Page 13 - 3D Metal Printing Summer 2019

mens, at a minimum, in three directions (longitudinal, transverse and through- thickness relative to build direction) and are representative of the thinnest (single-bead wide) and thick (multi- bead wide) walls of the structure. This new standard provides a framework for manufacturers and suppliers to imple- ment DED. In the future, to minimize negotiations and costs, prescriptive qualification requirements must be defined for standard qualification build designs and specimen-test matrices for common process-material DED AM applications.
Digital Data Workflow Competencies
AM enables designers to fabricate parts directly from CAD files. In its sim- plest form, AM provides a CAD-to-part manufacturing-build process. AM sys- tems use CAM software to solve the build plan, prepare the machine-build file, edit the build file, and download the machine build parameters and path plans. Few robot manufacturers have mature software capabilities for this AM category because robotic DED processes are new. Those that do, struggle to lever- age the wide range of CAM programs (i.e., Mastercam, CAMWorks, Autodesk Fusion 360, etc.) available for paramet- ric modeling and planning of AM builds. Most CAM software solvers configured for three- to five-axis CNC machines use G-code, the universal language of sub- tractive machining.
Robotic CAM provides path-planning solvers that can transfer the three- to five-axis build models into robot model environments post-process, locate the workpiece to maximize build perform- ance of the robot(s) and determine the build-path-plan, with solutions for six- to 12-axis (or more) robotic systems. Robotic CAM software such as Robot- master (Hypertherm, Inc.), Octopuz (Octopuz, Inc.) and Powermill (Autodesk) offer robot-agnostic solver options known to be compatible with most commercial systems.
More Ahead
The implementation of the robotic- arc DED AM process brings with it chal- lenges. Manufacturers must develop digital data workflow competences; process feature-property requirements to design components and metrics for their business cases; qualify their arc DED AM process(es); and implement the technology into operations.
Due to the hundreds of process-
AM Insights 3D consumable combinations possible
with arc DED, the need for process parametric model development to maximize industry impact remains constant.
Demand for large-scale metal AM parts continues. The difference today: DED tools and process capabilities can meet that demand. As a result, look for more large-scale DED applications in the coming years. 3DMP
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