Temperature control method, 3D printing device and readable storage medium

Abstract

The application provides a temperature control method, a 3D printing device and a readable storage medium, and relates to the field of 3D printing. The method comprises the following steps: receiving a printing instruction; and in response to the printing instruction, controlling the heating temperature of a backup hot end according to a preset temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of 3D printing, and in particular to a temperature control method, a 3D printing device, and a readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) is a common fused extrusion 3D printing technology. Its basic principle is as follows: a filament of thermoplastic material (such as PLA, ABS, PETG, etc.) is fed into the print head, heated to a molten state by a heating module, and then extruded from the nozzle by a clamping mechanism. The extruded material is deposited layer by layer along a preset path, cooled and solidified, and layer by layer to form a three-dimensional solid part. Multicolor FDM is a technology that, based on conventional FDM technology, uses multiple consumables, multiple printheads, or automatic nozzle changing to achieve color or multi-material 3D printing.

[0003] The nozzle replacement solution for multi-color FDM in related technologies is inflexible and untimely in terms of temperature control, which reduces printing efficiency and print quality.

[0004] Furthermore, any discussion of the background art throughout the specification does not imply that the background art is necessarily prior art known to those skilled in the art, and any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification does not imply that the prior art is necessarily widely known or constitutes common knowledge in the field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, this application provides a temperature control method, a 3D printing device, and a readable storage medium, which solves the problem of inflexible and untimely temperature control of the hot end, leading to reduced printing efficiency and printing effect.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a temperature control method, the method comprising: Receive print command; In response to the printing command, the heating temperature of the standby hot end is controlled according to the preset temperature.

[0007] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a 3D printing device, which includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores programs or instructions that can run on the processor, and when the programs or instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the steps of the method as described in the first aspect.

[0008] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a readable storage medium on which a program or instructions are stored, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the method as described in the first aspect.

[0009] The temperature control method, 3D printing equipment, and readable storage medium of this application embodiment ensure that the backup hot end is always in a ready state to be switched to printing at any time by performing temperature control of the backup hot end. This avoids the temperature waiting time when switching hot ends, improves the flexibility and timeliness of temperature control, and enhances the overall printing efficiency and printing continuity.

[0010] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of this application are given below. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings: Figure 1 A schematic flowchart of a temperature control method according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 2 A structural block diagram of a 3D printing device according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0012] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0013] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0014] The temperature control method, 3D printing equipment, and readable storage medium provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through specific embodiments and application scenarios. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0015] This application provides a temperature control method applied to a 3D printing device. The 3D printing device includes a print head base, a hot end, and a hot end holder. The hot end includes a spare hot end placed on the hot end holder and a printing hot end mounted on the print head base. When a spare hot end on the hot end holder is installed onto the print head base, the spare hot end becomes the printing hot end to perform the corresponding printing action. Conversely, after the printing hot end on the print head base is removed from the hot end holder, the printing hot end becomes a spare hot end, awaiting subsequent use.

[0016] The hot end includes a feeding component and a nozzle connected in sequence. The feeding component includes a feeding channel for accommodating consumables and has a notch.

[0017] In some embodiments, the hot end further includes a heating element, a heat sink, and an electronic control assembly. The nozzle is connected to the heating element, which can be integrally formed or separately connected. The heating element heats the filament in the heating area to output molten filament for printing. In one embodiment, the heating element can be a remote induction heater, such as electromagnetic induction heating, or a resistance heater. The heat sink is connected to or adjacent to the heating element and dissipates heat from the hot end, such as the heating element, effectively transferring heat from the hot end to the surrounding environment and ensuring that the hot end operates within a suitable temperature range. The electronic control assembly includes a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, a power receiving device, a storage device, and a signal transmission device. The first temperature sensor senses the temperature of the nozzle, the second temperature sensor senses the temperature of the heating element, and the power receiving device wirelessly receives electrical energy to power other devices on the electronic control assembly. The signal transmission device transmits the temperature detected by the temperature sensors to the processor of the 3D printing equipment for controlling the heating power of the heating element. The signal transmission device is also used to acquire consumable information such as color and material, so as to identify consumables and hot ends.

