The ENCOMPASS project principally aims to create a fully digital integrated design decision support (IDDS) system to cover the whole manufacturing chain for a laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) process encompassing all individual processes within in. The ENCOMPASS concept takes a...
The ENCOMPASS project principally aims to create a fully digital integrated design decision support (IDDS) system to cover the whole manufacturing chain for a laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) process encompassing all individual processes within in. The ENCOMPASS concept takes a comprehensive view of the L-PBF process chain through synergising and optimising the key stages.
By considering the entire AM process chain, rather than the AM machine in isolation, ENCOMPASS will integrate process decision making tools and produce substantial increases in AM productivity, with clear reductions in change over times and re-design, along with increased ‘right-first time’, leading to overall reductions in production costs, materials wastage, and over-processing.
To address these challenges, three key process chain steps are tackled in ENCOMPASS: the component design process; the L-PBF build process; and the post-build processes (post-processing and inspection). The links between these stages are being addressed by the following five interrelations:
1. Between the design process and both the build and post-build processes in terms of manufacturing constraints / considerations to optimise overall component design.
2. Between the design process and build process component-specific L-PBF scanning strategies and parameters to optimise processing and reduce downstream processing.
3. Between the design process and the build and post-build processes in terms of adding targeted feature quality tracking to the continuous quality monitoring throughout the process chain.
4. Between the build and post-build processes by using build specific processing strategies and adaptation based on actual quality monitoring data (for inspection and post-processing).
5. Between all stages and the data management system with the integrated design decision support (IDDS) system.
Work performed since the beginning of the project is detailed by each work package thus:
WP1 – Definition of Specification and Requirements:
Four industrial use-case study parts have been identified by each end-user: two aerospace components, one medical device and one automotive component. Each of these case-study parts give a comprehensive set of features, parameters and geometries for the technology to be developed around. A high level set of requirements have been produced for the IDDS system.
WP2 – Component Design Considering L-PBF Chain:
The main objective of this work package is to integrate with an existing geometric design software solution that uses knowledge, predictive and actual data of the whole laser powder bed fusion process chain. Design rules (based on knowledge of the laser powder bed fusion process, post-processing and inspection) will be integrated with the design tool, with prompt feedback to the designer about implications of their design. A second objective is to integrate this design tool with a component scale physical simulation model to inform decisions about build and post-processing.
WP2 has established the user interface for the designer and the design assessment functionality of the IDDS system.
WP3 – Optimised Build Process Strategy:
The objectives of this WP are on the development of process knowledge for geometry driven and feature based scanning strategies and process parameters.
In conjunction with WP2, a list of features have been collated that has major impact on part quality and developed into a ‘feature action map’ which address the four stages of AM production from design to testing. Evaluations where issues cannot be resolved through IDDS process actions have been identified.
WP4 – Strategies for Optimised Post-Build Process:
The objective of WP4 is to develop tools and strategies for optimising the post laser-powder bed fusion process chain and the execution of post-build processes. This started by identifying monitoring solutions for the finishing process. The key post-process variables were identified for a range of finishing options together with an overview of post-processing capabilities for a number of features. Analysis of the use-case study parts was then undertaken with regard to post-processing to establish surface finish requirements and capabilities. of a tolerance base, rules & thresholds, features, tolerances and criticalities. These form the ‘tolerance based interrogations’.
WP5 – Integrated Data Decision Support (IDDS):
The purpose of WP5 is to define and prototype the IDDS system using the knowledge and results derived in the previous work packages. The first step in this process was to define the top level architecture of the proposed IDDS system based on the specifications and requirements detailed in WP1. The IDDS system is designed to enable
\"The main output of ENCOMPASS is the creation and application of a comprehensive integrated laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) process chain design decision support system (IDDSS) to significantly improve productivity and \"\"industrialise\"\" laser-based AM while maintaining its flexibility for applications from low-variety-high-volume to high-variety-low-volume. Five outputs of the ENCOMPASS project which progress the state of the art are:
1. IDDS system pilot demonstrator covering AM design, build and post-processing.
2. AM simulation tool development covering post-build processes, in particular post-processing and inspection (Delivery Date: and post-build processes covering post-build processes.
3. Populated design rule database covering build, post-processing and inspection information.
4. Improved L-PBF processing using feature-specific scanning strategies and different processing regimes.
5. Improved in-process monitoring and deviation detection system for improved part quality.\"
More info: http://encompass-am.eu/.