A 3D printing device suitable for space based on sunlight heating

Abstract

The present invention relates to a 3D printing device suitable for space based on sunlight heating, which solves the problem that the existing 3D printing device lacks an accurate temperature control system, and the system cannot be folded, and is not suitable for rocket transportation and extreme temperature environments in space. The device includes a fixed frame, a feeding system, a melter, a discharging device, a substrate, a three-dimensional motion platform, a condenser and a posture adjustment system; the feeding system is arranged on the fixed frame to feed the printing material into the melter; the melter is arranged on the fixed frame to heat the printing material; the discharging device is arranged in the melter to pile the heated printing material on the substrate; the three-dimensional motion platform is connected to the substrate; the condenser is arranged on the fixed frame to focus sunlight and irradiate sunlight to the melter, the condenser is a flexible, retractable and foldable condenser, the posture adjustment system is on the fixed frame and connected to the condenser, and a light tracking sensor is arranged on the fixed frame.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of additive manufacturing, and in particular to a 3D printing device suitable for space based on solar heating, and can be particularly applied in the field of space additive manufacturing. Background Art

[0002] Additive manufacturing (AM) technology is a technology that uses a layer-by-layer accumulation method to manufacture physical parts based on CAD / CAM design. Compared with traditional subtractive manufacturing (cutting) technology, it is a material accumulation manufacturing method. Additive manufacturing technology, commonly known as 3D printing technology, is an advanced manufacturing technology that has developed rapidly in the past 30 years. Its advantage lies in the rapid and free manufacturing of three-dimensional structures. It is widely used in new product development and single-piece small-batch manufacturing.

[0003] 3D printing is a technology that uses heat sources to soften or melt raw materials (powder or wire-like metals, plastics, ceramics, rubber, etc.) and then prints them layer by layer to construct objects. The way heat sources are provided is the key technology in this field. There are currently many forms of heat sources, such as resistance heating, induction heating, laser, electron beam, arc, etc. These heat sources require multiple energy conversions, low energy utilization, and expensive conversion equipment. In addition, there are leaks and releases of harmful substances such as radiation, noise, and rays during the forming process. Solar energy, as an environmentally friendly, safe, and pollution-free new energy source, can easily and directly achieve light-to-heat conversion and serve as a heat source for 3D printers.

[0004] With the development of aerospace technology, deep space exploration, construction of extraterrestrial bases and even immigration are gradually being put on the research agenda. The material and life support for long-term in-orbit residence, the construction of space application facilities (satellites), and the construction and operation of planetary exploration bases in the solar system all rely to a large extent on how to achieve efficient, reliable and low-cost "space manufacturing". Low-cost "space manufacturing" can overcome the limitations of existing rocket delivery methods on space exploration activities in terms of load, volume and cost, so as to obtain the delivery platforms, tools and equipment required for deep space exploration.

[0005] The advantages of ground solar energy are huge energy, widespread distribution and no pollution. However, due to the influence of geographical location, atmosphere, day and night, and cloudy and rainy weather, the energy density of ground solar energy fluctuates greatly, the average value is small, and the efficiency is low. The solar energy reaching a certain ground target is both intermittent and extremely unstable, and it is impossible to provide energy on a large scale and stably (the average solar energy density that can be used in China every day is only 140~250W / m 2). Compared with ground-based solar energy, space solar energy has the advantages of long exposure time, high utilization efficiency, high energy flux density, continuous stability, and no influence of day and night and climate. In geostationary orbit, the power density of sunlight can reach 1367W / m2, which is about 5 to 10 times that of the ground. Theoretically, if a solar photovoltaic array belt with a width of 1km is deployed in geostationary orbit, then the solar radiation energy it receives in a year is approximately equal to the sum of the energy contained in the currently known recoverable oil reserves on Earth. Therefore, the high vacuum conditions in space (vacuum degree less than 10 -5 Pa) provides an excellent manufacturing environment for the 3D printing process, which can avoid the effects of oxidation, pore inclusions, etc. on part performance during the ground manufacturing process.

[0006] However, 3D printing requires precise temperature field control. Existing 3D printing devices based on solar heating lack precise temperature control systems, and the systems cannot be folded, making them unsuitable for rocket launches and extreme temperature environments in space. Summary of the invention

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the problem that the existing 3D printing device lacks a precise temperature control system, and the system cannot be folded and is not suitable for rocket transportation and extreme temperature environments in space. In order to complete the implementation method of the 3D printing device based on the principle of focused solar heating, a 3D printing device based on solar heating suitable for space is provided.

