System and method for manufacturing a component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10603717-B2
Application number	US-201615244136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2016
Priority date	Aug 23, 2016
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

A system for manufacturing a Three Dimensional (3D) printed component is provided. The system includes a substrate adapted for at least partially 3D printing the component thereon. The substrate includes a first geometrical feature. The system also includes a plurality of processing stations interconnected to one another. Each of the plurality of processing stations is adapted to receive the substrate. Each of the plurality of processing stations includes a second geometrical feature adapted to interlock with the first geometrical feature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for manufacturing a Three Dimensional (3D) printed component, the system comprising:
a substrate adapted for at least partially 3D printing the 3D printed component thereon,
the substrate including a first geometrical feature; and

a plurality of processing stations interconnected to one another,
each of the plurality of processing stations being adapted to receive the substrate,
each of the plurality of processing stations including a second geometrical feature adapted to interlock with the first geometrical feature,
the substrate further including a third geometrical feature that is adapted to interlock with a fourth geometrical feature of a handling unit, and
the third geometrical feature being different from the first geometrical feature.

2. The system of claim 1 , further including:
the handling unit,
the handling unit being adapted to transfer the substrate between each of the plurality of processing stations.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the handling unit is at least one of a robotic arm, a conveyor system, or a crane.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first geometrical feature includes a first protrusion.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the second geometrical feature includes a first slot adapted to receive the first protrusion.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first geometrical feature includes a first slot.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the second geometrical feature includes a first protrusion adapted to be received within the first slot.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third geometrical feature includes a second protrusion.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the fourth geometrical feature includes a second slot adapted to receive the second protrusion.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third geometrical feature includes a second slot.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the fourth geometrical feature includes a second protrusion adapted to be received within the second slot.

12. A system for manufacturing a Three Dimensional (3D) printed component, the system comprising:
a substrate having a first surface and a second surface disposed opposing and spaced apart from the first surface,
the first surface adapted for at least partially 3D printing the 3D printed component thereon, and
the second surface including a first protrusion; and

a plurality of processing stations interconnected to one another, each of the plurality of processing stations adapted to receive the substrate,
each of the plurality of processing stations including a first slot adapted to interlock with the first protrusion,
the substrate further including a first geometric feature that is adapted to interlock with a second geometric feature of a handling unit, and
the first geometric feature being different from the first protrusion.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first geometric feature is a second protrusion provided on at least one of the first surface, the second surface, or a third surface that is disposed in association with the first surface and the second surface.

14. The system of claim 13 , further including:
the handling unit,
the handling unit being adapted to transfer the substrate between each of the plurality of processing stations, and
the second geometric feature being a second slot adapted to interlock with the second protrusion.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the handling unit is at least one of a robotic arm, a conveyor system, or a crane.

16. A method comprising:
interlocking a first geometrical feature, of a substrate, with a second geometrical feature of a first processing station;
manufacturing, after interlocking the first geometrical feature with the second geometrical feature of the first processing station, an at least partially three-dimensional (3D) printed component on the substrate by 3D printing;
interlocking a third geometrical feature, of the substrate, with a fourth geometrical feature of a handling unit,
the third geometrical feature being different from the first geometrical feature;

transferring, after interlocking the third geometrical feature with the fourth geometrical feature, the substrate to a second processing station having a second geometrical feature;
interlocking the first geometrical feature of the substrate with the second geometrical feature of the second processing station; and
processing the at least partially 3D printed component on the second processing station after interlocking the first geometrical feature with the second geometrical feature of the second processing station.

17. The method of claim 16 , further including:
disconnecting the substrate from the second processing station;
transferring the substrate to a third processing station having a second geometrical feature;
interlocking the first geometrical feature of the substrate with the second geometrical feature of the third processing station; and
processing the at least partially 3D printed component on the third processing station.

18. The method of claim 16 , further including:
disconnecting the substrate from the second processing station or a third processing station;
transferring the substrate to the first processing station after disconnecting the substrate from the second processing station or the second processing station; and
interlocking, after transferring the substrate to the first processing station, the first geometrical feature of the substrate with the second geometrical feature of the first processing station.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein transferring the substrate includes:
transferring the substrate from the first processing station to the second processing station with the handling unit.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of processing stations include:
a first processing station that includes equipment associated with an additive manufacturing process, and
a second processing station that includes equipment associated with a subtractive manufacturing process.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Grant Marion B
• Parsons Nathan John
• Marchione Thierry Andre
• Wang Huijun

Classifications

• B29C64/188

  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 title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B22F3/24

  After-treatment of workpieces or articles {(B22F3/1146 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B33Y40/00

  Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling · CPC title