Automated cad process for creating mold packages

• US 9,569,564 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Phillips, John, Saini, Varinder Singh, Gafken, Scott, Urban, Richard Raymond, Susalla, Paul Christopher, Ma, Lixing, Hu, Yuan-Ping, Boren, David Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US13/763,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20140228997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4097 characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM G05B19/4093 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2113/22 Moulding
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/10 Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The present invention provides methods to create a pattern part, and a subsequent mold core package, that can be used in the casting process to cast one or more die components having a near net-shape of the finished part. In this way, the present invention provides a cast part which greatly reduces the amount of finishing work that needs to be performed on the part after casting. Further, the present invention provides a method which involves less upfront stock material to cast the near net-shape of the desired die component part. The present invention accomplishes this by providing an efficient and effective automated method to determine where and how to add appropriate mechanical features to a design model part to produce a manufacturing model part in a CAD software program.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for converting a design model part to a manufacturing model part in a solid modeling application, comprising:

obtaining a three-dimensional design model part and selecting a reference face therefrom;

obtaining a retrieved face and identifying a base face that corresponds to the reference face;

providing a set of potential mechanical features, each potential mechanical feature of the set of potential mechanical features corresponding to a predetermined topological configuration;

recognizing a geometric pattern of the design model part that matches at least one of the predetermined topological configurations relating to the set of potential mechanical features, the geometric pattern relating to the identified base face;

identifying new structural machined features for a manufacturing model part, wherein the new structural machined features are defined by the potential mechanical features relating to the matching topological configurations recognized in relation to the geometric pattern, wherein the identified new structural machined features are free of definition within the recognized geometric pattern;

generating a manufacturing model part by adding the new structural machined features to the design model part based upon the geometric pattern of the design model part; and

forming a printed sand casting of the manufacturing model part.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying a base face that corresponds to the reference face further includes the steps of:

identifying normal vector N₀ and center point P₀ of the reference face;

identifying normal vector N₁ and center point P₁ of the retrieved face; and

determining if the retrieved face is the base face of the design model part.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining if the retrieved face is the base face of the design model part further includes the steps of:

incorporating the normal vector N₀ and center point P₀ of the reference face and the normal vector N₁ and center point P₁ of the retrieved face into an equation; and

determining whether the normal vector and center point of the retrieved face satisfy the equation.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the normal vector N₀ of the reference face and normal vector N₁ of the retrieved face are equivalent and, further wherein the equation to be satisfied is the equation:

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a manufacturing model part by adding the new structural machined features to the design model part includes adding new structural machined features selected from the group consisting of threaded screw hole material, dowel hole material, counterbore seating face thickness, joint and heel machining face thickness, blade edge filleting, counterbore top filleting, inner corner edge filleting, inner edge filleting, and witness marks.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the step of generating a manufacturing model part by adding the new structural machined features to the design model part further includes adding material stock to the design model part at locations designated for the new structural machined features to be added.

7. A computer implemented method for converting a design model part of a die component to a manufacturing model part in a solid modeling application, comprising:

obtaining a three-dimensional design model part;

selecting a reference face disposed on the design model part;

identifying parameters of the reference face;

obtaining a retrieved face and identifying a base face of the design model part that corresponds to the parameters of the reference face;

providing a set of potential structural elements, each potential structural element of the set of potential structural elements corresponding to a predetermined topological configuration;

recognizing a geometric pattern of the design model part within the solid modeling application, wherein the recognized geometric pattern corresponds to the identified base face and matches the predetermined topological configuration that relates to the potential structural element indicative of a removal of at least one aperture of the design model part;

removing at least one aperture identified on the base face; and

generating a manufacturing model part by adding material stock to the design model part, wherein the added material stock defines the new structural element, wherein the manufacturing model part is generated using a printed sand casting process.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the step of identifying parameters of the reference face further includes the step of identifying the normal vector N₀ and center point P₀ of the reference face.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the step of identifying the base face of the design model part that corresponds to the parameters of the reference face further includes the steps of:

identifying the normal vector N₁ and center point P₁ of the retrieved face; and

determining whether the retrieved face is co-planar with the base face of the design model part by satisfying the equation;

