A deformable hot pressing 3D printing device

Abstract

A deformable hot-press 3D printing device, characterized by its use for 3D printing, comprises a roller module, a fiber placement module, and at least one nozzle; the fiber placement module is used to lay down a reinforcement material; the at least one nozzle evenly sprays a base material onto the reinforcement material; the roller module includes a deformable unit, whose deformation and temperature are controlled by a computing unit to compress the composite material formed by the nozzle and the fiber placement module into various shapes. This invention addresses the problems of prior art in being unable to print concave and convex surfaces, control product surface shape, and achieve printing of thermosetting composite materials.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of additive manufacturing, and in particular to a deformable hot pressing 3D printing device. Background Art

[0002] Composite material 3D printing technology is widely used in defense and people's livelihood fields such as aerospace, weapons and equipment, and rail transportation due to its advantages such as customizability and high strength.

[0003] Currently, there's no optimal process for printing thermoset composites due to the long curing time of the matrix material. Furthermore, surface roughness and convexity are difficult to adjust for composite printing, making composite printing not only difficult but also resulting in unsightly surfaces. Furthermore, printed products typically form flat, layered structures, resulting in weak Z-axis load-bearing capacity due to poor bonding between the surface layers.

[0004] Nowadays, printing concave and convex layers and controlling product surfaces are urgent and necessary. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiment of the present invention provides a deformable hot pressing 3D printing device to solve the problems in the prior art of being unable to print concave and convex layers, control the surface shape of the product, and realize the printing of thermosetting composite materials.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention is achieved as follows:

[0007] A deformable hot pressing 3D printing device, characterized in that it is used for 3D printing and comprises a pressing roller module, a filament placement module, and at least one nozzle;

[0008] The fiber placement module is a device for laying reinforcement materials;

[0009] The at least one nozzle uniformly sprays the matrix material onto the reinforcing material;

[0010] The pressing roller module includes a deformable unit, and the deformation and temperature of the deformable unit are triggered by a computing unit to roll the composite material formed by the nozzle and the fiber placement module into different shapes.

[0011] Optionally, the deformable unit is a material that can be deformed in a triggering manner, such as a polymer material, a composite material, or rubber.

[0012] Optionally, the pressing roller module further includes a temperature control mechanism, which is a device that collects the temperature information and adjusts the temperature change of the deformable unit under the control of the calculation unit.

[0013] Optionally, the pressure roller module further includes a pressure regulating mechanism, which is a device for collecting the pressure information and regulating the height of the roller shaft of the pressure roller module.

[0014] Optionally, the triggering method refers to a method of causing the material to deform, such as pressure, heat, magnetism, or electricity;

[0015] The deformable unit includes a trigger control unit according to different triggering modes. The trigger control unit is a device for controlling the deformation of the deformable unit.

[0016] Optionally, the reinforcement material is a fibrous solid, such as at least one of carbon fiber, carbon nanotube fiber, and nylon;

[0017] The matrix material is a thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic resin, such as epoxy resin or polyetheretherketone;

[0018] The composite material consists of the reinforcing material and the matrix material.

[0019] Optionally, the outer surface of the deformable unit has different geometric structure settings, such as a patterned concave-convex structure.

[0020] In an embodiment of the present invention, a deformable unit with a controllable triggering mechanism is provided to control the printed surface texture, and the texture can be varied by varying the triggering mechanism. A temperature-controlled roller pressure is provided to allow the matrix material to penetrate the fiber gaps, facilitating curing and uniform heating. A pressure-regulating mechanism is provided to control the contact pressure. Under varying geometric structures on the deformable unit's outer surface, the pressure-regulating mechanism and the triggering mechanism of the deformable unit are adjusted to control the pressure, while also controlling the temperature and printing rate. Ultimately, this achieves controllable texture, increased friction between layers, and improved Z-axis load-bearing capacity. This embodiment of the present invention addresses the problems of prior art in being unable to print concave and convex surfaces, control product surface shape, or achieve printing of thermosetting composite materials. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a deformable hot pressing 3D printing device provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 It represents a layered structure printed by a deformable hot pressing 3D printing device provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Description of reference numerals:

[0025] 10. Pressing roller module; 11. Deformable unit; 12. Roller body; 13. Pressure adjustment mechanism; 14. Temperature control mechanism; 15. Trigger control unit; 20. Nozzle; 30. Fiber placement module; 40. Connection module; 50. Computing unit; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] It should be understood that references throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic associated with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, the appearances of "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, these particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0028] See also Figures 1 to 2 , an embodiment of the present invention provides a deformable hot pressing 3D printing device for 3D printing, comprising a pressing roller module 10, a wire placing module 30, and at least one nozzle 20;

[0029] The fiber placement module 30 is a device for laying reinforcement materials;

[0030] The at least one nozzle 20 uniformly sprays the matrix material onto the reinforcing material;

[0031] The pressing roller module 10 includes a deformable unit 11 , and the deformation and temperature of the deformable unit 11 are controlled by the computing unit 50 to press the composite material formed by the nozzle 20 and the fiber placement module 30 into different shapes.

