5 axis deposition toolpath calculation

The use of 5 axis kinematic allows to orient the part below the deposition head. This way, every new layer always rests on the previous one and the part can grow up without the necessity for supports, thus speeding up the manufacturing process. Several companies launched on the market machines able to perform 5 axis additive manufacturing operations. VenturaPLUS concentrates its efforts in developing the software to generate deposition toolpaths for such machines. Besides, VenturaPLUS builds five axis machine prototypes to test its deposition strategies

3 axis deposition toolpath calculation

The software libraries of VenturaPLUS can calculate 3 axis deposition toolpaths. Especially in some sectors such as the Aerospatial one, 3 axis deposition is massively used to produce in a short time very big parts saving a huge amount of time in comparison to a milling-based production. In the three axis deposition, supports are necessary if the builded part has an overhanging zone: the VenturaPLUS software is able to generate the toolpath for the supports and to optimize these depending on the specific deposition technology

Direct Deposition Additive Manufacturing Technologies

The VenturaPLUS software can generate the five and three axis deposition toolpath for every Direct Deposition Additive Manufacturing Technology. The main Direct Deposition Tecnologies are WAAM ("Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing"), EBAM ("Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing"), LPD ("Laser Powder Deposition"), FDM ("Fused Deposition Modeling"), LWD ("Laser Wire Deposition"). WAAM melts a metallic wire using an electric arc (basicly it is a 3D welding). EBAM uses an electron beam to melt a metallic wire. LPD and LWD use laser to melt the feedstock material that is in form of metallic powder and wire respectively. FDM is based on the extrusion of a plastic filament through an heated nozzle. We are mainly concentrated on WAAM but we can develop deposition toolpaths for all the existing direct energy deposition technologies.

Projects and Activities at VenturaPLUS

VenturaPLUS has been involved in a project named DAMP IT founded by POR FESR Toscana 2014-20. The final aim of the project was to develope an active chatter suppressing device for boring operations. Each Partner involved in the project brought its experience and knowledge to succeed in the realization and testing of the final device. VenturaPLUS was in charge of selecting the control logic of the active system and to provide support for the software implementation. Finally, VenturaPLUS has also given its support both during the test bench development and the final testing carried out in a real working environment.

The outcome of the DAMP IT project

The results achieved during the DAMP IT project by the partners are manifold. First of all the definition of design guidelines for smart devices for the monitoring and control of the turning process. Then the creation of a prototype of an accelerometric sensor for the monitoring of the turining process; such sensor can be integrated in the numerical control of the machine. Morevoer a prototype of an active turning tool configured as Cyber Physical System. Using the prototype on to machine the industrial case study increased the productivity of the turning process by 20% (considering the increment in MRR).

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