METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING OPTIMIZED PANELS AND OTHER COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
The disclosure relates to additively manufactured (AM) composite structures such as panels for use in transport structures or other mechanized assemblies. An AM core may be optimized for an intended application of a panel. In various embodiments, one or more values such as strength, stiffness, density, energy absorption, ductility, etc. may be optimized in a single AM core to vary across the AM core in one or more directions for supporting expected load conditions. In an embodiment, the expected load conditions may include forces applied to the AM core or corresponding panel from different directions in up to three dimensions. Where the structure is a panel, face sheets may be affixed to respective sides of the core. The AM core may be a custom honeycomb structure. In other embodiments, the face sheets may have custom 3-D profiles formed traditionally or through additive manufacturing to enable structural panels with complex profiles. The AM core may include a protrusion to provide fixturing features to enable external connections. In other embodiments, inserts, fasteners, or internal channels may be co-printed with the core. In still other embodiments, the AM core may be used in a composite structure such as, for example a rotor blade or a vehicle component.
The present disclosure relates to panels and other components used in transport structures such as automobiles, trucks, trains, boats, aircraft, motorcycles, and the like.
BackgroundStructural panels are commonly made by fabricating a honeycomb core using dedicated tooling and then adhering two outer structural skins, also known as face sheets, on respective sides of the core. Honeycomb structures are used in numerous applications, including as the core, or interior portion, of panels and other composite structures used in transport structures. Attributes of a honeycomb-based core may include minimal density and relatively high out-of-plane compression and shear properties. In some configurations, alternative lattice-based structures can be used as the core or a portion thereof and may provide similar benefits.
Typical honeycomb and lattice manufacturing processes are unfortunately labor and tooling intensive, and can therefore be time-consuming and expensive. The resulting honeycomb panels also may include anisotropic properties, which can be highly undesirable in many applications involving transport structures. For example, traditional core materials used for providing support in the panel interior are generally only stiff in one direction, such as in a compressional direction orthogonal to the panel. However, expected loads may include anticipated forces applied in other directions that the panel, with the anisotropic properties of its core, cannot support. Stiffness is but one example of many properties in a panel core whose values may be necessary for proper panel operation given a global set of expected loads. Numerous other material properties (e.g., strength, flexibility, rigidity, etc.) include similar directional or orientation-related limitations in various forms and therefore present essentially the same dilemma.
Manufacturers have attempted to address these shortcomings by producing a composite core having a variety of distinct layers, sections, or regions, each layer, section or region designed to target one aspect of the expected loads by providing desirable values of characteristics (e.g., density, stiffness, impact strength, tensile strength, rigidity, flexibility, energy absorption, and the like) in a specific direction to accommodate that aspect of the load. Problems inherent in this approach include higher manufacturing costs in using different materials, additional development time in designing each such material for an intended purpose, and potentially longer manufacturing times and higher costs requiring separate processes and tooling for manufacturing each region.
In addition, undesirable physical deficiencies in this approach may result. Design problems may include an increased overall mass of the panel with which the composite core is associated, and sharp gradients in material characteristics at layer borders. Panels and other composite structures are ubiquitous in modern vehicles and other transportation systems. The cumulative effect of this problem can compromise overall performance of the transport structure.
Further, when fabricating the common honeycomb structure, the manufacturer is by definition limited to the geometrical attributes of the honeycomb. Thus, the characteristics and properties of the resulting sandwich panel are circumscribed by the inherent characteristics and properties of the honeycomb geometry.
Manufacturers have attempted geometrical variations of the honeycomb to modify these characteristics. Such attempts, however, remain subject to the limitations and inflexibilities imposed by present manufacturing methods, such as the expense of custom tooling to accommodate the variations.
A fundamentally different approach is needed to overcome these obstacles.
SUMMARYCustom panels for use in transport structures and the manufacture thereof will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to various illustrative aspects of the present disclosure.
In one aspect of the disclosure, a panel for use in a transport structure includes at least one face sheet, and an additively manufactured (AM) core affixed to the at least one face sheet and optimized to provide a varying strength across at least a portion of the AM core for supporting expected load conditions.
In another aspect of the disclosure, a method for producing a panel for use in a transport structure includes additively manufacturing a core, including optimizing the additively manufactured (AM) core to provide a varying strength across at least a portion thereof for supporting expected load conditions, and affixing the AM core to at least one face sheet.
It will be understood that other aspects of custom panels and composite structures for use in vehicles and other transport structures, and the manufacture thereof, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein it is shown and described only several embodiments by way of illustration. As will be realized by those skilled in the art, the disclosed subject matter is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
Various aspects of the methods and apparatuses for additively manufacturing transport structures will now be presented in the detailed description by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended to provide a description of various exemplary embodiments and is not intended to represent the only embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. The terms “example” and “exemplary” used throughout this disclosure mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration,” and should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments presented in this disclosure. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough and complete disclosure that fully conveys the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. However, the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components may be shown in block diagram form, or omitted entirely, in order to avoid obscuring the various concepts presented throughout this disclosure.
This disclosure is directed to the manufacture of panel structures using specific additive manufacturing techniques to realize optimized core structures for said panel structures. In an exemplary aspect of the disclosure, certain components of such transport structures can represent modular components including composites having tri-axially optimized characteristics. As shown below, the combination of the additive manufacturing techniques with the modular and tri-axially optimized properties of the constituent transport structure components may be used to add overall value and efficiency to the end product and the assembly process. In addition, such techniques can provide distinct advantages to a user. These points are addressed in greater detail below.
Manufacturers that stand to benefit from this proposed combination of features include those that manufacture virtually any mechanized form of transport, the assembly of which often relies heavily on complex and labor intensive machine tools and molding techniques, and whose products often require the development of complex panels, nodes, and interconnects to be integrated with intricate machinery such as combustion engines, transmissions and increasingly sophisticated electronic techniques. Examples of such transport structures include, among others, cars, trucks, trains, boats, aircraft, tractors, motorcycles, busses, trains, and the like.
The techniques disclosed herein optimally lend themselves to the assembly of tri-axially optimized core-based structures, including the tri-axially optimized core-based structures and systems, methods, and apparatus, for forming tri-axially optimized core-based structures. Furthermore, while the systems, methods, and apparatus are generally described with respect to tri-axially optimized core-based structures, it will be understood that these systems and methods may be used to optimize core-based structures in only two dimensions when necessary. (As discussed above, traditional composite materials may provide an inner core that is stiff in only a single direction.) As used herein “optimized” in a particular direction may mean strengthened, stiffened, supported, reinforced, braced, or hardened in the particular direction, as applicable in the context and/or based on an objective or a given panel application. More particularly, tri-axially optimized may mean strengthening, stiffening, supporting, reinforcing, bracing, or hardening as much as is needed in each of three-axes. The strengthening, stiffening, supporting, reinforcing, bracing, or hardening may vary from direction to direction. Furthermore, the strengthening, stiffening, supporting, reinforcing, bracing, or hardening may include some increase with respect to the needed support for a given design. For example, structures may be designed for 100%, 150%, 200%, 500% or some other percentage of the expected load for along a particular axis. The percentage may vary from axis to axis.
A controller (including but not limited to controller 329 of
In other embodiments, the controller 329 (or a controller on a separate computer) may be configured to optimize the core for the intended structural application and then print the entire panel (core and face sheets) as one integrated unit. In this case, there may not be a need for subsequent assembly of the panel sections. As discussed in greater length below, the optimized panel sections may be configured to include protrusions, sliding features, fasteners, and other mechanisms that enable adjacent panel sections to lock together at fixed angles.
