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US 11,858,064 B2Granted
Path planning systems and methods for additive manufacturing
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorSteven B. Massey, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are systems and methods to plan a path to form a part using an additive manufacturing system. The additive manufacturing system may include one or more additive manufacturing tools. The additive manufacturing tools may include arc welding tools and non-arc welding tools. The system may also manufacture the part based on the planned path.
Claims19
An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- a plurality of additive manufacturing tools configured to perform a plurality of additive manufacturing processes;
- a processing circuit;
- and
- a machine readable storage device comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause the processing circuit to:
- receive a model of a part to be manufactured;
- receive information indicating the plurality of additive manufacturing processes;
- determine one or more material forms to be added to the part, and a deposition rate for each of a plurality of features of the part to be manufactured from the one or more material forms, wherein the one or more material forms is a wire or a powder;
- determine a sequence of a plurality of sequences to manufacture the part based on the model of the part, the plurality of additive manufacturing processes, the determined one or more material forms, and the deposition rate of the one or more material forms for each of the plurality of features to be formed via the sequence;
- determine a size of each of the plurality of features;
- and
- control the plurality of additive manufacturing tools to manufacture the part according to the sequence, wherein the sequence includes controlling a first additive manufacturing tool of the plurality of additive manufacturing tools to manufacture features greater than a threshold size value, and controlling a second additive manufacturing tool of the plurality of additive manufacturing tools to manufacture features less than the threshold size value.
8 more elements
A method of manufacturing a part, comprising:
- receiving a three-dimensional model of a first part to be manufactured by an additive manufacturing system, the additive manufacturing system comprising a plurality of additive manufacturing tools configured to perform a plurality of additive manufacturing processes;
- receiving information indicating the plurality of additive manufacturing processes the plurality of additive manufacturing tools are configured to perform;
- determining one or more material forms to be added to the part, and a deposition rate required for each of a plurality of features of the first part to be manufactured from the one or more material forms;
- determining a sequence to manufacture the part based on the three-dimensional model, the plurality of additive manufacturing processes, the determined one or more material forms, and the deposition rate of the one or more material forms for each of the plurality of features;
- determining a size of each of the plurality of features;
- and
- manufacturing the first part according to the sequence, wherein the sequence includes controlling a first additive manufacturing tool of the plurality of additive manufacturing tools to manufacture features greater than a threshold size value, and controlling a second additive manufacturing tool of the plurality of additive manufacturing tools to manufacture features less than the threshold size value.
4 more elements
A system for planning a manufacturing process to be performed by an additive manufacturing system, the system for planning the manufacturing process comprising:
- a processing circuit;
- and
- a machine readable storage device comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause the processing circuit to:
- receive a three-dimensional model of a first part to be manufactured by the additive manufacturing system;
- receive information indicating a selection of available additive manufacturing processes of the additive manufacturing system;
- determine one or more material forms for each of a plurality of features of the part to be manufactured from the one or more material forms, wherein the one or more material forms is a metallic wire or a powder;
- receive information indicating abilities of a motion system of the additive manufacturing system;
- and
- determine a sequence of a plurality of sequences to manufacture the first part based on the three-dimensional model of the part, the abilities of the motion system, the determined one or more material forms for each of the plurality of features of the part, and the available additive manufacturing processes;
- determine a size of each of the plurality of features;
- and
- control the additive manufacturing system to manufacture the first part based on the sequence, wherein the sequence includes controlling a first additive manufacturing tool of the plurality of additive manufacturing tools to manufacture features greater than a threshold size value by depositing a first material of the one or more material forms, and controlling a second additive manufacturing tool of the plurality of additive manufacturing tools to manufacture features less than the threshold size value by depositing a second material of the one or more material forms.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.