Success Story
Robotic Additive Realized for National Shipbuilders
Customer challenge
EWI (formerly known as Eddison Welding Institute) empowers industry leaders to overcome complex manufacturing challenges and seamlessly integrate new processes to bring products to market more quickly and efficiently. This project’s overall goal is to develop a standardized (DED) Directed Energy Deposition (AM) Additive Manufacturing process using a 7 Axis robotic arc on a large format 3 axis gantry rail system (10 Axis Total). The intention of the system is to build a wide range of structures and components. This project will develop the digital data workflow processes, establish workforce competencies, help break down process qualification barriers, demonstrate representative qualifications, and provide standardized equipment for robotic arc Directed Energy Deposition Additive Manufacturing.
Project goals
Some of our project goals by using Autodesk solutions: • Convert multiple robotic weld systems to DED systems • Design standardized large-scale gantry DED system • Develop digital data workflow processes • Develop advanced training materials - workforce • Demonstrate representative qualifications • Provide standardized equipment & services • Build prototypes of increasing complexity • Identify implementation opportunities Project Technical requirements: Determine a standard software platform that is easy to learn and use that was commercially available. That could also support offline programming & simulation of robotic motion as well as additive manufacturing in a seamless single user interface. Interface with established industry leaders to support the project through the lifecycle.
Solution
Through the recommendation of Design and Software to leverage the Advanced Manufacturing portfolio of Autodesk specifically Autodesk PowerMILL for Robotic Additive. EWI was able to develop a standard specification for the shipbuilders to leverage Robotic DED AM.
Business outcome
Through the ongoing partnership with DSI (Design and Software) and Autodesk, EWI was able to provide the (NSRP) National Shipbuilding Research Program (2019-375-004) a standard process specification for shipbuilding using Robotic DED AM which resulted in the following business outcome 50% reduction in time 25% reduction in costs to implement of robotic arc Directed Energy Deposition Additive Manufacturing 33% ($1M) reduction in equipment costs by using a established Robotic DED AM cell vs. a Custom built cell 53% reduction in Arc DED AM qualification costs by developing standards and qualification processes
Conclusion
The end result required a strong partnership to deliver a successful implementation of the software, including training on how to use the solution. As the program unfolded DSi was able to provide Digital Twin Robotic environments for various makers of Robots, including Fanuc, Kuka, OTC, Motoman, Cloos, ABB. Throughout the program DSi was leverage for ongoing technical support and advanced model preparation and guidance to prepare the data for successful additive builds.
Project summary
- 365
- 2021-06-24
Duration & delivery
- Fusion 360 - Additive Build Extension
- Fusion 360 - Product Design Extension
- Fusion 360 for Manufacturing
- Fusion 360 with PowerMill
- Netfabb Local Simulation
Autodesk solutions
- 3D Printing
- Post Processor
- Configuration & Deployment
- Training
Services provided
- Additive Manufacturing
Customer industry
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Autodesk Named User Licensing Saves Time & Money
The challenge is the customer was realizing lost productivity due to a lack of understanding on how software was being used and through ongoing I.T related costs for ongoing license management and updating. Customer has multiple locations with various products and contract, all with various renewal dates. To make this matter more complex the customer had a variety of deployment mechanisms where some users were using networked "multi-user" licenses along with other less efficient licensing tools.
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