3D printers and their working methods

Abstract

This invention provides a 3D printer and its operating method. The 3D printer includes a frame; a stage on the frame; a first print head disposed above the stage; a second print head disposed below the stage; a first drive mechanism that drives the first print head to move relative to the stage; a second drive mechanism that drives the second print head to move relative to the stage; a support mechanism including a first drive unit and a clamping unit, the first drive unit driving the clamping unit to move relative to the stage and driving the clamping unit to switch between a clamping state and a released state; and a control system electrically connected to the first print head, the second print head, the first drive mechanism, the second drive mechanism, and the support mechanism. This invention also provides an operating method for the above-mentioned 3D printer, which balances printing speed with reducing the difficulty of slicing product data models.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and more specifically, to a 3D printer and a method for operating the 3D printer. Background Technology

[0002] 3D printing technology uses the printer's control system to control the movement of the print head and / or stage, causing the printing material ejected from the print head to accumulate on the stage, forming a 3D printed product of a predetermined shape. Compared to traditional manufacturing technologies, 3D printing eliminates the need for machining equipment (such as lathes, milling machines, and machining centers), molds, tooling fixtures, etc., and can directly form products based on graphic data. This shortens product development cycles and significantly reduces production costs.

[0003] Most existing FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printers use a three-axis control system, which controls the movement of the print head in the X and Y axes and the movement of the stage in the Z axis. However, since the printing speed of a single print head is relatively slow, a dual-print head FDM 3D printer has been introduced on the market to meet the requirements of high-speed printing production. This dual-print head FDM 3D printer still uses a motion system in which the print head moves in the X and Y axes and the stage moves in the Z axis. Both print heads of this FDM 3D printer are located above the stage, and the two print heads can move synchronously or asynchronously.

[0004] However, when the dual printheads move synchronously, the gap between them means that only one printhead is actually working when the printed product is smaller than that gap, forcing a reduction in printing speed. Similarly, when the dual printheads move asynchronously, only one printhead works at a time. Furthermore, the two printheads must be controlled to avoid each other in real time, complicating the control system and increasing the difficulty of developing and manufacturing the FDM 3D printer, thus increasing production costs. Moreover, during the product slicing process, the FDM 3D printer must consider both the most effective placement angle for planar printing and the impact of printhead movement on product strength and quality, increasing the difficulty of slicing. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, the primary objective of this invention is to provide a 3D printer that can balance printing speed with reduced difficulty in slicing product data models, solve the problem of printheads needing to avoid each other in real time during printing, and has a wider range of printable sizes.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for operating the above-described 3D printer.

[0007] To achieve the main objective of this invention, a 3D printer is provided, comprising a frame and a stage, the stage being mounted on the frame. The 3D printer further includes a first printhead, a second printhead, a first drive mechanism, a second drive mechanism, a support mechanism, and a control system. The first printhead is positioned above the stage, and the second printhead is positioned below the stage. The first drive mechanism is mounted on the frame and can drive the first printhead to move relative to the stage. The second drive mechanism is mounted on the frame and can drive the second printhead to move relative to the stage. The support mechanism includes a clamping unit and a first drive unit. The first drive unit is mounted on the frame and can drive the clamping unit to move relative to the stage. The first drive unit can also drive the clamping unit to switch between a clamping state and a released state. The control system is electrically connected to the first printhead, the second printhead, the first drive mechanism, the second drive mechanism, and the support mechanism.

[0008] As can be seen from the above, by designing the layout of the first and second printheads, the 3D printer can balance printing speed with reducing the difficulty of slicing the product data model. It also solves the problem of existing dual-printhead 3D printers where the printheads need to avoid each other in real time during printing, greatly reducing the programming difficulty of the control system. In addition, the above design also enables the 3D printer to have a larger printable size range.

[0009] A preferred embodiment is that the jet pressure of the second printhead is greater than that of the first printhead.

[0010] As can be seen from the above, since the second print head is located below the stage and needs to spray printing consumables onto the stage, by setting the spray pressure of the second print head, the printing consumables sprayed by the second print head can be reliably bonded to the stage or to a part of the product printed by the first print head.

[0011] Another preferred embodiment is that the curing speed of the printing filament ejected by the second printhead is greater than that of the printing filament ejected by the first printhead.

[0012] As can be seen from the above, since the printing filament ejected from the second print head is affected by gravity and is not supported, increasing the curing speed of the printing filament ejected from the second print head can enable the second printing filament to cure better and more stably, preventing the printing filament ejected from the second print head from dripping or falling off.