The optimized core need not be rectangular or planar, and need not take on a fixed shape. The optimized core may be organically created with custom parts designed to provide the necessary structural support along all three coordinate axes (x, y, z) and may be designed to handle loads from any applicable direction without adding excessive or unnecessary mass to the panel. The core may also vary in thickness at any point. The core may have different densities in different regions and may incorporate both solid regions and empty or void regions at different locations. The flexibility to optimize the core based on any of these variables, together with the ability to shape the panel sections in any manner desirable, allows the resulting panel to be used in a virtually unlimited array of applications.
The face sheets may be 3-D printed (separately from the core or co-printed with the core) or conventionally formed (i.e., using traditional techniques). As will be illustrated herein, the face sheets need not be planar and instead can be curved or contoured in any geometrical configuration appropriate for the desired solution. The face sheets may be formed independently or by using the core as a tool. The face sheets may, but need not, have a uniform thickness and in other embodiments either one or both face sheets may vary widely in thickness. These principles are described further below.
Additive Manufacturing (3-D Printing). The use of additive manufacturing (AM) or 3-D printing may provide significant flexibility for enabling manufacturers of mechanical structures and mechanized assemblies to manufacture parts with complex geometries. For example, 3-D printing techniques provide manufacturers with the flexibility to design and build parts having intricate internal lattice structures and/or profiles that may not be possible to manufacture via traditional manufacturing processes or may be cost prohibitive to manufacture via traditional manufacturing processes. A variety of different AM techniques have been used to 3-D print components composed of various types of materials. Numerous available techniques exist, and more are being developed. For example, Directed Energy Deposition (DED) AM systems use directed energy sourced from laser or electron beams to melt metal. These systems utilize both powder and wire feeds. The wire feed systems advantageously have higher deposition rates than other prominent AM techniques. Single Pass Jetting (SPJ) combines two powder spreaders and a single print unit to spread metal powder and to print a structure in a single pass with apparently no wasted motion. As another illustration, electron beam additive manufacturing processes use an electron beam to deposit metal via wire feedstock or sintering on a powder bed in a vacuum chamber. Single Pass Jetting is another exemplary technology claimed by its developers to be much quicker than conventional laser-based systems. Atomic Diffusion Additive Manufacturing (ADAM) is still another recently developed technology in which components are printed, layer-by-layer, using a metal powder in a plastic binder. After printing, plastic binders are removed and the entire part is sintered at once. Other AM technologies include direct metal deposition (DMD) and powder bed fusion (PBF).
One of several such AM techniques, as noted, is DMD.
The powdered metal is then fused by the laser 106 in a melt pool region 108, which may then bond to the workpiece 112 as a region of deposited material 110. The dilution area 114 may include a region of the workpiece where the deposited powder is integrated with the local material of the workpiece. The feed nozzle 102 may be supported by a computer numerical controlled (CNC) robot or a gantry, or other computer-controlled mechanism. The feed nozzle 102 may be moved under computer control multiple times along a predetermined direction of the substrate until an initial layer of the deposited material 110 is formed over a desired area of the workpiece 112. The feed nozzle 102 can then scan the region immediately above the prior layer to deposit successive layers until the desired structure is formed. In general, the feed nozzle 102 may be configured to move with respect to all three axes, and in some instances to rotate on its own axis by a predetermined amount.
3-D modeling software, in turn, may include one of numerous commercially available 3-D modeling software applications. Data models may be rendered using a suitable computer-aided design (CAD) package, for example in an STL format. STL (stereolithography) is one example of a file format associated with commercially available stereolithography-based CAD software. A CAD program may be used to create the data model of the 3-D object as an STL file. Thereupon, the STL file may undergo a process whereby errors in the file are identified and resolved.
Following error resolution, the data model can be “sliced” by a software application known as a slicer to thereby produce a set of instructions for 3-D printing the object, with the instructions being compatible and associated with the particular 3-D printing technology to be utilized (step 220). Numerous slicer programs are commercially available. Generally, the slicer program converts the data model into a series of individual layers representing thin slices (e.g., 100 microns thick) of the object be printed, along with a file containing the printer-specific instructions for 3-D printing these successive individual layers to produce an actual 3-D printed representation of the data model.
The layers associated with 3-D printers and related print instructions need not be planar or identical in thickness. For example, in some embodiments depending on factors like the technical sophistication of the 3-D printing equipment and the specific manufacturing objectives, etc., the layers in a 3-D printed structure may be non-planar and/or may vary in one or more instances with respect to their individual thicknesses. For example, in some exemplary embodiments, a build piece may be additively manufactured using PBF, after which DMD may be applied to change a region of the build piece using a non-flat layer structure and/or layers having different thicknesses.
A common type of file used for slicing data models into layers is a G-code file, which is a numerical control programming language that includes instructions for 3-D printing the object. The G-code file, or other file constituting the instructions, is uploaded to the 3-D printer (step 230). Because the file containing these instructions is typically configured to be operable with a specific 3-D printing process, it will be appreciated that many formats of the instruction file are possible depending on the 3-D printing technology used.
In addition to the printing instructions that dictate what and how an object is to be rendered, the appropriate physical materials necessary for use by the 3-D printer in rendering the object are loaded into the 3-D printer using any of several conventional and often printer-specific methods (step 240). In DMD techniques, for example, one or more metal powders may be selected for layering structures with such metals or metal alloys. In selective laser melting (SLM), selective laser sintering (SLS), and other PBF-based AM methods (see below), the materials may be loaded as powders into chambers that feed the powders to a build platform. Depending on the 3-D printer, other techniques for loading printing materials may be used.
The respective data slices of the 3-D object are then printed based on the provided instructions using the material(s) (step 250). In 3-D printers that use laser sintering, a laser scans a powder bed and melts the powder together where structure is desired, and avoids scanning areas where the sliced data indicates that nothing is to be printed. This process may be repeated thousands of times until the desired structure is formed, after which the printed part is removed from a fabricator. In fused deposition modelling, as described above, parts are printed by applying successive layers of model and support materials to a substrate. In general, any suitable 3-D printing technology may be employed for purposes of this disclosure.
Another AM technique includes powder-bed fusion (“PBF”). Like DMD, PBF creates ‘build pieces’ layer-by-layer. Each layer or ‘slice’ is formed by depositing a layer of powder and exposing portions of the powder to an energy beam. The energy beam is applied to melt areas of the powder layer that coincide with the cross-section of the build piece in the layer. The melted powder cools and fuses to form a slice of the build piece. The process can be repeated to form the next slice of the build piece, and so on. Each layer is deposited on top of the previous layer. The resulting structure is a build piece assembled slice-by-slice from the ground up.
Referring specifically to
In various embodiments, the deflector 305 can include one or more gimbals and actuators that can rotate and/or translate the energy beam source to position the energy beam. In various embodiments, energy beam source 303 and/or deflector 305 can modulate the energy beam, e.g., turn the energy beam on and off as the deflector scans so that the energy beam is applied only in the appropriate areas of the powder layer. For example, in various embodiments, the energy beam can be modulated by a digital signal processor (DSP).
As shown in
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art upon perusal of this disclosure that the core material discussed above need not be limited in application to panels. Rather, it will be understood that the core material may be used as part of or an interior of, or in connection with, other types of components in transport structures that may require isotropic features. In other exemplary embodiments, the core material may itself be considered a separate component to which the principles of the disclosure are applicable. Because the panel is ubiquitous in all types of transport structures, this structure will be used in connection with most embodiments throughout the disclosure.