[0032] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the different shapes may be formed by adjusting the surface of the deformable unit according to the size of the trigger during the printing process, or the surface of the deformable unit 11 may be set to have different texture structures.

[0033] It should be noted that the present technical solution may not include a device for controlling contact pressure, such as the pressure regulating mechanism 13 ; in the embodiment of the present invention, the pressure regulating mechanism 13 is included.

[0034] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, triggering deformation and temperature regulation are necessary conditions for constituting the solution of the present invention;

[0035] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the connection between the fiber placement module 30 for laying the reinforcement material and the mobile platform of the 3D printer is controlled by the executable control program of the computing unit 50, and the executable control program is stored in the digital data storage medium of the computing unit 50;

[0036] Wherein, the pressing roller module 10 and the at least one nozzle 20 are both connected to the 3D printer mobile platform controlled by the computing unit 50;

[0037] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the 3D printer at least includes a 3D printing mobile platform, a deformable hot pressing 3D printing device and a forming table, and the wire laying module 30 lays the reinforcement material on the forming table.

[0038] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the deformable unit 11 is connected to the roller body 12 and is sleeved on the outside of the roller body 12. The roller body 12 is connected to the pressure adjustment mechanism 13 via a bearing.

[0039] The deformable unit 11 and the roller 12 roll together on the composite material;

[0040] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, there are multiple nozzles 20, which are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction and parallel to the printing surface, and spray the base material at the same time;

[0041] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the contact pressure refers to the contact surface pressure between the outer surface of the pressing roller module 10 and the composite material, and the value of the contact pressure is collected by the pressure adjustment mechanism 13 and adjusted by the calculation unit 50;

[0042] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the temperature is collected by the temperature control mechanism 14 and feedback-adjusted under the control of the calculation unit 50;

[0043] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the Z direction refers to the direction in which layers are gradually superimposed during the printing process.

[0044] In the embodiment of the present invention, the surfaces between the Z-direction layers can be curved surfaces, or can be any surfaces formed by the deformable unit 11 .

[0045] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the surface roughness of the printed product can be adjusted, and different rough surfaces can be printed as needed.

[0046] In this embodiment of the present invention, a deformable unit with a controllable triggering mechanism is provided to control the printed surface texture, and the texture can be varied by varying the triggering mechanism. A temperature-controlled roller press is provided to allow the matrix material to penetrate the fiber gaps, facilitating curing and uniform heating. A pressure adjustment mechanism 13 is provided to control the contact pressure. Under different geometric structures on the deformable unit's outer surface, the triggering mechanism 13 and the deformable unit 11 are adjusted to control the pressure, while also controlling the temperature and printing rate. Ultimately, this achieves controllable texture, increased friction between layers, and improved Z-axis load-bearing capacity. This embodiment of the present invention solves the problems of prior art in being unable to print concave and convex surfaces, control product surface shape, and achieve printing of thermosetting composite materials.

[0047] Optionally, the deformable unit 11 is made of a material that can be deformed in a triggering manner, such as a polymer material, a composite material, or rubber.

[0048] Optionally, the triggering method refers to a method of causing the material to deform, such as pressure, heat, magnetism, or electricity;

[0049] The deformable unit 11 includes a trigger control unit 15 according to different triggering modes. The trigger control unit 15 is a device for controlling the deformation of the deformable unit 11 .

[0050] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the trigger control unit 15 includes trigger signal detection and control, and can collect trigger signals and be controlled by the calculation unit 50. For example, the pressure trigger signal is pressure.

[0051] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the polymer material is such as TPU, and the composite material may be a fiber-reinforced resin, or a composite material of multiple materials with different deformation amounts under the same triggering condition;

[0052] It should be noted that the pressure trigger refers to the different deformation amounts of the material under different pressure conditions, the thermal trigger refers to the different deformation amounts of the material under different temperature conditions, the magnetic trigger refers to the different deformation amounts of the material caused by different electromagnetic field changes, and the electric trigger refers to the different deformation amounts of the material caused by different voltage or current changes.

[0053] It should be noted that the trigger may also refer to different amounts of material deformation caused by the strength of a chemical reaction.

[0054] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the material used for the deformable unit 11 is rubber, the material is set to have a surface of uneven thickness and a hollow ring shape, and the triggering method is pressure. The introduction of different amounts of volume causes the surface shape to be different. Under certain pressure conditions, the surface can become smooth.

