Mechanical joining methods for additive manufactured assembly tools

The use of additive manufacturing (AM) processes is growing in the manufacturing industry. One application with great potential for using these processes is the manufacture of assembly tools for a high-ly competitive markets, such as the automotive industry. A critical aspect of the assembly tool design is its capability to incorporate modifications even at a late stage of its development in very short time. In many cases, these modifications are achieved using metal inserts in the polymeric tool, which allow to add new geometric features. This capability increases the usefulness and versatility of components produced by AM and compensate for potential shortcomings of using additive mate-rials. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential use of accessories in additive manufactured com-ponents. In addition, the effect of different percentages of infill tool material on the joining quality of accesso-ries is evaluated. This is done by performing a screw pull-out test on a ABS ESD-7 part, produced by fused deposition modelling. The following different joining solutions were compared and studied in this work: em-bedded inserts, glue, heating processes, pressure (Tap-in) and creation of threads, such as, printing the thread directly and machining the thread onto the material.Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização - COMPETE 2020, Projeto nº 002814, Ref. POCI-01-0247-FEDER-002814 entre a Univ. do Minho e a Bosc

Presentation and validation of a new optical sensing concept based in a 3d-printing solution

In high competitive markets, such as the automotive industry, the better quality of products, reduction of manufacturing costs and the fulfilment of all delivery deadlines can only be achieved through continuous improvement of production capabilities. One current strategy is to develop and create smarter and adaptive assembly tools. Automation is a relevant area of development in the current industrial world and the baseline of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0). Namely, it is very important to use sensing components on jigs for assembly parts in the production line. The arrangement of sensing components on the assembly tools is very dependent of the product, making the project more complex and less flexible. This issue can penalise the productivity heavily, especially if a wide range of products and changeover operations are usual. The use of Additive Manufacturing (AM) is growing in the industry and offers a high potential for research and development in the present stage. The AM is advantageous in many areas, especially in the rapid construction of complex tools (RP). This paper presents a new optical sensing concept based on the 3D printing of internal circuits in the assembly tools. This solution can bring many advantages and increase tools flexibility.Programa Operacional de Competividade e Internacionalização - COMPETE 2020, Projeto nº 002814; Ref. POCI-01-0247-FEDER-002814, entre a Univ. Minho e a Bosc

Development and update of a rapid prototyping equipment control system

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia MecânicaEsta dissertação consiste na aplicação do conceito de retrofitting a um aparelho de prototipagem rápida e na criação de uma máquina de produção rápida de modelos. A aplicação deste conceito consiste na substituição de componentes desactualizados por componentes mais recentes e de melhor desempenho, com o objectivo de evitar a aquisição de uma máquina totalmente nova, desta forma obtém-se um produto funcional e de forma rendível. Este aparelho permitirá, por exemplo, obter moldes para fundição num intervalo de tempo extremamente curto e com qualidade adequada. O aparelho utiliza motores de passo e servomotores controlados por um microcontrolador para que a cabeça de impressão realize os movimentos necessário para a execução da impressão e o controlo da deposição de material de impressão. Este projecto ilustra o aproveitamento dos sistemas de controlo e de actuação já existentes no aparelho e a sua remodelação para sistemas de controlo mais recentes e na criação de algoritmos para o controlo do processo da impressão. Neste trabalho abordam-se as várias tarefas envolvidas nas diversas fases do processo de desenvolvimento do aparelho de prototipagem rápida mencionado. Inicialmente efectuou-se uma pesquisa bibliográfica com o intuito de adquirir conhecimentos relativos ao trabalho a realizar, quer em termos de projecto mecatrónico, quer em termos do próprio controlo dos componentes envolvidos no mesmo. Posteriormente definiu-se os objectivos e funções do equipamento, gerando soluções para alguns dos problemas encontrados. De seguida realizou-se a fase do projecto detalhado que consiste detalhar e definir os sistemas físicos e de informação elaborados e discutir os resultados obtidos da utilização dos mesmos. Em conclusão neste trabalho foi realizado o projecto mecatrónico de um equipamento de impressão 3D, realizando a selecção e aplicação dos componentes utilizados no controlo do equipamento e a programação dos sistemas de informação necessários para controlar alguns destes componentes.This master thesis consists on the application of the retrofitting concept to a rapid prototyping device and also to the creation of a fast model production machine. The application of this concept consists on updating out-of-date components to more recent and better performing ones, avoiding the acquisition of totally new equipment all together and thus obtaining a functional product in a cost efficient way. This equipment will allow, for example, the production of casting dies in a very short time and with adequate quality. This machine uses stepper motors and servomotors, commanded by a microcontroller so that the printing head can make the necessary printing movements and be able to control the deposition of printing material. This project illustrates the utilization of already existing control and actuating systems and its update to more recent systems and the creation of algorithms for the control of the printing process. In this thesis the many tasks involved in the various stages of the development process of a rapid prototyping machine are addressed. Initially a bibliographic search was made, in order to gather knowledge about the work to be done, in regards of mechatronic project and the control of components involved. Afterwards the objectives and functions of the equipment where defined and listed, and solutions where created for some of the problems encountered. Next the physical systems and information systems developed are detailed and the obtained results are discussed. In conclusion with this thesis, the mechatronic project of a 3D printing equipment can been seen, in which the selection and application of components used to control de equipment and the programing of these in order to accomplish this control were made

Development of an Open-Source Injection Mold Monitoring System

In the highly competitive injection molding industry, the ability to effectively collect information from various sensors installed in molds and machines is of the utmost relevance, enabling the development of data-based Industry 4.0 algorithms. In this work, an alternative to commercially available monitoring systems used in the industry was developed and tested in the scope of the TOOLING 4G project. The novelty of this system is its affordability, simplicity, real-time data acquisition and display in an intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI), while being open-source firmware and software-based. These characteristics, and their combinations have been present in previous works, but, to the authors’ knowledge, not all of them simultaneously. The system used an Arduino microcontroller-based data acquisition module that can be connected to any computer via a USB port. Software was developed, including a GUI, prepared to receive data from both the Arduino module and a second module. In the current state of development, data corresponding to a maximum of six sensors can be visualized, at a rate of 10 Hz, and recorded for later usage. These capabilities were verified under real-world conditions for monitoring an injection mold with the objective of creating the basis of a platform to deploy predictive maintenance. Mold temperature, cavity pressure, 3-axis acceleration, and extraction force data showed the system can successfully monitor the mold and allowed the clear distinction between normal and abnormal operating patterns

Assembly workstation and installation method thereof

Assembly workstation for assembling products by a person, comprising a lower workbench base nest and an upper workbench mask nest, wherein the base nest and mask nest define an assembly jig for said products; a support frame; a vertically displaceable platform for receiving said base nest; and an actuator attached to the support frame and attached to the platform for creating vertical displacement of said platform; wherein said lower workbench base nest is arranged onto said platform and said upper workbench mask nest is pivotably coupled to said support frame for rotating about a transversal horizontal axis. The assembly workstation of the present disclosure is a universal, ergonomic assembly workstation using modular additivemanufacturing tools.FEDER-Programa COMPETE 2020, Project nº 002814, Ref: POCI-01-0247-FEDER-002814