A compromise of what is allowable by customer will put the design somewhere along this line.

Current designs Make it so the build works.

New designs Optimise for best use of SLM.

Traditional manufacturing process

Design rules for; Casting Machining Sheet metal Injection moulding

Additive manufacturing process

Improved by MTT minimum Requirements

Improved by MTT Recommendations

Design for Subtractive manufacture

New designs Optimise for best use of SLM. Review design constraints rather than existing geometry (as this will likely have carry over design rules from traditional process)

Design for Additive manufacture

Only put material around constrains (location holes, critical surfaces, etc.)

Internal mesostructure e.g. honey comb, lattice, etc

Increased impact on other components that it interfaces with.

Improve material usage and build time. Reduce stress. Reduce risk of build failure.

Renishaw example, J. Pullin http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/1f2ee068#/1f2ee068/38 http://www.emeraldinsight.com/content_images/fig/1560160406012.png

 Customer reviews MTT flowchart to assess whether there chosen product meets the minimum requirements Customer supplies CAD and Critical Characteristics Form to initial MTT process MTT check and confirm data is complete and acceptable MTT Engineering review data and visually update with colour coding, annotations and illustrated standard designs to feedback to the customer on their design. Feedback on Requirements and Recommendations
From here customer can see status of job similar to only shopping. Order picked, Dispatched, etc

Customer updates in accordance to at least the Requirements

Customer re-submits CAD

Possibly more fundamental suggestions that allow a more complete optimisation for best results of SLM. Minimum changes required to make SLM build possible

MTT check and confirm data is corrected and build preparation can start
MTT carry out build preparation (Orientation, Support structure, etc.)

Schedule build and communicate confirmed lead time to customer

Has your part been designed for SLM

No
If for any reasons during this process there are recommendations made that you are not able to implement then it may be that the finial part may not be optimised to its full potential. Resulting in increased material, weight, cost or lead time

Yes

There are different design rules for SLM. traditional manufacturing process all have constants that must be considered when designing a part

Can it be modified to optimise its design for SLM

No
Please contact MTT

Yes
Can you provide MTT with the critical information needed to produce the best possible part for you.

No

Yes
If a 2D drawing is not available suit able notes must be added to the CC Form. All the information is required. We shall not be able to progress until we fully understand or application

Please contact MTT to get more information on file Possible formats and where the Critical Characteristic form can be supporting downloaded from. document or web Without out this information we can not fully know your location application requirements and produce a part that meets your needs and shows the true potential of the SLM process

Fill out form, attach 3D CAD and 2D drawing and send to MTT

See 3D CAD, 2D Drawing and Critical Characteristics Form details on separate page

3D CAD, 2D Drawing and Critical Characteristics Form

Engineering Customer Input

Geometric detail (3D CAD) Part orientation and Surface Roughness Material allowance / Geometric compensation Minimum clearance between features Minimum wall thickness Chamfers and Radii Curved Surfaces Function (Non 3D CAD)

Geometric tolerance
Critical Characteristics (C.C) Current post processes Current manufacturing method Priority attributes, why have you chosen SLM? What would you be prepared to optimise in new design Weight

Holes Pilot Drilling Threads

Reaming

Material
Cost Lead Time (Tool less components) Surface area / volume ratio

New designs Optimise for best use of SLM.

Proposed Stages

1. How much is the design influenced by traditional manufacturing guidelines. Design for casting, Design for machined components, etc

2. Which non critical features can be removed so that an unbiased design intent is more clear.

3. What are the fixed constraints in the design. How does it function. How does it interface with other parts or systems. Fixing holes Guiding surfaces Location features

4. Can material be removed to make part more efficient. Use less material, Weigh less, Optimise for strength and stiffness. Be built quicker and more reliably.

5. Can multiply parts be integrated into one component. Some designs may have been broken in to assemblies of separate parts to simplify traditional manufacturing. Can these now be combined, reducing assembly and the need for additional fasteners. Potentially allowing for improved material optimisation

6. What post processing is required currently

7. What post processing will be required with SLM

Process Stage 2-5 Remove material Combined parts Interface with other parts

Adjustable position

Angled position
Combined parts Clamping position

Critical Function
Potential Optimisation

Combined parts

2 1 3

2
Adjustable position

3
Clamping position

4
Interface with other parts

Critical Function

Angled position

Potential Optimisation

Combine parts

Combine parts

Remove material

Remove material

 Only put material around constrains (location holes, critical surfaces, etc.)
Increased impact on other components that it interfaces with.

