AMSURFIN - Additive Manufacturing SURface FINishing - An automated intelligent solution for polymer parts

我们的愿景是创建一种自动化智能后处理机器，能够将添加制造的热塑性聚合物零件加工到注塑成型水平的表面抛光。目前的加工方法劳动密集型、成本高且耗时。根据部件的复杂程度、大小和体积，占成本的5%-60%。这台机器将解决后处理表面精加工添加剂制造中的紧迫挑战，特别是在高产量的情况下。项目团队的目标是：1.创造一种可销售的自动化后处理机器，能够为额外制造的零件产生与注塑成型相同的可重复和可重复的表面光洁度。开发智能算法，控制给定材料和几何设计的后处理数量。开发一种集成到数字制造链中的机器。该项目的重点是：热塑性聚合物零件的自动化和可预测的表面精加工。显著提高成品零件的质量。通过消除人工表面精加工降低成本。显著改善零件的周转时间。创新在于机器的核心，通过使用谢菲尔德大学发现的专利工艺，使用溶剂使零件表面光滑。使用自动化过程反馈来控制应用的精加工水平。使用算法来管理不同的材料和几何设计，从而创建智能机器架构。

Our vision is to create an automated intelligent post processing machine, capable of finishingadditively manufactured thermoplastic polymer parts to an injection moulded level surface finish.Current finishing methods are labour intensive, costly and time consuming. Accounting for between 5-60% _\[Innovate UK funded FACTUM project\]_ of the cost depending on part complexity, size andvolume. This machine will address the pressing challenge in additive manufacturing of post processsurface finishing, particularly at high production volumes.The project team's objectives are to:1. Create a saleable automated post processing machine capable of generating a repeatable andreproducible surface finish equivalent to that achieved in injection moulding for additivelymanufactured parts.2. Develop intelligent algorithms that control the amount of post processing for a given material andgeometric design.3. Develop a machine that is integrated into the digital manufacturing chain.The project is focused on:Automated and predictable surface finishing for thermoplastic polymer parts.Significant quality improvement of the finished part.Reducing costs through the elimination of manual surface finishing.Significantly improving part turnaround time.Innovation lies at the heart of the machine through:Use of proprietary process, discovered by the University of Sheffield, that smooths the surface ofparts using solvents.Use of automated process feedback to control the level of finishing applied.Use of algorithms to manage different materials and geometric designs thereby creating an intelligentmachine architecture.