Process-integrated post-processing of high-precision additive manufactured metal parts

高精度增材制造金属零件的工艺集成后处理

• 批准号: 543497-2019
• 负责人: Hof, Lucas
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: École de technologie supérieure
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Engage Grants Program
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=681069
• 关键词: Process; integrated; post; processing; precision

Nanogrande (NG) is a solution provider in the high-precision metal additive manufacturing (AM) field, combining AM, nanotechnology and machine learning. They provide unique freedom of design and material choice for high-precision parts by their developed 3D printer combining its Power Layering technology with laser sintering. However, most of the generated micro metal parts for NG's markets require post-processing steps. As additional process steps appear to be undesired, deploying post-processing could have an additional benefit of reducing the overall manufacturing time by balancing layer height and the polishing process to reduce the surface roughness of the generated metal micro-parts. Among other methods, electrochemical polishing (EP) seems the most suitable candidate for post-processing such parts. Nevertheless, EP is still unexplored in combination with this novel high-precision 3D printing method and NG is lacking the required expertise on such post-processes.The proposed project aims to find a trade-off between layer thickness, printing speed and polishing. An optimum should be achieved to get smooth and flat surfaces to maintain high quality parts at reasonable fabrication time. Secondary, the project aims to acquire more knowledge of the printing technology and its interaction with post-processes. To solidify their unique market position it is key for NG to improve their 3D printing process-flow and to increase their expertise. The proposed project aims to support this mission by exploring post-processing integration in NG's printing process and study the deposition process. Since NG is based in Montréal, expanding and improving their patented 3D printing technology will secure their leading market position in the customized metal product manufacturing field and could lead to the creation of new jobs thereby providing a benefit to Canada overall.

Nanogrande（NG）是高精度金属增材制造（AM）领域的解决方案提供商，结合了AM，纳米技术和机器学习。他们通过开发的3D打印机将其Power Layering技术与激光烧结相结合，为高精度零件提供独特的设计和材料选择自由。然而，NG市场上生产的大多数微型金属零件都需要后处理步骤。由于附加的工艺步骤似乎是不期望的，部署后处理可以具有通过平衡层高度和抛光工艺以降低所生成的金属微部件的表面粗糙度来减少总制造时间的附加益处。在其他方法中，电化学抛光（EP）似乎是最合适的候选人后处理这样的零件。尽管如此，EP与这种新型高精度3D打印方法的结合仍处于探索阶段，而NG缺乏此类后处理所需的专业知识。拟议的项目旨在找到层厚度，打印速度和抛光之间的平衡。应实现最佳化以获得光滑和平坦的表面，从而在合理的制造时间内保持高质量的零件。其次，该项目旨在获得更多的印刷技术及其与后处理的相互作用的知识。为了巩固其独特的市场地位，NG必须改善其3D打印工艺流程并提高其专业知识。建议的项目旨在通过探索NG打印过程中的后处理集成和研究沉积过程来支持这一使命。由于NG总部位于蒙特利尔，扩大和改进他们的专利3D打印技术将确保他们在定制金属产品制造领域的领先市场地位，并可能创造新的就业机会，从而为加拿大整体带来好处。