[0018] The printhead base includes a clamping mechanism that can hold the filament through a notch on the feed assembly. After the hot end is installed on the printhead base, the clamping mechanism provides the power to extrude the filament from the nozzle, thus achieving model printing. The clamping mechanism includes a driven wheel and a driving wheel, which work together to release, clamp, and push the filament in the feed channel.

[0019] In one embodiment, the printhead base further includes a locking mechanism for unlocking and locking the mounted hot end.

[0020] This application provides a temperature control method, the execution entity of which can be the processor of a 3D printing device. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the method includes: Step 101: Receive print command.

[0021] In this step, a printing instruction is received. This printing instruction can be a switching instruction, a start printing instruction, a stop printing instruction, or a hot end switching sequence instruction. The switching instruction can be a consumable switching instruction or a hot end switching instruction, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0022] The printing command can be a command included in the slice file, a command sent from another device when it is necessary to switch consumables or the hot end, or a command generated by the user.

[0023] Step 102: In response to the printing command, control the heating temperature of the standby hot end according to the preset temperature.

[0024] In this step, in response to the printing command, the heating temperature of the standby hot end is controlled according to a preset temperature, where the standby hot end refers to the hot end placed on the hot end holder to be used. The preset temperature may include at least a preheating temperature and a holding temperature. The preheating temperature enables temperature control for preheating the standby hot end, and the holding temperature enables temperature control for holding the standby hot end.

[0025] It should be noted that the operation of controlling the heating temperature of the standby hot end according to the preset temperature can be triggered directly by the printing command, or it can be implemented in the process of responding to the printing command and performing the corresponding preparatory actions, rather than being triggered directly by the printing command.

[0026] In this embodiment, by controlling the temperature of the backup hot end, it is ensured that the backup hot end is always in a ready state to be switched to printing at any time, thereby avoiding the temperature waiting time during hot end switching, improving the flexibility and timeliness of temperature control, and enhancing the overall printing efficiency and printing continuity.

[0027] In one embodiment of this application, controlling the heating temperature of the standby hot end according to a preset temperature includes: The standby hot end is preheated to the first target temperature.

[0028] In this embodiment, when the spare hot end is placed on the hot end frame, the heating module of the spare hot end is controlled to heat the temperature of the spare hot end to the first target temperature according to the preheating temperature.

[0029] In one embodiment, before a print job is executed, when the spare hot end is placed on the hot end holder, a corresponding preheating temperature can be triggered according to the print job requirements. The heating module of the spare hot end is then controlled to heat the spare hot end to a first target temperature according to the preheating temperature. For example, print job requirement information can be obtained by parsing the print file, user configuration, or a request from a host computer. This print job requirement information includes consumable type, print job details, etc. Triggering preheating based on consumable type means that certain preset consumables require preheating by default to achieve a better melting effect. The print job includes information on whether preheating is required for this print job. If this information indicates that preheating is required for this print job, the preheating action is triggered; otherwise, the preheating action is not initiated.

[0030] The primary target temperature is a temperature at which the filament in the backup hot end reaches a molten state. This primary target temperature needs to be higher than the melting point of the filament. This ensures that the backup hot end is preheated before installation, guaranteeing it is ready to be switched to printing at any time, achieving "ready to use after replacement," improving the melting effect on the filament after replacement, and ensuring the continuity and stability of the printing process.

[0031] In one embodiment, the first target temperature can be fixed or determined based on the consumable information of the backup hot end. The method in this embodiment further includes: obtaining consumable information of the backup hot end; determining the melting temperature of the consumable in the backup hot end based on the consumable information; and determining the first target temperature based on the melting temperature, wherein the first target temperature is greater than or equal to the melting temperature.

[0032] Different types of printing consumables (such as PLA, ABS, PETG, etc.) have different melting characteristics and operating temperature requirements. For example, ABS consumables have a higher melting temperature, and the corresponding first target temperature needs to be set in the range of 190-250℃ to ensure that the consumables can fully melt and be extruded smoothly after entering the hot end. PLA consumables have a relatively lower melting temperature, and the first target temperature can be set in the range of 180-220℃, which can meet the melting requirements and prevent the consumables from carbonizing and clogging the nozzles due to excessive temperature. Determining the first target temperature for preheating the backup hot end based on the consumable information of the backup hot end can improve the accuracy of the first target temperature setting and adapt to the printing needs of different consumables.

