Method for Manufacturing a Customer-Specific Component of a Field Device

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a customer-specific component of a field device for determining or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium, wherein the field device is applied in process automation technology, wherein the component is composed of at least one material, comprising: predetermining material and/or structure and/or shape of the component via digital description data, and producing the component in a 3D printing method in accordance with the predetermined digital description data.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A method for manufacturing a customer-specific component of a field device for determining or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium, wherein the field device is applied in process automation technology, wherein the component is composed of at least one material, comprising the steps of: predetermining material and/or structure and/or shape of the component via digital description data; and producing the component in a 3D printing method, i.e. in a generative manufacturing method, in accordance with the predetermined digital description data.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the digital description data are preferably won in the following way: specifying at least one structurally related and/or material related, boundary condition of the component and/or a boundary condition relevant to the functionality of the component and/or at least one external boundary condition, which takes into consideration influence of environmental conditions on the component at the location of use; optimizing the structure of the component via a finite elements model based on the at least one structurally related and/or material related, boundary condition and/or the at least one boundary condition relevant to the functionality of the component and/or the at least one environmental condition, wherein the optimized structure of the component is described by the digital description data; transferring the digital description data, which describe the optimized structure of the component, to a 3D printer; and printing the component in accordance with the digital description data.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein: the component is produced by the manufacturer or the distributor of the field device and provided to the operator of the field device.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein: the description data for manufacturing the components are provided by the manufacturer or the distributor of the field device; and the 3D printing method is performed on-site by or for the operator of the field device.

21. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein: used as material is at least one metal or at least one plastic; and a selective laser melting or a selective laser sintering is used as 3D printing method.

22. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein: used as material is at least one metal; and applied as generative manufacturing method for the at least one metal is laser deposition welding or the metal powder application method (MPA).

23. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein: used as material is at least one plastic; and fused deposition modeling or multi-jet modeling is applied as 3D printing method for the at least one plastic.

24. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein: used as material is at least one ceramic; and color jet printing (CJP) is used as 3D printing method for the ceramic.

25. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein: the at least one material and/or the at least one 3D printer are/is certified, so that they/it are/is suitable for manufacturing a material- and/or pressure loaded component.

26. A component for a field device of automation technology, manufactured by a method for manufacturing a customer-specific component of a field device for determining or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium, wherein the field device is applied in process automation technology, wherein the component is composed of at least one material, comprising the steps of: predetermining material and/or structure and/or shape of the component via digital description data; and producing the component in a 3D printing method, i.e. in a generative manufacturing method, in accordance with the predetermined digital description data, wherein: the component is a replacement part, a wear part or a conversion part for a field device.

27. The component as claimed in claim 26, wherein: a coding is provided in the region of the connecting part of the component with a corresponding connecting part of the field device.

28. The component as claimed in claim 27, wherein: the coding is embodied country, device parameter and/or customer specifically.

29. The component as claimed in claim 27, wherein: the coding is uniquely embodied, so that the component is usable only in connection with the field device identifiable especially by a unique serial number.

30. The component as claimed in claim 27, wherein: the coding is a mechanical key, lock coding.

31. The component as claimed in claim 26, wherein: the component is manufactured of at least two different materials.

32. The component as claimed in claim 31, wherein the component is especially: a freely radiating antenna for a radar measuring device based on the travel time principle, wherein the antenna of a conductive material has an insert or attachment of a non-conductive material; a component having a seal, wherein component and seal are preferably manufactured of different materials; a feedthrough of plastic, ceramic or glass for electrical lines with integrated electrical lines; an electronics housing of plastic containing an EMC shielding; a field device component coming in contact with a medium and having a protective coating in the surface region; and a field device component coming in contact with a medium and having a biocidal coating in the surface region.

Description

[0024] The invention will now be explained in greater detail based on the appended drawing, the figures of which show as follows:

[0025] FIG. 1 a flow diagram of the method of the invention, and

[0026] FIG. 2 a flow diagram for obtaining the description data.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram illustrating the method of the invention. At point 1 the method is started, and at point 2, the required component is specified. In such case, either reference is made to the serial number of the corresponding field device, or the component is directly characterized by giving its replacement part number. An appropriate e.g. mechanical coding is used to block unauthorized replication of the component. The requesting of the component occurs preferably per email or via an Internet access and a customer account at the field device manufacturer.

[0028] At point 3, the field device manufacturer or an authorized representative provides the digital description data of the component. At point 4, the component is printed by means of the digital description data. The 3D printing occurs either at the manufacturer's or supplier's site or on-site by the operator of the plant, thus at the customer's location.

[0029] At point 5, the component created in the 3D printing is installed in the field device or attached to the field device, as the case may be.

[0030] FIG. 2 schematically shows a flow diagram for obtaining the digital description data. After the start of the program at point 10, at point 20, the items of information necessary for the FEM modeling are input. In the illustrated case, these include the environmental parameters, temperature and pressure, which the component is exposed to at the location of use of the field device. In such case, it is, in principle, noted that the costs for materials become higher, the higher the requirements for temperature- and pressure resistance. In many cases, it is important, moreover, to specify the dimensions of the component, at least roughly. Important for simulating the component is then, naturally, the function, which the component should fulfill. Of course, once the digital description data has been generated, such can subsequently be used for the 3D printing of as many components as desired. Depending on application, it can also be sufficient to specify just the outer shape and the corresponding dimensions, e.g. in the case of a flange.

[0031] Based on the predetermined information, at the program points 30, 40, an optimized structure of the component is calculated via an FE model. The optimized structure of the component is described by digital description data. The creation of the optimized structure occurs especially in the case, in which the customer specifies particular requirements for the component places. The digital description data are transferred at program point 50 to a 3D printer, which prints the component at program point 60 in accordance with the digital data.