The RAPID 2013 Conference & Exposition Directory - Society of ...

and heat source position-based element activation methods are
evaluated, providing baseline data for the eventual validation of
these models to predict distortion and residual stress during laser
cladding repair processes.
3–3:25 pm
Designing and Building Open Source Rapid
Prototyping Machines
Arif Sirinterlikci, PhD, Professor of Engineering/Interim Head,
Robert Morris University
Robert Morris University (RMU) Manufacturing Engineering
Laboratories are equipped with SLA, FDM, and ProMetal 3D
printing systems. After working on biomodeling, rapid tooling and
small metal parts fabrication projects, the RMU RP/AM Group is
capturing one of the most recent and interesting developments
in the area - open source and rep-rap systems. After building
two fused filament machines and improving their accuracies, the
group has recently completed another machine based on digital
light processing (DLP) curing of polymers. This machine will be
used in testing of different materials including composites. The
results will also lead to the development of a novel process and
its associated hardware and software. Details of the test results
and machines will be a part of the presentation showing concrete
evidence of the work.
3:30–3:55 pm
Additive Manufacturing’s Role in the Development
of Safe, Compact, Integrated Fluid Power Systems
Jonathon E. Slightam, Graduate Research Assistant, Rapid
Prototyping Research, Milwaukee School of Engineering
The Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) is presently
involved in the collaborative effort on the NSF funded Engineering
Research Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power
(ERCCEFP) Project 2G with Vanderbilt University and Georgia
Tech. Project 2G: Fluid Power Surgery and Rehabilitation Via
Compact Integrated Systems is aimed at breaking major technical
barriers related to compact integrated systems (by designing
systems where valves, cylinders, and sensors are not separate
entities and can be manufactured simultaneously) and making
fluid power systems safe and easy to use. Fully exploiting fluid
power as a compact, efficient, and effective source of energy
transmission is a vision of the ERCCEFP and MSOE seeks to
exploit this vision with additive manufacturing. MSOE has sought
to accomplish this by improving the understanding of additive
technologies for applications in fluid power to develop more
compact and inherently safe devices. Through MSOE’s efforts,
novel actuators, mechanisms, non-assembly fluid power robots
were developed. Modeling of additively manufactured fluidic
bellows and comparison to other actuation technologies was
a product of MSOE’s research to illustrate the feasibility of
additive manufacturing in fluid power robotic surgery. Prior work,
collaborative efforts, future research and potential applications of
MSOE’s efforts are discussed.
4–4:25 pm
Laser Additive Manufacturing
for Blow Mold Applications
Lijue Xue, PhD, Senior Research Officer,
National Research Council Canada
Tony Paget, CEO, Garrtech Inc.
Blow molding is a manufacturing process by which hollow plastic
bottles or parts are produced. Aluminum alloys are typically used
to make blow molds because of their good machining ability and
thermal conductivity. However, aluminum alloys have relatively
inferior wear resistance. During the blow molding operation,
the parting lines or pinch-off areas of the aluminum molds are
subjected to severe wear as a result of compression and cyclic
impact. In order to extend mold life, inserts made of hard and
tough metals (typically, beryllium-copper) are usually used at
the pinch-off and other heavy wear areas, which significantly
increases manufacturing cost and time. This presentation will
report our development work on laser cladding of wear resistant
materials to replace toxic beryllium-copper inserts, including
property evaluation and durability study. Preliminary blow-mold
production testing has demonstrated that laser-clad pinch-off
shows much longer life than the typical beryllium-copper insert,
while it also provides additional benefits such as improved
productivity and cosmetic improvement of the produced bottles.
6/2013 – RAPID 43