FDM Rapid Prototyping Technology of Complex-Shaped Mould Based on Big Data Management of Cloud Manufacturing

Abstract

In order to solve the problem of high cost and long cycle in the process of traditional subtractive material manufacturing of a complex-shaped mould, the technology of FDM rapid prototyping is used in combination with the global service idea of cloud manufacturing, where the information of various kinds of heterogeneous-forming process data produced in the process of FDM rapid prototyping is analysed. Meanwhile, the transfer and transformation relation of each forming process data information in the rapid manufacturing process with the digital model as the core is clarified, so that the FDM rapid manufacturing process is integrated into one, thus forming a digital and intelligent manufacturing system for a complex-shaped mould based on the cloud manufacturing big data management. This paper takes the investment casting mould of a spur gear as an example. Through research on the forming mechanism of jet wire, the factors affecting forming quality and efficiency is analysed from three stages: the pretreatment of the 3D model, the rapid prototyping, and the postprocessing of the forming parts. The relationship between the forming parameters and the craft quality is thus established, and the optimization schemes at each stage of this process are put forward through the study on the forming mechanism of jet wire. Through a rapid prototyping test, it is shown that the spur face gear master mould based on this technology can be quickly manufactured with a critical surface accuracy within a range of 0.036 mm–0.181 mm and a surface roughness within the range of 0.007–0.01 μm by only 1/3 the processing cycle of traditional subtractive material manufacturing. It lays a solid foundation for rapid intelligent manufacturing of products with a complex-shaped structure.