[0055] Optionally, the pressing roller module 10 further includes a temperature control mechanism 14 , which is a device for collecting the temperature information and adjusting the temperature change of the deformable unit 11 under the control of the calculation unit 50 .

[0056] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the temperature control mechanism 14 includes a temperature sensor, an information acquisition and temperature control unit. The temperature information acquisition is used to collect the temperature signal of the temperature sensor, and the calculation unit 50 controls the temperature control unit to adjust the temperature.

[0057] Wherein, the temperature control unit can be heating rod heating, infrared heating, electromagnetic heating, gas heating or liquid heating;

[0058] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the heating method of the deformable unit 11 is gas heating, where gas with a certain temperature is blown into the rubber to heat it, and the temperature is controlled by the temperature control mechanism 14;

[0059] Optionally, the pressure roller module 10 further includes a pressure regulating mechanism 13 , which is a device for collecting the pressure information and regulating the height of the roller shaft of the pressure roller module 10 .

[0060] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the pressure regulating mechanism 13 may be an oil cylinder;

[0061] The pressure regulating mechanism 13 includes a pressure sensor, a pressure information acquisition unit and a pressure control unit. The pressure information acquisition unit is used to collect the pressure signal of the pressure sensor, and the pressure control unit is controlled by the calculation unit 50 to adjust the pressure.

[0062] Optionally, the reinforcement material is a fibrous solid, such as at least one of carbon fiber, carbon nanotube fiber, and nylon;

[0063] The matrix material is a thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic resin, such as epoxy resin or polyetheretherketone;

[0064] The composite material consists of the reinforcing material and the matrix material.

[0065] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcing material is carbon fiber, the matrix material is epoxy resin, and the composite material is composed of the reinforcing material and the matrix material.

[0066] Optionally, the outer surface of the deformable unit 11 has different geometric structure settings, such as a patterned concave-convex structure.

[0067] It should be noted that the geometric structure may be configured to have different texture structures or different thicknesses of the deformable unit wall.

[0068] The working principle and working process of the present invention are as follows:

[0069] First, adjust the temperature control mechanism 14 so that the temperature reaches the set value;

[0070] Adjust the pressure adjustment mechanism 13 so that the contact surface reaches the set value (this embodiment has a pressure adjustment mechanism 13);

[0071] Then, the reinforcing material is laid on the forming table by the fiber laying module (30), and the at least one nozzle 20 uniformly sprays the matrix material on the reinforcing material;

[0072] The pressure roller module 10 rolls and moves synchronously with the nozzle 20;

[0073] Finally, the triggering mode is adjusted (in this embodiment, the gas pressure is changed) to deform the deformable unit 11 so as to roll the composite material into different shapes.

[0074] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprises," "includes," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus comprising the element.

[0075] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the above-mentioned embodiment methods can be implemented by means of software plus the necessary general hardware platform, or of course by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better embodiment. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk), and includes a number of instructions for enabling a terminal (which can be a mobile phone, computer, server, air conditioner, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in each embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] The embodiments of the present invention are described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementation methods. The above-mentioned specific implementation methods are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the guidance of the present invention, ordinary technicians in this field can also make many forms without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention and the claims, all of which are protected by the present invention.

Claims

1. A deformable hot pressing 3D printing device, characterized in that: It comprises a pressing roller module (10), a fiber placement module (30), and at least one nozzle (20); The fiber placement module (30) is a device for laying reinforcement materials; The at least one nozzle (20) uniformly sprays the matrix material onto the reinforcing material; The pressing roller module (10) includes a deformable unit (11), wherein the deformation and temperature of the deformable unit (11) are controlled by a computing unit (50) to roll the composite material formed by the nozzle (20) and the fiber placement module (30) into different shapes; The pressing roller module (10) further comprises a temperature control mechanism (14), which is a device for collecting temperature information and adjusting the temperature change of the deformable unit (11) under the control of the calculation unit (50); The pressure roller module (10) further comprises a pressure regulating mechanism (13), which is a device for collecting pressure information and regulating the height of the roller shaft of the pressure roller module (10); The deformable unit (11) is connected to the roller body (12) and is sleeved on the outside of the roller body (12); the roller body (12) is connected to the pressure regulating mechanism (13) via a bearing; The deformable unit (11) is a material that can be deformed under a triggering mode; the triggering mode refers to a method of causing the material to deform, including pressure, heat, magnetism, and electricity; The deformable unit (11) includes a trigger control unit (15) according to different triggering modes, and the trigger control unit (15) is a device for controlling the deformation of the deformable unit (11); The trigger control unit (15) includes trigger signal detection and control, can collect trigger signals and is controlled by the calculation unit (50).

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