing precision enhancement (through simultaneous surface smoothing), resolving the contradiction between process efficiency and surface quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The water jet cutting system is designed to perform multiple functions: removing support structures and smoothing the support surface simultaneously. This multi-functionality increases productivity by eliminating separate operations while maintaining or improving surface quality, thus resolving the contradiction between process efficiency and manufacturing precision.
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
Enables the automated and effective removal of support structures, improving the quality stability and fatigue strength of additively manufactured metal materials by applying compressive residual stress and removing incomplete melted regions.
Implementation Method 1
immersing a nozzle for ejecting a cavitation jet of the process liquid into the process liquid; and ejecting the cavitation jet onto the workpiece from the nozzle immersed in the process liquid
Implementation Method 2
suspending abrasive into a process liquid; ejecting the cavitation jet onto the workpiece from the nozzle immersed in the process liquid such that an angle between an ejection axis of the cavitation jet ejected from the nozzle and the support surface is between 0 to 20 degrees to remove the remaining support structure adhered to the workpiece
Data Source
AI summary
Removal of the support structure from the workpiece is in an easily automated way. A method for removing support structure includes: suspending abrasive into a process liquid; cutting a support structure along a cutting surface from an additively manufactured workpiece having a support surface, the support surface including the support structure for fixing the workpiece to a build platform; installing the workpiece with the support structure remaining on the support surface in the process liquid with suspended abrasive; immersing a nozzle for ejecting a cavitation jet of the process liquid into the process liquid; and ejecting the cavitation jet onto the workpiece from the nozzle immersed in the process liquid such that an angle between an ejection axis of the cavitation jet ejected from the nozzle and the support surface is between 0 to 20 degrees to remove the remaining support structure adhered to the workpiece.