[0033] In one embodiment, the backup hot end is equipped with a high-precision temperature sensor, which can collect temperature data of the backup hot end in real time and feed the data back to the processor of the 3D printing equipment for closed-loop control. During the heating process, the processor of the 3D printing equipment dynamically adjusts the heating power according to the rate of temperature change to avoid temperature overshoot or slow heating, and ultimately accurately heats the overall temperature of the backup hot end to the first target temperature, ensuring that the backup hot end is ready to be switched to printing at any time, effectively shortening the waiting time when switching hot ends.

[0034] In one embodiment, the 3D printing equipment includes a leak-proof component, which may be fixedly installed at the standby hot end nozzle. During preheating, the discharge end of the nozzle abuts against the leak-proof component, or it may move to the bottom of the nozzle during preheating to abut against the nozzle, thereby preventing material leakage at the hot end.

[0035] In one optional embodiment, when preheating the standby hot end, in order to prevent the consumables in the standby hot end from leaking and dripping after being heated to a molten state, the standby hot end can be controlled to move to the position of the anti-leakage component, so that the discharge end of the standby hot end abuts against the anti-leakage component, and the discharge end of the standby hot end is blocked by the anti-leakage component to prevent the standby hot end from leaking material in the preheating state.

[0036] In one optional embodiment, when preheating the standby hot end, in order to prevent the consumables in the standby hot end from leaking and dripping after being heated to a molten state, the anti-leakage component can be controlled to move to the bottom of the standby hot end, so that the anti-leakage component abuts against the discharge end of the standby hot end, thereby blocking the discharge end of the standby hot end and preventing material leakage from the standby hot end in the preheating state.

[0037] In one embodiment of this application, preheating the backup hot end to raise its temperature to a first target temperature includes: When the first heating moment is reached or the temperature of the standby hot end drops to the second target temperature, the standby hot end placed on the hot end frame is preheated so that the temperature of the standby hot end when it is installed is heated to the first target temperature, and the second target temperature is lower than the first target temperature.

[0038] In this embodiment, two preheating trigger conditions are monitored in real time, including time conditions and temperature conditions. As long as either condition is met, the preheating process of the backup hot end will be automatically started.

[0039] In one scenario, when the preset first heating time is reached, preheating of the standby hot end placed on the hot end holder begins. In one embodiment, the first heating time can be fixed or determined based on at least one of the consumable information of the standby hot end and the next printing time, ensuring that the preheating operation neither wastes energy prematurely nor affects printing continuity due to delays. The method further includes: obtaining consumable information of the standby hot end; determining the melting temperature of the consumable in the standby hot end based on the consumable information; and determining the first heating time based on the melting temperature, wherein the higher the melting temperature, the earlier the first heating time. Alternatively, the method further includes: obtaining the next printing time of the standby hot end; determining the first heating time based on the next printing time; the first heating time is equal to the difference between the next printing time and the required preheating time, where the required preheating time is the time required for the standby hot end to reach a first target temperature.

[0040] Among these factors, the information on the consumables for the backup hot end is crucial. Different types of printing consumables (such as PLA, ABS, and PETG) have different melting temperatures, thermal conductivity characteristics, and preheating requirements. For example, ABS consumables have higher melting temperatures and require a longer preheating time. Therefore, the first heating time needs to be set in advance to ensure the backup hot end can be fully preheated and stabilized at the first target temperature before switching. PLA consumables, on the other hand, have lower melting temperatures and shorter preheating times, so the first heating time can be appropriately delayed to avoid prolonged heat preservation leading to consumable carbonization or energy waste. Simultaneously, the next printing time is also an important factor. The next printing time is the expected time when switching to the backup hot end for continued printing. Based on this time and the preheating time required for the backup hot end, the first heating time is calculated backwards. If the next printing time is near, the preheating process is started earlier; if the next printing time is far away, the preheating is appropriately delayed. This ensures the backup hot end reaches the operating temperature during switching while minimizing energy consumption and equipment damage caused by ineffective preheating. In practical applications, the accuracy of the first heating time setting can be further improved by combining consumable information and the next printing time.

[0041] In another scenario, when the temperature of the spare hot end placed on the hot end holder drops to a preset second target temperature, preheating of the spare hot end placed on the hot end holder begins. The second target temperature is lower than the first target temperature. In one embodiment, the second target temperature can be fixed or determined based on at least one of the consumable information of the spare hot end and the next printing time. This avoids both excessively low spare hot end temperature leading to prolonged preheating time and affecting printing continuity, and excessively high temperature causing energy waste and wear and tear on the hot end components. The method further includes: obtaining consumable information of the spare hot end; determining the thermal stability of the consumable of the spare hot end based on the consumable information; and determining the second target temperature based on the corresponding thermal stability; wherein, the worse the thermal stability, the lower the second target temperature. Alternatively, the method further includes: obtaining the next printing time of the spare hot end; and determining the second target temperature based on the next printing time; wherein, the closer the next printing time is to the current time, the higher the second target temperature.

[0042] Based on the information on consumables in the backup hot end, different printing consumables exhibit varying degrees of thermal stability. Thermal stability refers to the consumable's ability to resist thermal degradation, thermal aging, and performance deterioration under heated conditions. The corresponding secondary target temperature settings also differ for printing consumables with varying thermal stability. The lower the consumable's thermal stability, the weaker its ability to withstand prolonged high temperatures. To prevent consumables from deteriorating, carbonizing, or clogging during standby in the backup hot end, the secondary target temperature should be set lower. Conversely, the better the thermal stability, the higher the secondary target temperature can be set. For example, PLA consumables have relatively good thermal stability, and the secondary target temperature can be set at 60-70℃, which reduces the subsequent preheating load and prevents premature softening of the consumable within the hot end. ABS consumables have relatively poor thermal stability; to prevent premature degradation due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, the secondary target temperature can be appropriately increased to 50-60℃, balancing insulation and consumable protection. Considering the next printing time, if the next printing time is near, it indicates that the backup hot end needs to respond quickly to the switching requirement. In this case, the second target temperature can be set relatively high to shorten the subsequent preheating time to the first target temperature, ensuring timely printing. If the next printing time is far away, the second target temperature can be appropriately lowered to maintain the base temperature of the hot end with low energy consumption, avoiding energy loss and component aging caused by prolonged high-temperature insulation. In practical applications, one of these criteria can be used alone, or both criteria can be combined for comprehensive calculation to further optimize the rationality of the second target temperature and adapt to the needs of different printing conditions.

[0043] In one embodiment of this application, controlling the heating temperature of the standby hot end according to a preset temperature includes: The standby hot end is heated according to the insulation temperature to maintain the temperature of the standby hot end within a first temperature range, the upper limit of which is less than the first target temperature.

[0044] In this embodiment, when the spare hot end is placed on the hot end holder and the spare hot end is still needed in the subsequent printing task, heat preservation can be activated. The spare hot end is heated and regulated according to the preset heat preservation temperature parameters so that its temperature is maintained within a first temperature range. The upper limit of the first temperature range is less than the first target temperature, that is, the heat preservation temperature is less than the preset temperature, and the lower limit of the first temperature range is greater than the working environment temperature.

[0045] In one embodiment, when the spare hot end is placed on the hot end holder, the heating module of the spare hot end is controlled to maintain the temperature of the spare hot end within a first temperature range according to the heat preservation temperature. When the spare hot end is installed on the printhead base, the hot end is then heated to the temperature required for printing, that is, heated from the first temperature range to the first target temperature; or, a preheating temperature is applied based on the heat preservation temperature, and the temperature is heated from the first temperature range to the first target temperature when the spare hot end is placed on the hot end holder.

[0046] In one embodiment, before a print job is executed, when the spare hot end is placed on the hot end holder, heat preservation can be triggered according to the print job requirements. This controls the heating module of the spare hot end to maintain its temperature within a first temperature range according to the heat preservation temperature. For example, print job requirements information, including consumable type and print job details, can be obtained by parsing the print file, user configuration, or a request from a host computer. Triggering heat preservation based on consumable type means that certain preset consumables require heat preservation by default to achieve a better melting effect, thus triggering heat preservation. The print job includes information on whether heat preservation is required for this print job. If this information indicates that heat preservation is required for this print job, heat preservation is triggered; otherwise, heat preservation is not activated.

