In-Process Cold Working for Smoother WAAM Component Layers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Additive manufacturing techniques like Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) result in components with non-smooth surfaces, reduced strength, and increased parasitic mass due to undulations and valley-like structures, which affect the component's strength and corrosion resistance.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a platform, a deposition robot, and a roller assembly that compresses and cold-works the deposited material layers to refine the grain structure and reduce parasitic mass, improving the surface finish and material strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing is used to construct three-dimensional components, then material deposition efficiency is improved, but surface finish quality deteriorates due to undulations and valley-like structures
Solution Approach 1:
The roller assembly performs preliminary cold working action on the deposited material layer immediately after deposition while the material is still warm and malleable. This preliminary action smooths the surface undulations and valley-like structures before the material fully solidifies, preventing permanent surface defects without requiring post-processing removal of material.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller assembly acts as an intermediary between the deposition robot and the final component. It receives the freshly deposited material layer and transforms it by applying controlled pressure to smooth the surface, then transfers the improved material layer to the component. This intermediary step resolves the contradiction by adding a smoothing function without interrupting the continuous deposition process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If material is deposited in layers to form three-dimensional objects, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but material strength deteriorates due to undulations and parasitic mass
Solution Approach 1:
The cold working process is applied preliminarily to each deposited layer while the material is still warm and malleable. This preliminary densification eliminates voids and parasitic mass within the layer structure before subsequent layers are deposited, ensuring each layer contributes maximally to the overall component strength while maintaining manufacturing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller assembly changes the physical parameters of the deposited material by applying controlled pressure and temperature (while material is warm). This parameter change densifies the material structure, eliminates parasitic mass, and refines the grain structure, thereby improving material strength without compromising the additive manufacturing process flexibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If successive material layers are deposited to create components, then design complexity is improved, but parasitic mass increases due to undulations and valley-like structures
Solution Approach 1:
The roller assembly performs preliminary removal action on parasitic mass immediately after deposition. By smoothing the surface and densifying the material while it is still warm, the process eliminates undulations and valley-like structures that would otherwise constitute parasitic mass, allowing complex designs to be created without accumulating unnecessary material.
Solution Approach 2:
The process converts the harmful effect of warm, malleable material (which could solidify with defects) into a benefit by using the warmth to enable plastic deformation and densification. The roller assembly exploits the warm material's plasticity to smooth undulations and eliminate parasitic mass, transforming what would be a manufacturing challenge into an opportunity for in-process quality improvement.
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
The cold working process enhances the material's strength and corrosion resistance by removing parasitic mass and refining the grain structure, while also improving the surface finish and reducing the need for additional manufacturing operations.
Implementation Method 1
cold working an additively manufactured component... a roller assembly disposed around the new material layer and configured to compress a lateral thickness of the new material layer
Implementation Method 2
heat energy is applied to the metal wire. The heat energy melts the wire to allow it to be welded on itself
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are disclosed for cold working an additively manufactured component including a platform, a deposition robot, and a roller assembly. The platform is configured to support a three-dimensional object. The deposition robot is configured to deposit successive material layers that, after deposition, form the three-dimensional object. The deposition robot includes an arm having a deposition end and a deposition head coupled to the deposition end of the arm. The deposition head is configured to deposit a new material later of the successive material layers. The roller assembly is disposed around the new material layer and configured to compress a lateral thickness of the new material layer after the new material layer has been deposited by the deposition robot.