Torch End-Effector and TIG Electrode Changeout Design for a TIG Welding Robot Used in Metal Big Area Additive Manufacturing

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Masuo ◽  
Andrzej Nycz ◽  
Mark W. Noakes ◽  
Jared Bell ◽  
Justin Killian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Robotic Arm ◽  
Process Time ◽  
Welding Robot ◽  
End Effector ◽  
A Tig Welding ◽  
Extensive Range ◽  
Motion Range ◽  
Metal Additive

Metal Big Area Additive Manufacturing (mBAAM) is a promising approach to large-scale metal additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing. The mBAAM system uses an arc-based wire-fed welding robot to build metal parts. A multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm is known for its extensive range of motion and reliable tool handling. Attaching a torch end-effector to a robotic arm gives it welding capabilities; however, this decreases the motion range and dynamics of the robot. As a result, build volume and printing accuracy are decreased. Additionally, only a portion of time is spent printing in an arc-based process. Maintenance leads to downtime on the system. In a tungsten inert gas (TIG)-based process, the torch electrode wears out over time and must be changed to avoid defective deposition. This paper proposes an approach for a compact torch end-effector to improve the robot’s build volume. This paper also proposes an approach to reducing non-printing process time by designing and implementing a semi-automated electrode changing system.

7-DOF Cable-Driven Humanoid Robotic Arm

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Ding ◽  
Robert L. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Linear Programming ◽  
Robotic Arm ◽  
Kinematics And Dynamics ◽  
Dynamics Analysis ◽  
Kinematics Analysis ◽  
End Effector ◽  
Motion Range ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Redundant Mechanism ◽  
Joint Limits

The purpose of this paper is to study a 7-DOF humanoid cable-driven robotic arm, implement kinematics and dynamics analysis, present different cable-driven designs and evaluate their merits and drawbacks. Since this is a redundant mechanism, kinematics optimization is used to avoid joint limits, singularities and obstacles. Cable kinematics analysis studies the relationships between cable length and the end-effector pose. This is a design modified from the literature. Several new designs are compared in pseudostatics analysis of the arm and a favorable design is suggested in terms of motion range and the cable tensions. Linear programming is used to optimize cable tensions. Dynamics analysis shows that the energy consumption of a cable-driven arm is much less than that of traditional motor-driven arm. Cable-driven robots have potential benefits but also some limitations.

scholarly journals Additive Manufacturing in the Construction Industry: The Comparative Competitiveness of 3D Concrete Printing

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 3865
Author(s):  
Siavash H. Khajavi ◽  
Müge Tetik ◽  
Ashish Mohite ◽  
Antti Peltokorpi ◽  
Mingyang Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Robotic Arm ◽  
Process Time ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

The construction industry is facing increasing pressure to improve productivity and decrease its environmental impact. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, especially three-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) technology, have provided many benefits for construction. However, holistic comparative studies of the competitiveness of 3DCP and conventional methods, from cost and time perspectives, are lacking. Choosing between the methods is difficult for practitioners. In this study, we investigated the current state of 3DCP in the construction industry using seven distinct scenarios. Our analysis was performed to illustrate the impact of design and supply chain configurations on performance. The results prove the notable competitiveness of 3DCP. In contrast to the conventional construction method, the more complex round design had a positive impact on the cost and process time in 3DCP scenarios. Additionally, we show that on-site 3DCP using a robotic arm was more cost-effective than off-site 3DCP.

scholarly journals Mitigating Scatter in Mechanical Properties in AISI 410 Fabricated via Arc-Based Additive Manufacturing Process

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 4855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sougata Roy ◽  
Benjamin Shassere ◽  
Jake Yoder ◽  
Andrzej Nycz ◽  
Mark Noakes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Gas Metal Arc Welding ◽  
Martensitic Steels ◽  
Stamping Dies ◽  
Metal Arc Welding ◽  
Δ Ferrite ◽  
Tensile Data ◽  
Metal Additive

Wire-based metal additive manufacturing utilizes the ability of additive manufacturing to fabricate complex geometries with high deposition rates (above 7 kg/h), thus finding applications in the fabrication of large-scale components, such as stamping dies. Traditionally, the workhorse materials for stamping dies have been martensitic steels. However, the complex thermal gyrations induced during additive manufacturing can cause the evolution of an inhomogeneous microstructure, which leads to a significant scatter in the mechanical properties, especially the toughness. Therefore, to understand these phenomena, arc-based additive AISI 410 samples were fabricated using robotic gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and were subjected to a detailed characterization campaign. The results show significant scatter in the tensile properties as well as Charpy V-notch impact toughness data, which was then correlated to the microstructural heterogeneity and delta (δ) ferrite formation. Post-processing (austenitizing and tempering) treatments were developed and an ~70% reduction in the scatter of tensile data and a four-times improvement in the toughness were obtained. The changes in mechanical properties were rationalized based on the microstructure evolution during additive manufacturing. Based on these, an outline to tailor the composition of “printable” steels for tooling with isotropic and uniform mechanical properties is presented and discussed.

Large-scale metal additive manufacturing: a holistic review of the state of the art and challenges

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-50
Author(s):  
Thomas Lehmann ◽  
Dylan Rose ◽  
Ehsan Ranjbar ◽  
Morteza Ghasri-Khouzani ◽  
Mahdi Tavakoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
The State ◽  
Metal Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Holistic Review ◽  
Metal Additive

scholarly journals Design of Mechanism for Reducing Support Structures in Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Robotic Arm ◽  
Support Structures ◽  
End Effector ◽  
Material Extrusion ◽  
3D Printers ◽  
Ultimate Objective ◽  
Printing Time

Material extrusion additive manufacturing is widely used in constructing 3D parts. Traditional 3D printers create support structures to build some portions of a model with overhangs that are not supported from below. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a mechanism that can reduce the use of support structures required during 3D printing. The robotic arm is made up of links that are connected with both prismatic and rotary joints. The end-effector of this manipulator resembles temporal support. It is used while building some portions of a model instead of printing support structures. To serve this goal, a mathematical model for the robotic arm based on Chasles-Mozzi theorem is introduced to avoid the limitations of Denavit-Hartenbrg convention. Finally, this paper will present the operation flowchart to be implemented in 3D printers’ software. In other words, predefined usage of the mechanism will help to estimate the amount of the material needed for printing the desired object. The ultimate objective behind employing a robotic arm in material extrusion additive manufacturing is to have a printer that produces clean prototypes, consume less material and reduce printing time

scholarly journals Towards an integrated experimental and computational framework for large-scale metal additive manufacturing

2019 ◽  
Vol 761 ◽  
pp. 138057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohua Hu ◽  
Andrzej Nycz ◽  
Yousub Lee ◽  
Benjamin Shassere ◽  
Srdjan Simunovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Computational Framework ◽  
Metal Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Metal Additive
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