Variable lamination manufacturing (VLM) process and apparatus

• US 6,627,030 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Lee, Sang-Ho, Ahn, Dong-Gyu, Yang, Dong-Yol, Shin, Bo-Sung
• Primary Examiner(s): Lorengo, Jerry A.
• Application Number:
  US09/804,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20010040003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 256/64, 256/256, 256/250, 256/264, 256/267, 256/272.2, 256/273.3, 256/273.5, 256/273.7, 256/275.7, 256/290, 256/291, 256/370.8, 256/380.9, 256/516, 256/522, 264/405, 264/409, 425/110
• US Class Current: 156/250
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/10 Making cuts of other than simple rectilinear form cutting-out B26F
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/18 Means for removing cut-out material or waste
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/3813 wherein the tool head is moved in a plane parallel to the work in a coordinate system fixed with respect to the work
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 3/12 with heated wires
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/141 using only solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/147 using sheet material, e.g. laminated object manufacturing [LOM] or laminating sheet material precut to local cross sections of the 3D object
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/188 involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 Prior to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1075 of plural laminae from single stock and assembling to each other or to additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/108 Flash, trim or excess removal

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a variable lamination manufacturing process and apparatus. The method comprises the step of coating strip-shaped material with an adhesive while the strip-shaped material is fed. Thereafter, the strip-shaped material being fed is cut into material pieces of a variable width, variable inclinations and a variable length in accordance with the three-dimensional computer aided design data of a three-dimensional product using a linear heat source. The cut material pieces are stacked on a moving table to be positioned in the corresponding positions of the three-dimensional product. Finally, the stacked cut material pieces are pushed to bond one piece to anther.

Claims

1. A variable lamination manufacturing method, comprising the steps of:

coating strip-shaped material with an adhesive while the strip-shaped material is fed, the strip-shaped material being relatively thick;

cutting the strip-shaped material being fed into material pieces of a variable inclination along the perimeter with respect to sides of the material pieces and a variable length in accordance with three-dimensional computer aided design data of a three-dimensional reference product using a linear heat source;

stacking the material pieces on a moving table to be positioned in corresponding positions to form the three-dimensional product; and

pushing the material pieces on the moving table to bond and form one layer.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing a skeleton which is the unused remainder of the strip shaped material.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said linear heat source is one of hot wire, plasma, heat beam and heated gas.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said strip-shaped material is one of foamed resin, thermoplastic resin and thermosetting resin.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said three dimensional product has a profile shape formed by connecting the variable inclinations of the neighboring material pieces, the variable inclinations conform to the profile shape of the three-dimensional reference product.

6. A variable lamination process for forming a three dimensional product from strip-shaped material to correspond to three dimensional computer aided design data of a three dimensional reference product comprising the steps of:

a) supplying a source of strip-shaped material;

b) coating a surface of said strip-shaped material with an adhesive;

c) cutting said strip-shaped material into material pieces with a linear heat source in accordance with said three dimensional computer aided design data, said cutting being along a perimeter of said strip-shaped material to create variable widths, lengths and variable inclinations;

d) stacking and positioning said material pieces on a moving table into the positions which correspond to said three dimensional reference product; and

e) pushing said material pieces together to bond together as a unit.