[0008] The technical solution of the present invention is:

[0009] A 3D printing device suitable for space based on sunlight heating, comprising a fixed frame, a feeding system, a fuser, a discharging device, a substrate, a three-dimensional motion platform, a condenser and a posture adjustment system; the feeding system is arranged on the fixed frame to feed the printing material into the fuser; the fuser is arranged on the fixed frame to heat the printing material; the discharging device is arranged in the fuser to stack the heated printing material on the substrate; the three-dimensional motion platform is connected to the substrate to move the substrate; the condenser is arranged on the fixed frame to focus sunlight and irradiate sunlight to the fuser, the condenser is a flexible, retractable and foldable condenser, the posture adjustment system is arranged on the fixed frame and connected to the condenser to adjust the posture of the condenser, and a light tracking sensor is arranged on the fixed frame to detect the intensity of sunlight and realize sunlight tracking.

[0010] Furthermore, the feeding system includes a wire rack and a wire feeding tube arranged on a fixed frame, the printing material is wound on the wire rack, and the printing material is fed into the melter through the wire feeding tube, or the feeding system is a waste recycling device, including a crusher and a screw feeder.

[0011] Furthermore, the melter is a crucible, and a black body coating is provided on the outer surface.

[0012] Furthermore, the black body coating is an electroplating coating, an electrochemical surface conversion coating, a vacuum plating coating or a paint-type coating.

[0013] Furthermore, the electroplating coating is a black chromium coating and a black nickel coating, the electrochemical surface conversion coating is an aluminum anodized coating and a CuO conversion coating, and the paint-type coating is a PbS coating.

[0014] Furthermore, the condenser is made of a Fresnel lens, a reflective film or a flexible soft reflective film material.

[0015] Furthermore, the discharging device is a screw extruder.

[0016] Furthermore, a temperature sensor is provided on the melter.

[0017] Furthermore, a solar cell is provided on the fixing frame for providing electric energy to other devices.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following technical effects:

[0019] 1. The device of the present invention automatically tracks the sun through a posture adjustment system and a light-chasing sensor, and realizes material forming through precise temperature control.

[0020] 2. The condenser of the device of the present invention has the function of being foldable and unfoldable, and is foldable, lightweight, and convenient for rocket transportation.

[0021] 3. The device of the present invention realizes the recycling and regeneration of waste materials of space printing consumables, realizes the regeneration and recycling of waste materials, and solves the floating of materials under microgravity and the pollution to the space environment.

[0022] 4. The present invention focuses on sunlight heating and makes maximum use of sunlight energy as heat energy for 3D printing molten materials. The energy does not need to be converted multiple times, which greatly improves energy utilization. It is a green, environmentally friendly and safe 3D printing method.

[0023] 5. The device of the present invention works in the microgravity environment of space, the wetting and capillary action of the material are enhanced, and the use of fused deposition molding is more conducive to 3D molding. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the 3D printing principle based on the principle of focused solar heating of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a flexible, retractable, foldable condenser according to the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 The invention discloses a waste material recycling and regeneration feeding system.

[0027] Figure numerals: 1-fixed frame, 2-feeding system, 3-melter, 4-discharging device, 5-substrate, 6-three-dimensional motion platform, 7-focusing cover, 8-posture adjustment system, 9-light tracking sensor, 10-solar cell, 11-temperature sensor, 21-wire rack, 22-wire feeding tube, 23-crusher, 24-screw feeder, 71-telescopic frame, 72-umbrella handle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments:

[0029] The principle of the device of the present invention is that after the focusing cover 7 focuses the sunlight, a large amount of heat energy will be accumulated at the focus point, and the printing material is fed into the crucible through the feeding system 2. A large amount of solar heat energy is gathered at the crucible, and the material is heated to a molten state in the crucible, and then the molten material is extruded by a screw extruder to be coated on the substrate 5, and the required object is constructed by printing layer by layer by moving the three-dimensional motion platform 6. The device of the present invention can print materials such as plastics, ceramics, metals, and composite materials. As long as the material can be melted and extruded into shape, this method can be used to achieve recycling and regeneration.

[0030] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, a 3D printing device suitable for space based on solar heating includes a fixing frame 1, a feeding system 2, a melter 3, a discharging device 4, a substrate 5, a three-dimensional motion platform 6, a focusing cover 7 and a posture adjustment system 8.