One or more of the systems described with respect to
The system 300 or a separate processing system, e.g., one or more processors and a memory system (including, for example, any of, or any combination of, a read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), programmable read only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), and/or electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), and including a volatile memory (e.g., static RAM (SRAM) or dynamic RAM (DRAM) and a non-volatile memory (e.g., magnetic hard drives, solid-state drives (SSD), flash memory, etc., or any combination of the above), or Enterprise Server System, a personal computer, a workstation, a controller integrated into the system 300, etc. may provide a manner for analyzing the expected loads on the composite structure. For example, the system 300 or a separate processing system as described above may be configured to allow expected loads to be input (in a simulation or an actual build) and processing components to analyze the expected loads on the panel structure. The mechanism for analyzing the expected loads on the composite structure may include code executed by the processor(s), thereby causing the processor to perform the analyses. Such analyses may include determining an expected load, e.g., based on calculations or inputs provided, or conditions provided sufficient for the program to render the determination of the expect load, and determining the magnitude and direction of that load at various load points on the composite structure. The processing hardware and code may also determine how the expected loads will apply forces to the composite structure in one or more directions. The expected load may be an average load, a load over time, a determination of maximum and minimum loads, or some combination of these or other parameters. In some embodiments, parameters other than the expected load may be considered, calculated, and considered in the determination of the core or the composite structure design.
The system 300 or a separate processing system may provide or utilize code for determining a design for the core material based on the analysis of the expected loads. The mechanism for determining a design for the core material based on the analysis of the expected loads may include code executed by the processor causing the processor to determine a design for the core material based on the analysis of the expected loads. In an exemplary embodiment, determining the design may include further breaking down the concept of loading on the composite structure as a singular unit into loading on the composite structure at a range of locations within the composite structure.
Analyses using multi-physics models can determine failure points of a structure based on the loads the structure is expected to experience during actual use. By obtaining the failure points, materials can be chosen, and the analysis can run again. Typically, material properties (material, densities, strength, etc.) are inputs to the analysis. Results of the analyses can be used by the optimization algorithm. The optimization algorithm would optimize the layout of material in a given space for a given set of loads and boundary conditions. These loads and boundary conditions may be determined through analyses described previously. Accordingly, in an embodiment, an optimization algorithm can be run as follows:
1. A structure (e.g., a panel and/or core) is modeled.
2. Inputs for the structure are identified based on specifically identified material properties. The material properties ordinarily correspond to the properties of the initial physical material(s) used in the panel or core. Additional or alternative inputs deemed relevant to the analysis may also be used.
3. The structure is subject to a plurality of loads (which may include, for example one or more load/force vectors asserted at various points of the structure, over a period of time or otherwise), and to boundary conditions.
4. Material is generated based on these inputs. This is the output of the optimization. The optimized part may be subject to analyses, and failure points may be determined by the multi-physics models. Failure points are identified. Failure points may include, for example, locations of the core or panel where the material cracks, gets crushed, deforms, or breaks. In some embodiment, these failure points may include times of failure.
5. Based on the identified failure points, one or more materials can be chosen for use in the panel/core. The subsequent choice of material(s) can be performed by the optimization algorithm, or it can be performed manually. In either case, the material(s) are generally chosen that are anticipated to address the failure points. Critical failure points may require materials that are stronger or more robust. In some embodiments, the geometrical parameters of the panel may be modified, if appropriate. For example, the core geometry is changed to address the failure points.
6. The optimization algorithm is rerun based on inputs corresponding to the chosen one or more materials.
In various embodiments, the optimization algorithm can be run any number of times until it converges on an acceptable solution. An acceptable solution may include, for example, a core composition and geometry that is conducive to receiving and withstanding different loads in different directions and that has a more gradual load-bearing gradient, in contrast than a panel portion being strong in a single direction and an immediately adjacent panel portion being strong in the opposite direction, as is often seen in conventional approaches. At this point, the panel geometry (including the core geometry) and constituent materials can be identified and used in a data model to print the desired AM core.
The system 300 or a separate processing system may utilize code for generating the design file(s) based on the determination of the overall design. A design file may, for example, include a matrix of locations and material densities or specific energy beam processing parameters that correspond to the locations or specific energy beam processing parameters. The material densities may, in turn, be based on strength needs, flexibility requirements, etc. at a given location within the composite structure. In other embodiments, the composite structure may be designed to be stronger than the needed strength by some factor, e.g., 200%. These and other considerations can be taken into account when the processing system determines the required material properties for the composite structure in different locations and directions.
While the system 300 or the separate processing system may utilize expected loads, strength measurements, and material densities in the above calculations, the actual design of the core may include additional or different calculations involving other parameters or material properties not specifically referenced herein. Thus, other parameters and material properties may be considered by the processing system and are deemed to fall within the scope of one or more embodiments herein. In short, the processing and calculations leading to the structural design of the core as disclosed herein can advantageously account for desired values of properties in each location and in each of the X, Y and Z directions and any intermediate direction therebetween. The variable of time may also be considered. The material composition of the core and its attributes at each location and direction may therefore be precisely determined. The code may provide instructions to the 3-D printer to build the core in accordance with the composition and attributes.
The above-described technique is in contrast to conventional solutions in which cores or similar components comprise multiple separate layers, sections, or regions of material, wherein each layer is individually manufactured to provide a desired material characteristic that is prominent in a single direction. The end result using conventional approaches is a multi-tiered core whose desired material properties are segregated throughout the different layers, sections or regions. The conventional approach may lend itself to compromises in performance in that, among other potential problems, different layers or regions may adversely affect the properties of other layers or regions in the same composite structure. The conventional approach further tends to result in components having a potentially significantly greater mass, which increases fuel consumption. The conventional approach further increases production times, because it may require multiple individual builds to create each layer, section or region. Additional manufacturing steps may be necessary to adhere the layers together. The embodiments disclosed herein provide a solution to these problems by allowing the composite structure to be formed in many or most cases as a single build, or a substantially limited number of builds, whereby all of the desired traits and directional attributes of the core are integrated into a single structure.
As noted above, the cores that form the panel interior can be made using a variety of densities, with greater densities reflecting stronger panels at the expense of an increased mass. Core structures for composite materials may be formed using AM. AM is non-design specific, which offers geometric and design flexibility that conventional manufacturing processes cannot. Furthermore, 3-D printing technologies can produce parts with very small feature sizes and geometries that are either significantly difficult or impossible to produce using conventional manufacturing processes. Very large components that exceed printer size specifications can be segregated at the design phase, 3-D printed in parallel and combined. However, 3-D printer sizes, and therefore printed object sizes, continue to increase to drive demand. The versatility of AM and its ability to create highly complex structures represent a major impetus driving AM's increased adoption by the industry.
Multi-aspect printing. To streamline the manufacturing process and maximize efficiency in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, multi-aspect printing is used. It may be desirable or necessary in many cases to produce components using a plurality of manufacturing processes. Conventionally, to accomplish this result, different dedicated machines are used. Thus, for example, a panel may be produced in part using DMD or PBF-based AM techniques, and then portions of the panel may undergo a finishing technique using FDM or spray forming processes. Additionally, subtractive manufacturing processes may also be implemented, for example, to remove unwanted materials from the 3-D printed panel or to further define features within a component.
In this conventional situation, the component must be transported between different dedicated machines for undergoing the plurality of different processes. The use of different machines can be time consuming and inefficient, and can add costs to the manufacturing of parts. These costs can increase substantially as production capacity increases.
