CNC Toolpath Validation for Additive Support Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing subtractive manufacturing processes struggle with inefficient and manual removal of support structures in additive manufacturing, often leading to poor accessibility and potential collisions during the subtractive process.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that integrates additive and subtractive manufacturing components to optimize support structure removal by generating a tool path based on contact lines and geometry data, using a CNC machine tool for precise and automated support structure removal, with feedback loops for dynamic adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual removal of support structures is used, then flexibility is maintained, but productivity is low and manufacturing precision is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the support structure removal process into distinct phases: additive manufacturing of support structures, automated subtractive removal using CNC machinery, and post-processing. This segmentation enables specialized automation for each phase, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where sensors monitor the additive manufacturing process, the CNC removal process, and the resulting part quality. This feedback enables real-time adjustments to maintain manufacturing precision and allows the system to learn from each cycle, improving overall efficiency without requiring complete system redesign.
2Productivity
If automated subtractive process is used, then productivity improves, but accessibility issues and collisions may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by generating detailed digital twins and simulating the entire support structure removal process before actual manufacturing. This includes pre-planning tool paths, identifying potential accessibility issues, and adjusting support structure designs in advance to ensure automated machinery can access all required areas without collisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces digital intermediaries including digital twins of the part and support structures, virtual tool paths, and simulation environments. These digital representations serve as intermediaries between the design phase and physical manufacturing, allowing the system to resolve accessibility and collision issues virtually before they manifest in physical operations.
3Ease of operation
If support structures are modified for better accessibility, then ease of operation improves, but manufacturing precision of the final part may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by modifying only the support structure geometry in specific localized areas to improve tool accessibility, while carefully preserving the critical geometry of the final part. Support structures are designed with varying properties in different locations - more accessible in areas requiring tool access, and more precise in areas that will contact the final part - thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and manufacturing precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods including an additive component (20, 30, 302); a subtractive component (40, 318); and a processor configured to: receive a contact line (209, 210, 314) associated with a support structure (206, 312) from the additive component (20, 30, 302); receive geometry (250, 304, 320) associated with an orientation (306, 330) from the additive component (20, 30, 302); receive data associated with a tool (230, 322) from the subtractive component (40, 318); generate a subtractive tool path (260, 324) based on the received contact line (209, 210, 314), the received data associated with the tool (230, 322), and the received geometry (250, 304); transmit the generated subtractive tool path (260, 324) to an analysis component (328) for processing tool path validation; and validate, by the analysis component (328), the tool path (260, 324) based on output from a simulation component (326) to determine whether removal of the support structure (206, 312) from a part (200) is successfully computed by the subtractive component (40, 318).