Additive Manufacturing Preheating via Cutting Heat to Prevent Cracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

In additive manufacturing, rapid cooling of melted metal on a low-temperature workpiece surface leads to curing and embrittlement of the heat-affected zone, necessitating preheating to prevent cracking, which can complicate the system configuration and increase processing time due to external heating device requirements.

Innovation Solution

The method involves cutting a region on the workpiece to preheat the additive manufacturing area to a preheating lower limit temperature using cutting heat, eliminating the need for external heating devices by integrating the preheating process within the manufacturing system, thereby reducing processing time and system complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If external heating devices are used to preheat the workpiece surface, then the workpiece surface temperature is maintained to prevent cracking, but the system configuration becomes complex and processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of crackingVSAvoidsystem configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating function is merged with the cutting operation by utilizing the cutting tool itself as the heating source. The cutting tool heats the workpiece surface through friction and plastic deformation during the cutting process, eliminating the need for separate external heating devices and simplifying the overall system configuration while maintaining reliable crack prevention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting process itself provides the heating function needed for crack prevention. The mechanical energy from cutting is converted to thermal energy that preheats the workpiece surface, allowing the process to serve its own heating needs without external assistance, thereby reducing system complexity and processing time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If external heating devices are used to preheat the workpiece surface, then the workpiece surface temperature is maintained to prevent cracking, but the processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of crackingVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The heating action occurs continuously during the cutting process itself, rather than as a separate preliminary step. The thermal energy is generated and applied to the workpiece surface in real-time during cutting, eliminating idle heating time and improving overall productivity while ensuring crack prevention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Productivity

If the workpiece surface temperature is low, then the cooling rate of melted metal is high, but this causes curing and embrittlement of the heat-affected zone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling rateVSAvoidheat-affected zone quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The workpiece surface is preheated to the appropriate temperature before metal deposition begins. This preliminary heating action ensures that when melted metal is added, the base metal temperature is sufficient to prevent rapid cooling and subsequent curing/embrittlement of the heat-affected zone, while still allowing for controlled cooling rates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary 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 approach effectively reduces thermal stress and prevents cracking by maintaining the workpiece surface at a preheated state before adding melted metal, simplifying the system configuration and shortening processing time without external heating devices.

Implementation Method 1

cutting a cutting region in a workpiece to heat the workpiece

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction heating: Friction

Implementation Method 2

cutting a cutting region in a workpiece to heat the workpiece

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlastic deformation heating: Deformation

Implementation Method 3

adding melted metal to the additive manufacturing region whose temperature has been a preheating lower limit temperature or above

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMetal deposition: Deposition (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS20240408689A1Additive manufacturing method, additive manufacturing system, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2024.12.12 YAMAZAKI MAZAK KK

AI summary

An additive manufacturing method includes cutting a cutting region in a workpiece to heat the workpiece so that a temperature of an additive manufacturing region which is in the cutting region becomes a preheating lower limit temperature or above, and adding melted metal to the additive manufacturing region whose temperature has been a preheating lower limit temperature or above.