In an aspect, these distinct functions may be combined into a single multi-aspect machine. In one exemplary embodiment, a single multi-aspect printer (MAP) includes two or more AM features. In other embodiments, the machine may include various subtractive manufacturing (SM) functions. For example, the MAP may incorporate functions performed by a CNC machine. MAP may include a robotic arm coupled to a tool for cutting material from a component on a substrate. The arm may alternatively be configured to receive one of a plurality of tools operable for performing different SM procedures.
The integration of multiple technologies into a single machine can substantially increase manufacturing speed and capacity, while reducing costs of labor otherwise incurred from moving the components and capital used for purchasing dedicated AM machines. Additionally, the combined functionality enables components to be printed in series or in parallel, increasing design flexibility and further maximizing production efficiency. Generally, the AM and SM operations of the MAP may be performed in any order.
MAP may include a single printer having a single print area using multiple print heads, including one or more DMD print heads, operable to print multiple areas simultaneously. MAP may be used to achieve greater versatility and speed in printing 3-D structures. MAP has the capability to set up and implement local PBF processing. MAP may also additively manufacture custom build plates needed for AM operations. In some embodiments, MAP can use DMD to produce “build plate supports” that attach to the printer plates and that support the attached build plate. These build plate supports may be attached below the build plate and can be made to be breakable from the build plate to enable the build plate to become part of the printed structure, if desired.
MAP may further include a robotic arm that introduces a build plate where needed in regions requiring the feature sizes and properties available with PBF. MAP may further include a robotic arm that may be used to introduce a build plate where needed locally in a larger chamber. A robotic coating arm may then coat the build plate and subsequent layers between sintering operations. MAP may further include a vacuum arm for removing excess powder upon completion of operations, allowing DMD onto PBF regions.
In one exemplary embodiment, the print heads may be printed in place by DMD. In another embodiment, MAP may incorporate fused deposition modeling (FDM) print capability including FDM extruders which heat and eject melted filament materials provided from FDM spools for printing thermoplastics and other materials ideal for internal supports and other functions where plastics may be beneficial.
One or more of the applicators and robotic arm assemblies of
MAP may also include one or more tools for milling. MAP may also use FDM on the top layers of a build piece for surface finishing. Structures for facilitating SM techniques may also be provided, such as automated milling tools and the like.
In some embodiments, MAP may print a structure using DMD and, concurrently or subsequently, add a part with a build plate and an immobile supporting structure. Alternatively, MAP may 3-D print the build plate and then apply a robotic arm containing powder to implement a PBF process while having a laser positioned over the powder bed. The laser may point to a mirror, which can be mobile or stationary.
MAP can have wide applicability to the manufacture of transport structures and other mechanical assemblies. For example, MAP can print lattice panels located in non-crushable areas using PBF or FDM (in the case of plastic lattice panels). MAP can print metal vehicle panels using DMD. MAP can also use FDM to 3-D print support features. In the case of a curved panel, for example, FDM may be needed to print the corresponding lattice structures for supporting the panel. As noted above, FDM can also be used to provide surface finishing to increase quality of the 3-D printed parts.
In other embodiments, MAP can 3-D print support materials using a combination of FDM and PBF technologies. These supports can optionally be broken off following the AM process on the object being printed.
In another exemplary embodiment, MAP may include spray form capability. Spray forming is the inert gas atomization of a liquid metal stream into variously sized droplets (10-500 microns) that are then propelled away from the region of atomization by the fast-flowing atomizing gas. The droplet trajectories are interrupted by a substrate which collects and solidifies the droplets into a coherent, near fully dense preform. By continuous movement of the substrate relative to the atomizer, large preforms can be produced in a variety of geometries including billets, tubes and strip. The addition of a robotic arm for spray forming provides yet additional versatility to MAP.
Further, as described above, MAP may incorporate one or more SM processes. For example, MAP may include a CNC computer-controlled arm for use in accurately removing material or structure where needed.
In addition, MAP may include multiple arms and/or print heads for performing the same AM functions in a faster manner. For instance, MAP may provide a plurality of DMD print heads for performing metal deposition in parallel, or more than one energy beam for implementing a PBF process.
The availability of multiple robotic arms performing unique functions also enables some AM processes to be conducted in parallel. For example, in manufacturing a panel, one section of the panel may be undergoing PBF processing while another section to which PBF techniques have already been applied may simultaneously undergo spray forming. Parts may also be 3-D printed in series, with one process immediately following another without delays associated with mobilizing the component to another printer or another production area.
MAP may be under the general control of a central processing system, controller or computer that executes instructions corresponding to each of MAP's different capabilities. The processing system may be operable to integrate these instructions together to provide a meaningful sequence of instructions that incorporate a plurality of MAP's capabilities into one overall manufacturing operation. MAP may include, for example, controller 429, which may be an integrated controller or it may be a distributed series of processors that control various portions of a MAP. Controller 429 may execute code to perform one or more of the functions of controller 329 discussed above with reference to
In other embodiments where desired, MAP may include a number of modes for using individual AM or SM technologies. For example, MAP can be used in FDM printing mode to additively manufacture a plurality of exclusively FDM-based objects. To accomplish this objective, the processing system may, in general, include a variety of processing modes whereby different capabilities of MAP are exploited for specific applications. These modes may also include specific modes that utilize a plurality of MAP's features concurrently, where desired for efficiency or as an inherently-desired aspect of rendering a particular object.
The capability to additively manufacture parts enables the manufacturer to generate shapes, configurations, and structures that are not available in conventional manufacturing processes. Further, advances in AM technologies are expected to continue. Print speed is continually increasing. 3-D printer form factor has also seen regular advances. This means, among other things, that the area of the build platform as compared with the size of the component to be printed is becoming progressively larger as relevant as build plates and printer profiles cross unprecedented boundaries in size, speed and sophistication. The availability and suitability of candidate materials and chemical compounds for use in AM is likewise increasing, meaning among other things that the versatility of AM should continue to impact other applications and other parts of the transport structures.
In one aspect of the disclosure, complete transport structures are additively manufactured. For the purposes of this disclosure, AM techniques with automobiles are used to demonstrate the capabilities of these advanced manufacturing techniques. However, using substantially similar principles as outlined in this disclosure, practitioners skilled in the art will recognize that analogous patterns and identical principles can apply with equal force to numerous classes of transport structures—planes, trains, busses, boats, motorcycles, and aircraft to name only a few.
AM also provides modularity processes with the capability to define and build complex and efficient interfacing features that define partitions or borders between panels. These features can include indentations, tongue and groove techniques, adhesives, nuts/bolts, and the like. A further advantage of implementing a modular design for vehicles is ease of repair. Modular designs ensure easy access to virtually any component in the vehicle. In the event of a crash, the affected modular block simply can be replaced. The block(s) can also be co-printed with the remaining structure to save assembly time. The blocks can even incorporate in-situ scanning and observation to ensure accurate joining and repair of the modules.
Modular panel interfaces can be 3-D printed to include ports, protrusions, receiving slots, integrated fasteners, threading solutions, fastener receiving solutions, and/or panel orientation fixturing features. These solutions can provide alignment of adjoining panels at different angles, including right angles. More specifically, two panels can be joined together such that the cores of the panels include one or more structures that maintain the angle between the panels. The structures for implementing the interface may vary widely and may include a slide-in feature using a protrusion and a slot, an interlock solution using a fastener, a plurality of ports for glue, 3-D printed structure, a plate with threads that can mate with another plate using bolts, all of which are collectively used to implement the interface (
Using a modular design approach, the AM vehicle may be assembled as a collection of 3-D printed and non-printed components integrated together via some interconnection means for attaching the components at defined borders or transitions as noted above. Individual components may be added and removed without requiring changes to other components of the vehicle. Using a modular approach, the vehicle may be considered as a replaceable collection of assembled parts connectable into a functional transport structure via standard interconnects.
