Hybrid Additive Manufacturing Heat Sources for Stable Molten Pools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current additive manufacturing technologies face challenges in achieving high forming quality and accuracy while maintaining a low manufacturing cost and efficient forming rate, particularly due to limitations with laser and electric arc heat sources, such as slow forming rates with lasers and poor surface quality with electric arcs.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid additive manufacturing system combining a gas metal arc welding or gas tungsten arc welding device as the primary heat source with a laser device as an auxiliary heat source, along with a material feeding system that includes a nozzle for feeding wire and powder materials, to stabilize the molten pool and enhance energy density, accuracy, and product quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a laser heat source is used for additive manufacturing, then the light spot is small and a relatively small molten pool is formed, but the forming rate is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines laser heat source and arc heat source into a hybrid additive manufacturing system. The laser provides concentrated energy for precise molten pool control while the arc provides broader heating for higher forming rate, thus resolving the contradiction between precision and productivity
2Productivity
If an electric arc heat source is used for additive manufacturing, then the manufacturing cost is relatively low and the forming rate is relatively high, but the surface quality of the product is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges arc heat source and laser heat source in a hybrid system. The arc provides high forming rate and low cost while the laser provides precise energy concentration for improved surface quality, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and manufacturing precision
3Manufacturing precision
If a single heat source is used for additive manufacturing, then the system is simpler, but the forming quality and accuracy cannot be improved while reducing manufacturing cost and improving forming rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two different heat source types (arc and laser) into a coordinated hybrid system with unified control, achieving improved forming accuracy and quality while managing system complexity through integrated design
4Manufacturing precision
If the laser device is used alone for additive manufacturing, then the forming accuracy is high, but the manufacturing cost is high and the forming rate is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines laser and arc heat sources where the laser provides precise forming accuracy while the arc contributes to higher forming rate and reduced manufacturing cost, thus resolving the contradiction between precision and productivity
5Productivity
If the gas shielding welding device is used alone for additive manufacturing, then the manufacturing cost is low and the forming rate is high, but the stability of the molten pool is poor and the forming quality is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges gas shielding welding device and laser device into a hybrid system. The arc provides high forming rate while the laser stabilizes the molten pool and improves forming quality through synergistic coupling, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity 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
The hybrid system improves forming accuracy and quality, reduces manufacturing costs, and increases forming rates by leveraging the synergy between laser and arc plasma heat sources, while allowing for adjustments in chemical composition and mechanical properties through the use of different materials and temperature control.
Implementation Method 1
The first heat source device is a gas metal arc welding device or a gas tungsten arc welding device
Implementation Method 2
The synergy coupling effect of the laser and the arc plasma can obtain relatively high energy gain and enable the molten pool to be stable
Implementation Method 3
The second heat source device is a laser device
Implementation Method 4
The synergy coupling effect of the laser and the arc plasma can obtain relatively high energy gain and enable the molten pool to be stable
Data Source
AI summary
An additive manufacturing system is disclosed including a material feeding device, a first heat source device and a second heat source device. The material feeding device is configured to feed the material onto a substrate for additive manufacturing. The first heat source device is configured to provide a main heat source for melting or sintering the material. The second heat source device is configured to provide an auxiliary heat source for melting or sintering the material. A type of the heat source provided by the first heat source device is different from a type of the heat source provided by the second heat source device. An additive manufacturing method is also disclosed. The additive manufacturing system and the additive manufacturing method according to the present application can improve the rate of the additive manufacturing, reduce the manufacturing cost, improve the stability of the molten pool and improve the manufacturing accuracy and the product quality.