Ultrasonic-Assisted Additive Manufacturing for Residual Stress Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current additive manufacturing methods for aluminum and titanium alloys face challenges with residual stress concentration, leading to deformation and cracking, as existing stress reduction techniques are inefficient, complex, and energy-intensive, and cannot synchronize stress homogenization during the manufacturing process without significant modifications to the system.
Innovation Solution
A multi-source self-adaptive low-stress additive manufacturing apparatus incorporating a multi-axis manipulator system, high-energy sound beam regulation system, and a self-adaptive workbench that synchronously injects high-energy sound beams into the workpiece based on stress distribution, using titanium alloy special adiabatic amplitude transformers to continuously regulate residual stress and improve mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If natural aging method is used to eliminate residual stress, then residual stress can be reduced, but the method occupies large field space for long time and has low eliminating efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical/natural aging method with a vibration-based system. The vibration aging device uses vibrators to generate mechanical vibrations that propagate through the workpiece to eliminate residual stress, substituting the passive natural aging process with an active mechanical vibration system that achieves stress elimination much faster.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic vibration action through vibrators that oscillate at specific frequencies. The control system regulates the vibration frequency and amplitude periodically to match the resonant characteristics of the workpiece, creating periodic stress cycles that effectively eliminate residual stress without requiring long continuous aging time.
2Reliability
If vibration aging method is used to eliminate residual stress, then residual stress can be eliminated faster, but it is difficult to find resonant frequency and produces large noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensors that detect vibration responses and feed this information back to the control system. The control system uses this feedback to automatically identify the resonant frequency of the workpiece and adjust the vibrator frequency accordingly, eliminating the need for manual frequency searching and reducing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment by automatically detecting its own resonant characteristics through the feedback mechanism. The control system autonomously regulates the vibration parameters based on real-time monitoring, making the system self-sufficient and reducing the need for external intervention or complex manual operation.
3Reliability
If heat treatment method is used to eliminate residual stress, then residual stress can be reduced, but the method has strict process requirements, may introduce additional residual stress, and consumes high energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal heat treatment process with a mechanical vibration process. Instead of heating the workpiece to high temperatures and controlling cooling rates, the system uses mechanical vibrations to directly eliminate residual stress, substituting thermal energy with mechanical energy and avoiding the high energy consumption and strict process control requirements of heat treatment.
4Reliability
If existing stress reduction methods are used, then residual stress can be reduced after manufacturing, but the methods require significant modifications to the additive manufacturing system and have high manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the vibration aging function directly into the additive manufacturing system by integrating the vibrator onto the manufacturing platform. This combination allows residual stress elimination to be performed in-situ during or after manufacturing without requiring separate heat treatment furnaces or significant system modifications, reducing both device complexity and manufacturing cost.
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 solution effectively reduces and homogenizes residual stress in real-time during the additive manufacturing process, enhancing the reliability and mechanical properties of the workpiece without increasing manufacturing costs or time, and maintaining process efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the high-energy sound beam excitation units connected with the adiabatic amplitude transformer via a coaxial screw rod; and a top end face of the titanium alloy special adiabatic amplitude transformer abuts against a side of the substrate
Implementation Method 2
high-energy sound beam regulation system comprises one or more high-energy sound beam exciter
Implementation Method 3
titanium alloy special adiabatic amplitude transformer
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-source self-adaptive low-stress additive manufacturing apparatus including a multi-axis manipulator additive manufacturing system, a high-energy sound beam regulation system, a substrate and a self-adaptive additive manufacturing workbench. The multi-axis manipulator additive manufacturing system includes multi-axis manipulator(s), welding torch(es), manipulator controller(s) and a guide rail, where base(s) of the multi-axis manipulator(s) is connected with the guide rail, the welding torch(es) is held by distal end(s) of the multi-axis manipulator(s), the multi-axis manipulator(s) is controlled by the manipulator controller(s) to move the welding torch(es) to conduct low-stress additive manufacturing on the workpiece to be additive manufactured. The high-energy sound beam regulation system includes one or more high-energy sound beam exciters, each having a high-energy sound beam excitation unit and a titanium alloy special adiabatic amplitude transformer so as to realize the regulation of residual stress generated in the additive manufacturing process of the workpiece.