[0013] A further embodiment is that the 3D printer also includes a cooling and curing mechanism, which is electrically connected to the control system. The cooling and curing mechanism is located at the second print head, and a second drive mechanism can drive the cooling and curing mechanism to move synchronously with the second print head; and / or the printing consumables used by the second print head include a curing accelerator.

[0014] As can be seen from the above, the curing of the printing consumables ejected from the second printhead can be accelerated by physical cooling through a cooling and curing mechanism, or by the additives in the printing consumables to allow the molten printing consumables to cool and cure themselves quickly.

[0015] Another preferred embodiment is that the second drive mechanism can also drive the second printhead to rotate relative to the clamping unit.

[0016] As can be seen from the above, the design allows the second printhead to have a larger and more flexible printing space.

[0017] Another preferred embodiment is that the clamping unit includes two grippers, and the first drive unit can drive the two grippers to move towards or away from each other.

[0018] As can be seen from the above, the first driving unit can drive the two grippers to move towards each other so that the clamping unit is in a clamping state, thereby clamping the printed part of the product. At the same time, the first driving unit can also drive the two grippers to move away from each other so that the clamping unit is in a loosening state, thereby releasing the clamping of the printed product.

[0019] Another preferred embodiment is that the stage has a working position and a release position. When the stage is in the working position, the projections of the first and second printheads are both located on the stage in the Z-axis direction of the 3D printer. When the stage is in the release position, the projections of the first and second printheads are both located outside the stage in the Z-axis direction. The 3D printer also includes a third drive mechanism, which is electrically connected to the control system and is mounted on the frame. The third drive mechanism can drive the stage to move between the working position and the release position.

[0020] As can be seen from the above, when the stage cannot be part of the printed product, the third drive mechanism can control the stage to detach from the printed part of the product, thereby enabling the second drive mechanism to drive the second print head to spray printing consumables below the printed part of the product, so as to cooperate with the first print head to complete the printing of the product to be formed and speed up the printing speed of the product.

[0021] A further option is that the stage is in the form of a thin sheet, and the stage is made of PLA or ABS material; and / or the bearing surface of the stage is coated with an easy-release coating.

[0022] As can be seen from the above, by setting the stage to be thin and using materials such as PLA or ABS that can form part of the product to be molded, the stage can become part of the product. This allows the stage to remain stationary during the printing process, preventing the stage assembly from obstructing the printing operation of the second print head. Furthermore, by coating the stage with an easy-release coating, the stage can better detach from the printed part of the product when it is moved during printing, thus preventing damage to that part of the product.

[0023] In a further manner, when the stage is in the form of a thin sheet, a through hole is provided on the stage, which penetrates the stage along the thickness direction; the diameter of the through hole is between 0.28 and 1.2 times the diameter of the extruded printing filament.

[0024] As can be seen from the above, the design allows the printing consumables ejected from the first print head and the printing consumables ejected from the second print head to be better fused through the through holes, thereby significantly improving the bonding strength between the two printing consumables.

[0025] To achieve another objective of the present invention, the present invention provides a method for operating a 3D printer, wherein the 3D printer is the aforementioned 3D printer, and the method includes: after a first driving mechanism drives a first printing nozzle to move to a first preset position, the first printing nozzle begins to spray first printing consumables onto a stage; when the height of a first portion of the product printed by the first printing nozzle reaches a first preset height, a first driving unit drives a clamping unit to clamp the first portion of the product, and moves the stage so that the stage is outside the printing area of ​​the first and second printing nozzles, and the first portion of the product is detached from the stage; after a second driving mechanism drives a second printing nozzle to move to a second preset position, the second printing nozzle begins to spray second printing consumables onto the first portion of the product, and the first printing nozzle continues to spray second printing consumables onto the first portion of the product. The first printing material is sprayed onto the first product until the printing of the required first product is completed. When the printing of the first product is completed, the first drive mechanism drives the first print head to reset, the second drive mechanism drives the second print head to reset, and the first drive unit drives the clamping unit to release the clamping of the first product. Alternatively, when the stage is in the form of a thin sheet, the first drive mechanism drives the first print head to move to the third preset position, and then the first print head starts spraying the third printing material onto the stage. The second drive mechanism drives the second print head to move to the fourth preset position, and then the second print head starts spraying the fourth printing material onto the stage until the printing of the required second product is completed. When the printing of the second product is completed, the first drive mechanism drives the first print head to reset, and the second drive mechanism drives the second print head to reset.

