Fixtures for industrial tooling

Abstract

Fixtures for industrial tooling that may be made by additive manufacturing techniques, and systems and methods for making the same, are described. A fixture for industrial tooling may include a plurality of support columns that defines an intermediate area having at least 10% empty space between a contoured surface and a base structure. The fixtures may be made through a draping method instead of a slicing technique. A fixture for industrial tooling may alternatively be made by applying an extruded layer over a core of foam, balsawood, or other lightweight material, through a non-slicing process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for producing a fixture for industrial tooling, the system comprising a computer and a robot, wherein the robot is communicatively coupled to the computer and is configured to switch between two or more functionalities selected from the group consisting of extruding, milling, spray painting, laser scanning, scribing, and inspecting. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising an automated or semi-automated design using a rule-based consideration dependent on desired product results. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer drives the robot with an automated or semi-automated robotic path for each of the functionalities. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the robot comprises a cradle for storing a device or attachment configured to provide one of the functionalities. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises attachments configured to be used by the robot to provide the functionalities. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the robot is configured to attach and detach the attachments with a gripper on the robot. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes a milling spindle or CNC milling tool configured to provide the milling functionality. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes an extrusion nozzle configured to provide the extruding functionality. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes each of the extruding, milling, spray painting, laser scanning, scribing, and inspecting functionalities. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes three or more of the extruding, milling, spray painting, laser scanning, scribing, and inspecting functionalities. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes four or more of the extruding, milling, spray painting, laser scanning, scribing, and inspecting functionalities. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermally controllable platen on which the computer and the robot are disposed. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to create rules developed from extrusions to further design robot paths and appropriate post-extrusion activity for a fixture. 
     
     
         14 . A method of using the system of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 picking up an extrusion nozzle with the robot;   building a base support structure, column connecting lines, and a contoured surface shell with the robot using the extrusion nozzle;   placing the extrusion nozzle in a carriage;   picking up a milling spindle with the robot; and   milling the contoured surface shell to within a desired tolerance.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising inspecting the contoured surface shell with a laser scanning head. 
     
     
         16 . A system for making a fixture, the system comprising:
 a computer;   a first station comprising an additive manufacturing machine; and   a second station comprising a machining tool;   wherein the first station and the second station are automated and controlled by the computer.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a third station comprising an apparatus for applying a post-production surface modification to a fixture, wherein the third station is automated and controlled by the computer. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a third station comprising a scribing tool or device configured to provide an inspection confirming a fixture meets dimensional requirements, wherein the third station is automated and controlled by the computer. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising software capable of translating data relating to required tolerances of a contoured surface and controlling the first station and the second station to create an acceptable contoured surface according to the data. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the system is configured to perform an additive manufacturing process selected from the group consisting of draping, fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), and three dimensional (3D) printing.