The present invention relates generally to 3D printing solutions. More specifically, the present invention relates to deployed, rapid 3D printable solutions.
The cost of shipbuilding is significantly driven by labor; the other 30-70% of shipbuilding costs depend on the complexity of the project. Shipbuilding is highly labor intensive, though many shipbuilding expenses are also due to custom, subcomponent costs.
3D printing provides the architectural and material freedom needed to support modern day shipbuilding. Especially when compared to the wasteful practice of machining custom components, using 3D printing diminishes material waste. 3D printing also offers savings in fabrication time, as 3D printed parts can be made faster than machined parts. 3D printing even offers weight savings, as new designs using lighter materials can be substituted or combined with required steel or heavier materials. This is either impossible or expensive to do during the custom machining process, or during a complex, multi-step manufacturing process.
Direct metal sintering (DMLS).
A Gough-Stewart platform is a type of parallel robot that has six prismatic actuators, commonly hydraulic jacks or electric actuators, attached in pairs to three positions on the platform's baseplate, crossing over to three mounting points on a top plate. Devices placed on the top plate can be moved in the six degrees of freedom in which it is possible for a freely-suspended body to move. These are the three linear movements x, y, z (lateral, longitudinal and vertical), and the three rotations pitch, roll, & yaw. The terms “six-axis” or “6-DoF” (Degrees of Freedom) platform are also used, also “synergistic”.
Selective laser sintering (SLS).
3D printing enables the production of high accuracy parts, printed with various metals, whether large or small, with incredible detail—detail matching that of the most accurate machining techniques. In contrast, 3D printing also provides for low accuracy, large volume methods, available as COTS.
Direct metal sintering (DMLS) and selective laser sintering (SLS) are also available production techniques that can create very accurate parts, but such techniques require power beds and are not suited for large parts.
Laser metal deposition, Electronic Beam Metal Manufacturing, and Selective Laser melting provide deposition rates in 10's of kg an hour, use a variety of materials (aluminum, titanium, and steel), and are commercially available. These three methods reduce internal stresses (as opposed to welding, milling or machining), and the heads can print multiple materials, which becomes very important when creating internal components of ships and boats.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention, enabling a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention.
In the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings (where like numbers represent like elements), which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, but other embodiments may be utilized, and logical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.
In the following description, numerous, specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it is understood that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and techniques, known to one of ordinary skill in the art, have not been shown in detail, so as to avoid obscuring the invention. Referring to the figures, it is possible to see the various major elements constituting the apparatus of the present invention.
Building a complete ship hull, including many internal structures (bulkhead, holds), as a single 3D printed device, is now possible. As show in
The method taught by the present invention addresses many challenges currently existing in shipbuilding, which include: accurate positioning of the printing end effector; accurate positioning of the grinding head; sufficient work volume; physical properties of the resulting ship; cost of infrastructure (NRE) and cost of supplies; sufficient Kg/hour on print heads; short enough build time, and design differences.
The use of a Stewart Crane or Manipulator is important, because it provides the necessary stability, control, and localization required for precise printing.
Predicting the physical properties of 3D printed metals is still in its infancy. LLNL (https://acamm.llnl.gov/) has created a certification process to accredit additively manufactured metals. This creates a set of measured, physical properties that will be used to predict the macro properties of the device.
In the future, design techniques, such as honeycombing, can further improve the properties of the ship.
Based on the inventors' rough assumptions, it should take eighty-one days to print, using two print heads running non-stop with a print throughput per head of 10 kilograms per hour. This would produce a ship of approximately sixty-five thousand kilograms in weight, with sixty percent 3D printable content.
Consumables for a bulk printed ship would include bulk aluminum, at a cost of eighty thousand dollars, with about fifty percent wasted. The use of power is negligible in view of the costs of consumables.
The present invention provides many advantages: lower cost; material and design freedom, which comes with possible weight advantages; manufacturing speed advantages; reduced residual stress, and the return of ship manufacturing to the U.S.
The inventors are currently developing a pilot program to 3D print a 45-foot ship in eighteen months.
The inventors have already solved the large work volume control problem. The inventors have already solved the large work volume accurate positioning problem by using the disclosed robo cranes. The inventors have state of the art printing capabilities and access to testing capabilities, both destructive and non-destructive. The inventors are already commercially selling devices that do this at a smaller scale and are known for already creating innovative technologies in the 3D printing area.
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the point and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.
With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly, and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
Thus, it is appreciated that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variation in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly, and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the above description are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Furthermore, other areas of art may benefit from this method and adjustments to the design are anticipated. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.
This application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 62/257,572, entitled “Method for Shipbuilding Using 3D Printers”, filed on Nov. 11, 2015 The benefit under 35 USC §119(e) of the U.S. provisional application is hereby claimed, and the aforementioned application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62257572 | Nov 2015 | US |