[0047] In another implementation, when the backup hot end is not in use but will still be needed in subsequent print jobs, a heat preservation system can be activated to maintain the temperature of the backup hot end within a first temperature range. This minimizes energy consumption and hot end loss while enabling rapid heating in subsequent switching processes. When the first heating time is reached or the temperature of the backup hot end drops to the second target temperature, the heat preservation system preheats the backup hot end, raising its temperature from the first temperature range to the first target temperature, thus preheating the backup hot end. In other words, when it is detected that the backup hot end is about to be switched to print, the heat preservation system immediately stops, switching to preheating or direct heating to rapidly raise the temperature of the backup hot end from the first temperature range until it reaches the first target temperature, ensuring immediate printing after the switch without affecting printing continuity.

[0048] In this embodiment, the temperature of the standby hot end is kept stable within a preset first temperature range, which can avoid the hot end temperature being too low, resulting in excessively long subsequent heating time, and also prevent continuous high temperature from causing energy waste, material consumption and aging of hot end components.

[0049] In one embodiment of this application, the method further includes: Obtain consumable information for the backup hot end; The thermal stability of the consumables in the backup hot end is determined based on the consumable information of the backup hot end. The first temperature range is determined based on the thermal stability; wherein, the worse the thermal stability, the smaller the lower limit of the first temperature range. or, Obtain the next printing time for the spare hot end; The first temperature range is determined based on the next printing time; wherein, the closer the next printing time is to the current time, the higher the lower limit of the first temperature range.

[0050] In this embodiment, the first temperature range serves as the insulation zone for the backup hot end. Its specific value range can be fixed or precisely calculated based on at least one of the following: the consumable information of the backup hot end and the next printing time. When determining the first temperature range in conjunction with the consumable information of the backup hot end, the thermal stability and melting characteristics of different printing consumables are matched to avoid damage to the consumables or abnormal subsequent heating due to improper insulation temperature. The worse the thermal stability of the consumable, the smaller the lower limit of its corresponding first temperature range. For example, PLA filaments have good thermal stability and a relatively moderate melting temperature. Therefore, the first temperature range can be set to a lower range of 60-70℃, which maintains the base temperature of the hot end with minimal energy consumption while preventing premature softening and nozzle sticking. ABS filaments have slightly weaker thermal stability and are prone to moisture and degradation. To better protect the filaments and reduce subsequent printing failures, the first temperature range can be appropriately increased to 50-60℃, ensuring both heat preservation and filament storage safety. PETG filaments combine some characteristics of both PLA and ABS, and their first temperature range can be flexibly adjusted to 55-65℃, balancing heat preservation and filament protection. In one optional implementation, when determining the first temperature range for the next printing time, reasonable heating space can be reserved for subsequent hot end switching, avoiding excessive heating time that could affect printing continuity and reducing unnecessary energy consumption. For example, if the next printing time is near, it means the backup hot end needs to respond quickly to the switching requirement. The first temperature range can be set to a higher value to shorten the subsequent rise from the holding temperature to the first target temperature, ensuring rapid printing after the switch. If the next printing time is far away, the first temperature range can be appropriately lowered to maintain the base temperature of the hot end with minimal load, minimizing energy loss and aging of hot end components caused by prolonged holding. In practical applications, the first temperature range can be determined based on one of these criteria alone, or a combination of both criteria can be used to further optimize the accuracy of the range setting. This ensures that the first temperature range meets both the holding requirements of the backup hot end and adapts to the subsequent printing switching process, guaranteeing efficient and stable operation of the 3D printing job.

[0051] In one embodiment of this application, the method further includes: cooling the printing hot end in response to a printing command, so that the temperature of the printing hot end is lower than the melting point temperature of the consumable in the printing hot end.

[0052] In this embodiment, in response to a printing command, the printing hot end is cooled down so that its temperature is lower than the melting point temperature of the filament within it. The printing hot end refers to the hot end currently mounted on the printhead base, and its melting point temperature is the temperature at which the filament is heated to a fully molten state and can be extruded for printing the model. This allows the molten filament within the printing hot end to solidify quickly, preventing filament leakage, nozzle clogging, and molten material dripping onto the printing platform and affecting the model structure.

[0053] In one embodiment of this application, the printing instruction is a switching instruction; in response to the printing instruction, controlling the printing hot end to cool down includes: in response to the switching instruction, cooling down the printing hot end on the printhead base after the current printing action is completed.

[0054] In this embodiment, in response to a command to replace consumables or switch the hot end, the printing hot end can be cooled down after it completes its current printing action, so that the molten consumables inside the printing hot end can solidify as soon as possible. It can also ensure that the temperature of the printing hot end has been reduced during the disassembly process, so as to avoid molten material dripping onto the printing platform and affecting the model structure.

[0055] In one embodiment of this application, cooling the printing hot end includes: reducing the heating power to the printing hot end, and / or controlling the cooling assembly to cool the printing hot end.

[0056] In one embodiment, the 3D printing equipment further includes a cooling assembly, which can be disposed on the printhead base and can be a fan assembly. The cooling assembly blows air onto the hot-end of the printhead mounted on the printhead base, generating a directional airflow. This airflow quickly flows over the surface of the hot-end, carrying away heat through thermal convection, thus cooling the hot-end.

[0057] In this embodiment, three methods can be used to cool the printing hot end.

[0058] (1) 3D printing equipment has a precise heating control function, which can accurately adjust the heating power of the printing hot end. Reduce the heating power of the printing hot end, for example, make the heating power 0, so that the heating rate of the printing hot end is lower than the heat dissipation rate, thereby cooling down. (2) Control the start of the cooling component to cool down the printing hot end. The heat dissipation efficiency can be significantly improved by using convection heat dissipation, which can accelerate the cooling process of the printing hot end. (3) Reduce the heating power of the printing hot end and control the start of the cooling component.

[0059] In practice, depending on the specific printing needs, you can either stop heating the printing hot end individually, or activate the cooling component separately to lower the temperature, or combine both methods simultaneously. This cooling process ensures that the consumable material inside the printing hot end does not overflow due to excessive temperature after the printing operation is completed, thus providing stable and reliable conditions for subsequent printing operations.

[0060] In one embodiment of this application, when controlling the cooling assembly to cool the printing hot end, the method further includes: The cooling component is shut down when the preset activation time is reached, or when the temperature of the printing hot end drops to the third target temperature; or... After the hot end of the printer is placed on the hot end holder, the cooling assembly is turned off.

[0061] In this embodiment, in order to ensure the energy saving of the cooling component and avoid the problem of wear and tear of the cooling component due to long-term operation, this application sets clear shutdown conditions for the cooling component. The mechanism for triggering the shutdown of the cooling component includes: (1) Based on the startup time of the cooling component. Before the device is run, a reasonable preset time is set in advance. This preset time fully considers the heat dissipation capacity of the cooling component, the heat accumulation of the printing hot end under normal working conditions, etc. After the startup time reaches the preset time, the cooling component is shut down, thereby avoiding unnecessary long-term operation of the cooling component, reducing energy consumption, and reducing mechanical wear of the cooling component due to long-term operation, thus extending its service life. (2) Based on the temperature of the printing hot end being cooled to a third target temperature, the third target temperature can be the temperature of the melting point of the consumable, or a temperature lower than the melting point of the consumable, to ensure that the consumable in the nozzle is solidified and will not overflow after the printing action is completed due to excessive temperature. In some embodiments, the third target temperature can also be slightly higher than the melting point of the consumable. (3) After the printing hot end is placed on the hot end holder, the cooling component is controlled to shut down. When or after the hot printhead is removed from the printhead base, it has sufficient time to cool down, ensuring that the filament within it solidifies. Therefore, after the hot printhead is placed in the hot printhead holder, the cooling system should be shut off to avoid unnecessary prolonged operation.

[0062] In one embodiment of this application, the printing instruction is a switching instruction; the method further includes: in response to the switching instruction, controlling the printhead base to move to the hot end docking area; Place the hot end of the printhead base into the hot end holder in the hot end docking area and unlock the hot end; Load the spare hot end from the hot end holder into the printhead base and lock the spare hot end in place.

[0063] In this embodiment, the printing signal includes a switching signal. In response to the switching signal, after the hot-end printer mounted on the printhead base completes its current printing action, the printhead base is moved to the hot-end docking area. Once the printhead base and the hot-end docking area are aligned, the hot-end printer on the printhead base is precisely placed on the hot-end holder in the hot-end docking area. An unlocking operation is performed on the hot-end printer, releasing the structural connection between the hot-end printer and the printhead base, thus unloading the hot-end printer. After the hot-end printer is unloaded, the spare hot-end printer to be replaced is connected to the printhead base from the hot-end holder; that is, the spare hot-end printer is loaded onto the printhead base. Then, a locking operation is performed on the spare hot-end printer, forming a stable structural connection between the spare hot-end printer and the printhead base, thus installing the spare hot-end printer. This completes the entire hot-end printer replacement process.

[0064] In one embodiment, the printhead base includes a clamping mechanism and a locking mechanism. The clamping mechanism can clamp the consumable through a notch provided on the feed component. The clamping mechanism includes a driven wheel and a driving wheel, which cooperate to release, clamp, and push the consumable in the feed channel. The locking mechanism may include actuating components such as a latch or screw for unlocking or locking the hot end.

[0065] The process of unlocking the hot-end printing end is as follows: At least one of the driven wheel and the driving wheel is moved, widening the gap between them to a first distance. This allows the clamping mechanism to release the filament from the hot-end printing end, eliminating the interference caused by the clamping mechanism's gripping state on the filament and facilitating the disassembly of the hot-end. After the gap between the driven wheel and the driving wheel is adjusted to the correct position, the locking mechanism on the printhead base is unlocked, releasing the mechanical constraint on the hot-end printing end. This allows the connection interface between the hot-end printing end and the printhead base to be detachable, providing the necessary conditions for placing the hot-end printing end on the hot-end holder.

[0066] The value of the first distance is related to either the diameter of the filament adapted to the printing hot end or the material of the filament. The first distance can be matched with the diameter of the filament, but slightly larger than the diameter of the filament, thereby completely releasing the filament clamped between the driving wheel and the driven wheel, and releasing the clamping mechanism from the constraint on the delivery of the filament. The material of the filament can have a corresponding relationship with the diameter of the filament, so the first distance can also be determined according to the material of the filament.

[0067] The process of locking the spare hot end is as follows: After the connection interface between the spare hot end and the printhead base is precisely aligned, the locking mechanism of the printhead base is controlled to lock the spare hot end. Further, at least one of the driven wheel and the driving wheel is controlled to move, widening the gap between them to a second distance, allowing the consumable material from the spare hot end to smoothly enter the clamping area between the driven wheel and the driving wheel. The driven wheel and the driving wheel are controlled to move closer together until they exert a preset clamping force on the consumable material, completing the clamping operation of the spare hot end consumable material. This establishes a firm mechanical connection between the spare hot end and the printhead base, providing a reliable guarantee for stable feeding during subsequent printing processes.

[0068] The value of the second distance is related to either the diameter of the consumable material adapted to the backup hot end or the material material itself. The second distance can be matched to the consumable diameter, but slightly larger than it, to achieve rapid feeding. The consumable material can also correspond to the consumable diameter; therefore, the second distance can also be determined based on the consumable material.

[0069] In this embodiment, automatic replacement of the hot end is achieved, eliminating the need to clean the residual consumables in the hot end every time consumables are switched, thus reducing consumable waste and improving printing speed.

[0070] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the entire hot end is replaced. The hot end includes a feed component and a nozzle connected in sequence. That is, the feed component and the nozzle are replaced simultaneously, not just the nozzle. In the solution of replacing only the nozzle, the nozzle needs to engage with the feed channel on the printhead base, which may result in poor engagement and consumable overflow. In this embodiment, replacing the entire hot end avoids the problem of poor engagement between the nozzle and the feed channel on the printhead base that leads to consumable overflow.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the application, based on the hot end replacement scheme, the temperature control of the backup hot end ensures that the backup hot end is always in a ready state to be switched to printing at any time, thereby avoiding the temperature waiting time during hot end switching, improving the flexibility and timeliness of temperature control, and enhancing the overall printing efficiency and printing continuity.

[0072] This application also provides a 3D printing device, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the 3D printing device 200 includes a processor 201 and a memory 202. The memory 202 stores a program or instruction that can run on the processor 201. When the program or instruction is executed by the processor 201, it implements the various steps of the temperature control method embodiment described above and can achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0073] The memory 202 can be used to store software programs and various data. The memory 202 may primarily include a first storage area for storing programs or instructions and a second storage area for storing data. The first storage area may store the operating system, application programs or instructions required for at least one function (such as sound playback, image playback, etc.). Furthermore, the memory 202 may include volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or both. The non-volatile memory may be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDRSDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct memory bus RAM (DRRAM). The memory 202 in the embodiments of this application includes, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0074] Processor 201 may include one or more processing units; optionally, processor 201 integrates an application processor and a modem processor, wherein the application processor mainly handles operations involving the operating system, user interface, and applications, and the modem processor mainly handles wireless communication signals, such as a baseband processor. It is understood that the aforementioned modem processor may also not be integrated into processor 201.