[0026] As can be seen from the above, the above working method can reduce the difficulty of slicing the product data model while taking into account the printing speed. At the same time, it solves the problem that the printing nozzles of existing dual-printer 3D printers need to avoid each other in real time during the printing process, which greatly reduces the programming difficulty of the control system and also enables the 3D printer to have a larger printable size range. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the 3D printer of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the first omitted component of the first embodiment of the 3D printer of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the second omitted component of the first embodiment of the 3D printer of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the third omitted component of the first embodiment of the 3D printer of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the 3D printer of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the second embodiment of the 3D printer of the present invention with some components omitted.

[0033] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0034] First embodiment of a 3D printer

[0035] Reference Figure 1 The 3D printer includes a frame, a stage 2, a first print head 31, a second print head 32, a first drive mechanism 4, a second drive mechanism 5, a support mechanism 6, and a control system. The control system is electrically connected to the first print head 31, the second print head 32, the first drive mechanism 4, the second drive mechanism 5, and the support mechanism 6, respectively, enabling the control system to regulate the interaction of the first print head 31, the second print head 32, the first drive mechanism 4, the second drive mechanism 5, and the support mechanism 6 to complete the printing of the 3D printed product.

[0036] The stage 2 is mounted on the frame. The bearing surface of the stage 2 is coated with an easy-release coating 22. This easy-release coating 22 is a common coating in the prior art, and therefore will not be described in detail here. This easy-release coating 22 has the advantages of easy adhesion to 3D printed products at high temperatures and easy detachment from 3D printed products at low temperatures, making it easy to remove the 3D printed products formed on the stage 2 without damage. Of course, the easy-release coating 22 can also be the easy-release coating disclosed in the invention patent (authorization announcement number: CN109468156B), or other coatings with the same function.

[0037] In this embodiment, the stage 2 has a working position and a release position. When the stage 2 is in the working position, the projections of the first printing nozzle 31 and the second printing nozzle 32 are both located on the stage 2 in the Z-axis direction of the 3D printer. When the stage 2 is in the release position, the projections of the first printing nozzle 31 and the second printing nozzle 32 are both located outside the stage 2 in the Z-axis direction. This design allows the stage 2 to be removed from the working position when it cannot be part of the 3D printed product. After the first driving mechanism 4 drives the first printing nozzle 31 to print a portion of the product of a certain height (preferably 3 mm to 6 mm) on the stage 2, the support mechanism 6 can clamp the portion of the product and remove the stage 2 from the working position. This allows the second driving mechanism 5 to drive the second printing nozzle 32 to spray printing material below the printed portion of the product, thus cooperating with the first printing nozzle 31 to complete the printing of the product to be formed and accelerating the printing speed.

[0038] Combination Figure 2 Preferably, the 3D printer further includes a third drive mechanism 7, which is electrically connected to the control system. The third drive mechanism 7 is mounted on the frame and is used to drive the stage 2 to switch between a working position and a release position, thereby achieving automatic control of the position of the stage 2. Preferably, the frame is provided with a first rotating shaft 111, a second rotating shaft 112, and a first guide rail unit 113. The first rotating shaft 111 and the second rotating shaft 112 are rotatably mounted on the frame around their own rotation axes. The first rotating shaft 111 and the second rotating shaft 112 both extend along the X-axis direction and are distributed along the Y-axis direction.

[0039] The first guide rail unit 113 preferably includes two first guide rails, which extend along the Y-axis and are distributed along the X-axis. The stage 2 is provided with a third slider unit 21 below itself. The third slider unit 21 preferably includes two second sliders, which correspond one-to-one with the two first guide rails and are slidably mounted on the corresponding first guide rail.

[0040] The third drive mechanism 7 preferably includes a belt drive unit 72 and an eighth drive unit 71. The number of belt drive units 72 is preferably two, with one belt drive unit 72 positioned on a first guide rail. One pulley of the belt drive unit 72 is fixedly mounted on a first rotating shaft 111, and the other pulley of the belt drive unit 72 is mounted on a second rotating shaft 112. The drive belt of the belt drive unit 72 is fitted onto the two pulleys of the belt drive unit 72, and the drive belt of the belt drive unit 72 is fixedly connected to a corresponding third slider. The eighth drive unit 71 includes a seventh motor 711 and a seventh belt drive module 712, with the seventh motor 711 mounted on the frame. One pulley of the seventh belt drive module 712 is fixedly mounted on the first rotating shaft 111 or the second rotating shaft 112, and the other pulley of the seventh belt drive module 712 is fixedly mounted on the drive shaft of the seventh motor 711. The drive belt of the seventh belt drive module 712 is fitted onto the two pulleys of the seventh belt drive module 712, so that the eighth drive unit 71 can drive the stage 2 to move between the working position and the release position along the Y-axis direction through the belt drive unit 72.

