Thermal Process Control for Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current additive manufacturing processes face challenges in achieving homogeneous properties and optimal fusion of volume elements due to inadequate thermal control, leading to issues like melting, softening, and dimensional instability, especially when dealing with materials having different melting points.
Innovation Solution
A method for thermal process control in additive manufacturing that calculates and adjusts the temperature of volume elements at discrete positions using a computer-implemented model, incorporating heat sources and sinks, and accounting for heat losses, to ensure material-dependent upper temperature limits are not exceeded, thereby preventing melting and ensuring dimensional stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If thermal energy is introduced by heat sources to achieve optimal fusion of volume elements, then fusion quality is improved, but temperature may exceed material limits causing melting or softening
Solution Approach 1:
The method performs preliminary thermal simulation calculations before actual manufacturing to determine optimal heat source parameters and discharge timing. The machine code is pre-adjusted based on simulated temperature fields to ensure that when volume elements are discharged and fused, the temperature remains within the optimal range for fusion without exceeding material-specific upper temperature limits that would cause melting or softening.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses simulation-based feedback to continuously adjust the machine code and boundary conditions. The thermal simulation model calculates temperature fields in real-time during the manufacturing process, and these calculations feed back to modify heat source parameters and discharge timing, ensuring optimal fusion quality while preventing temperature from exceeding material limits.
2Stability of the object's composition
If cooling measures are applied to prevent melting of already deposited material, then dimensional stability is improved, but fusion quality may deteriorate due to insufficient temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The method applies different thermal conditions to different locations and time points during the manufacturing process. The simulation model calculates location-specific and time-specific temperature fields, allowing the system to apply cooling measures only where and when necessary to maintain dimensional stability of already deposited material, while ensuring that the discharge location maintains sufficient temperature for optimal fusion quality. This localized thermal control is achieved through adjusting machine code and boundary conditions based on simulated thermal fields.
3Manufacturing precision
If thermal simulation calculations are performed for each discrete position to optimize temperature control, then manufacturing precision is improved, but computational complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs thermal simulation calculations and determines optimal machine code and boundary conditions in advance, before the actual manufacturing process begins. By pre-calculating the thermal fields and optimizing parameters for each discrete position beforehand, the system achieves high temperature control precision during manufacturing without the computational burden of real-time calculations, thus improving manufacturing precision while managing computational 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 allows for the production of three-dimensional objects with homogeneous properties by maintaining optimal fusion of volume elements, avoiding melting or softening, and ensuring dimensional stability by precisely controlling local temperatures during the additive manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
the thermal energy introduced into or removed from the build space by at least one heat source and/or heat sink
Implementation Method 2
the thermal energy introduced into or removed from the build space by at least one heat source and/or heat sink
Implementation Method 3
the thermal energy dissipated through heat losses in the build space
Data Source
Figure 1a~1d
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for thermal process control, by means of which three-dimensional objects (410) can be produced by additive manufacturing by removing volume elements of a certain size of at least a fluid solidifiable material at a certain temperature by means of at least one discharge nozzle or at least one discharge unit (630) of a device controllable by the method for producing the three-dimensional object (410) at discrete positions in a build space (610) according to a previously defined model of the object (410).The model is part of a computer-implemented machine code and includes a model that closely approximates reality and is suitable for adjusting local temperatures to achieve homogeneous properties of the object (410) with optimal fusion of the volume elements, while at no time exceeding predetermined, material-dependent temperature limits in order to avoid melting or softening and/or flowing of already deposited material and to ensure the shape stability of the object (410).