Substrate Optimization for Hybrid Manufacturing

While advances in metals additive manufacturing continue to make additive a viable option in more scenarios, these processes are generally slower and more expensive than subtractive methods, like machining. The combination of both additive and subtractive, often called hybrid manufacturing, can be used to get the benefits of both processes, while reducing cost. However, dividing a part into the most cost effective additive and subtractive features is often time-consuming and non-intuitive. In this paper, we present a new approach that optimizes the type, size, and position of a substrate within a part. The resulting hybrid manufacturing configuration enables engineers to reach the most cost-effective compromise between additive and machining. A fully implemented method has been developed and tested on several realistic engineering parts. The results are intuitively useful and push the state-of-the-art forward in generating hybrid manufacturing process plans.