Method for manufacture of at least one component of a field device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9884476-B2
Application number	US-201514863526-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2015
Priority date	Sep 26, 2014
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

A method for manufacture of at least one component of a field device for determining or monitoring a process variable, wherein the field device is applied in automation technology and is manufactured from at least one material. The method comprises method steps as follows: specifying at least one structure related and/or material related boundary condition of the component and/or a boundary condition relevant for the functionality of the component and/or at least one external boundary condition, which takes into consideration the influence of environmental conditions on the component at the location of use; optimizing the structure of the component via a finite element model taking into consideration the at least one structure related and/or material related boundary condition and/or the at least one boundary condition relevant for the functionality of the component and/or the at least one environmental condition, wherein the optimized structure of the component is described by digital data; transferring the digital data, which describe the optimized structure of the component, to a 3-D printer; and printing the component in accordance with the digital data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacture of at least one component of a field device for determining or monitoring a process variable, wherein the field device is applied in automation technology and is manufactured from at least one material, the method comprises the steps of:
specifying at least one structure related and/or material related, boundary condition of the component and/or a boundary condition relevant for the functionality of the component and/or at least one external boundary condition, which takes into consideration the influence of environmental conditions on the component at the location of use; and
optimizing the structure of the component via a finite element model taking into consideration said at least one structure related and/or material related boundary condition and/or said at least one boundary condition relevant for the functionality of the component and/or said at least one environmental condition, wherein:
the optimized structure of the component is described by digital data; transferring the digital data, which describe the optimized structure of the component, to a 3-D printer; and printing the component in accordance with the digital data.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the resolution of the optimized structure of the component is matched to the resolution of the 3-D printer.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
as a structure related boundary condition an optimized material consumption is predetermined; and
the optimized structure of the component is printed via hollow spaces and/or via an irregular material distribution.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the differences in the material distribution of the component are modeled and printed via a correspondingly matched porosity of the at least one material.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the differences in the material distribution of the component are printed by applying different materials with suitably different physical properties.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the surface of the component is printed at least partially with a protective layer or with a functional coating.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
a functional surface coating coming in contact with a process medium is so structured via a finite element model that it is optimally matched to the desired functionality of the component.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
the functional surface coating is applied on the surface of the component in a 3-D printing method.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
said component is printed with an open pored porosity, a closed pored porosity or an open pored and closed pored porosity.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
a component with an at least partially open pored structure is provided in a surface region with a protective layer.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
said functional surface or said protective layer has a complex structure, which is simulated via the finite element method (FEM).

12. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
the component is produced for one of:
a measuring tube of a flow measuring device, through which a fluid flows;
a beam former, which is arranged in the beam path of a radar fill-level measuring device;
a connecting component of a field device, wherein the component is a membrane or a diaphragm, which is applied in the case of a field device;
a housing; and
an adapting layer or a reflection layer in the beam path of an ultrasonic sensor.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein:
the field device is a pressure sensor or an ion sensitive sensor.

Assignees

• Endress Hauser Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Albert Joachim
• Wittmer Detlev
• Baret Marc
• Uehlin Thomas
• Spanke Dietmar
• Mack Benjamin

Classifications

• B29C64/153

  using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting · CPC title

• B29C64/112

  using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads · CPC title

• B33Y80/00 Primary

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F7/06

  of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools {(B22F7/002 takes precedence)} · CPC title