[0041] Combination Figure 3 The first print head 31 is positioned above the stage 2, and the first drive mechanism 4 is mounted on the frame. The first drive mechanism 4 is used to drive the first print head 31 to move relative to the stage 2. The frame is provided with a second guide rail unit 114, which preferably includes two second guide rails distributed along the X-axis and extending along the Z-axis.

[0042] The first driving mechanism 4 includes a first frame 41, a second driving unit 42, a third driving unit 43, and a fourth driving unit 44. The first frame 41 is provided with a third rotating shaft 411, a fourth rotating shaft 412, a first slider unit 413, and a third guide rail unit 414. Both the third rotating shaft 411 and the fourth rotating shaft 412 extend along the X-axis and are distributed along the Y-axis. The third rotating shaft 411 and the fourth rotating shaft 412 are rotatably mounted on the first frame 41 around their respective axes of rotation. The first slider unit 413 preferably includes two first sliders, each corresponding to one of the two second guide rails, and one first slider is slidably mounted on a corresponding second guide rail. The third guide rail unit 414 preferably includes two third guide rails, distributed along the X-axis and extending along the Y-axis.

[0043] The second drive unit 42 includes a first motor 421 and a first lead screw 422. The first motor 421 is mounted on the frame, and the drive shaft of the first motor 421 is connected to the first lead screw 422. The first lead screw 422 extends along the Z-axis direction and is threadedly connected to the first frame 41, so that the first motor 421 can drive the first frame 41 to move in the Z-axis direction through the first lead screw 422.

[0044] The third drive unit 43 includes a first belt drive module 431, a first trolley 432, a second motor 433, and a second belt drive module 434. Preferably, there are two sets of first belt drive modules 431. One set of first belt drive modules 431 is positioned on a third guide rail. One pulley of the first belt drive module 431 is fixedly mounted on a third rotating shaft 411, and the other pulley is fixedly mounted on a fourth rotating shaft 412. The drive belt of the first belt drive module 431 is fitted onto the two pulleys of the first belt drive module 431. There are two first trolleys 432, each corresponding to one of the two third guide rails. One first trolley 432 is slidably mounted on a corresponding third guide rail, and the first trolley 432 is fixedly connected to the drive belt of the corresponding set of first belt drive modules 431. The second motor 433 is mounted on the first frame 41. One pulley of the second belt drive module 434 is fixedly mounted on the third rotating shaft 411 or the fourth rotating shaft 412, and the other pulley of the second belt drive module 434 is fixedly mounted on the drive shaft of the second motor 433. The drive belt of the second belt drive module 434 is fitted onto the two pulleys of the second belt drive module 434, enabling the second motor 433 to drive the first trolley 432 to move in the Y-axis direction through the first belt drive module 431 and the second belt drive module 434. In addition, a first guide rail module 435 is provided between the two first trolleys 432.

[0045] The fourth drive unit 44 includes a third belt drive module 441, a third motor 442, and a second trolley 443. A pulley from the third belt drive module 441 is mounted on each of the two first trolleys 432, and the drive belt of the third belt drive module 441 is fitted onto the two pulleys. The third motor 442 is mounted on one of the first trolleys 432, and its drive shaft is fixedly connected to the pulley on that first trolley 432 to drive the third belt drive module 441. The second trolley 443 is slidably mounted on the first guide rail module 435, and is fixedly connected to the drive belt of the third belt drive module 441, allowing the third motor 442 to drive the second trolley 443 to move in the X-axis direction via the third belt drive module 441. A first printhead 31 is mounted on the second trolley 443, and the nozzle of the first printhead 31 faces the stage 2.

[0046] Combination Figure 4 The second printhead 32 is positioned below the stage 2, and the second drive mechanism 5 is mounted on the frame. The second drive mechanism 5 is used to drive the second printhead 32 to move relative to the stage 2. The frame is provided with a fourth guide rail unit 115, which preferably includes two fourth guide rails distributed along the X-axis and extending along the Z-axis.

[0047] The second drive mechanism 5 includes a second frame 51, a fifth drive unit 52, a sixth drive unit 53, and a seventh drive unit 54. The second frame 51 is equipped with a fifth rotating shaft 511, a sixth rotating shaft 512, a second slider unit 513, and a fifth guide rail unit 514. Both the fifth rotating shaft 511 and the sixth rotating shaft 512 extend along the X-axis and are distributed along the Y-axis. The fifth rotating shaft 511 and the sixth rotating shaft 512 are rotatably mounted on the second frame 51 around their respective axes of rotation. The second slider unit 513 preferably includes two second sliders, each corresponding to one of the two fourth guide rails, and one second slider is slidably mounted on the corresponding fourth guide rail. The fifth guide rail unit 514 preferably includes two fifth guide rails, distributed along the X-axis and extending along the Y-axis.

[0048] The fifth drive unit 52 includes a fourth motor 521 and a second lead screw 522. The fourth motor 521 is mounted on the frame, and the drive shaft of the fourth motor 521 is connected to the second lead screw 522. The fourth lead screw extends along the Z-axis direction and is threadedly connected to the second frame 51, so that the fourth motor 521 can drive the second frame 51 to move in the Z-axis direction through the second lead screw 522.

[0049] The sixth drive unit 53 includes a fourth belt drive module 531, a third trolley 532, a fifth motor 533, and a fifth belt drive module 534. Preferably, there are two sets of fourth belt drive modules 531. One set of fourth belt drive modules 531 is positioned on a fifth guide rail. One pulley of the fourth belt drive module 531 is fixedly mounted on a fifth rotating shaft 511, and the other pulley is fixedly mounted on a sixth rotating shaft 512. The drive belt of the fourth belt drive module 531 is fitted onto the two pulleys of the fourth belt drive module 531. There are two third trolleys 532, each corresponding to one of the two fifth guide rails. One third trolley 532 is slidably mounted on a corresponding fifth guide rail, and the third trolley 532 is fixedly connected to the drive belt of the corresponding set of fourth belt drive modules 531. The fifth motor 533 is mounted on the second frame 51. One pulley of the fifth belt drive module 534 is fixedly mounted on the fifth rotating shaft 511 or the sixth rotating shaft 512, and the other pulley of the fifth belt drive module 534 is fixedly mounted on the drive shaft of the fifth motor 533. The drive belt of the fifth belt drive module 534 is fitted onto the two pulleys of the fifth belt drive module 534, enabling the fifth motor 533 to drive the third trolley 532 to move in the Y-axis direction through the fourth belt drive module 531 and the fifth belt drive module 534. Furthermore, a second guide rail module 535 is provided between the two third trolleys 532.

[0050] The seventh drive unit 54 includes a sixth belt drive module 541, a sixth motor 542, and a fourth trolley 543. Two pulleys of the sixth belt drive module 541 are respectively mounted on the two fourth trolleys 543, and the drive belt of the sixth belt drive module 541 is fitted onto the two pulleys of the sixth belt drive module 541. The sixth motor 542 is mounted on a third trolley 532, and the drive shaft of the sixth motor 542 is fixedly connected to the pulley on the third trolley 532 to drive the sixth belt drive module 541. The fourth trolley 543 is slidably mounted on the second guide rail module 535, and the fourth trolley 543 is fixedly connected to the drive belt of the sixth belt drive module 541, so that the sixth motor 542 can drive the fourth trolley 543 to move in the X-axis direction through the sixth belt drive module 541. The second printing nozzle 32 is mounted on the fourth trolley 543, and the nozzle of the second printing nozzle 32 is positioned facing the stage 2.

[0051] Preferably, the fourth carriage 543 is further provided with a rotary drive unit, and the second print head 32 is mounted on the drive end of the rotary drive unit, so that the rotary drive unit can drive the second print head 32 to rotate relative to the stage 2. The arrangement of the rotary drive unit allows the second print head 32 to have a larger and more flexible printing space.

[0052] The support mechanism 6 includes a clamping unit 61 and a first drive unit 62. The clamping unit 61 is located above the stage 2, and the first drive unit 62 is mounted on the frame. The first drive unit 62 is used to drive the clamping unit 61 to move relative to the stage 2. Furthermore, the first drive unit 62 is also used to drive the clamping unit 61 to switch between a clamping state and a releasing state, so as to clamp and release the portion of the product printed by the first print head 31 and the printed product. The clamping unit 61 includes two grippers 611, which are slidably connected to the frame in the X-axis direction, allowing the two grippers 611 to move towards or away from each other in the X-axis direction. The first drive unit 62 preferably includes an eighth motor 621 and a third lead screw 622. There are two eighth motors 621, both of which are mounted on the frame. There are two third lead screws 622, each corresponding to one of the two eighth motors 621 and one of the two grippers 611. The drive shaft of each eighth motor 621 is connected to a corresponding third lead screw 622 to drive its rotation. The third lead screws extend along the X-axis and are threadedly connected to a corresponding gripper 611, allowing the eighth motor 621 to drive the gripper 611 to move along the X-axis via the third lead screws 622. This causes the two grippers 611 to move towards each other to clamp a portion of the printed product on the stage 2, or to move away from each other to release the clamping of the printed product.

[0053] Preferably, the jetting pressure of the second print head 32 is greater than that of the first print head 31. Since the second print head 32 is located below the stage 2 and needs to jet printing consumables onto a portion of the product printed by the first print head 31, by setting the jetting pressure of the second print head 32, the printing consumables jetted by the second print head 32 can be reliably bonded to a portion of the product printed by the first print head 31.

[0054] Furthermore, the curing speed of the printing consumable ejected by the second print head 32 is preferably greater than that of the printing consumable ejected by the first print head 31. Since the printing consumable ejected by the second print head 32 is affected by gravity and is not supported, by increasing the curing speed of the printing consumable ejected by the second print head 32, the second printing consumable can be cured better and more stably, preventing the printing consumable ejected by the second print head 32 from dripping or falling off.

[0055] Furthermore, the 3D printer also includes a cooling and curing mechanism, which is electrically connected to the control system and is located at the second print head 32. For example, if the cooling and curing mechanism is located on the fourth carriage 543, the second drive mechanism 5 can drive the cooling and curing mechanism to move synchronously with the second print head 32. Preferably, the cooling and curing mechanism is a fan, which can physically cool the printing filament ejected from the second print head 32 to accelerate the curing of the filament. Furthermore, a curing accelerator (such as phenols) can be incorporated into the printing filament used by the second print head 32 to accelerate its curing. The two technical solutions of providing a cooling and curing mechanism and incorporating a curing accelerator into the printing filament used by the second print head 32 can be used individually or simultaneously.

[0056] In summary, by designing the layout of the first and second printheads, the 3D printer can balance printing speed with reducing the difficulty of slicing the product data model. It also solves the problem of existing dual-printhead 3D printers where the printheads need to avoid each other in real time during printing, significantly reducing the programming difficulty of the control system. In addition, the above design also enables the 3D printer to have a larger printable size range.

[0057] Second embodiment of 3D printer

[0058] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment of the 3D printer lies in the application of the stage. Specifically, in this embodiment:

[0059] A fifth trolley 81 is slidably arranged on the first guide rail of the frame. A placement position is formed between the two trolleys 81 to accommodate the stage 83 and limit the stage 83. The fifth trolley 81 is fixedly connected to the transmission belt 8211 of a corresponding belt drive unit 821, so that the eighth drive unit 822 can drive the fifth trolley 81 to move along the Y-axis direction through the belt drive unit 821.

[0060] In the first embodiment of the 3D printer, the stage 83 is configured as a thin sheet, wherein the thin sheet stage 83 has a certain rigidity and can support part of the weight of the printed product without elastic deformation. Preferably, an easy-release coating may also be provided on the bearing surface of the thin sheet stage 83.

[0061] Third embodiment of 3D printer

[0062] The difference between this embodiment and the second embodiment of the 3D printer lies in the application of the stage. Specifically, in this embodiment:

[0063] The third drive mechanism can be either included or omitted. If omitted, the sheet-like stage is directly fixed to the frame. In this embodiment, the sheet-like stage participates in the molding of the printed product; that is, a portion of the sheet-like stage constitutes part of the printed product. The sheet-like stage can stably bond with the printing filament used in the printed product. The sheet-like stage can be manufactured using 3D printing; for example, it is preferably made of PLA (polylactic acid) or ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer).

[0064] Preferably, considering that the intervention of the sheet-like stage will result in a lower bonding strength of the printed product at the stage location compared to other parts, it is preferable to provide through holes in the sheet-like stage. The number of through holes can be set according to the size of the printed product, and the through holes penetrate the stage along its thickness direction. The diameter of the through holes is smaller than or close to the diameter of the printing filament extruded by the first and / or second printing nozzles, so that the molten printing filament extruded by the first and second printing nozzles can directly contact each other through the through holes, thereby significantly improving the bonding strength. Preferably, the aperture of the through holes is between 0.28 and 1.2 times the diameter of the extruded printing filament. For example, when the diameter of the extruded printing filament is 1.75 mm, the aperture of the through holes can be set between 0.5 mm and 2 mm.

[0065] Furthermore, during the initial printing of the product, it is preferable to control the first and second printheads to start printing simultaneously. To improve the adhesion between the two printed layers, the first and second printheads are preferably moved coaxially during printing, meaning the printing filaments for the printed layers on the stage are ejected simultaneously, allowing the printing filaments on both sides to achieve better adhesion through through-holes or extrusion. When a certain layer thickness is reached, the first and second printheads may not need to maintain coaxial movement during printing; preferably, when the printed layer thickness is more than one layer, the first and second printheads may not need to maintain coaxial movement during printing. After the product printing is completed, the product can be removed, and the excess sheet-like stage (not constituting the product) can be dismantled.

[0066] First embodiment of the working method of a 3D printer

[0067] The working method of this embodiment can be applied to the 3D printer described in the first or second embodiment of the 3D printer, and the working method includes:

[0068] First, slice the product to be printed using slicing software. After slicing, the 3D printer can be controlled to perform the printing operation through the slicing software; or the file generated after slicing can be copied or sent to the 3D printer, and then the printing operation can be performed through the 3D printer's operation interface.

[0069] When the 3D printer starts printing, the third drive mechanism moves the stage to the initial printing position (i.e., the working position), so that the initial printing point is located on the stage; at this time, the two grippers of the clamping unit of the support mechanism are located on both sides of the initial printing point. If the 3D printer is not equipped with a third drive mechanism, the operator can manually place the stage in the initial printing position.

[0070] Next, the first drive mechanism drives the first print head to move towards the stage to the first preset position, so that the nozzle of the first print head is aligned with the initial printing point; then, the first print head sprays the first printing material onto the stage, while the first drive mechanism controls the first print head to move according to the outline of the product to be printed.

[0071] When the height of the portion of the product printed by the first printhead on the stage reaches a preset height (preferably 3 mm to 6 mm), the drive unit of the support mechanism drives the two grippers of the clamping unit to move towards each other to clamp the printed portion of the product. Considering the irregular shape of the product's side surface, an auxiliary structure can be provided on the side of the product according to its side profile to ensure reliable clamping and fixation. This auxiliary structure can be set during the product slicing process and participates in the slicing process simultaneously. Furthermore, the auxiliary structure is printed by the first printhead and is completed before the printed portion of the product reaches the aforementioned preset height. The size of the auxiliary structure has two setting methods: a default setting and a user-defined setting. The default setting is a recommended value set by the slicing software based on the product's weight and / or the contact size between the product and the clamping unit. The user-defined setting is a size value set by the user according to their needs.

[0072] After the drive unit drives the clamping unit to clamp and fix the printed portion of the product, the third drive mechanism drives the stage to move along the Y-axis to the release position, placing the stage outside the printing areas of the first and second printheads. During the stage movement, the printed portion of the product detaches from the stage. If the 3D printer does not have a third drive mechanism, a worker can manually remove the stage from the working position.

[0073] Next, the second drive mechanism drives the second printhead to move to the second preset position, positioning it below the printed portion of the product. Then, the second printhead ejects second printing material onto the bottom of the printed portion of the product, and the second drive mechanism controls the movement of the second printhead according to the contour of the product to be printed. During printing, the first and second printheads move in opposite directions along the Z-axis to perform layered printing until the product is printed. After printing, the first drive mechanism drives the first printhead to its initial position, and the second drive mechanism drives the second printhead to its initial position to complete the 3D printing of the product. Subsequently, the drive unit controlling the support mechanism drives the clamping unit to release the clamp on the product, removing it from the support mechanism. Once the product is removed from the support mechanism, if there are auxiliary structures on the product, these structures can be removed.

[0074] Second embodiment of the working method of a 3D printer

[0075] The working method of this embodiment can be applied to the 3D printer described in the third embodiment of the 3D printer. The working method includes:

[0076] First, slice the product to be printed using slicing software. After slicing, the 3D printer can be controlled to perform the printing operation through the slicing software; or the file generated after slicing can be copied or sent to the 3D printer, and then the printing operation can be performed through the 3D printer's operation interface.

[0077] When the 3D printer starts printing, the third drive mechanism moves the stage to the initial printing position (i.e., the working position), so that the initial printing point is located on the stage; at this time, the two grippers of the clamping unit of the support mechanism are located on both sides of the initial printing point. If the 3D printer is not equipped with a third drive mechanism, the operator can manually place the stage in the initial printing position.

[0078] Next, the first drive mechanism drives the first print head to move to the third preset position, so that the nozzle of the first print head is aligned with the initial print point. The second drive mechanism drives the second print head to move to the fourth preset position. Preferably, when the second print head is in the fourth preset position, the nozzle of the second print head is also aligned with the initial print point.

[0079] Next, the first print head ejects the first printing material onto the stage, while the first drive mechanism controls the movement of the first print head according to the contour of the product to be printed; and the second print head ejects the second printing material onto the stage, while the second drive mechanism controls the movement of the second print head according to the contour of the product to be printed. To ensure better adhesion between the two printed layers during the initial printing, the first and second print heads preferably move coaxially during the initial printing phase. That is, the initial printed layers ejected by the first and second print heads on both sides of the stage are formed simultaneously. When a certain layer thickness is reached, the first and second print heads stop moving coaxially. Preferably, after both the first and second print heads have completed their first printed layers, they can then move non-coaxially.

