Clamping and substrate plate system for continuous additive build-up and post-processing of metal parts

Procedia CIRP, vol. 93, pp. 108–113

Abstract

The manufacturing share of laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) increases in industrial application, but still many process steps are manually operated. Additionally, it is not possible to achieve tight dimensional tolerances or low surfaces roughness. Hence, a process chain has to be set up to combine additive manufacturing (AM) with further machining technologies. To achieve a continuous workpiece flow as basis for further industrialization of L-PBF, the paper presents a novel substrate system and its application on L-PBF machines and post-processing. The substrate system consists of a zero-point clamping system and a matrix-like interface of contact pins to be substantially connected to the workpiece within the L-PBF process.

Authors 4

1. Moritz Wollbrink corresponding Aachen Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT

   Affiliation as printed

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, Steinbachstr. 17, 52074 Aachen, Germany

2. Karim Abbas Aachen

   FH Aachen

   Affiliation as printed

   FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Goethestrasse 1, 52064 Aachen, Germany

3. Kristian Arntz Aachen Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT

   Affiliation as printed

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, Steinbachstr. 17, 52074 Aachen, Germany

4. Thomas Bergs Aachen Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL)

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, Steinbachstr. 17, 52074 Aachen, Germany

   Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University, Campus-Boulevard 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany