Part forming apparatus and forming method

Abstract

This invention relates to a part forming apparatus, comprising a frame, a substrate, a powder spreader, and a printing mechanism. The substrate is disposed on the frame. The powder spreader, also disposed on the frame, receives powder and spreads it onto the substrate. The printing mechanism, located above the substrate, includes a turntable rotatably mounted on the frame, and a first laser mirror and a second laser mirror disposed on the turntable. The first and second laser mirrors are parallel and spaced apart, sliding on opposite sides of the turntable's rotation center, and are used to scan the powder on the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and in particular to a part forming apparatus and forming method. Background Technology

[0002] 3D printers are one of the important types of additive manufacturing equipment and are widely used in aerospace, industrial manufacturing, customized medical and other application scenarios.

[0003] However, traditional 3D printers suffer from low production efficiency and high production costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a part forming apparatus and forming method to address the above problems.

[0005] A part forming apparatus, comprising:

[0006] frame;

[0007] A substrate is disposed on the frame;

[0008] A powder spreader, disposed on the frame, is used to receive powder and spread the powder onto the substrate; and

[0009] The printing mechanism, located above the substrate, includes a turntable rotatably mounted on the frame, and a first laser galvanometer and a second laser galvanometer mounted on the turntable. The first laser galvanometer and the second laser galvanometer are parallel to each other and slidably mounted on opposite sides of the rotation center of the turntable, and are used to scan the powder on the substrate.

[0010] In the aforementioned part forming apparatus, during part manufacturing, the powder spreader first lays powder onto the substrate. Because the first and second laser galvanometers are parallel and spaced apart on opposite sides of the rotation center of the turntable, during the scanning of the powder on the substrate by the first and second laser galvanometers, the light spots generated by the first and second laser galvanometers on the substrate can be distributed on opposite sides of the substrate center; that is, the lasers emitted by the first and second laser galvanometers can be projected onto two opposite areas of the substrate. Therefore, during part manufacturing, as the turntable rotates and the first and second laser galvanometers slide relative to each other along the rotation center of the turntable, two laser beams can simultaneously scan the powder in two opposite areas of the substrate, thereby simultaneously solidifying and forming the powder in both opposite areas, significantly improving part manufacturing efficiency.

[0011] In one embodiment, the printing mechanism further includes a linear module disposed on the turntable, the linear module being used to drive the first laser galvanometer and the second laser galvanometer to achieve synchronous linear motion of the first laser galvanometer relative to the second laser galvanometer along the rotation center.

[0012] In one embodiment, the linear module includes a first transmission component and a second transmission component that are parallel and spaced apart on opposite sides of the rotation center. The first transmission component is used to drive the first laser galvanometer, and the second transmission component is used to drive the second laser galvanometer.

[0013] In one embodiment, the part forming apparatus further includes a forming chamber disposed on the frame, wherein the powder spreader and the substrate are both disposed within the forming chamber.

[0014] In one embodiment, the part forming apparatus further includes a powder bed disposed on the frame, the substrate passing through the bottom of the forming chamber, the powder bed being connected to the substrate and used to drive the substrate to move up and down relative to the forming chamber.

[0015] In one embodiment, the turntable passes through the molding chamber and is used to move up and down relative to the molding chamber to open the molding chamber.

[0016] In one embodiment, the part forming apparatus further includes a drive assembly disposed in the forming chamber, the drive assembly being connected to the powder spreader and used to drive the powder spreader to move above the substrate.

[0017] In one embodiment, two drive components are provided, each connected to one end of the powder spreader and disposed parallel to and spaced apart on opposite sides of the substrate.

[0018] In one embodiment, at least one of the following features is also included:

[0019] The part forming apparatus further includes a circulation unit connected to the forming chamber. The circulation unit stores a protective gas. The circulation unit is used to replace the air in the forming chamber with the protective gas and to circulate and filter the particulate matter in the flue gas in the forming chamber. The protective gas is used to prevent the first powder and the second powder from reacting with the air.

[0020] The part forming apparatus further includes a powder feeder disposed on the frame, the powder feeder being used to store the powder and to inject the powder into the powder spreader;

[0021] The part forming apparatus also includes a hollow powder return unit, one end of which is connected to the bottom of the forming chamber. The powder spreader is movably disposed in the forming chamber and is used to push the powder outside the substrate into the powder return unit.

[0022] A method for forming a part, comprising:

[0023] Calculate the amount of powder required to manufacture the part;

[0024] Powder is deposited in the powder-filled area of ​​the substrate;

[0025] According to the scanning path of the part, the printing mechanism is controlled to scan the powder in the powder filling area on the substrate in the order of inner ring area, outer ring area, outer contour line and inner contour line in order to achieve the powder curing and forming. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a part forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the front plate of the forming chamber is hidden.

[0028] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial three-dimensional view of the part forming device shown;

[0029] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural view of the printing mechanism of the part forming device shown;

[0030] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the distribution of powder on a substrate in a scanning area according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the curing process of a part provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another process for curing and molding a part according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic flowchart of the part forming method of the present invention.

[0034] Figure label:

[0035] 10. Part forming device 100, frame 200, substrate

[0036] 201. Powder filling area; 202. Powder bed; 210. Inner ring area

[0037] 211. First Inner Ring Area; 212. Second Inner Ring Area; 213. Third Inner Ring Area

[0038] 214. Fourth Inner Ring Area; 220. Outer Ring Area; 221. First Outer Ring Area

[0039] 222, Second Outer Ring Area; 223, Third Outer Ring Area; 224, Fourth Outer Ring Area

[0040] 225. Fifth Outer Ring Road Area; 226. Sixth Outer Ring Road Area; 227. Seventh Outer Ring Road Area

[0041] 228. Eighth outer ring region; 230. Outer contour line; 231. First scan point

[0042] 232, Second scan point; 240, Inner contour line; 243, Third scan point

[0043] 244, fourth scanning point 250, powder storage tank 300, powder spreader

[0044] 310, drive assembly 400, printing mechanism 410, turntable

[0045] 421. First laser galvanometer; 422. Second laser galvanometer; 430. Linear module

[0046] 431. First transmission assembly; 432. Second transmission assembly; 440. Fixed bracket.

[0047] 500, molding chamber 501, bottom 502, printing slot

[0048] 600, Circulation Unit 610, Intake End 620, Exhaust End

[0049] 700, Powder Return Unit 701, Powder Collection Port 800, Powder Feeder Detailed Implementation

[0050] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0051] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0052] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0053] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0054] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, a part forming apparatus is provided, including a frame 100, a substrate 200, a powder spreader 300, a printing mechanism 400, and a controller. The frame 100 supports the substrate 200, the powder spreader 300, the printing mechanism 400, and the controller. The controller is electrically connected to and controls the powder spreader 300 and the printing mechanism 400. The powder spreader 300 is movably disposed on the frame 100 and is used to receive powder and spread it onto the substrate 200. The printing mechanism 400 is movably disposed above the substrate 200 and is used to scan the powder on the substrate 200 to solidify and form the powder, thereby manufacturing the part.

[0055] Specifically, such as Figure 3As shown, the printing mechanism 400 may include a turntable 410, a first laser galvanometer 421, and a second laser galvanometer 422. The turntable 410 may be driven by a servo motor and rotatably mounted on the frame 100. The first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 are parallel and spaced apart on opposite sides of the rotation center of the turntable 410, and are used to scan powder on the substrate 200. The controller may also load path scanning data for part forming and control the movement of the printing mechanism 400 according to the path scanning data, thereby enabling the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 to rotate and radially offset relative to the substrate 200.

[0056] like Figure 4 As shown, the substrate 200 may have a powder-filled region 201 on one side of the component. The powder-filled region 201 may be divided into an inner ring region 210 adjacent to the axis of the substrate 200 and an outer ring region 220 surrounding the outer side of the inner ring region 210. The inner ring region 210 may be further divided into a first inner ring region 211, a second inner ring region 212, a third inner ring region 213, and a fourth inner ring region 214, which are of the same shape and are arranged in a centrally symmetrical manner around the axis of the substrate 200. The outer ring region 220 may be further divided into a first outer ring region 221, a second outer ring region 222, a third outer ring region 223, a fourth outer ring region 224, a fifth outer ring region 225, a sixth outer ring region 226, a seventh outer ring region 227, and an eighth outer ring region 228, which are of the same shape and are arranged in a centrally symmetrical manner around the axis of the substrate 200. When the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 irradiate the substrate 200, a light spot will appear on the substrate 200 at the corresponding irradiated position. Therefore, by controlling the movement of the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422, the light spot can be moved within the powder filling area 201.

[0057] For example, in such Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, before fabricating the part, under the control of the controller, the powder spreader 300 can spread powder onto the powder-filling region 201 of the substrate 200 to form a first powder layer of uniform thickness. Before scanning the first powder layer, the controller can load the scanning path data required for a single-layer slice of the part, i.e., obtain the scanning path data for the first powder layer. The first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 can complete the scanning of the first powder layer under the control of the controller.

[0058] Under the control of the controller, the first laser galvanometer 421 moves to a position aligned with the first inner ring region 211, and the second laser galvanometer 422 moves to a position aligned with the third inner ring region 213. The first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 scan the powder simultaneously, thereby achieving simultaneous curing and shaping of the powder in the first inner ring region 211 and the third inner ring region 213.

[0059] After scanning the first inner ring region 211 and the third inner ring region 213, the turntable rotates 90 degrees clockwise under the control of the controller. The light spot generated by the first laser galvanometer 421 jumps from the first inner ring region 211 to the second inner ring region 212. At the same time, the light spot generated by the second laser galvanometer 422 jumps from the third inner ring region 213 to the fourth inner ring region 214. The first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 scan the powder simultaneously, thereby achieving simultaneous curing and shaping of the powder in the second inner ring region 212 and the fourth inner ring region 214.

[0060] Continue to refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 After completing the scanning of the powder in the inner ring area 210, the printing mechanism 400 begins scanning the powder in the outer ring area 220.

[0061] Under the control of the controller, the first laser galvanometer 421 moves to a position aligned with the third outer ring region 223, and the second laser galvanometer 422 moves to a position aligned with the seventh outer ring region 227. The first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 simultaneously scan the powder, thereby achieving simultaneous curing and shaping of the powder in the third outer ring region 223 and the seventh outer ring region 227.

[0062] After scanning the third outer ring region 223 and the seventh outer ring region 227, the turntable rotates 45 degrees clockwise under the control of the controller. The light spot generated by the first laser galvanometer 421 jumps from the third outer ring region 223 to the fourth outer ring region 224. At the same time, the light spot generated by the second laser galvanometer 422 jumps from the seventh outer ring region 227 to the eighth outer ring region 228. The first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 scan the powder simultaneously, thereby achieving simultaneous curing and shaping of the powder in the fourth outer ring region 224 and the eighth outer ring region 228.

[0063] After scanning the fourth outer ring region 224 and the eighth outer ring region 228, the turntable rotates 45 degrees clockwise under the control of the controller. The light spot generated by the first laser galvanometer 421 jumps from the fourth outer ring region 224 to the fifth outer ring region 225. At the same time, the light spot generated by the second laser galvanometer 422 jumps from the eighth outer ring region 228 to the first outer ring region 221. The first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 scan the powder simultaneously, thereby achieving simultaneous curing and shaping of the powder in the fifth outer ring region 225 and the first outer ring region 221.

[0064] After scanning the fifth outer ring region 225 and the first outer ring region 221, the turntable rotates 45 degrees clockwise under the control of the controller. The light spot generated by the first laser galvanometer 421 jumps from the fifth outer ring region 225 to the sixth outer ring region 226. At the same time, the light spot generated by the second laser galvanometer 422 jumps from the first outer ring region 221 to the second outer ring region 222. Both the first and second laser galvanometers scan the powder simultaneously, thereby achieving simultaneous curing and shaping of the powder in the sixth outer ring region 226 and the second outer ring region 222. At this point, the first layer of powder in the powder-filling region 201 has been completely scanned.

[0065] refer to Figure 6 After the first layer of powder in the powder-filled area 201 has been completely cured, the contour of the part is scanned. The controller can load the scanning path of the contour of a single-layer slice of the part. The scanning path of the part contour is described using a circumferential polar coordinate system curve table, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the part contour scanning path within the powder-filled area 201 of the substrate 200 can be divided into an outer contour line 230 and an inner contour line 240. Under the control of the controller, the printing mechanism 400 can scan the solidified powder along the outer contour line 230 and the inner contour line 240 to achieve part manufacturing.

[0066] Specifically, such as Figure 6As shown, the outer contour line 230 is a regular pentagon. Under the control of the controller, the light spot generated by the first laser galvanometer 421 is positioned at the first scanning point 231 of the outer contour line 230, and the light spot generated by the second laser galvanometer 422 is positioned at the second scanning point 232 of the outer contour line 230. The first scanning point 231 and the second scanning point 232 are centrally symmetrically distributed along the axis of the substrate 200. Under the control of the controller, the turntable 410 starts to rotate continuously clockwise. The light spot generated by the first laser galvanometer 421 moves clockwise at a constant speed from the first scanning point 231 along the outer contour line 230, and the light spot generated by the second laser galvanometer 422 moves clockwise at a constant speed from the second scanning point 232 along the outer contour line 230. When the light spot generated by the first laser galvanometer 421 reaches the second scanning point 232, the light spot generated by the second laser galvanometer 422 simultaneously reaches the first scanning point 231, and the scanning of the outer contour line 230 is completed.

[0067] After scanning the outer contour line 230, under the control of the controller, the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 are synchronously positioned on the inner contour line 240. The inner contour line 240 is circular. The light spot generated by the first laser galvanometer 421 is positioned on the fourth scanning point 244 of the inner contour line 240, and the light spot generated by the second laser galvanometer 422 is positioned on the third scanning point 243 of the inner contour line 240. The third scanning point 243 and the fourth scanning point 244 are centrally symmetrically distributed along the axis of the substrate 200.

[0068] Under the control of the controller, the turntable 410 begins to rotate continuously clockwise. The light spot generated by the first laser galvanometer 421 starts from the fourth scanning point 244 and moves clockwise at a constant speed along the inner contour line 240. The light spot generated by the second laser galvanometer 422 starts from the third scanning point 243 and moves clockwise at a constant speed along the inner contour line 240. When the light spot generated by the first laser galvanometer 421 reaches the third scanning point 243, the light spot generated by the second laser galvanometer 422 simultaneously reaches the fourth scanning point 244, and the inner contour line 240 is scanned. At this point, the inner and outer contours of the part are scanned, and the manufacturing of the part is completed. It should be noted that the part can also be formed by stacking multiple powder layers, and each powder layer can be scanned repeatedly to ensure that the part can be reliably fused to the printing platform during subsequent molding. For example, in other embodiments, after the curing and contour scanning of the first powder layer are completed, a second powder layer can be laid on the first powder layer by the powder spreader 300. The molding method of the second powder layer can refer to the molding method of the first powder layer, which will not be described in detail here.

[0069] Because the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 are parallel and spaced apart on opposite sides of the rotation center of the turntable 410, during the scanning of the powder on the substrate 200 by the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422, the light spots generated by the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 on the substrate 200 can be distributed on opposite sides of the center of the substrate 200. That is, the laser emitted by the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 can be projected onto two opposite areas of the substrate 200. Therefore, during the manufacturing process of the part, with the rotation of the turntable 410 and the relative movement of the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 along the rotation center of the turntable 410, the two lasers can simultaneously scan the powder in two opposite areas on the substrate 200, so as to simultaneously solidify and form the powder in the two opposite areas, greatly improving the manufacturing efficiency of the part.

[0070] Because the scanning path of the part's contour is described using a circumferential polar coordinate system curve table, and the circumferential polar coordinate system curve is a periodic pattern, the controller only needs to process single-cycle curve table data, resulting in low data computation and storage requirements, and easy construction of high-resolution curve tables. When the turntable 410 rotates continuously, the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 cyclically index the high-resolution curve table, controlling the center distance and offset angle of the light spot in real time. Without the need for large-scale dynamic scanning or regional splicing, continuous scanning of the inner and outer contours of axisymmetric parts can be achieved. Its forming accuracy and structural coherence are far superior to single-galvanometer large-scale scanning or static multi-galvanometer splicing schemes.

[0071] It should be noted that the specific number and position of the laser galvanometers can be adjusted by the user according to actual needs. It is understood that the more laser galvanometers there are, the higher the part forming efficiency. For example, in other embodiments, when the number of the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 is doubled (not shown in the attached figures), the part forming efficiency is also doubled accordingly.

[0072] refer to Figure 3 The printing mechanism 400 may also include a linear module 430 disposed on the turntable 140. The linear module 430 is used to drive the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 to achieve synchronous linear motion of the first laser galvanometer 421 relative to the second laser galvanometer 422 along the rotation center of the turntable 410.

[0073] Specifically, in such Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, the linear module 430 includes a first transmission component 431 and a second transmission component 432, which are parallel and spaced apart on opposite sides of the rotation center of the turntable 410. The first transmission component 431 drives the first laser galvanometer 421, and the second transmission component 432 drives the second laser galvanometer 422. Since the first transmission component 431 and the second transmission component 432 are symmetrically distributed along the rotation center of the turntable 410, when the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 synchronously approach or move away from the center of the turntable 410, momentum is conserved between them. This prevents vibration of the printing mechanism 400, thereby improving the operational stability of the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 and increasing the manufacturing precision of the parts. When the turntable 410 drives the first laser galvanometer 421 and the second laser galvanometer 422 to rotate, the turntable 410 does not bear eccentric inertia, which prevents the turntable 410 from wobbling. Therefore, the printing mechanism 400 has higher scanning accuracy, which means that the manufacturing accuracy of the parts is higher.

[0074] refer to Figure 1 The part forming apparatus 10 may also include a forming chamber 500 disposed on the frame 100, and the powder spreader 300 and the substrate 200 are both disposed in the forming chamber 500.

[0075] For example, in such Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the part forming apparatus 10 further includes a powder bed 202 disposed on the frame 100, with a substrate 200 connected to the top of the powder bed 202. The top of the powder bed 202 is fitted into and passes through the bottom 501 structure of the forming chamber 500. Under the control of the controller, the powder bed 202 can move relative to the forming chamber 500 to synchronously drive the substrate 200 to rise and fall relative to the bottom 501 of the forming chamber 500. Before manufacturing the part, the upper surface of the substrate 200 is flush with the bottom 501 surface of the forming chamber 500. During part manufacturing, driven by the powder bed 202, the substrate 200 can descend to a height corresponding to the thickness of a single layer of powder before each powder application, and the upper surface of the substrate 200 and the bottom 501 structure of the forming chamber 500 enclose a powder storage tank 250. The powder storage tank 250 facilitates the concentrated collection of powder and ensures that the overall structure of the powder does not become loose during the powder curing process, thereby improving the manufacturing accuracy of the part.

[0076] refer to Figure 1In one embodiment, the part forming apparatus 10 further includes a circulation unit 600 connected to the forming chamber 500. The circulation unit 600 stores a protective gas to prevent the powder from reacting with air. The circulation unit 600 replaces the gas in the forming chamber 500 with the protective gas and, during the part forming process, circulates and filters particulate matter mixed in the protective gas within the forming chamber 500. Specifically, the protective gas can be an inert gas, such as nitrogen or helium. The inlet end 610 and the outlet end 620 of the circulation unit 600 are respectively connected to opposite sides of the forming chamber 500. The circulation unit 600 can replace the gas in the forming chamber 500 with the protective gas to prevent powder oxidation, and can also promptly discharge particulate matter generated during the powder manufacturing process. Therefore, the circulation unit 600 can improve the manufacturing quality of the parts.

[0077] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 The part forming apparatus 10 may also include a fixed support 440 disposed above the forming chamber 500, and a turntable 410 movably connected to the fixed support 440. The turntable 410 passes through the forming chamber 500 and can be raised and lowered relative to the forming chamber 500 to open and close the forming chamber 500.

[0078] Specifically, in such Figure 1 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, a fixed bracket 440 is fixedly connected to the top of the molding chamber 500, and a printing groove 502 is formed below the fixed bracket 440 at the top of the molding chamber 500. A turntable 410 is located on the side of the fixed bracket 440 facing the substrate 200. Driven by a motor, the turntable 410 can rotate relative to the fixed bracket 440 and the molding chamber 500, and can also rise and fall relative to the printing groove 502 at the top of the molding chamber 500 to open and close the molding chamber 500. During the part manufacturing process, the turntable 410 can descend relative to the molding chamber 500 to achieve the turntable 410 fitting into the top of the molding chamber 500 via the printing groove 502, that is, the turntable 410 closes the printing groove 502 at the top of the molding chamber 500. This can prevent external air from entering the molding chamber 500 through the printing groove 502 during the part manufacturing process, thus preventing powder oxidation.

[0079] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2The part forming apparatus 10 may further include a drive assembly 310, a powder return unit 700, and a powder feeder 800. The powder return unit 700 is hollow inside and one end is connected to the bottom 501 of the forming chamber 500, used to collect remaining powder within the forming chamber 500. The powder feeder 800 is disposed within the forming chamber 500, used to store powder and inject it into the powder spreader 300. The drive assembly 310 is disposed within the forming chamber 500, connected to the powder spreader 300, and used to drive the powder spreader 300 to move above the substrate 200 to achieve powder spreading.

[0080] Specifically, in such Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, two drive components 310 are provided. The two drive components 310 are respectively connected to both ends of the powder spreader 300 and are arranged parallel and spaced apart on opposite sides of the substrate 200. After the powder feeder 800 injects powder into the powder spreader 300, driven by the drive components 310, the powder spreader 300 can reciprocate above the substrate 200 to ensure a uniform thickness of the powder layer spread on the substrate 200. The powder return unit 700 communicates with the bottom 501 of the forming chamber 500 at a powder collection port 701. The powder collection port 701 is located outside the substrate 200 and on the movement path of the powder spreader 300, and its length is greater than the width of the powder spreader 300 and the diameter of the substrate 200. During its movement, the powder spreader 300 can push the remaining powder located at the bottom 501 of the forming chamber 500 and outside the substrate 200 into the powder return unit 700 through the powder collection port 701, thereby achieving powder recovery and reducing production costs.

[0081] refer to Figure 7 An embodiment of the present invention provides a part forming method, which, based on the above embodiment, includes the following steps:

[0082] S100, replace the substrate 200 with a brand new one, seal the molding chamber 500, start the circulation unit 600 to replace the gas in the molding chamber 500 with a protective gas, and detect the oxygen concentration in the molding chamber 500 to reduce the oxygen concentration in the molding chamber 500 to below the limit allowed by the part molding process.

[0083] S200: The controller loads the data required for preparing a single-layer slice of the part, and calculates the amount of powder required for preparing the single-layer slice based on parameters such as the diameter of the substrate 200, the thickness of the single-layer slice, the volume of the part to be formed, and the loose density of the powder. Sufficient powder is then added to the powder feeder 800. The powder feeder 800 injects the required amount of powder for preparing the single-layer slice into the powder spreader 300. The controller defines the current number of part forming layers as n = 1.

[0084] S300, the controller controls the substrate 200 to descend to a height equal to the thickness of the single-layer slice of the part, and controls the powder spreader 300 to reciprocate above the substrate 200. The powder spreader 300 lays a powder layer of uniform thickness required for preparing the single-layer slice of the part in the powder filling area 201 of the substrate 200, and pushes the remaining powder outside the substrate 200 into the powder return unit 700.

[0085] In step S400, the controller loads the scanning path of the single-layer slice of the part and controls the printing mechanism 400 to return to the initial position. Specifically, the controller controls the turntable 410, linear module 430, first laser galvanometer 421, and second laser galvanometer 422 to return to their initial positions. Based on the scanning path of the single-layer slice, the controller controls the printing mechanism 400 to scan the powder in the powder-filling area 201 on the substrate 200 sequentially in the order of inner ring area 210, outer ring area 220, outer contour line 230, and inner contour line 240, so that the powder solidifies and forms a shape. The number of scans can be multiple to ensure that the part can be reliably fused to the substrate 200 during subsequent forming.

[0086] S500: The controller loads the maximum number of layers N required to prepare the part (N is greater than or equal to 1 and is an integer), and determines whether n is equal to N. If n is equal to N, the printing process exits; if n is less than N, n = n + 1 is executed, and the process returns to step S300.

[0087] The concepts of "inner ring region 210, outer ring region 220, outer contour line 230, and inner contour line 240" can be understood from other embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0088] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0089] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

[0090] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "another implementation," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative descriptions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application.

Claims

1. A part forming apparatus characterized by comprising: The application relates to a 3D printing device, comprising: a rack; a substrate arranged on the rack; a powder spreader arranged on the rack and used for receiving powder and spreading the powder on the substrate; a printing mechanism arranged above the substrate and comprising a rotary table arranged on the rack, a linear module arranged on the rotary table, a first laser galvanometer and a second laser galvanometer, the first laser galvanometer and the second laser galvanometer being arranged in parallel and at intervals on opposite sides of the rotation center of the rotary table and used for scanning the powder on the substrate, the linear module comprising a first transmission assembly and a second transmission assembly arranged in parallel and at intervals on opposite sides of the rotation center, the first transmission assembly being used for driving the first laser galvanometer, and the second transmission assembly being used for driving the second laser galvanometer to realize synchronous linear motion of the first laser galvanometer relative to the second laser galvanometer along the rotation center; and a controller arranged on the rack and used for electrically connecting and controlling the powder spreader and the printing mechanism. The application further comprises a forming bin arranged on the rack, and the powder spreader and the substrate are arranged in the forming bin. The application further comprises a powder bed arranged on the rack, the substrate is arranged on the bottom of the forming bin, and the powder bed is connected to the substrate and used for driving the substrate to ascend and descend relative to the forming bin.

2. The part forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by The rotary table is arranged in the forming bin and used for ascending and descending relative to the forming bin to open the forming bin.

3. The part forming apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by The application further comprises a driving assembly arranged on the forming bin, the driving assembly is connected to the powder spreader and used for driving the powder spreader to move above the substrate.

4. The part forming apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by The driving assembly is provided with two driving assemblies, the two driving assemblies are respectively connected to two ends of the powder spreader and arranged in parallel and at intervals on opposite sides of the substrate.

5. The part forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The application further comprises a circulating unit connected to the forming bin, the circulating unit is used for storing protective gas, replacing air in the forming bin with the protective gas, and filtering smoke particles in the forming bin, and the protective gas is used for preventing the first powder and the second powder from reacting with air.

6. The part forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein The application further comprises a powder feeder arranged on the rack, the powder feeder is used for storing the powder and injecting the powder into the powder spreader.

7. The part forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The application further comprises a powder returning unit with an internal cavity, one end of the powder returning unit is communicated with the bottom of the forming bin, and the powder spreader is movably arranged in the forming bin and used for pushing the powder outside the substrate into the powder returning unit.

8. The part forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The application relates to a 3D printing method, comprising the following steps:

9. The part forming apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by calculating the amount of powder required for preparing a part; 10. A method of forming a part based on the part forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by, spreading powder on a powder filling area of a substrate; controlling a printing mechanism to sequentially scan the powder in the powder filling area on the substrate according to a scanning path of the part in the order of an inner ring area, an outer ring area, an outer contour line and an inner contour line to realize solidification and molding of the powder. ​ ​

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