Virtual manufacturing to design a manufacturing technology for components made of a multiphase perfect material

Abstract

A component featuring an optimized combination of different materials (including homogeneous materials and three types of heterogeneous materials) in its different portions for a specific application, is considered as a component made of a multiphase perfect material. To manufacture such components, a hybrid layered manufacturing technology was proposed. Since it would be risky and expensive to make such a physical machine, virtual manufacturing is adopted to further optimize the hybrid layered manufacturing technology so as to provide the 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 introduces the virtual manufacturing system developed for such components and the virtual manufacturing of three typical components by using the system to determine related parameters. © 2008 CAD Solutions, LLC.