Abstract
This work reports on the design and manufacture of an efficient system for powder deposition into layers in an open Selective Laser Sintering machine. The system comprises mainly two subsystems, i.e., one that deposits a dose of powder onto the worktable and another that levels the powder upon its deposition. The design was conducted in two phases, namely conceptualization of the system and its detailed design. The conceptualization phase exploited the Analytic Hierarchy Process to evaluate alternative mechanical systems and determine the most suitable one. This was subsequently detail-designed using a CAD software package and then followed by selection of the necessary electronics for imparting and controlling motion of the individual mechanisms comprising the system. As regards manufacturing, custom designed components were obtained by CNC machining and the entire mechanism was assembled on an open Selective Laser Sintering machine. Functionality testing of the system was performed with satisfactory results.
Highlights
The manufacturing domain is considered to be one of the most critical domains that has significantly impacted economic, social and environmental aspects over the past years [1]
Custom designed components were obtained by CNC machining and the entire mechanism was assembled on an open Selective Laser Sintering machine
The current paper proposes a structured methodology based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) for evaluating alternative designs and selecting the best among the available based on multiple criteria
Summary
The manufacturing domain is considered to be one of the most critical domains that has significantly impacted economic, social and environmental aspects over the past years [1]. Compared with the traditional subtractive manufacturing processes, AM enabled the creation of 3D objects by addition of materials constructed from a computer-based 3D model [3,4,5,6]. To this extent, AM offers great opportunities and possibilities for implementing the vision of Industry 4.0 [7]. Powder deposition is an important sub-process in SLS affecting the quality of the powder layer and, process precision and stability [9]. It is well known that humidity affects the flow rate of powders, owing partly to the formation of liquid bridges [11]. The relative humidity, in which the flow rate of metal and ceramic powders is only marginally influenced, ranges from 30–80% [12]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
