Process and device for direct fabrication of a part on a structure

• US 9,827,716 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2015
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Laudrain, Yann-Henri
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ramesh
• Application Number:
  US14/730,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20150367579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37205 Compare measured, vision data with computer model, cad data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40613 Camera, laser scanner on end effector, hand eye manipulator, local
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30164 Workpiece; Machine component
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach

Abstract

A process for direct fabrication of a part at a predetermined structural position. The process comprises: a) scanning, via a three-dimensional scanner, the structure in the region of the predetermined position; b) comparing a virtual surface mesh of the predetermined position with a real surface mesh of the predetermined position, the real surface mesh calculated based on data obtained from the scanning; c) determining the gaps between the two meshes; d) calculating the data for modeling an inserted part, the dimensions of which fill up the determined gaps, to obtain an inserted part model; e) merging of a virtual model of a part, linked with the predetermined position, with the inserted part model, to obtain a model adjusted to the geometry of the structure in the region of the predetermined position; f) fabricating, by material deposition, an adjusted part at the predetermined position based on the adjusted model.

Claims

1. A process for direct fabrication of at least one part at a predetermined position on a structure, said process comprising the following successive steps:

a) scanning, via a three-dimensional scanner, the structure in a region of the predetermined position;

b) comparing, by a central unit, a virtual surface mesh of the predetermined position with a real surface mesh of said predetermined position, said virtual surface mesh being calculated by the central unit from modeling data recorded in a first database, and said real surface mesh being calculated by the central unit from data obtained subsequent to the scanning carried out in step a);

c) determining, by the central unit, the existence of one or more gaps between said two meshes, said one or more gaps representing joint clearances in the structure;

d) calculating, by the central unit, data for modeling an inserted part having dimensions which fill up said one or more gaps calculated in step c), to obtain a model of the inserted part;

e) merging, by the central unit, a virtual model of a part, linked with said predetermined position recorded in a second database, with the model of the inserted part calculated in step d), to obtain an adjusted model of the part having geometry adjusted to the structure in the region of the predetermined position;

f) fabricating an adjusted part based upon the adjusted model calculated in step e) by depositing material with a deposition system directly on the predetermined position.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the process includes a step, prior to step a), of displacing in the structure, via a displacement arrangement, the three-dimensional scanner and the deposition system into the region of the predetermined position.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structure includes at least one hole in the region of the predetermined position scanned in step a), the process including:

an additional step e′

), succeeding step e), in which the central unit calculates a projection of the at least one hole and plots the projection of the at least one hole on the adjusted model;

in step f), the adjusted part being fabricated while excluding a deposition of material at the location of the projection of the at least one hole, so that the fabricated adjusted part includes a through-hole which is concentric with each hole of the structure.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein step f) includes the implementation of a process for direct additive laser construction by deposition of molten metallic or plastic powder.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the central unit, positioning data, and wherein the central unit is configured to determine a position within the virtual structure based upon the positioning data, wherein the position data relates to a position of the device within the structure.

6. The process of claim 5 further comprising:

obtaining, by a positioning, the positioning data of the device.

7. A device for implementation of a process for direct fabrication of at least one part at a predetermined position on a structure, comprising:

a central unit,

a material deposition system,

a measuring system comprising at least one three-dimensional scanner, first database, and a second database,

the first database comprising data for modeling a virtual structure including adjacent points representing an equivalent of said predetermined position in a model of the virtual structure, and

the second database comprising a virtual model of a part to be fabricated at said predetermined position,

said at least one scanner providing to the central unit, in use, data relating to the geometry of the predetermined position,

the central unit being configured to calculate a model of an adjusted part on the basis of the virtual model and on the basis of the data provided by the at least one scanner, and to control the material deposition system for the fabrication of a part by deposition of material at the predetermined position according to the model of the adjusted part.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, which further includes a displacement arrangement controlled by the central unit configured to selectively displace at least a portion of the material deposition system relative to the structure.

9. The device as claimed in claim 7, which includes an articulated arm, said at least one scanner being mounted on the articulated arm.

10. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the material deposition system includes a coaxial nozzle mounted at a free end of the articulated arm and a system for distribution of powder configured to convey the powder towards a free aperture of the coaxial nozzle.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the powder is chosen from a plastic powder and a metallic powder.

12. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the powder is a metallic powder, the material deposition system includes, in addition, a system for distribution of neutral gas and a laser arranged in the nozzle so as to emit a beam through the free aperture of the nozzle.

13. The device of claim 7 further comprising:

a positioning unit configured to provide positioning data of the device to the control unit, and wherein the central unit is configured to determine a position of the device relative to the virtual structure based upon the positioning data.

14. The device of claim 13 further comprising:

a displacement arrangement linked with one or more wheels configured to displace the device within the structure.

15. A process for direct fabrication of at least one part at a predetermined position on a structure, said process comprising the following successive steps:

receiving, by a central unit, position data of a device, wherein the position data relates to a position of the device within the structure;

determining a position of the device within a virtual structure based upon the position of the device within the structure;

scanning the structure in a region of the predetermined position by the device with a three-dimensional scanner;

comparing a virtual surface mesh of the predetermined position with a real surface mesh of said predetermined position, said virtual surface mesh being calculated by the central unit from modeling data recorded in a first database, and said real surface mesh being calculated by the central unit from data obtained subsequent to the scanning;

determining, by the central unit, the existence of one or more gaps between said two meshes, said one or more gaps representing joint clearances in the structure;

calculating, by the central unit, data for modeling an inserted part having dimensions which fill up said one or more gaps, to obtain a model of the inserted part;

merging, by the central unit, a virtual model of a part, linked with said predetermined position recorded in a second database, with the model of the inserted part, to obtain an adjusted model of the part having geometry adjusted to the structure in the region of the predetermined position;

fabricating, by depositing material with a deposition system, an adjusted part directly on the predetermined position based upon the adjusted model; and

,

changing the position of the device within the structure after fabricating the adjusted part directly on the predetermined position.

16. The process of claim 15, wherein the position of the device is changed to be proximate a second predetermined positioned.

17. The process of claim 16 further comprising:

scanning the structure in a region of the second predetermined position by the device with a three-dimensional scanner;

comparing a second virtual surface mesh of the second predetermined position with a second real surface mesh of said second predetermined position, said second virtual surface mesh being calculated by the central unit from modeling data recorded in a first database, and said second real surface mesh being calculated by the central unit from data obtained subsequent to the scanning of the region of the second predetermined position;

determining, by the central unit, the existence of one or more gaps between said second virtual surface mesh and second real surface mesh, said one or more gaps between said second virtual surface mesh and second real surface mesh representing joint clearances in the structure at the second predetermined position;

calculating, by the central unit, data for modeling a second inserted part having dimensions which fill up said one or more gaps between said second virtual surface mesh and second real surface mesh, to obtain a model of the second inserted part;

merging, by the central unit, a virtual model of a second part, linked with said second predetermined position recorded in a second database, with the model of the second inserted part, to obtain a second adjusted model of the part having geometry adjusted to the structure in the region of the second predetermined position; and

,

fabricating, by depositing material with the deposition system, a second adjusted part directly on the second predetermined position based upon the second adjusted model.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein virtual model of the second part is different than that virtual model of the part.