US 11,833,615 B2
Method for preparing multiple-material variable-rigidity component by efficient collaborative additive manufacturing
Yu Wang, Shanxi (CN); Fumin Hou, Shanxi (CN); Hong Xu, Shanxi (CN); Hongkui Mao, Shanxi (CN); Guowei Zhang, Shanxi (CN); Zhonghua Li, Shanxi (CN); Bin Liu, Shanxi (CN); Peikang Bai, Shanxi (CN); Zhanyong Zhao, Shanxi (CN); Xin Cao, Shanxi (CN); Bingxin Guo, Shanxi (CN); and Zongyi Fan, Shanxi (CN)
Assigned to North University of China, Shanxi Province (CN)
Filed by North University of China, Shanxi Province (CN)
Filed on Apr. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/245,172.
Claims priority of application No. 202010360783.X (CN), filed on Apr. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0339340 A1, Nov. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. B23K 26/348 (2014.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B23K 26/342 (2014.01); B23K 26/60 (2014.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B22F 10/85 (2021.01); B22F 10/50 (2021.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B23K 9/04 (2006.01); B23K 37/02 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 26/348 (2015.10) [B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 10/50 (2021.01); B22F 10/85 (2021.01); B23K 9/044 (2013.01); B23K 26/342 (2015.10); B23K 26/60 (2015.10); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B23K 37/0229 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for preparing a multiple-material variable-rigidity component by efficient collaborative additive manufacturing, comprising:
1) pretreating a component structure model and dividing the component structure model into a lightweight part with complex pore structures and a solid part that needs to be manufactured rapidly according to positioning requirements of different parts, wherein the lightweight part with complex pore structures comprises a material that is different from a material comprising the solid part;
2) preparing the lightweight part by a selective laser melting prototyping;
3) performing a surface treatment on the prepared lightweight part to obtain a treated lightweight part;
4) preparing the solid part directly on the treated lightweight part by a wire arc additive manufacturing, to obtain a component that meets the requirements,
wherein step 1) further comprises: (a) performing a force analysis on the component structure model according to a simulation for use of the component, the simulation being directed at acquiring a corresponding component structure model by using analysis results of the force analysis, and (b) dividing the component structure model into the lightweight part with complex pore structures and the solid part;
wherein step 2) comprises:
building a 3D model with complex pore structures by a 3D software, adding a support to generate an STL file, performing a 2D slicing on the STL file, and then importing the STL file after the 2D slicing into a selective laser melting equipment;
selecting a metal powder material and setting parameters for the selective laser melting, and then performing the selective laser melting on the metal powder material, to obtain the lightweight part; and
finally, cleaning and drying the lightweight part for subsequent surface treatment, wherein the metal powder material is selected from the group consisting of a stainless steel powder, an aluminum alloy powder, a titanium alloy powder, a nickel alloy powder, and a metal ceramic composite material powder;
wherein step 3) further comprises: polishing an area to be treated with the wire arc additive manufacturing on the lightweight part prepared in step 2) to remove oxide layers on a surface of the area, and cleaning oil and dirt in the area with acetone; and
wherein step 4) comprises:
placing the treated lightweight part on a workbench of a wire arc additive manufacturing equipment by a manipulator, building a 3D model of the solid part by a 3D software, performing a slicing on the 3D model of the solid part by an offline simulation software to obtain an offline program, feeding back the offline program to the manipulator to determine a path of a wire arc additive unit in the area; and
setting parameters of the wire arc additive manufacturing, selecting a formed wire, performing the wire arc additive manufacturing according to a planned path on the treated lightweight part by the wire arc additive unit, to obtain the target component;
wherein the formed wire is selected from the group consisting of a nickel-based welding wire, a copper-based welding wire, an aluminum-based welding wire, and an ordinary steel-based welding wire.