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein the apertures identified on the base face are selected from the group consisting of dowel holes and threaded screw holes.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 9, including:

providing a Color Index identifying features of the design model part by color.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein the step of generating a manufacturing model part by adding material stock to the design model part further includes the steps of:

retrieving a face;

performing a color check of the retrieved face using the Color Index;

determining a type of face retrieved based on results of the color check; and

wherein if the retrieved face includes one of a blade top face, a blade side face, counterbore seating face, joint and heel face, blade edge fillet, counterbore top fillet, inner corner edge fillet and other inner edge fillet;

adding material stock to the retrieved face according to parameters identified in a machining parameters table provided in the solid modeling application.

13. A computer implemented method for converting a design model part to a manufacturing model part in a solid modeling application, comprising:

obtaining a three-dimensional design model part and identifying a base face thereon that corresponds to a reference face of the three-dimensional design model part;

identifying a top face of a mounting plate that corresponds to the identified base face;

identifying a top face boundary as defined by intersections between the top face and adjacent faces;

determining if an intersection requires a new structural fillet, wherein a new structural fillet is to be added where the identified intersection matches a predetermined topological configuration that corresponds to a structural fillet adding instruction;

adding the new structural fillet to the intersection according to the structural fillet adding instruction;

generating a printed sand casting that combines the obtained three-dimensional design model part and the new structural fillet; and

generating a manufacturing model part using the printed sand casting.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the design model part is a design model of a die component.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 14, wherein the step of identifying a top face boundary as defined by intersections between the top face and adjacent faces further includes the steps of:

retrieving edges of the top face boundary;

retrieving vertices of the top face boundary; and

retrieving a vertical edge for each retrieved vertex.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein the steps of determining if an intersection requires a fillet and adding fillets to intersections further includes the steps of:

calculating the edge solid angle between an adjacent face and the top face; and

wherein if the edge solid angle between the adjacent face and the top face is greater than 180 degrees;

adding the new structural fillet at the intersection.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 16, wherein the step of calculating the edge solid angle between an adjacent face and the top face further includes the steps of:

retrieving a first face which is adjacent to the top face of the mounting plate;

determining a directive vector Vt and an outside normal vector V1 of the first face;

multiplying the directive vector Vt and the outside normal vector V1 of the first face to get a value V_n;

retrieving a second face which is adjacent to the top face of the mounting plate;

determining an outside normal vector V2 of the second face;

calculating an angle between V_n and V2;

adding 90 degrees to the angle; and

determining whether the edge solid angle between the adjacent face and the top face is greater than 180 degrees.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the steps of identifying a top face boundary as defined by intersections between the top face and adjacent faces and determining if an intersection requires a fillet further includes the steps of:

determining if the adjacent faces are attached to the top face;

calculating edge angle values between adjacent faces and the top face;

determining if the edge angle values are about 90 degrees; and

wherein if the edge solid angle between the adjacent face and the top face is about 90 degrees;

adding the new structural fillet at the intersection.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the step of obtaining a three-dimensional design model part and identifying a base face thereon that corresponds to a reference face of the three-dimensional design model part further includes the steps of:

Selecting the reference face;

identifying normal vector N₀ and center point P₀ of the reference face;

obtaining a retrieved face;

identifying normal vector N₁ and center point P₁ of the retrieved face; and

determining if the retrieved face is the base face of the design model part.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining if the retrieved face is the base face of the design model part further includes the steps of:

incorporating the normal vector N₀ and center point P₀ of the reference face and the normal vector N₁ and center point P₁ of the retrieved face into an equation; and

determining whether the normal vector and center point of the retrieved face satisfy the equation;

wherein the equation to be satisfied is the equation;