[0075] This application also provides a readable storage medium storing a program or instructions. When the program or instructions are executed by a processor, they implement the various processes of the above-described temperature control method embodiments and achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, they will not be described again here.

[0076] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0077] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A temperature control method, characterized in that, Applied to the field of 3D printing, the method includes: Receive print command; In response to the printing command, the heating temperature of the standby hot end is controlled according to the preset temperature.

2. The temperature control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of controlling the heating temperature of the standby hot end according to a preset temperature includes: The backup hot end is preheated to the first target temperature.

3. The temperature control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of preheating the backup hot end to raise its temperature to a first target temperature includes: When the time reaches the first heating moment or when the temperature of the backup hot end drops to the second target temperature, the backup hot end placed on the hot end frame is preheated so that the temperature of the backup hot end when it is installed is heated to the first target temperature, and the second target temperature is less than the first target temperature.

4. The temperature control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: Obtain consumable information for the backup hot end; The melting temperature and thermal stability of the consumables in the backup hot end are determined based on the consumable information of the backup hot end. The first target temperature or the first heating time is determined according to the melting temperature, and the second target temperature is determined according to the thermal stability; wherein, the first target temperature is greater than or equal to the melting temperature; the higher the melting temperature, the earlier the first heating time; the worse the thermal stability, the lower the second target temperature; or, Obtain the next printing time for the spare hot end; The second target temperature or the first heating time is determined based on the next printing time; wherein, the closer the next printing time is to the current time, the higher the second target temperature; the first heating time is determined based on the next printing time and the preheating time required, wherein the preheating time required is the time required for the backup hot end to reach the first target temperature.

5. The temperature control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: When preheating the backup hot end, the discharge end of the backup hot end is controlled to abut against the leak-proof component; or, When preheating the backup hot end, the anti-leakage component is controlled to move below the corresponding backup hot end to abut against the discharge end of the preheated backup hot end.

6. The temperature control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of controlling the heating temperature of the standby hot end according to a preset temperature includes: The backup hot end is heated and kept warm to maintain its temperature within a first temperature range, wherein the upper limit of the first temperature range is less than the first target temperature.

7. The temperature control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: Obtain consumable information for the backup hot end; The thermal stability of the consumables in the backup hot end is determined based on the consumable information of the backup hot end. The first temperature range is determined based on the thermal stability; wherein, the worse the thermal stability, the smaller the lower limit of the first temperature range. or, Obtain the next printing time for the spare hot end; The first temperature range is determined based on the next printing time; wherein, the closer the next printing time is to the current time, the higher the lower limit of the first temperature range.

8. The temperature control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: In response to the printing command, the printing hot end is cooled so that the temperature of the printing hot end is lower than the melting point temperature of the consumable in the printing hot end.

9. The temperature control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The printing command includes a switching command; the step of controlling the cooling of the printing hot end in response to the printing command includes: In response to the switching command, after the current printing action is completed at the hot printing end on the printhead base, the hot printing end is cooled down; The methods for cooling the hot end of the printer include: Reduce the heating power to the printing hot end, and / or control the cooling assembly to cool the printing hot end.

10. The temperature control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When controlling the cooling assembly to cool the printing hot end, the method further includes: The cooling component is shut down when the activation time of the cooling component reaches a preset duration, or when the temperature of the printing hot end drops to a third target temperature; or, After the printing hot end is placed on the hot end holder, the cooling assembly is turned off.

11. The hot-end temperature control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The printing command is a switching command; the method further includes: In response to the switching command, the printhead base is controlled to move to the hot end docking area; Place the hot end of the printhead base into the hot end holder of the hot end docking area, and unlock the hot end; The spare hot end on the hot end holder is loaded onto the printhead base and locked.

12. A 3D printing device, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a program or instructions that run on the processor, the program or instructions being executed by the processor to implement the steps of the temperature control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A readable storage medium having a program or instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the program or instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the steps of the temperature control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

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