In another embodiment, the entire frame of the vehicle (and optionally other parts integrated within the frame) may be printed in a single pass or in a few renderings. Smaller parts of the frame may be printed if the frame is further subdivided into smaller modules. Such a modular frame structure, in certain embodiments, can make it easier to access parts of the vehicle underneath the frame.
In short, using the AM capabilities and modular construction techniques as described, 3-D printed vehicular components can be easily manufactured, and later reprinted and replaced as necessary. Repair and replacement is made possible for parts regardless of their complexity or of their current availability in inventory. Custom modular panels and other parts having a unique shape may be manufactured and assembled into an AM vehicle. Unlike conventional techniques in which adjacent parts of the automobile need to be replaced as well if one part is damaged during an impact, the parts to be replaced using the techniques herein may be limited to those that were affected by the impact.
It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, panels and other parts having modular features are not limited to being 3-D printed, but may also be constructed using other techniques, including the use of tooling or molding techniques, or other non-AM techniques, where necessary or desirable. Conversely, it will be appreciated that in still other embodiments involving specific conditions or manufacturing criteria, certain AM parts need not be defined by modular features.
At step 502(1) in one embodiment, the optimized core structure can be 3-D printed. In a first alternative following step 502(1), the skins (face sheets) may be acquired per design, or formed via another manufacturing method, and then added to the 3-D printed cores (504(1)). The skins may, but need not, be planar. For example, the skins may instead be curved or otherwise shaped to include a variety of non-planar geometrical features. For example, the 3-D printed core structure in step 502(1) may have curved surfaces on each side, and the skins added in 504(1) may be curved such that they fit into the respective sides of the core. In a second alternative following step 502(1), the materials comprising the skins are laid on the core surfaces using the cores as a tool (504(2)). In a third alternative following step 502(1), the skins may be 3-D printed in a manner such that they are formed to fit the contour of the 3-D printed core surfaces (504)(3)). Thus, where the core surfaces are non-planar in nature, the skins may be 3-D printed to match the non-planar contour of the respective core surfaces.
It will be appreciated that in steps 502(1) and in any of subsequent steps 504(1)-(3), the 3-D printed cores and/or skins may be configured to include additional structures including cavities housing components that require an external interface, such as various types of joining features.
At step 502(2) in another embodiment, the skins and optimized lattice core may be co-printed. As in embodiments above, the co-printed cores and skins may be configured to include additional structures including cavities housing components that require an external interface. In some embodiments, steps 504(1)-(3) may also include using an adhesive, sealant, or mechanical fixture, as appropriate per the desired configuration, to bond the skins to the core. Subsequent to each of the three alternative steps 504(1), (2) and (3), the co-printing step 502(2), the assembled printed panel may be used in an intended application (506).
As an example of step 604, material may be cut away or removed to produce a hinge.
The SM process 604 may be performed by the MAP in an embodiment. In alternative embodiments, step 604 may be performed subsequent to the AM operations in steps 602 and 606. In still other embodiments, step 604 may be performed in parallel with one or both of steps 602 and 606. In still other embodiments, a plurality of SM steps are applied at different times in the process.
In one embodiment, PBF or DMD technologies may be used in step 602 to produce a metal panel. While one portion or region of the metal panel is being printed in step 602, another portion of the metal panel that has already undergone 3-D printing via PBF or DMD may be further 3-D printed using FDM, for example, to provide a smooth finish. Alternatively, spray forming may be used to provide finishing in step 606.
The AM steps 602 and 606, above, may be performed in different orders. The AM steps 602 and 606 may, for example, be performed concurrently (in whole or in part), in series, or in any suitable order.
In an aspect of the disclosure, the additively manufactured core 708 may include unique arrays of lattice structures and/or custom honeycomb structures.
Referring still to
The AM core material in general may take on any of a variety of conventional or organic shapes, or somewhere in between, depending on the most ideal structural optimization for the panel application at issue. Conventional core material may include, for example, foam cores, which may include open or closed cell, and which may provide generally homogenous support of the skins. Other conventional core material may provide more structured, non-homogenous support of the skins including textile cores for punctual support, cup-shaped cores for providing regional support to both skins, corrugated cores that provide unidirectional support and honeycomb cores, which provide bi-directional support. In addition to these and other conventional core patterns, any type of custom core pattern can be generated and used on its own, or combined with any one or more conventional patterns. The optimization of the panel can take into account a number of parameters and the structural patterns of support can differ as a function of position at any point on the panel. Thus, different load magnitudes and directions can be accommodated at each point on an operational panel in an optimal manner.
The face sheets 702a-b may be additively manufactured, or in some embodiments, co-printed with the panel core. Alternatively, the face sheets 702a-b may be manufactured using conventional methods. For example, the face sheets 702a-b may be manufactured using a hand or automated composite layup, which includes laying dry fabric layers or prepreg plies onto a tool to form a laminate stack. The dry fiber laminate stack is infused with resin in a wet layup procedure, and the resulting materials are allowed to cure. Alternatively, a pre-preg laminate stack may be compacted after placement onto the tool and heated to allow curing. In an exemplary embodiment, the face sheets are produced using resin transfer molding (RTM). In RTM, a preform material may be placed into a mold, which is then closed. A specific resin mixture including a low viscosity resin for quick permeation and even distribution may be added to the mold via inlet ports. Vacuum may be used to facilitate the resin injection process. The part is then cured to produce one or both face sheets 702a-b.
In other exemplary embodiments, the face sheets 702a-b are produced using resin injection molding (RIM), vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM), resin film infusion (RFI), compression molding, injection molding, and the like.
Following assembly, the face sheets may be adhered to the additively manufactured core 708 as described. In some alternative embodiments, the face sheets 702a-b may be co-printed with the additively manufactured core 708. In these embodiments, the face sheets 702a-b may be adhered to the additively manufactured core 708 via an adhesive after the AM process has concluded. Alternatively or in addition, the face sheets 702a-b may be affixed to the additively manufactured core 708 using another conventional method, such as via thermal fusion or the like. The face sheets and core may also be built as one continuous AM build. Alternatively, the panel components may be co-printed, with the joining of the components done by an alternative AM process, if assembled in a MAP or similar process. Thus, for example, the MAP can co-print the panel components and then join the components, e.g., by applying an adhesive. The joining of the components can also be performed using a separate procedure, e.g., if a MAP is not used.
While the face sheets 702a-b of
In an alternative embodiment, face sheets 702a-b may be connected to respective sides of the additively manufactured core 708 during the AM process, as opposed to after the AM process.
The core 708 may use different inputs. For example, the core 708 may be additively manufactured as a honeycomb structure or another structure such as an optimized structure based on multiple inputs across physics models. The AM process, being non-design specific, may use instructions provided to a 3-D printer containing an optimized design of the additively manufactured core 708 to meet the objectives of an intended structural application. For example, depending on the application of the panel 708, such as for use in the flooring or as part of an interior side panel, etc., the optimization would enable the specification physical parameters (e.g., tensile strength, rigidity, thickness, force vectors including shear forces and vertical forces etc., pressures and gradients thereof, energy absorption characteristics by crush direction, etc.) and other potential geometrical, thermal, and material-based properties relevant to manufacturing the panel 700 for the intended structural application. In another exemplary embodiment, the panel 700 may be a section of a fuselage or vehicle exterior, in which case various aerodynamic characteristics may be optimized for that intended application by varying the shape of the face sheets in three dimensions. As described below, customizing the additively manufactured core for an application may simply involve describing the geometry of the desired structure in a data model.
