Friction Stir Spindle With Wire Feed for Continuous Metal Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing additive friction stir deposition (AFSD) and friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM) systems face challenges in efficiently depositing and bonding materials, particularly in large-scale applications, due to limitations in material feeding and processing.
Innovation Solution
The development of a friction stir additive manufacturing system that uses a wire-feed mechanism, where a wire is fed through a stationary housing and into a gap between the housing and a rotating spindle, allowing for continuous material deposition and bonding without the need for gravity-fed bars.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a wire-feed mechanism is used to feed material into the friction stir deposition system, then continuous material deposition and bonding can be achieved, but the system complexity increases compared to gravity-fed bar systems
Solution Approach 1:
A wire feed mechanism acts as an intermediary component between the material source and the deposition zone. The wire is fed through a stationary housing and into a gap between the housing and a rotating spindle, enabling continuous material delivery without requiring gravity-fed bar systems. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing continuous deposition capability while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional gravity-fed bar feeding mechanisms with a wire-feed system that can be actively controlled. This substitution enables continuous material deposition on demand rather than relying on gravity, improving productivity while the modular wire feed design keeps system complexity manageable.
2Productivity
If a rotating spindle is used to soften and deposit material, then deposition efficiency increases, but the device complexity increases compared to stationary systems
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating spindle combines multiple functions into a single component: it rotates to generate friction heat for softening material, simultaneously deposits the softened material onto the substrate, and controls the deposition rate through rotation speed. This merging of functions increases deposition efficiency while avoiding the need for separate heating and deposition mechanisms, thereby managing device complexity.
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 enables efficient, continuous deposition of materials, improving build quality and consistency, and allowing for the creation of large metallic structures with seamless transitions between different materials.
Implementation Method 1
a wire is fed through a stationary housing and into a gap between the housing and a rotating spindle, allowing for continuous material deposition and bonding
Implementation Method 2
The rotation of the spindle can assist in pulling the wire into the system. The friction-induced heat softens and plasticizes the wire
Implementation Method 3
depositing softened material on to a substrate as it exits a deposition end of the housing
Implementation Method 4
The rotation of the spindle can assist in pulling the wire into the system
Data Source
AI summary
A friction stir additive welding screw is provided. In one aspect, the friction stir additive welding screw includes a first portion configured to be coupled to a friction stir additive welding device, and a second portion configured to penetrate a work-piece. The second portion includes a plurality of large threads, each large thread extending in a generally longitudinal direction. The second portion also includes a plurality of fine threads positioned along an edge of each large thread, and a plurality of teeth at a tip of second portion.