CAE-integrated Fabrication of Functionally Graded Components

摘要

In contemporary product development workflow, the design engineers will check according torntheir experience, result of physical test and computer-aided engineering analysis (CAE) simulationrnwhether redesign is needed or not. If the design passes all tests, its prototype or product can be produced.rnOtherwise, the current practice is to change its geometry and/or select a more appropriate material. Noternthat the material is homogeneous in the part to be designed. With the advent of functionally gradedrnmaterial (FGM) research, a new workflow will become possible. In particular, solid freeform fabricationrn(SFF) methods are commonly used to fabricate an FGM part in an additive fashion directly from arncomputer controlled, layer-by-layer, additive process in which a standard computer-aided design (CAD)rnmodel is sliced into a series of horizontal planes. Albeit the feasibility to fabricate FGM components,rnreal life FGM product design requires to know a priori where and how to grade the component. Thernpaper addresses issues on incorporating FGM for design improvement. With FGM, the same geometryrnand material is retained except that functional property in needed regions is selectively reinforcedrnaccording to the result of CAE simulation. The simulated stress intensity map will be converted to toolrnpath control signals for generating FG component via SFF machine. Case studies are performed to verifyrnthe approach with positive preliminary result. In conclusion, a CAE-based methodology for FGMrnproduct design is demonstrated to be feasible.