Wire Additive Manufacturing Head Control for Symmetric Bead Shape
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wire-type additive manufacturing machining often results in shape errors due to angular differences between the feed direction of the wire and the travel direction of the machining head, leading to off-center and asymmetrical bead shapes, which complicates the process and requires additional equipment like rotation tables.
Innovation Solution
An additive manufacturing system that controls a machining head with a wire nozzle, a beam source, and a gas nozzle to maintain a consistent angle between the wire feed direction and travel direction, using a machining-condition selection unit to adjust parameters such as beam output and gas pressure based on the angle formed between these directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the workpiece is rotated to maintain a constant angle between wire feed direction and machining head travel direction, then the bead shape symmetry is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for rotation tables and additional axes
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotating the workpiece to maintain constant angle, the invention inverts the approach by keeping the workpiece stationary and rotating the machining head. This allows the machining head to approach the workpiece from different angular positions while maintaining the same relative angle between wire feed direction and travel direction, thereby achieving symmetric bead shapes without requiring workpiece rotation equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The machining head is designed to perform multiple functions: it can both feed the wire material and emit the laser beam, and it can rotate to approach the workpiece from different directions. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate rotation tables and reduces overall device complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If rotation tables and additional axes are added to maintain constant angle, then the bead shape quality is improved, but the machining region is reduced due to equipment space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the rotation approach by rotating the machining head instead of the workpiece. This allows the entire workpiece surface to remain accessible as the machining head can approach from any angular position, thereby maintaining a large machining region while still achieving constant angle conditions for high-quality bead formation.
3Device complexity
If the angle between wire feed direction and travel direction varies, then the device complexity is reduced, but the bead shape becomes off-center and asymmetrical
Solution Approach 1:
The machining head is designed with dynamic rotation capability, allowing it to adjust its approach angle dynamically while maintaining the constant angle between wire feed direction and travel direction. This dynamic adjustment ensures symmetric bead shapes without requiring complex fixed rotation tables, as the machining head can adapt its position in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the control parameter from workpiece rotation angle to machining head approach angle. By controlling the angle at which the machining head approaches the workpiece rather than rotating the workpiece itself, the system maintains constant wire feed-travel direction angles while using simpler device architecture.
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 prevents off-centering of the bead shape and maintains a constant bead width-to-height ratio using simple control methods, avoiding the need for complex equipment like rotation tables and reducing issues like wire twisting and interference.
Implementation Method 1
a beam source capable of emitting a beam to the wire-like material
Implementation Method 2
a gas nozzle placed such that the beam source is interposed between the gas nozzle and the wire nozzle, the gas nozzle directing a gas toward the machining region
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An additive manufacturing apparatus performs additive machining by controlling a machining head (3) that includes a wire nozzle (31) to feed a wire to a machining region on a surface of a base material, a beam source capable of emitting a beam to an end of the wire, and a gas nozzle (33) placed such that the beam source is interposed between the gas nozzle (33) and the wire nozzle (31), the gas nozzle directing a gas toward the machining region, and the additive manufacturing apparatus includes a machining-condition selection unit to obtain an angle that is formed between a direction in which the wire is fed and a travel direction of the machining head (3), when viewed in a direction in which the beam is emitted, and to select a machining condition for the additive machining on the basis of the angle.