In general, the instructions to the 3-D printer may provide a modified honeycomb structure (or other custom structure, e.g., lattice structure) that changes the properties of the panel to make it more suitable for a given application. This optimization process may conventionally be complex and involve substantial experimentation and design effort. However, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure, this potentially arduous process can be replaced wholesale, or at least substantially accelerated, using CAD or other software suites to form the core. The resulting data and instructions can be included as part of a data model representing the core along with the other parts, if any, to be additively manufactured. The optimized data model with the corresponding instructions can then be provided to the 3-D printer, which then renders the physical structure.
The CAD instructions and/or the data model of the structure can also be varied to produce corresponding variations of the honeycomb structure. One advantage at this point is that no tooling or other hardware is needed through this period; the design process can advantageously be replaced with algorithms for optimizing the panel itself, instead of the conventional time-consuming process involved in identifying or constructing expensive tooling to produce the core. More generally, what is conventionally accomplished using complex physical tooling and labor-intensive manpower, and in some cases inefficient trial and error methods, can now be accomplished in software and easily and efficiently converted to a hardware structure at a lower price using less labor.
The extensive versatility of 3-D printing also means that the designer is not limited to conventional honeycomb structures. Rather, in other exemplary embodiments, the core 708 can be additively manufactured using any type of structure optimized for the intended application, as will be described with examples below. After the desired additively manufactured core 708 is additively manufactured, a panel 700 may be formed by adhering plates 702a and 702b to opposing sides. In an exemplary alternative embodiment, the entire sandwich panel (additively manufactured core and face sheets) may be additively manufactured together, potentially with other co-printed structures. That is to say, in an exemplary embodiment, these structures can be additively manufactured together with the face sheets (like the panel 700 of
In addition, the printed or formed face sheets can in some embodiments vary in thickness at different locations, similar to the variable thickness of the core. Thus, some face sheets can both vary in thickness in contour. This enables a curved panel or panel with substantially any contour to be produced using the principles described herein.
Conventionally-produced honeycomb panels may result in anisotropic properties. Anisotropic properties are directionally dependent in that they vary in different directions. Different types of anisotropic properties may be important to panel design considerations in transport structures. Exemplary anisotropic properties differ per the material at issue and may include, for example, tensile strength, heat conduction, shearing forces, and other material-dependent properties. While anisotropic properties may be present in certain useful and high-quality materials such as, for example, carbon fiber composites, these properties are often an undesirable artifact for the applications of a custom honeycomb panel to which this disclosure is directed.
Additively manufacturing cores for sandwich panels, instead of using conventional manufacturing processes to fabricate the cores, can result in structurally optimized cores. Unlike traditional honeycomb panels, panels with additively manufactured core structures advantageously can offer quasi-isotropic properties, while maintaining the same or similar weight characteristics as conventionally manufactured honeycomb cores. Quasi-isotropic properties are those properties that are not directionally dependent in-plane. For example, a panel may exhibit quasi-isotropic features when the tensile stiffness and strength of the panel remain generally the same regardless of the direction in which the panel is pulled or otherwise subject to a tensile force in-plane.
In addition, where a significant amount of strength is needed in a direction orthogonal to the face sheets, one or more of the hexagonal cores 810 or the cylindrical core 820 may not be hollow and may instead be solid. These structures can have different heights, widths and densities. An additional cylindrical-shaped structure 820 of height h1 is shown. In addition, a plurality of elongated core structures 818 are shown running laterally between structures 820 and 810. The densities of these structures may vary. For example, in an embodiment, structure 818 may include one or more solid regions. Between the laterally-running structures includes an empty region 815. The shape and mass of these core materials may include virtually any configuration depending on the optimal load for the panel at issue. It will be appreciated that, even though skins 802a-b are shown as planar for purposes of simplicity, in practice skins 802a, 802b, or both of them, may be contoured to fit the core, and may be implemented with different thicknesses. The skins 802a-b may also include recesses to accommodate protrusions in the core that may be configured to interface with other structures. In the case where h1=h2, for example, the skins/face 802a-b sheets may be partially or completely planar. It is noted that the core structure in this example is incomplete, and the 3-D printer may add further structure to fill the panel.
At or near the outer edge 805 of the panel, one or more connection features or fasteners may be included in order to connect sections of panel 800 together at predetermined orientations. These features are discussed further below with reference to
In an embodiment, the geometry of the AM core 808 of
Referring back to
The intended application includes minimizing the overall mass of the panel (including additively manufactured core 904) while preventing deformation. In an embodiment, at lower lattice segments 908a, more material may be positioned in the lattice structure on the bottom face sheet 902b, or more support may be provided by adhering the lower lattice segments 910b together via expanded adhesive region 910b. As the AM core 904 is additively manufactured in the upward direction through structure 908b, the segments and material may branch out to provide support to face sheet 902a, but at a reduced mass and volume.
Depending on the embodiment, the panel may be constructed such that face sheet 902a will be interior to the transport structure and face sheet 902b will be exterior, or vice versa, or the panel may be entirely internal in the transport structure's interior. In any of these cases, the designer may recognize that the panel may experience a variety of forces. Gravity is one example. Additionally, the designer may recognize that in the embodiment at issue, the areas on the face sheet 902A designated as A and B may experience substantial vertical FA and FB forces on a regular basis. Accordingly, the panel may be custom designed such that the lattice provides additional support in those regions sufficient to prevent substantial panel deformation.
Conversely, at point D, the designer may recognize that the applied force FD will typically be smaller or in a direction closer to parallel to face sheet 902a, such that the panel need not require the same level of support at point D. Alternatively, it may be determined that certain deformation is permitted in region D. A similar analysis may be applicable to region C. A variable force Fc may be applied, including in the direction shown. From the illustration it is evident that face sheet 910b, together with lower lattice structure 908a, may assist in resisting the force and preventing any substantial deformation. The point is that a large amount of flexibility is available to the designer in addressing solutions to problems using the techniques and panels herein, one of which may be reducing panel weight while addressing panel deformation caused by applied forces over time.
Referring still to
Referring still to
Using additive manufacturing, custom panels can be quickly and efficiently manufactured to connect to neighboring devices and structures. The non-design specific nature of AM enables a manufacturer to co-print or separately print any number of different types of fastening structures or non-fastening structures. In an embodiment in
While the panel 1100 of
Other types of connection features and fastening devices may be co-printed with panel 1100. In an embodiment, a structure similar to fastener 1110 is used except that, instead of the insert 1115 being used to fasten the panel to other structures, the insert 1115 may be a channel for enabling fluid flow to or from different sides of the panel. Insert 1815 may alternatively be filled with a solid material of a type dissimilar to the face sheets 1102a-b to provide panel 1100 with some thermal or structural characteristic. To this end, various exemplary embodiments contemplate that insert need not be limited to a round or elliptical region, but rather it may be a region that includes depth relative to the cross-sectional view in
Referring still to
In embodiments where features are to be co-printed (or printed as connected to) the additively manufactured core, such as connection features, fasteners, inserts and other structures, these instructions and specification may be included with the data model identified in 1202 (or if the application requires, new data models for the features may be created and linked) (1204). In other embodiments, connection features and fasteners may be 3-D printed, conventionally manufactured separately or otherwise received from a supplier, and subsequently combined with the panel.
