Referred to as Lower Layer Additive, or CLA for brief, the brand new additive strategy launched by Thermwood produces giant format, near-net-shape elements at low value, utilizing a decrease priced additive machine. In contrast to giant format additive printers (like Thermwood’s LSAM), the brand new course of makes giant elements from quite a lot of supplies that may’t be printed by extrusion.

Lower Layer Additive elements are just like giant additively printed elements, in that they’re primarily hole buildings made in layers. Nevertheless, as an alternative of printing the layers, they’re as an alternative reduce from thick sheets. In different phrases, it’s a new subcategory of the LOM (laminated object manufacturing) household of AM know-how which was one of many first additive processes to emerge however at the moment is proscribed to a really small variety of corporations and know-how (like Fabrisonic’s UAM). Different experiments in LOM know-how, with paper by Mcor and with composite woven sheers by EnvisionTEC (SLCOM) have failed.

Nevertheless, this course of could show best for giant format elements. To make it work, every layer is separated into two or extra segments, which may then be quite effectively nested on sheets of about any materials that may be machined. As soon as reduce out, the layer segments are re-connected utilizing precision puzzle joints, machined into the section ends. Dowel alignment holes, between layers, guarantee alignment, making meeting correct and simple.

Total, the method, each reduce and assemble, takes (at most), the identical period of time and labor as wanted to additively print the identical half. With some materials, it may be quicker, typically rather a lot quicker, plus, materials value will be considerably decrease.

One fascinating use of this course of is to make the half from a porous materials, machine it to its last measurement and form, after which add a penetrating thermoset resin, resembling epoxy, which soaks in and hardens, producing a big thermoset composite half. Thermwood used this course of to provide a 12-foot-long aerospace software for simply $2,000 in materials value, in much less time than it took to additively print the identical half.

Lower Layer Additive may make elements from steel so long as the steel will be CNC routed. To show this, Thermwood made a big aerospace trim fixture utilizing aluminum. Its partitions are solely a bit over an inch thick, that means it used much less materials than about some other means of constructing it.

Though the thought is easy, till now, doing it has been all however not possible. Creating nested CNC applications to machine tons of upon tons of of particular person layer segments, every with a mess of machining necessities, that should all exactly mesh collectively, is a monumental programming activity. And all, simply to make a single half. Programming prices would overwhelm any doable financial savings.

The one means Lower Layer Additive works is for those who don’t need to program it. With Thermwood’s new system, there isn’t a programming, at the least within the common sense. Virtually ten years in the past, Thermwood developed a machine management that might do issues, by itself, with no program. Immediately that functionality is known as “Machine Intelligence”.

To make Lower Layer Additive work, Thermwood taught it to make Lower Layer Additive elements. It doesn’t want a CNC program. You merely inform it what you need, and it makes it. You inform it what you need in two steps, present it the form, and inform it the way you need it made.

CLA simply wants a CAD file of the fundamental form. You present it the form by sending it a CAD file of the half you need, not a element file, simply the fundamental form. It’s going to assume that’s the form you need. You then inform it the way you need it made. Issues like the fabric you need to use, how thick you need the partitions, the place you need to break up layers for nesting, how a lot trim inventory you need, issues like that.

It’s straightforward sufficient, it may be carried out proper on the machine, utilizing a contact display screen. Or it may be carried out within the workplace and despatched to the machine for processing. The machine then robotically creates the additive half and the layer segments wanted to make it, nests them in your materials and creates an inner multi software program to chop all of it out.

All the course of is quite simple and solely requires a tiny fraction of the effort and time wanted to program within the conventional method. Then, the machine cuts it out.

Step-by-step steering

The clever machine provides step-by-step steering to the operator all through machining.
It additionally is aware of the right way to reduce lengthy skinny layer segments with out them transferring, even when they’re created from a porous materials that may’t be held by vacuum.

The machine prints data on every layer section, such because the layer it’s on and the way it connects to different segments. This dramatically simplifies sorting and meeting. It additionally prints a QR Code on every layer section in case you ever must re-cut that individual half.

Precision joints, dowel alignment between layers, and printed data make meeting surprisingly fast and simple. There are a number of methods to connect layers collectively together with bonding, screws, bolts, and rivets, all supported by options the machine provides, when machining the layer- segments.

One of many first epoxy composite elements made throughout improvement of Lower Layer Additive used lower than $400 value of fabric.

Perfecting machine intelligence since 2014

Thermwood offered its first machine that used machine intelligence in 2014, so has been working with this know-how for nearly a decade. The corporate has been constructing Lower Layer kind machines for nearly fifty years. 1000’s of them work reliably in factories around the globe.

Lower Layer Additive combines these two confirmed applied sciences into one thing new and thrilling. Such a easy concept, executed with cutting-edge know-how, might have a profound impression on a whole lot of areas.