Dassault Systems Rolls Out Additive Manufacturing End-to-End Solutions

Dassault Systèmes (DS) has recently rolled out new solution set for additive manufacturing (AM). We haven’t heard much about AM from them for a while, so it was very timely and interesting to get an update their activities in this space.

I think it is fair to say that AM is a technology that rapidly developing and emerging as one of areas of manufacturing that will have a very significant impact on many industries, especially aerospace and automotive. The OEMs in these industries are making broad adoption of AM in both metallic and non-metallic parts, and the future of these industries will be very much tied to AM technology. As is often the case with emerging technologies, there also emerge complementary science and technology that work in conjunction together, and help to create even more innovation. I am speaking of the emergence of advanced material science, and how that field is enhancing the adoption of even more AM.

What DS has rolled out is an AM process that unifies design, planning, and printing in an end-to-end integrated solution where generative design is an important part this process. DS is calling this process function-driven generative design which begins with what they are calling the 3DExperience market place for AM. Another important step in this process is the In-Silico materials engineering which is a virtual materials lab to certify existing materials for AM, and to engineering new materials for AM. The idea here is to control the micro-structure of the processed material. For example, a user could examine the grain segregation of a titanium alloy or the melting and thermal conductivity of a nickel alloy. DS also has other brand technologies like BIOVIA which offers a material science development and simulation environment at the molecular level.

The function-driven generative design environment offers design engineers the ability to design new shapes and forms based on weight, stiffness, durability, cost, and of course, new material alternatives. With AM designer can explore designs beyond the constraints of standard forged, cast, and milled (subtractive) fabrication processes. AM enables the fabrication of parts that would not be possible to make using standard subtractive process. Using DS design tools like CATIA, the engineer will be able to capture functional specifications, generate (automatically) and validate conceptual design shapes, and then select the best shape concept based on design requirements and business KPIs.

Generative shape and modeling and validation allows the designer to move beyond traditional modeling for casting, milling, and injection molding to organic modeling based on functional shapes that can then be fabricated using AM manufacturing processes. The next step in the AM process is the metal powder bed fabrication planning for the AM part programmer. The DS AM solution allows the part programmer to:

·         Define and customize the manufacturing environment (machine and tray build)

·         Generate and optimize the position of objects on the tray build

·         Generate support structures

·         Define, generate, and visualize the slicing and scan path

·         Define geometry files for slicing and scan path information

There are simulation tools to simulate the actual tool path of the printer to visualize the movement of the machine and the buildup of the material. This simulation allows the part programmer to understand the actual buildup process and the support structures on the build tray.

Function-driven generative design and AM are strategic directions for DS, and will become a primary part of their 3DExperience platform.