On The Depiction of AM Support Structures in Technical Drawings

Paper by Direct Manufacturing Research Center (DMRC), Paderborn University

The complex geometries made possible through additive manufacturing and computational design introduce challenges in blending these advancements with traditional design documentation and inspection frameworks, initially developed for other manufacturing techniques..

Sophisticated gradient metamaterials featuring beam-based and TPMS lattice structures, as well as organic forms generated by topology optimization, are often the first to be scrutinized. However, the fundamentals of support structures also pose challenges in documentation and quality assurance.

The paper on the Depiction of AM Support Structures in Technical Drawings by researchers at Paderborn University presents a comprehensive approach to standardizing the depiction of support structures in technical drawings for additive manufacturing, particularly focusing on metal laser powder bed fusion processes.

It addresses the need for uniform documentation to facilitate clear and efficient information exchange between different entities within the manufacturing value chain.

Here’s a summary of the major findings and recommendations:

Major Findings:

• Standardization Need: There's a significant need for standardized documentation of support structure information in technical drawings, to simplify and secure information exchange across business units and companies.

• ISO 128-3 Adaptation: The proposed concept for depicting support structures aligns with ISO 128-3 standards, outlining requirements for a uniform depiction and suggesting a procedure for integrating all relevant support structure information into technical drawings.

• Drawing Entry Procedure: A method for entry into drawings is detailed, highlighting how to represent various types of support structures, including lattice and CAD-based supports, in a standardized format that is both editable and extendable.

• Geometrical Information Standardization: The paper proposes a standardized way to depict geometrical information within a specification field in the drawings, which describes the type of support structure, its geometry, and its connection to the part and building platform in detail.

Recommendations:

• Integration of Uncommon Support Types: The methodology accommodates uncommon support types, ensuring flexibility and adaptability of the depiction to cover a wide range of support structures beyond thin-walled supports commonly used.

• Editable and Extendable Depictions: To ensure usability across various applications and scenarios, the depiction format is designed to be editable and extendable, facilitating future modifications and additions to the support structure information.

• Software Tool Integration: The proposed standardized depiction should be integrated into CAD and Product Data Management (PDM) software tools, allowing for efficient generation and management of support structure information with minimal data volume.

• Low Training Effort: The depiction method uses well-known principles of technical drawing to keep the training effort for drawing-creating employees low, promoting wider adoption of the standard.

The paper emphasizes that implementing these recommendations in technical drawings can significantly improve the clarity and efficiency of documenting and communicating support structure information in additive manufacturing.

This standardization effort is proposed to enhance collaboration and information transfer, not only between different departments within a company but also between separate companies within the manufacturing ecosystem.

All images courtesy of the paper presented at the Solid Freeform Fabrication 2023: Proceedings of the 34th Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium – An Additive Manufacturing Conference.

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