Internal mesostructure e.g. honey comb, lattice, etc

Improve material usage and build time. Reduce stress. Reduce risk of build failure.

Build Stress vs application Stress

Build Orientation for strength

Design tools Standard features library

How are design tools to be used? Current mechanical CAD - Solid model (Solidworks), Mesh model (Rhino, 3dsMAX) or pre-process (AutoFab)

What are design tools? They should encourage education and re-use of standard building block design features.
How should they be used? The designer needs to have an understanding of the design rules for SLM, in a similar way that a designer has an understanding of design rules for plastic injection moulding today. The main consideration is build orientation, so that features can be added in the correct plan and the design can be built with a self supporting topology.

AM standard features library Potentially 2 lists (1 for Solid modelling, 1 for Mesh modelling)
Functional features Clamping Surface textures Material removal Lattice modules Constraint transitions Material Allowance (Stage 1) Surface finish allowance (down,up and side facing surfaces) Thread cutting Clearance holes Pre-assembled parts allowance needed to stop assembly parts welding together

Sector Specific High Surface area designs for heat exchanger designs

C = HIGHEST QUALITY SURFACE AND ACCURACY. The highest quality surface quality and accuracy (see C). Critical geometries are to be identified to ensure that they are considered in the orientation. A = QUICKER BUT MORE SUPPORT IS NEEDED The part can be built in the lowest orientation for speed of build and limiting cost (see A). Excessive support structures and poor surface quality may be the result of this choice.

An average of the first two orientations may be selected where time and cost is not constrained and the surface quality is not particularly critical (see B). OR A COMBINATION OF GEOMETRY NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED.

Total volume of material = support and build = material cost. Support is build material. B is potentially more expensive. (material + cycle time)
Customer designs are not rectangles.if they are customers should stick with Subtractive
1 feature

As soon as designs are more than 1 feature the design needs to work within the chosen build orientation.
2 features 3 features

Choosing build orientation needs to consider Feature priority (Customer CAD input) and Critical Attribute priority (Customer Non-CAD input).

Critical Attribute priority Design for cost, Surface quality, or speed

 Notes

Design for machining. Includes; Undercuts Overhangs SLM design remove unnecessary features; Undercuts Overhangs Add large chamfer or radius. This may be more to do with build process stress than application stress. Stress concentration at corner pulls build apart XXX

Separate build sections come together at the top causing stress in build

Requirements

Recommendations

Design for AM (DfAM)

From Machining From Casting

Industry Sectors

Conformal Cool Fins + Complex curves Organic shapes Designs from Non. Mechanical CAD

Process -Orientation -Supports Process -Orientation -Supports Custom designs Size & Frequence -Thick section reductions Custom designs Size & Frequence -Thick section reductions

MTT Sample No.

Minimum Requirement

From Machining

Minimum Requirement

From Casting

Industrial Example

Mould tool

Industrial Example

Aerodynamic

Industrial Example

Medical

Industrial Example

Dental

Industrial Example

Automotive

Design Features

Threads Internal/External

Process validation

Process evaluation thick section - Stress as support Custom Supports

Process validation

Design Rules for machining

Think about the stock size that will be used. Think about the sequence that the operations will be carried out What fixtures will be required for m/cing in different orientations. Make sure as may operations are done in a single setup as possible. Amount of tools, size, material removal and access. Milled pockets = rounded corners Surface finish Accuracy

Design Rules for casting

Flow and cooling of molten metal. Gating Wall thickness / thick section (Stress) shrinkage Surface finish Fill marks, weld lines, voids Accuracy Shrinkage allowance Being able to remove part from tooling (non-investment casting) Tooling design & side action Draft angle
*Extends EOS part property management concept in to design requirements 5 Part property profiles (PPP) Top speed/Speed/Balance/Performance/Top Quality related to layer thickness

Design Rules for SLM

Think about orientation orientate for given priority* and identified critical features Think about surface finish and critical dimensions / geometry Think about thick sections remove as much as possible while still achieving part strength Feature spacing and minimum feature size Removing perpendicular faces. Make less than 90 degrees

Support performance & SLM specific custom styles

http://www.protomold.co.uk/ProtoQuote.aspx

BAD Large material sections Over hangs Will need to be orientated or supports added to build Unsupported holes. Perpendicular surfaces. These influence possible build orientations, Anything less than 90 is GOOD Pointy tapered things are GOOD Geometry detail (holes, cut outs) inline with axis are GOOD

Need to think about; Material allowance Build orientation Surface quality. Down-facing surfaces - Roughness Side facing surfaces - Stair stepping Support witness Holes are better position parallel with build direction.