The face sheets may be 3-D printed provided from a supplier, or conventionally formed (1206). As noted, the face sheets may be planar or custom-formed, and may have consistent or variable contours and other properties (e.g., thickness). In cases where the face sheets are additively manufactured (on location or otherwise), one or more data models may be created, and the face sheets may be 3-D printed. For example, where the MAP is used and/or where the panels are metallic like the core, the panel elements (including the core and face sheets) may be co-printed or alternatively a single integrated panel may be printed. In this example, the face sheets may be included as part of the data model identified in 1202; alternatively, they may be included in a separate data model. In alternative embodiments, the face sheets may be custom formed and manufactured through conventional means, e.g., machining, tooling, casting, etc.
The AM core may be additively manufactured using the data model(s) described above (1208). Also, based on the data models, the face sheets may be 3-D printed individually or they may be co-printed with the core or as part of the panel. Any 3-D printer-specific procedures to effect the AM of the core are addressed, performed, and resolved.
The face sheets may be adhered or affixed to respective sides of the additively manufactured core (1210) in embodiments requiring this procedure. For example, where the face sheets are formed or the core is co-printed with the face sheets, the face sheets and core may be joined in this step. This step may also apply to other embodiments where the face sheet is formed using the core as a mold. By contrast, where a single integrated panel is 3-D printed, this step may not be necessary.
For 1210, this may be accomplished using conventional means such as a layup with an adhesive with vacuum, etc. Alternatively or additionally, the face sheets may be joined using additional mechanical fasteners. In some embodiments an intermediary layer is used. In various embodiments, panel connection features may be adhered or connected to the sides of the core. In other embodiments described above, the face sheets may be co-printed with the additively manufactured core and affixed to/integrated with the additively manufactured core during the AM process.
At 1210, joining features, fasteners, panel orientation fixturing features and other structures may also be adhered to the core to form a panel interface. In some embodiments the features may be 3-D printed with the skins or and/or the core such that it is already physically attached.
The manufactured panel may then be integrated with the transport structure (1212). For example, the panel may be used as an interior or exterior panel in an automobile, boat, train, bus, or aircraft. The panel may be used as an exterior wing or fuselage panel in an aircraft. The panel also has a variety of applications in the manufacture of trucks, trains, boats, and the like.
The core structure may be optimized for use in any intended application. The conventional core materials described above may use a uniform distribution. Referring back to
In rendering these calculations in practice, any suitable units may be used. For example, the expected load on a core or other component in the context of a tri-axial optimization algorithm may be measured as an array of force vectors (e.g., each having a magnitude in pound-force, Newton, etc. and having a direction expressed using x-y-z coordinates, angular values relative to a reference plane, etc.). For average forces and other values, the expected load may also be evaluated as a force per unit time. In additional or alternative embodiments, the expected load may be seen as a pressure (force per unit area) on different regions. In short, a variety of anticipated or expected load measurement types may be used by the tri-axial optimization code as governed by the application and intended objectives. The output determinations may be equally flexible and may be provided as a proportion or density as a function of direction, or a percentage as reflected in the example above. Output determinations may also specify material types and their geometries, shapes of cells within materials and any variance on those shapes in three dimensions, and other known parameters. In an embodiment, the output includes a component level design model of the entire core structure, with relevant features of the identified core material either illustrated at pertinent locations in the design model or separately specified in a manner that can be converted into 3-D print instructions compatible with the 3-D printer to be used in the rendering phase.
Any structure may have load cases in all three directions (x, y, z) based on the function the structure is performing. (One exception may be when the structure is being tensile tested in a single direction). In an aspect, a load in two or more directions, e.g., three directions (x, y, z) may be analyzed. The analysis of loads in all three directions may be used to design an optimized core for the structure. The design of the structure may be based on expected loads in all three directions. As used herein, “optimize” a core may mean designing the core based on the expected loads of the core, e.g., in all three directions. The loads may be average values, maximum values, or varying values over time. As noted above, the loads designed for may be a percentage of the expected loads, such as 200% of the expected loads. By utilizing AM technology, the core may be optimized to give varying support and stiffness as determined by the anticipated, simulated, or actual measured global loads in all three axes and can transition seamlessly between the various methods of support. For purposes of this disclosure, an algorithm that computes loads in three dimensions in any reference or coordinate system is deemed to compute the loads across all three axes (x,y,z) in the Cartesian coordinate system, since the angular, cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems, and any other coordinate system, can all be converted into Cartesian coordinates.
Printing the core may provide for a 3-D printed part that may be generated all at once rather than formed by gluing together different parts of a core in different directions to provide strength in different directions, as noted above. The systems and methods described herein may provide for cores to be generated during a single printing or by fewer printings as compared to using different cores, core layers, or core segments to provide strength to an area for a particular axis. In an example, the core and the face sheet of the composite part may be co-printed.
Additionally, in an embodiment, the system 300 in
In an exemplary embodiment, AM may be used rather than the piecewise manufacturing processes typifying conventional approaches. While piecewise manufacturing may use adhesion, AM may use all adhesion with face sheets bonded to a structural core piece. With AM, a core is not bonded to an interface; rather, the core is part of the interface. With 3-D printing, carbon fiber may be laminated onto a metal part rather than using a glue layer to secondarily bond metal to the core. The cores can also be bonded to cured composite face sheets.
In an aspect, where a single material will suffice, optimization of a core may be incorporated into a homogeneous structure including external face sheets. Aspects may also include a transition to non-cored functional and/or structural elements. Aspects that include a transition to non-cored functional and/or structural elements may be used in a variety of panel applications in transport structures and other mechanized assemblies.
The AM core 1308 of
Each of the above embodiments demonstrates that the panels as described herein may have both unique optimized AM cores as well as unique face sheets, all of which can be generated, customized and optimized from the ground up to ensure a panel that functions as intended when incorporated in a vehicle, transport structure or other mechanized assembly.
In another aspect of the disclosure, custom AM panels include panel interfaces that provide the ability to incorporate ports, protrusions, receiving slots, integrated fasteners, threading solutions, fastener receiving solutions, orientation fixturing features, inserts, or other features for connecting to fasteners of other structure, or for other purposes. Conventionally, incorporation of these structures is a laborious process involving a significant amount of machining. In embodiments involving additively manufactured cores for sandwich panels and inserts, these features may instead be additively manufactured with the core. In one exemplary embodiment, the bulk of the additively manufactured core may be a plastic material, while the inserts constituting the features for connecting to fasteners may be printed or co-printed using a metal or metal alloy. In a MAP application, the structures may be assembled and adhered together using different AM techniques or a combination of AM and SM.
The panel interface features discussed herein may be separate components that can be 3-D printed, co-printed with the panel (core and/or face sheets), or traditionally formed. The panel interface features can thereafter be bonded to the core. In other embodiments, the panel interface features are part of the custom core and can be printed during AM of the core.
An example of a fixturing feature is shown in
The feature 1708 may be co-printed with AM core 1706, with face sheets 1702 and 1704, or with the entire assembly. The panel 1700 may thus be securely fixture to a node (not shown) or may provide other functionality. The circular regions 1712 on feature 1707 may be receptacles for receiving tubes, extrusions, etc. In an embodiment, fixturing feature 1708 may be used to secure the panel 1700 to an interior portion of a vehicle. Feature 1708 may engage with an external structure affixed to or otherwise associated with the vehicle. A secure connection between fixturing feature 1708 and the external structure may be used to help secure and stabilize the panel with respect to the transport structure. The fixturing feature 1708 may be used for other purposes altogether as well.
Another example of a fixturing feature is shown in
Modifications to the arrangements in
It should be noted that while the figures generally show the joining of panel sections using generally planar face sheets, this need not be the case and the face sheets and AM core may be contoured in any suitable manner, and thereafter joined.