[0031] The feeding system 2 is arranged on the fixed frame 1, and the printing material is fed into the melter 3. The feeding system 2 realizes the delivery of space printing consumables. If the printing material is new material, generally wire or block material can be used, then the feeding system 2 includes a wire rack 21, a wire feeder and a wire feeding tube 22 arranged on the fixed frame 1, the printing material is wound on the wire rack 21, and the printing material is fed into the crucible through the wire feeding tube 22; the most suitable 3D printing material shapes for space are wire and block material, the wire rack 21 and the wire feeder deliver the wire into the crucible, and the block material is added from the feeding port. Or the feeding system 2 is a waste recycling device, including a crusher 23 and a screw feeder 24. Because raw materials in space are in short supply, waste recycling is very critical. The waste needs to be crushed and fed into the screw feeder 24, and then enters the crucible for melting. This method realizes the regeneration and recycling of waste materials, and solves the floating of materials under microgravity and the pollution of the space environment through a closed system.

[0032] The melter 3 is arranged on the fixed frame 1 and is used to heat the printing material. The melter 3 can be specifically a crucible, and is provided with a temperature sensor 11. The crucible absorbs solar energy to heat the material to be printed, and the material is melted and extruded so that the molten material is coated on the substrate 5, by but not limited to screw extrusion. The crucible is preferably close to a black body material, and a black body coating can be added on the outside to absorb solar energy. The solar energy absorption coating has a great influence on the technical and economic performance of solar energy utilization. In order to improve the efficiency of solar energy devices and reduce costs, there are usually a. electroplating coatings such as black chrome coatings and black nickel coatings. b. Electrochemical surface conversion coatings such as aluminum anodized coatings, CuO conversion coatings, steel anodized coatings, etc. c. Vacuum plating coatings. d. Paint-type coatings such as PbS coatings and transition metal composite oxide coatings.

[0033] The discharge device 4 is arranged in the melter 3, and is used to deposit the heated printing material on the substrate 5. The discharge device 4 can be specifically a screw extruder, which is used to extrude the melted material in the crucible. The screw extruder extrude and coat the heated and melted material onto the substrate 5. In the microgravity environment of space, the wetting and capillary action of the material are enhanced, which is more conducive to 3D forming. The substrate 5 is a base for the attachment of 3D printed workpieces. The three-dimensional motion platform 6 is connected to the substrate 5 to realize three-dimensional motion in space, and realize layer-by-layer printing and deposition forming.

[0034] The condenser 7 is arranged on the fixing frame 1, and is used to focus sunlight to generate high energy density light energy, and irradiate sunlight to the crucible-like black body or gray body melter 3 to realize light-heat conversion, and provide a large amount of heat energy for printing molten materials in space. The condenser 7 can use a reflective concentrator or a transmissive concentrator to directly concentrate sunlight. The condenser 7 can be assembled from multiple lenses, and can use a variety of materials, such as Fresnel lenses, reflective films, flexible soft reflective films, etc., but not limited to this. Various materials that can condense light can be used, preferably foldable, lightweight, and easy to transport by rocket, such as flexible soft reflective films unfolded into curved spokes with parabolic curvature, which can be expanded and retracted.

[0035] The condenser 7 of the present invention has the function of being foldable and automatically tracking sunlight. Figure 2 The schematic diagram of the flexible and retractable foldable condenser 7 is shown in FIG. The telescopic frame 71 is pulled up and down along the umbrella handle 72 to fold and open. The opening and closing can be controlled automatically by a motor or manually. The automatic tracking function of the sunlight intensity is realized by the light tracking sensor 9 to achieve temperature control and continuous energy supply. The condenser 7 has the characteristics of being foldable, lightweight, and easy to transport by rockets. The focused sunlight heating maximizes the use of sunlight energy as the heat energy of the molten material for 3D printing. The energy does not need to be converted multiple times, which greatly improves the energy utilization rate. It is a new type of green, environmentally friendly and safe 3D printing method.

[0036] A solar cell 10 is also provided on the fixed frame 1 for providing power to other devices. A light-chasing sensor 9 is provided on the fixed frame 1 for detecting the intensity of sunlight and realizing sunlight tracking. When the light-chasing sensor 9 uses a photosensitive element to detect the intensity of sunlight and realize sunlight tracking. When weak sunlight is captured, the focus cover 7 can be rotated in any direction at multiple angles through the attitude adjustment system 8 until the strongest sunlight can be captured. When the temperature sensor 11 detects that the crucible temperature is too high, it can also avoid sunlight to achieve reasonable temperature control.

[0037] The attitude adjustment system 8 is arranged on the fixing frame 1 and connected to the condenser 7, and is used to adjust the attitude of the condenser 7. The attitude adjustment system 8 adjusts the attitude of the condenser 7 according to the strength of the output signal of the light tracking sensor 9, so as to track the strongest sunlight, provide maximum heat for 3D printing in space, and achieve efficient printing. The attitude adjustment system 8 is an existing system, and specifically, an existing radar attitude adjustment system 8 can be adopted, as long as the rotation and pitch adjustment of the condenser 7 are realized.

