Tiltable Build Platform for Additive Manufacturing Overhangs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Powder Bed Fusion techniques in additive manufacturing face limitations in producing objects with large overhang angles due to self-supporting constraints, requiring additional support structures and post-processing measures, which restrict design freedom and increase material waste.

Innovation Solution

A tiltable build platform within the powder material bed, controlled by a simulation model, allows for the adjustment of overhang angles during the additive manufacturing process, eliminating the need for additional support structures and reducing post-processing time by dynamically managing the build platform's movement and orientation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the build platform is fixed in orientation during additive manufacturing, then the manufacturing process is simple, but objects with large overhang angles cannot be manufactured without support structures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to manufacture objects with large overhang anglesVSAvoidbuild platform control mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The build platform is made tiltable and rotatable rather than fixed, allowing dynamic adjustment of the build orientation during the additive manufacturing process. This enables the platform to adapt to different overhang angles and object geometries, eliminating the need for support structures while maintaining manufacturability of complex shapes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The solution introduces rotational and tilting degrees of freedom to the build platform, transforming it from a single-axis vertical movement system to a multi-dimensional system. By changing the orientation of the build platform in additional dimensions (rotation and tilting), the process can accommodate large overhang angles without requiring support structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If support structures are added to enable large overhang angles, then manufacturability is improved, but material waste and post-processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturability of objects with large overhang anglesVSAvoidscrap material from support structures

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The build platform orientation is pre-adjusted before each layer deposition to optimize the manufacturing angle for that specific layer. By performing this orientation adjustment in advance, the process prevents the formation of unsupported overhangs from the beginning, eliminating the need for support structures and the associated material waste

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Stability of the object's composition

If support structures are used for large overhang angles, then structural stability is achieved, but surface quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stability during manufacturingVSAvoidsurface quality of manufactured object

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The dynamic tilting and rotating capability of the build platform allows continuous optimization of manufacturing angles throughout the build process. This maintains structural stability by ensuring each layer is deposited at an optimal angle while preventing surface quality deterioration that would result from support structure contact and subsequent removal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 the additive manufacturing of objects with larger overhang angles without additional support structures, reducing scrap material and post-processing time, while maintaining surface quality by dynamically managing the build platform's movement and orientation based on a simulation model.

Implementation Method 1

a sinter/melting device (SMD) for sintering or melting the powder material (PM)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSintering: Sintering

Implementation Method 2

a sinter/melting device (SMD) for sintering or melting the powder material (PM)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS20250018475A1Method and machine for additive manufacturing of materials

Publication Date: 2025.01.16 SIEMENS AG

AI summary

Disclosed is a “Powder Bed Fusion” technique by sintering or melting through a sinter/melting device executed by a simulation model assigned to a control unit and under a control sovereignty of the control unit powder material, being fillable into a powder material bed, to tilt according to the simulation model and under the control sovereignty of the control unit a build platform of the powder material bed, in which the sintered or melted powder material an additive manufactured object is built up layer by layer on the build platform in a cavity of an additive manufacturing machine and wherein the build platform is both, moveable downwards or upwards and tiltable clockwise or counter-clockwise,: within the cavity during the layer by layer build-up an overhang angle as a maximum allowable additive manufacturing angle either referring to an additive manufacturing level is not undershot or an additive manufacturing direction is not exceeded.