fleet readiness center – east large format additive ... … · boeing/ornl baam composite tooling...

FLEET READINESS CENTER – EAST LARGE FORMAT ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING RESEARCH PROJECTS

of 9 Douglas D Greenwood, PE 5/10/17 [email protected] Distribution Statement A

FRC-East is engaged in several research projects with industry under the umbrella of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA). Research work includes the following two projects devoted to sheet metal forming and composite tools printed built on two different large format printers; the Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM-CI) machine manufactured by Cincinnati, Inc. (CI) and the Large Scale Additive Manufacturing (LSAM) machine manufactured by Thermwood, Inc. Both AM machines build parts by melting pelletized thermoplastic materials and extruding & compacting the material through an injection molding sprue and deposition nozzle assembly mounted on a gantry system.

BOEING/ORNL BAAM COMPOSITE TOOLING PROJECT

This is a joint project between FRC-E, Boeing, Oak Ridge National Labs (ORNL), Cincinnati, Inc., BASF, Techmer ES, Ford and TruDesign. The theme of the project is to investigate the use of high temperature, low CTE carbon filled thermoplastic materials that can be processed by the BAAM-CI AM machine to build composite layup tools for use under autoclave conditions of 350°F and 100 psig. Each company and organization funds their own efforts. Tool designs are provided by Boeing. Thermoplastic materials are provided by Techmer ES and BASF. ORNL builds the tools on their BAAM-CI AM machine. ORNL performs finish machining of the tools on a 5-axis CNC router. Boeing and FRC-E test the composite tools. All results are shared collaboratively with all partners.

Two materials are being investigated – Polyphenol Sulfide (PPS) and Polyphenolsulfone (PPSU), both with carbon fiber fill. To date, the team has successfully tested a set of small scale tools (~2.5’ x 2.5’ x 2.5’ (XYZ)) at Boeing in April, 2016. The team then tested a set of mid-scale tools (~5’ x 5’ x 5’ (XYZ)) at FRC-E in September, 2016. The Mid-Scale trials revealed differences in thermal expansion between the build plane (XY) and the direction of build (Z) that was not observed during the small scale trials. This anisotropic CTE behavior is currently under further investigation at ORNL prior to building the next set of tools.

Figure 1, Mid-Scale Tool Building on BAAM-CI AM Machine at ORNL

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Figure 2, Completed Mid-Scale Tool (Before Finish Machining) at ORNL

Figure 3, Mid-Scale Tool Ready for Composite Material Layup at FRC-E




Figure 4, Composite Material Layup Process at FRC-E

Figure 5, Tool and Composite Part after Autoclave at FRC-E




Figure 6, Tool Surface of Finished Part at FRC-E




THERMWOOD LARGE SCALE ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING (LSAM) PROJECT

FRC-E and Thermwood, Inc. are engaged in a research project to produce sheet metal and composite layup tools printed on the LSAM machine and evaluate their compatibility with FRC-E maintenance and sustainment activities and processes. The LSAM printer contains two separate gantry systems, integrated into the same machine. One gantry system (in the background of Figure 7) is used to build parts. The second gantry system (in the foreground of Figure 7) contains a Thermwood 5-axis CNC router that is used to perform finish machining of the printed part.

Thermwood printed a demonstration part (Figure 11) using Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plus 20% carbon fiber fill for FRC-E use. Following its display at the recent Department of Navy Print-a-Thon at the Pentagon, the demonstration part was returned to FRC-E. Vacuum testing was performed on the finished tooling surface and the results were successful (Figure 12). We plan to do further preliminary testing of the finished tooling surface to investigate the material’s compatibility with our low temperature composite layup processes. Further tests are planned when the LSAM PPS material samples become available.

Figure 7, Thermwood LSAM Machine




Figure 8, View of LSAM Material Deposition Nozzle & Compaction Roller

Figure 9, Finish Machining of LSAM Printed Part




Figure 10, View of Printed and Finished Surfaces




Figure 11, LSAM Demonstration Part Showing As-Printed, Rough Cut and Finished Surfaces




Figure 12, Vacuum Bagging Test on LSAM Demonstration Part at FRC-E


fleet readiness center – east large format additive ... … · boeing/ornl baam composite tooling...

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