[0038] The fixing frame 1 of the system of the present invention is fixedly connected to the base, and the base and the outer cabin of the spacecraft or space station can be connected by fixed connection or magnetic attraction.

[0039] Fused deposition molding is a rapid prototyping method. The material is heated in a crucible to a temperature slightly higher than the melting point by focusing sunlight, and then the material is molten. The extruder coats the molten material on the substrate 5, and after cooling, a layer of cross section of the workpiece is formed. After one layer is formed, the motion platform drives the substrate 5 to move down one layer to coat the next layer, and thus a three-dimensional entity is formed layer by layer. In the microgravity environment of space, the wetting and capillary action of the material are enhanced, and this method is more conducive to layer-by-layer bonding and 3D forming.

[0040] The specific printing steps of the system of the present invention are as follows:

[0041] 1. Determine the properties of the forming material according to the needs of the formed parts, and determine the various process parameters of 3D printing according to the three-dimensional structure of the material and the formed parts.

[0042] 2. Start the printer according to the preset parameters, feed the wire or block material into the crucible through the feeding mechanism, start the screw extrusion system after the temperature sensor senses the appropriate temperature, extrude and coat the melted or semi-melted material onto the substrate, and use the movement of the three-dimensional motion platform to achieve layer-by-layer printing to construct the required parts.

[0043] 3. During the printing process, the attitude controller tracks the sunlight to achieve optimal printing efficiency.

Claims

1. A 3D printing device suitable for space based on sunlight heating, characterized in that: It comprises a fixing frame (1), a feeding system (2), a melting device (3), a discharging device (4), a substrate (5), a three-dimensional motion platform (6), a condenser (7) and a posture adjustment system (8); The feeding system (2) is arranged on the fixed frame (1) and feeds the printing material into the melting device (3); The fuser (3) is arranged on the fixed frame (1) and is used for heating the printing material; The melter (3) is provided with a temperature sensor (11); The material discharging device (4) is arranged in the melter (3) and is used to deposit the heated printing material on the substrate (5); The three-dimensional motion platform (6) is connected to the substrate (5) so that the substrate (5) moves; The focusing hood (7) is arranged on the fixing frame (1) and is used to focus sunlight and irradiate the sunlight to the melting device (3); the focusing hood (7) is a flexible, retractable and foldable focusing hood (7); The attitude adjustment system (8) is arranged on the fixing frame (1) and connected to the condenser (7), and is used to adjust the attitude of the condenser (7) to capture the strongest sunlight when the captured sunlight is weak, or to avoid sunlight when the temperature sensor (11) detects that the temperature of the melter (3) is too high; the attitude adjustment system (8) adopts a radar attitude adjustment system; The fixing frame (1) is provided with a light tracking sensor (9) for detecting sunlight intensity and achieving sunlight tracking.

2. The 3D printing device suitable for space based on sunlight heating according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding system (2) comprises a wire rack (21) and a wire feeding tube (22) arranged on a fixed frame (1); the printing material is wound on the wire rack (21), and the printing material is fed into the melter (3) through the wire feeding tube (22).

3. The 3D printing device for space based on sunlight heating according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding system (2) is a waste recycling device, comprising a pulverizer (23) and a screw feeder (24).

4. The 3D printing device for space based on sunlight heating according to claim 2, characterized in that: The melter (3) is a crucible, and a black body coating is provided on the outer surface.

5. The 3D printing device for space-based solar heating according to claim 4, characterized in that: The black body coating is an electroplating coating.

6. The 3D printing device for space based on solar heating according to claim 5, characterized in that: The electroplating coating is a black chromium coating and a black nickel coating.

7. The 3D printing device for space based on solar heating according to claim 4, characterized in that: The blackbody coating is an electrochemical surface conversion coating.

8. The 3D printing device for space based on sunlight heating according to claim 7, characterized in that: The electrochemical surface conversion coating is an aluminum anodized coating or a CuO conversion coating.

9. The 3D printing device for space based on sunlight heating according to claim 4, characterized in that: The black body coating is a paint type coating.

10. The 3D printing device for space based on sunlight heating according to claim 9, characterized in that: The paint type coating is a PbS coating.

11. The 3D printing device for space based on sunlight heating according to claim 4, characterized in that: The black body coating is a vacuum-plated coating.

12. The 3D printing device for space based on sunlight heating according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The condenser (7) is made of a Fresnel lens or a reflective film material.

13. The 3D printing device for space based on solar heating according to claim 12, characterized in that: The discharging device (4) is a screw extruder.

14. The 3D printing device for space based on solar heating according to claim 13, characterized in that: The fixing frame (1) is also provided with a solar cell (10) for storing and providing electric energy.

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