Additive manufacturing of a body component on a tube frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017136698-A1
Application number	US-201514940937-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 13, 2015
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	May 18, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and devices for manufacturing paneled structures are provided. The methods include manufacturing a frame structure by additive manufacturing methods and scanning a surface of the frame structure to determine whether there is more than a nominal surface deviation at a location where a panel will be disposed. When there is more than a nominal surface deviation, the methods also include generating a panel to be disposed at the location of the frame structure, wherein the panel has an engagement surface that is complimentary to the surface deviation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for manufacturing a paneled structure, the method comprising:
scanning an outer surface of a frame structure; generating a panel via additive manufacturing to be disposed along a first region of the outer surface of the frame structure, wherein the panel comprises an engagement surface that is complimentary to the first region of the outer surface of the frame structure; and assembling the panel to the first region of the outer surface of the frame structure to form the paneled structure.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising applying a reinforcing material to the frame structure having the outer surface by additive manufacturing before the scanning.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising coating the frame structure with a reinforcing material prior to the scanning.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the coating of the frame structure with a reinforcing material comprises coating the frame structure with fibers selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers, boron fibers, ceramic fibers, polyester fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers, and combinations thereof.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the coating of the frame structure with fibers comprises aligning the fibers in a predetermined orientation.

6 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising curing or solidifying the reinforcing material under pressure, wherein the pressure is associated with local vacuum bagging, hydro-static pressure, a pneumatically pressurized sleeve, or an autoclave.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the generating of the panel comprises generating a component by additive manufacturing.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising coating a surface of the panel with a reinforcing material.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein generating the panel comprises:
generating an inner surface of the panel; laying the inner surface on a plurality of pins that are arranged and adjusted to the shape of the inner surface; applying a reinforcing material to the inner surface; and subjecting the inner surface and reinforcing material to pressure while the inner surface with the reinforcing material is supported by the plurality of pins.

10 . A method for manufacturing a paneled structure, the method comprising:
scanning an outer surface of a frame structure; comparing a first region of the scanned outer surface of the frame structure to a second region of a complementary panel to determine if the outer surface of the frame structure has more than a nominal surface deviation at a location where the first region and the second region will be joined; generating a corrective component to be disposed at the location if the first region of the outer surface of the frame structure has more than a nominal surface deviation from the second region, wherein the corrective component comprises an engagement surface that is complimentary to the first region and the second region; and assembling the corrective component between the first region of the outer surface of the frame structure and the second region of the complementary panel to form the paneled structure.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the assembling further comprises first coupling the corrective component to the complementary panel to form a corrected engagement surface on the complementary panel corresponding to the second region, and then coupling the first region of the frame structure to the corrective component and the complementary panel so that the corrected engagement surface conformingly contacts and engages with the first region of the outer surface of the frame structure at the location.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the assembling further comprises first coupling the corrective component to the outer surface of the frame structure to form a corrected engagement surface on the frame structure corresponding to the first region, and then coupling the second region of the complementary panel to the corrective component and the frame structure so that the corrected engagement surface conformingly contacts and engages with the second region of the complementary panel at the location.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of the frame structure and the complementary panel is generated by additive manufacturing.

14 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the frame structure and the corrective component are coated with reinforcing fibers selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers, boron fibers, ceramic fibers, polyester fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers, and combinations thereof.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the reinforcing fibers are embedded within a resin matrix.

16 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the generating of the corrective component comprises generating a wedge by additive manufacturing, wherein the wedge conformingly contacts and engages with the first region and the second region.

17 . A device for scanning and coating a frame, the device comprising:
a track system; a printing head for depositing a resin in a predetermined shape, the printing head being associated with the track system; and a fiber head for depositing fibers onto the resin, the fiber head being associated with the track system, wherein the track system independently moves the printing head and the fiber head in three dimensions.

18 . The device according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a scanning system comprising stereo vision sensors and at least one camera for generating a three-dimensional map of a surface, wherein the scanning system is associated with the track system.

19 . The device according to claim 17 , wherein the device comprises at least three fiber heads for depositing fibers onto the resin in predetermined orientations.

20 . The device according to claim 17 , wherein the device further comprises a printing head for printing a frame structure or a panel.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Kia Hamid G
• Arinez Jorge F
• Spicer John P
• Huang Ningjian

Classifications

• B29D99/001

  Producing wall or panel-like structures, e.g. for hulls, fuselages, or buildings (articles with hollow walls B29D24/00) · CPC title

• B32B2605/00

  Vehicles · CPC title

• B29C70/86 Primary

  Incorporated in coherent impregnated reinforcing layers, {e.g. by winding} · CPC title

• B29C64/106

  using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material · CPC title

• B29L2007/002

  Panels; Plates; Sheets · CPC title