While protrusions and slide-in features have been illustrated above to effect the secure fastening of panel sections relative to each other, it will be appreciated upon review of the present disclosure that a wide variety of fastener and fixturing types may be implemented to connect the panels.
In an aspect, the systems and methods described herein may be used for an automotive subframe. In such an example, hardpoints may be integral to and transition into the tri-axially optimized core 2302. In an aspect, the spans between the functional hardpoints may be part of the tri-axially optimized core 2302. Additionally, the tri-axially optimized core 2302 may transition to structural hardpoints.
In another embodiment, where a multi-material solution is used, the tri-axially optimized core 2302 may be adapted to interface to other skin materials such as carbon fiber sheets.
In another embodiment, where composite skins are used, the optimized 3D printed core (i.e., tri-axially optimized core 2302) may include vacuum and/or resin infusion ports or sealant ports. In an embodiment, the ports are included with the structure at the design stage and co-printed at the AM stage. These ports may be used for the co-molding process, for example, where the composite skin is directly formed over the core.
In another embodiment, integral co-printed fasteners may be integrated. For example, a universal fastener interface can be included that would allow the attachment of various attachment fasteners.
At a block 2404, a system implementing the method may determine a design for the core material based on the analysis of the expected loads. For example, a processing system within the system 300 (
At a block 2406, a system implementing the method may generate the design file based on the determination of the design. For example, a processing system within the system 300 may generate the design file based on the determination of the design. Alternatively, a processing system separate from the system 300 may generate the design file based on the determination of the design.
At a block 2408, a system implementing the method may receive a design file based on an analysis of expected loads on a composite structure including the core material. For example, a processing system within the system 300 may receive a design file based on an analysis of expected loads on a composite structure including the core material. For example, the design file based on an analysis of expected loads on a composite structure including the core material may be received from a processing system separate from the system 300. In another example, the design file, as discussed above, may be generated by a processor in the system 300. The design file may be stored in a memory and received from the memory, e.g., at block 2408.
At a block 2410, a system implementing the method may additively manufacture the additively manufactured core material based on the received design file. For example, a processing system within the system 300 may additively manufacture the additively manufactured core material based on the received design file. Control circuitry associated with the 3-D printer may receive the design file and convert it to a series of instructions that are compatible with the language of the 3-D printer. Alternatively, a separate processing system may run an application that converts the design model into the printer-specific instructions, which may then be passed to the 3-D printer via a network.
At a block 2412, a system implementing the method may co-additively manufacture at least one skin or face sheet, the additively manufactured core material and the at least one skin/face sheet including the composite structure. For example, a processing system within the system 300 may co-additively manufacture at least one skin, the additively manufactured core material and the at least one skin including the composite structure. As noted, skins may be planar or non-planar and may include variable contours, variable thicknesses, or both.
A composite structure may include an additively manufactured core material, the additively manufactured core material strengthened in at least a first direction and a second direction based on an analysis of expected loads of the resulting composite structure formed using the core and at least one structural skin co-molded to the core material to form the composite structure.
In an aspect, the additively manufactured core material is strengthened in a third direction.
In an aspect, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.
In an aspect, the additively manufactured core material includes a homogeneous structure.
In an aspect, the composite structure includes a homogeneous structure.
In an aspect, the composite structure further includes a transition to a non-cored functional element or a non-cored structural element.
In an aspect, the composite structure includes a complete inner structure.
An aspect may include at least one of a heater blanket channel, a bonding interface for at least one of titanium, stainless steel, or other metal material, or at least one of integral vacuum or adhesive ports.
An aspect may further include at least one integrated hardpoint made of material that transitions into the core.
An aspect may further include at least one integrated hardpoint made of material that transitions into the core.
An aspect may further include at least one of a vacuum port, a resin infusion port, an exhaust port, a sealant port, or another type of port or channel.
An aspect may further include at least one co-printed fastener.
A 3D printed core may include an additively manufactured core material, the additively manufactured core material strengthened in at least a first direction and a second direction based on an analysis of expected loads of a composite structure formed using the core.
In an aspect, the additively manufactured core material is strengthened in a third direction.
In an aspect, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.
In an aspect, the additively manufactured core material includes a homogeneous structure.
An aspect may further include at least one structural skin co-molded to the core material to form the composite structure.
In an aspect, the composite structure includes a homogeneous structure.
In an aspect, the composite structure further includes a transition to a non-cored functional element or a non-cored structural element.
In an aspect, the composite structure includes a complete inner structure.
An aspect may further include at least one of a heater blanket channel, a bonding interface for at least one of titanium, stainless steel, or other metal material, or at least one of integral vacuum or adhesive ports.
The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments presented throughout this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the concepts disclosed herein may be applied to other techniques for printing nodes and interconnects. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the exemplary embodiments presented throughout the disclosure, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the exemplary embodiments described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f), or analogous law in applicable jurisdictions, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase “step for.”
Claims
1. A panel for use in a transport structure, comprising;
- at least one face sheet; and
- an additively manufactured (AM) core affixed to the at least one face sheet and configured to provide a varying strength across at least a portion of the AM core for supporting expected load conditions determined across all three coordinate axes (x,y,z).
2. The panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one face sheet comprises a non-planar contour.
3. The panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one face sheet comprises a variable thickness.
4. The panel of claim 1, wherein the AM core comprises a homogenous material.
5. The panel of claim 1, wherein the AM core is configured to provide a varying strength along a plurality of directions.
6. The panel of claim 1, wherein the expected load conditions comprise forces asserted in three dimensions.
7. The panel of claim 1, wherein the expected load conditions comprise forces asserted from a plurality of directions.
8. The panel of claim 1, wherein the expected load conditions comprise forces asserted on either or both of the panel or the AM core.
9. The panel of claim 1, wherein the expected load conditions comprise forces asserted on a plurality of locations of the panel or the AM core.
10. The panel of claim 1, wherein the AM core is further configured to provide values for one or more of a varying stiffness, rigidity, flexibility, ductility, density, energy absorption, and crush across one or more portions of the AM core for supporting the expected load conditions.
11. The panel of claim 10, wherein the one or more of a varying stiffness, rigidity, flexibility and density vary in a plurality of directions in the AM core.
12. The panel of claim 1, wherein the expected load conditions are derived from an intended application of the panel.
13. The panel of claim 1, wherein the AM core comprises a modified honeycomb structure.
14. The panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one face sheet is 3-D printed and has a contoured shape to form a non-flat panel when joined with the AM core.
15. The panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one face sheet is formed and has a contoured shape to form a non-flat panel when joined with the AM core.
16. The panel of claim 1, wherein
- the at least one face sheet comprises first and second face sheets,
- the AM core is affixed between the first and second face sheets, and
- the first and second face sheets are one of 3-D printed or formed and have contoured shapes to form a non-flat panel when joined with the AM core.
17. The panel of claim 16, further comprising:
- a first adhesive layer configured to adhere the first face sheet to a first side of the AM core; and
- a second adhesive layer configured to adhere the second face sheet to a second side of the AM core.
18. The panel of claim 1, wherein the AM core is quasi-isotropic.
19. The panel of claim 1, wherein the AM core one of anisotropic or orthotropic based on an intended panel application.
20. The panel of claim 1, wherein the first and second face sheets comprise a carbon fiber reinforced composite material.
21-65. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 24, 2022
Publication Date: Nov 10, 2022
Inventors: Broc William TENHOUTEN (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA), Thomas Samuel Bowden, JR. (Los Angeles, CA), Jon Paul Gunner (Palos Verdes Estates, CA)
Application Number: 17/583,109
