Method for manufacturing a supporting and/or reference construction

• US 20040015254A1
• Filed: 07/03/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Materialise Naamloze Vennootschap
• Original Assignee: Materialise Naamloze Vennootschap
• Inventors: Schueren, Bart Van Der, Vancraen, Wilfried Frans Isidoor
• Application Number:
  US10/343,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20040015254A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/97
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/103 Constructional elements used for constructing work holders

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for manufacturing a supporting and/or reference construction for a piece (1) made on the l)asis of a digital description. On the basis of this digital description are digitally generated a number of supporting and/or reference points in a data processing unit, and a supporting and/or reference structure (3) is digitally designed for each of these points in relation to a base structure (2) whose dimensions and shape are digitally stored in the unit. The top of the structures (3) is given a shape which coincides with the shape of the piece (1) in the place of contact. Finally, the structures (3) are made by means of CAM techniques and they are connected to the base structure (2).

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing a supporting and/or reference construction for supporting and positioning and/or calibrating a piece (1) made on the basis of a digital description, which supporting and/or reference construction consists of a base structure (2) and a number of supporting and/or reference structures (3) attached onto it, characterised in that the following steps are applied:

on the basis of the digital description of the piece (1), a number of supporting and/or reference points are digitally generated in a data processing unit;

then, a supporting and/or reference structure (3) is digitally designed for each of these supporting and/or reference points in relation to the base structure (2), the size and shape of which are digitally stored or inputted in the data processing unit, whereby the top of the supporting and/or reference structures (3) is given a shape which coincides with the shape of the piece (1) in the point of contact; and

finally, the supporting and/or reference structures (3) are made by means of CAM techniques and are connected to the base structure (2).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the supporting and/or reference structures (3) can be made as separate from the base structure (2) and can be connected afterwards to an already made base structure (2).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that means are formed on the base of the supporting and/or reference structures (3) so as to be able to fix them to the base structure (2).

4. Method according to claim 3, characterised in that the means to fix the supporting and/or reference structures (3) to the base structure (2) contain openings (12).

5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the supporting structures (3) are provided with a labelling which makes it possible to fix them in the right place on the base structure (2) later on.

6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that, at the design stage of the supporting and/or reference structures (3), their base is provided with the necessary openings or one or several snap-in hooks.

7. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the supporting and/or reference structures (3) are connected to the base structure (2) by the CAM technique itself, as they are formed directly on the base structure (2).

8. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a Rapid Prototyping technique is used to produce the supporting and/or reference structures (3), in particular a technique of the following group:

stereo lithography, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modelling and 3D printing.

9. Method according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that a CNC operation is applied to produce the supporting and/or reference structures (3).

10. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that supporting and/or reference structures (3) are made in the shape of a column (4-7).

11. Method according to claim 10, characterised in that the columns (4-7) consist of a body (11) and a foot (10) forming a base, which can be stored as a standard element in the data processing unit.

12. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the base structure (2) contains at least one base plate provided with holes (14).

13. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the base structure (2) has a modular spatial structure.