Hybrid Additive-Subtractive Manufacturing for Thermal Distortion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manufacturing processes face challenges in efficiently combining additive and subtractive methods, leading to instability, distortion, and excessive vibration during the production of complex structures, particularly in high-temperature environments, which can result in inaccurate parts and tool damage.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid additive and subtractive manufacturing system that simulates the manufacturing process to adjust the amount of material added and removed in each stage, using numerical simulation to prevent deviations and instability by adjusting the overlap and overbuild amounts, allowing for the use of conventional tools and reducing manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If additive and subtractive manufacturing are combined in a hybrid system, then manufacturing precision and material efficiency are improved, but process stability deteriorates due to instability and distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing numerical simulations of thermal effects before actual manufacturing. The simulation predicts thermal distortion and instability, allowing the system to pre-adjust manufacturing parameters such as laser power, deposition rate, and tool paths to compensate for expected distortion, thereby maintaining process stability while achieving high precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using simulation results to continuously adjust manufacturing parameters. The numerical simulation provides real-time or near-real-time predictions of thermal effects, and this information feeds back to control the additive and subtractive processes, creating a closed-loop system that maintains stability while achieving precision
2Manufacturing precision
If material is added and removed in multiple stages, then manufacturing precision is improved by preventing deviation, but manufacturing time increases due to multiple stages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves continuity of useful action by overlapping additive and subtractive operations within the same manufacturing stage. Instead of completing all additive operations before subtractive operations, the system performs them in an integrated sequence, eliminating idle transition time between stages while maintaining precision through simulation-guided parameter control
3Device complexity
If conventional tools are used in hybrid manufacturing, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to excessive vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by using numerical simulation to optimize cutting parameters such as spindle speed, feed rate, and depth of cut for conventional tools. The simulation predicts vibration behavior and adjusts these parameters to minimize chatter and excessive vibration, allowing conventional tools to achieve precision comparable to specialized tools while reducing system 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 enhances manufacturing precision, reduces material usage, and minimizes tool breakage by stabilizing the process, resulting in higher-quality, cost-effective production of complex structures.
Implementation Method 1
additive manufacturing, also known as solid free form fabrication or 3D printing, refers to any manufacturing process where 3D parts are built up from raw material (generally powders, liquids, suspensions, or molten solids)
Implementation Method 2
hybrid manufacturing systems have been developed, where additive and subtractive manufacturing are combined, such as a CNC machine that combines laser metal deposition with high-precision 5-axes adaptive milling
Implementation Method 3
subtractive manufacturing refers to any manufacturing process where 3D parts are created from stock material (generally a 'blank' or 'workpiece' that is larger than the 3D part) by cutting away portions of the stock material
Implementation Method 4
the simulating includes simulating thermal effects of adding and removing the material in the first and second stages
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design and manufacture of physical structures using hybrid additive and subtractive manufacturing include, in one aspect, a method including: obtaining data for 3D geometry of a part; simulating at least a portion of a manufacturing process that includes adding first material in a first stage and removing second material in a second, subsequent stage, where the second material includes a portion of the first material, removing the second material includes blending between the material added in the first and second stages, and thermal effects of adding and removing the material in the first and second stages is simulated; and adjusting an amount of the portion based on results of the simulating to prevent deviation of the part from the three dimensional geometry that results in not enough material being available for the blending.