Supports which anchor the part attached to the mounting plate serve the purpose of fixing the part in a way to prevent distorting and warping. These supports, manufactured through additive manufacturing process, tend to collapse during milling. Additionally, powder trapped inside the thin walls further complicate the problem. Our studies show that use of standard speeds and feeds when machining away support portions is a questionable practice, deserving much closer attention by the machinists. As an alternative, fully dense structures can withstand the machining somewhat better than typical thin walled parts.
Key Takeaways:
- Studies show that thin-walled additvely manufactured support structures may not be as good for machine tools as they might seem.
- The difference between the support types is even more evident when we take a moving average of the cutting forces.
- The results of both studies call into question the use of standard feeds and speeds when cutting away the thin-walled support structures that are commonly found on additively manufactured parts.
“Even after blowing away loose powder with high-pressure air, un-melted powder feedstock can still be found, compacted inside taller support structures.”
Read more: https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/machining-additively-manufactured-supports-the-tools-perspective
