A virtual manufacturing system for components made of a multiphase perfect material

Abstract

A component, which has an optimized combination of different materials (including homogeneous materials and different types of heterogeneous materials) in its different portions for a specific application, is considered as being made of a multiphase perfect material. To manufacture such components, a hybrid layered manufacturing technology has been proposed. Since it would be risky and expensive to make such a physical machine, virtual manufacturing technology is adopted to further study and optimize the hybrid layered manufacturing technology, so as to provide a reliable foundation for future practical manufacturing with a much better prospect of success, a shorter lead time, and a much lower investment cost. This paper develops a virtual manufacturing system for it. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.