A Hybrid Rapid Pattern Manufacturing System for Sand Castings

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2009-08-01
Authors
Peters, Frank
Luo, Xiaoming
Petrzelka, Joseph
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Peters, Frank
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Frank, Matthew
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Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering
The Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering teaches the design, analysis, and improvement of the systems and processes in manufacturing, consulting, and service industries by application of the principles of engineering. The Department of General Engineering was formed in 1929. In 1956 its name changed to Department of Industrial Engineering. In 1989 its name changed to the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering.
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Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Abstract

This paper presents a Rapid Pattern Manufacturing system developed for the sand casting process. It involves both additive and subtractive techniques whereby slabs are sequentially bonded and milled using layered toolpaths. As such, patterns are grown in a bottom-up fashion, both eliminating the need for multi-axis operations and allowing small features in deep cavities. Similar approaches exist in the literature; however, this system is specifically targeted at large wood and urethane sand casting patterns. This method introduces a novel support structure approach by integrating a flask into the pattern build process. We also present adaptive slicing algorithms that optimally place layer transitions to avoid thin sections near flats, peaks, and valleys or where interaction with chemically bonded sand could be problematic. The system has been implemented in an automated machine capable of producing patterns in excess of several thousand pounds. Preliminary testing of the system in the development of next generation military equipment is presented in a case study.

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This is a proceeding from the Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium (2009): 35. Posted with permission.

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Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 UTC 2009