Method and machining device by combined addition of material and shaping

• US 9,962,799 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: École centrale de Nantes
• Original Assignee: École centrale de Nantes
• Inventors: Hascoet, Jean-Yves, Carabin, Gilles, Mognol, Pascal
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, Ryan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Averick, Lawrence
• Application Number:
  US14/362,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20150000108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 22/16 over shaping mandrels or formers
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/16 Composite materials , e.g. fibre reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/172 wherein at least one of the layers is non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0093 combined with mechanical machining or metal-working covered by other subclasses than B23K combined welding or cutting procedures or apparatus B23K28/02
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/083 Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0884 in at least in three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/32 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/34 Laser welding for purposes other than joining
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0408 for planar work
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/047 moving work to adjust its position between soldering, welding or cutting steps B23K37/053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/00 Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 17/00 Metal-working operations, not covered by a single other subclass or another group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 23/04 for both machining and other metal-working operations
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 39/024 consecutive working of toolheads
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49018 Laser sintering of powder in layers, selective laser sintering SLS
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49328 Laser machining and milling combined
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49358 Facing milling, tool perpendicular to surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49982 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5176 : including machining means

Abstract

A machining method and apparatus for machining a part comprises a machining head and motorized axes comprising a rotary axis for displacing the machining head in a working space. Apparatus comprises a mechanism for positioning a part and holding it in position the working space. The machining head comprises a support for supporting a material shaping tool and a supply device for supplying material.

Claims

1. Apparatus for machining a part, comprising:

a single machining head connected to a ram by a fastening interface, and motorized axes comprising a rotary axis configured to displace the machining head in a working space;

a mechanism configured to position and hold the part in position in the working space;

the machining head comprises a support configured to constantly support a spindle, the spindle holding a shaping tool and two supply devices, each supply device being configured to supply a material by projecting a molten metallic powder;

said each supply device comprising a nozzle with an orifice configured to spray a metallic powder, and a laser configured to generate a laser beam coaxial with the orifice of the nozzle and configured to melt the metallic powder as it is sprayed by the nozzle; and

wherein the two supply devices are fitted in the machining head on guides configured to retract the supply device into the machining head when the shaping tool is in use.

2. A method implemented utilizing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

depositing a layer of the material on the part using the supply device during an adding operation;

shaping a section of the part using the material shaping tool during a shaping operation;

wherein the adding and shaping operations are performed in a same machining phase along trajectories that extend in three dimensions of the working space; and

wherein the supply device and the material shaping tool are directed normally in relation to the trajectories.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the adding operation and the shaping operation are performed successively with a mass of the machining head being substantially constant.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the shaping operation is a contour cutting operation performed on the layer of material deposited on the part during an earlier adding operation.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the layer deposited during the adding operation is added on a surface of the part that has first undergone shaping.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a prior shaping operation is an incremental forming operation.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of performing a part sensing operation by a sensor located on the machining head before a shaping or adding operation, to readjust said operation in the machine space;

and measuring a position of the sensor in the working space by a measuring device on the motorized axes.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein the material shaping tool is a tool for forming the material by plastic deformation;

and wherein the shaping operation is an incremental forming operation.

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein a substrate of the part and the material deposited during the adding operation are of different material types.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of performing a cutting operation on the layer of the material deposited on the surface that has first been shaped by incremental forming operation.

11. The method according to claim 2, wherein the supply tool comprises a nozzle comprising an orifice for spraying a metal powder, and a device for generating a laser beam coaxial with the orifice of the nozzle and operable to melt the metal powder as it is sprayed;

and further comprising the steps of;

placing an added piece on the part that has undergone the adding and shaping operations; and

welding the added piece to the part using the laser beam of the machining head.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor located on the machining head; and

a measurement device on the motorized axes, the measurement device configured to measure a position of the sensor in the working space.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the material shaping tool is a cutting tool.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a platen configured to transmit a cutting motion to the part.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the material shaping tool is a forming tool configured to form the material by plastic deformation.