Riding the wind of rebirth

Speaking of this, Zhou Zhi was quite confident. Not to mention engineering software for fitting and processing nonlinear surfaces, even CAD software that can draw nonlinear surfaces is currently nonexistent abroad. Moreover, without nonlinear editing software and massive nonlinear computing power, it is not certain that such software will be available even in ten years.

"Could we do some international collaborations?" Anran's cousin asked, "Like your previous collaborations with Samsung and Sony?"

“It’s not the same thing.” Zhou Zhi shook his head. His cousin An Ran asked that because he hadn’t fully realized the value of this set of things.

This is not just a five-axis combined machining system. More importantly, the preceding modifier, "non-linear surface," or rather, the full name should be "non-linear surface CAD linear fitting five-axis combined machining center," carries far more weight than the following description.

"Show me something," Zhou Zhi said, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "How about we make something complicated to play with?"

"Everything's ready, Xiao Miao," An Ran's cousin said with a smile. "But what's this thing?"

“This is…” Zhou Zhi looked at the shape of the object on the CAD software: “Is this the round-carved coiled dragon from the Marquis Yi of Zeng’s bronze vessel?”

"I picked out a fun design and had it made as a gift for you. It should be great for holding calligraphy brushes."

Zhou Zhi smiled and gently pinched Mai Xiaomiao's nose: "Thank you, Xiaomiao. It must have taken a lot of effort to build this model, right?"

"No, not really," Mai Xiaomiao said. "Now that the computing power of nonlinear editing graphics cards has significantly improved, I upgraded the Oracle script assembly software so that it can convert 2D graphics and images into 3D digital models through analysis and processing."

"Impressive." Zhou Zhi gave Mai Xiaomiao a thumbs up.

This function might seem unremarkable thirty years from now, but even today, without powerful nonlinear graphics editing capabilities, no system can do it.

"At the time, I felt that the design was complex enough. I didn't know exactly what it was, but I knew you would like it."

Zhou Zhi loved it so much. Looking at the small component on the computer screen, he realized that this thing was one of the most complex and exquisite bronze artifacts from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, a part of the Zeng Hou Yi Pan Zun.

The Zeng Hou Yi Pan and Zun are divided into two parts: the lower part is the Zeng Hou Yi Pan and the upper part is the Zeng Hou Yi Zun. They were stacked together when they were unearthed, and the patterns on the upper and lower parts echo each other. Although they can be separated, they are actually a complete ritual vessel.

This artifact is actually not very large. The zun is 33 centimeters tall, 25 centimeters in diameter, and weighs no more than 9 kilograms; the Zeng Hou Yi pan is 24 centimeters tall, 58 centimeters in diameter, and weighs about 20 kilograms. In other words, the entire set of artifacts weighs no more than 30 kilograms.

However, the structure and decoration of the entire artifact are exceptionally complex. The bronze zun alone contains thirty-four parts, which are joined together by fifty-six casting and welding processes. The zun is decorated with twenty-eight coiled dragons and thirty-two coiled chi.

The bronze plate is decorated with fifty-six coiled dragons and forty-eight coiled chi dragons. The entire vessel and plate were cast in one piece using a ceramic mold, while the vessel's feet and other accessories were cast separately and then welded to the vessel body using a lead-tin alloy.

The design that Mai Xiaomiao created is actually the upper part of the foot of the Marquis Yi of Zeng's Pan. The foot of the Marquis Yi of Zeng's Pan was cast in a single piece, all decorated with fine coiled dragon patterns. Below are four dragon-shaped hoof feet, and above are four high-relief dragons added on the basis of four small coiled dragons. The eight dragons, four large and four small, are intertwined together, creating a rich sense of layering and a clear distinction between primary and secondary elements, full of romantic and fantastical imagination and a mysterious atmosphere.

This has a strong Chu style. Bronze artifacts fully decorated with coiled dragon patterns often have a sense of stagnation and stiffness, but the Zeng Hou Yi Pan Zun belongs to the kind that is "excessively exquisite and excessively natural". Although it is fully decorated, it does not give people a sense of superfluity. On the contrary, it is easy to be drawn in at first glance, and then the eyes and mind follow the coiled dragons of various sizes to wander on the artifact. There is a word that can well describe this state - "soul-stirring".

"Shall we begin?" Anran's cousin reminded Zhou Zhi, who seemed a bit engrossed.

"Oh, let's begin." Zhou Zhi suddenly realized what was happening and eagerly rubbed his hands together. "Let's really broaden our horizons."

The original decorative piece on the upper part of the foot of the Marquis Yi of Zeng's Pan was cast in one piece with the foot using the lost-wax casting method. The process involved first making a wax model, then coating the wax model with clay paste and mortar. After drying, the wax paste was heated and poured out to form a cavity. The mold was then buried in a sand box, heated and dried, and finally molten copper was poured in to cast the product. It was an additive process.

What five-axis machine tools need to do now is a process of subtraction.

The difference between adding and subtracting lies in the application of materials. Liquid-cast materials lack the forging process, and deformation may occur during the casting and cooling process, leading to strength issues.

The metal after forging is much stronger. By subtracting from the forging, the resulting workpiece not only has high strength but also exhibits consistency in every aspect. It took the technical processing industry more than 1,500 years to go from the former to the latter.

For components such as submarine propellers, there are requirements for metal strength, which cannot be met by casting. The only way to achieve this is by subtracting from the base component and using milling and turning.

However, if the curvature of the propeller is too complex, ordinary milling and turning machines cannot process it, which has always been a technology that has been "held back" by others.

The base component is machined from a large piece of brass. The reason why a five-axis machine tool can only machine five three-dimensional surfaces is that one surface must be connected to the base. This is similar to the reason why a cast part needs to be connected to the casting hole.

The base is constantly changing its angle, which, together with the movement of the cutter head in both horizontal and vertical directions, allows each cutter head to undergo a 270-degree free space reversal. All of this together enables the machining of metal surfaces at any angle on any of the six sides of a three-dimensional surface, except for the base surface.

According to the previous design approach, engineers first need to create a 3D model of the workpiece on CAD based on the accurate workpiece drawings, and then program this model into a machining process file, which is to program the motion parameter files of the machining platform and the two machining arms with time as the axis, and output them to the machine tool for machining operations.

The ox in this machining center can generate 3D models in two ways: one is the traditional CAD method, and the other is intelligent modeling through image recognition technology. Because the system itself is non-linear, it is very easy to achieve this step.

With this non-linear 3D model, it can be fitted into a linear 3D model using fitting software. The subsequent workflow is the same as that of a traditional five-axis linkage machining center.

Although it was only a small step forward, it was a revolutionary and earth-shattering progress.

Especially now, with the randomness and non-linearity of handcrafted replicas, this center is incredibly powerful.

“This is a good idea.” Zhou Zhi watched as a cute and intricate golden sculpture gradually took shape on the monitor: “It can very intuitively demonstrate the outstanding performance of this center. Even hand-made parts can be replicated. Processing the complex curved propellers in the engineering documents would be a piece of cake.”

Everyone chatted and observed in the control room. An Ran's cousin treated Zhou Zhi's visit as a rehearsal before the report, acting as if Zhou Zhi were a high-ranking official on an inspection tour. He meticulously went through the motions, allowing Zhou Zhi to learn more details about the processing center. (End of Chapter)