Introduction

In this post we compare traditional manufacturing machines and derive a space claim of the Autonomous Compact Factory (ACF).

Space Claim

Two primary reductive machines include the lathe and the milling machine, from which nearly all other machined components and parts can be made. Here we see the author’s machines which have the required capability in terms of machining capacity for the ACF. Note the lathe weighs around 700kg and the milling machine nearly 300kg, necessitating around a magnitude reduction in weight for the same capability in the ACF.

Lathe Milling Machine

The author’s CNC router, a Cbeam 25 has a form factor and weight much closer to the ACF. However the Cbeam and similar 3 axis CNC routers have very limited capabilities, making them unsuitable for reuse in the ACF.

3 axis CNC router

The ACF space claim consists of:

  • Chamber (blue)
  • Controller (green)
  • Base (brown)
  • Loading and Unloading Chamber (yellow)

Autonomous Compact Factory Space Claim

Design and Prototyping Process

The author has more than 25 years of CAD, FEA, CFD, Modelling and Simulation and Prototyping and Commissioning of complex engineering systems. In the past these activities were often performed discreetly due to the limitations of tooling and technology. In 2023 with the combination of unlimited access to technology from cloud computing, open source tools and integration with Digital Twins it’s an opportunity to modernise the design and prototype process.

Design Process

The design process will look something like the following:

  • Initial concept design in CAD (ProEngineer is the author’s preferred 3D design and modelling toolset)
  • Digital Twin Prototype (pre build and static model) to integrate early Proof of Concept (POC) information (AWS Twin Maker)
  • Kinematic, Kinetic, Intertial POC design in CAD, FEA and Physics tooling (ProEngineer and Freecad)
  • Digital Twin POC (kinematic model) that excludes kinetic detail
  • Scaled down 3D printed physical static model (Flashforge Adventure)

Prototype Process

Major components will be machined using traditional lathe and milling machine. But once the first ACF is built then other ACF’s should be manufacturable from the first ACF. This will solve the manufacturing in space challenge of not being able to send multiple heavy machines into space.

Continue reading articles in my Mechanical Engineering series