NSF/DARPA DDFRP: The Distributed Design and Fabrication of Metal Parts and Tooling by 3D Printing

这项研究的目标是提供一个“干净的接口”的设计和制造之间的机械零件的实体自由形状制造使用三维打印作为原型过程。“干净的界面”将仿照集成电路设计的实践。它的前提是设计者能够获得能够表达三维打印的广泛制造能力的表示，以及确保使用该表示创建的设计是可制造的能力。该程序将研究：(1)具有局部组成控制的部件的表示法，这是现有表示法所不具备的能力；(2)设计规则，其简单地捕捉制造技术的限制，例如对局部组成变化的限制；(3)对不能作为简单设计规则捕获的工艺技术方面的模拟，例如，针对分层产生的表面纹理的模拟；以及(4)从全面的零件表示法推导三维印刷机的指令，其中包括组成上的局部变化。该程序还将运行一个与设计师的互动交流链接，以检验有关设计师如何使用提供给他们的工具的假设。零部件将在工业、学术研究项目和制造业本科课程的现场根据设计师的远程输入进行制造。设计和制造之间成功的“干净接口”将允许使用Solid Free Format制造的零件的设计者将信息发送给制造者，并在不与制造者进行任何讨论的情况下拿回好的零件。机械零件的设计和制造之间的这种明确分离将：(1)促进分布式设计和制造；(2)降低实体自由形式制造用户的准入门槛；以及(3)使设计师能够更充分地利用实体自由形式制造过程的灵活性，同时保证可制造的设计。

The goal of this research is to provide a "clean interface" between design and fabrication for mechanical parts to be made by Solid Freeform Fabrication using Three Dimensional Printing as a prototypical process. The "clean interface" will be modeled after the practice in the design of integrated circuits. It is predicated upon the availability to the designer of representations capable of expressing a wide range of fabrication capability of Three Dimensional Printing, coupled with the ability to ensure that designs created with this representation are manufacturable. This program will investigate: (1) representations for parts with local composition control, a capability not now addressed by existing representations; (2) design rules which capture in simple terms the limitations of the fabrication technology, such as limitations on variation of local composition; (3) simulations for aspects of process technology which cannot be captured as simple design rules, for example for the surface texture resulting from layering; and (4) the derivation of instructions for a Three Dimensional Printing machine from comprehensive part representations, which include local variation in composition. This program will also operate an interactive communication link to designers in order to test hypotheses about how designers use the tools provided to them. Parts will be fabricated based on remote input from designers at sites in industry, academic research programs, and in an undergraduate course in manufacturing. A successful "clean interface" between design and fabrication will allow the designer of parts to be made by Solid Freeform Fabrication to send information to the fabricator and to get back a good part without any discussion with the fabricator. This clean separation between design and fabrication for mechanical parts will: (1) facilitate distributed design and fabrication; (2) lower the barriers to entry for users of Solid Freeform Fabrication; and (3) empower designers to make more co mplete use of the flexibility of Solid Freeform Fabrication processes, while guaranteeing manufacturable designs.