STTR Phase II: A Multi-Axis Planning System (MAPS) for Direct Fabrication Processes

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II research project focuses on the development of an innovative Multi-Axis Planning System (MAPS), for layered manufacturing processes. By enabling current direct metal deposition systems to fully control and utilize multi-axis capability to make complex parts, MAPS will enable fully-automated process planning for multi-axis layered manufacturing processes to directly control metal deposition machines used in automated fabrication. The building of complicated shapes without support structures is a major challenge for current direct metal deposition processes. This proposed Phase II research will continue to research and develop the 'centroidal axis' algorithm in multi-axis slicing, with an emphasis on completeness and robustness for complicated shapes such as geometry with multiple loops and internal structures. This algorithm will allow manufacturing systems to handle parts with multiple loop features. Additional features to be developed under this Phase II project include a deposition visibility map for efficient computation on the collision-free slicing/deposition sequence in a multi-axis scenario, and a '3-D layer' toolpath generation which will provide an alternative turning algorithm for the deposition process. The proposed project will impact the manufacturing industry by incorporating fully-automated multi-axis control capability into the rapid manufacturing industry to produce fully functional metal parts with complicated shapes. This capability will lead to dramatic reductions in lead time and manufacturing costs for high-value, low-volume components with high performance material. Assuming the outcomes are successful, the project will several segments such as aerospace, military, motor sports, automotive, industrial machinery, medicine, dentistry, and consumer products.