[0080] When the height of the portion of the product printed by the first printhead on the stage reaches a preset height (preferably 3 mm to 6 mm), the drive unit of the support mechanism drives the two grippers of the clamping unit to move towards each other to clamp the printed portion of the product. Considering the irregular shape of the product's side surface, an auxiliary structure can be provided on the side of the product according to its side profile to ensure reliable clamping and fixing of the printed portion. This auxiliary structure can be set during the product slicing process and participates in the slicing process simultaneously. Furthermore, the auxiliary structure is printed by the first printhead and is completed before the printed portion reaches the preset height. The size of the auxiliary structure has two settings: a default setting and a user-defined setting. The default setting is a recommended value set by the slicing software based on the product's weight and / or the contact size between the product and the clamping unit. The user-defined setting is a size value set by the user according to their needs. Of course, in this embodiment, if the stage is sufficient to support the entire weight of the product, the support mechanism will also control the clamping unit to clamp and fix the printed portion of the product.

[0081] After the first and second printheads work together to print the product, the first drive mechanism drives the first printhead to move to the initial position, and the second drive mechanism drives the second printhead to move to the dehumidification position. If the clamping unit of the support mechanism clamps the product, the drive unit of the support mechanism drives the clamping unit to release the clamping unit from the product.

[0082] Next, the operator can directly remove the stage and the product on it from the third drive mechanism. Alternatively, if the 3D printer has a third drive mechanism, the stage can be moved out of the working position first, and then the stage and product can be removed from the third mechanism, making removal easier. If the 3D printer does not have a third drive mechanism, the operator can directly remove the stage and product from the frame. After removing the stage and product, the stage and its auxiliary structures can be dismantled.

[0083] Finally, it should be emphasized that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can have various changes and modifications. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. The working method of a 3D printer, characterized by: The 3D printer includes: frame; A stage, which is mounted on a frame; The 3D printer is characterized in that it further includes: The first print head is disposed above the stage; The second print head is disposed below the stage; A first drive mechanism is mounted on the frame and can drive the first print head to move relative to the stage. A second drive mechanism is mounted on the frame and can drive the second print head to move relative to the stage. The support mechanism includes a clamping unit and a first driving unit. The first driving unit is mounted on the frame and can drive the clamping unit to move relative to the platform. The first driving unit can also drive the clamping unit to switch between a clamping state and a releasing state. The control system is electrically connected to the first print head, the second print head, the first drive mechanism, the second drive mechanism, and the support mechanism, respectively. The working method includes: After the first driving mechanism drives the first print head to move to a first preset position, the first print head begins to spray the first printing consumable onto the stage. When the height of the first portion of the product printed by the first print head reaches a preset height, the first driving unit drives the clamping unit to clamp the first portion of the product, moves the stage so that the stage is outside the printing area of ​​the first print head and the second print head, and detaches the first portion of the product from the stage. After the second driving mechanism drives the second print head to move to a second preset position, the second print head begins to spray the second printing consumable onto the first portion of the product, and the first print head continues to spray the first printing consumable onto the first portion of the product until the printing of the required first product is completed. When the printing of the first product is completed, the first driving mechanism drives the first print head to reset, the second driving mechanism drives the second print head to reset, and the first driving unit drives the clamping unit to release the clamping unit from the first product; or When the stage is in the shape of a thin sheet, the first driving mechanism drives the first print head to move to the third preset position, and then the first print head begins to spray the third printing consumable onto the stage. The second driving mechanism drives the second print head to move to the fourth preset position, and then the second print head begins to spray the fourth printing consumable onto the stage, until the printing of the required second product is completed. When the printing of the second product is completed, the first driving mechanism drives the first print head to reset, and the second driving mechanism drives the second print head to reset.

2. The working method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The jetting pressure of the second printhead is greater than that of the first printhead.

3. The working method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The curing speed of the printing consumable ejected by the second printhead is greater than that of the printing consumable ejected by the first printhead.

4. The working method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The 3D printer further includes a cooling and curing mechanism, which is electrically connected to the control system. The cooling and curing mechanism is located at the second print head, and the second drive mechanism can drive the cooling and curing mechanism to move synchronously with the second print head; and / or The printing consumables used in the second printhead include a curing accelerator.

5. The working method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second drive mechanism can also drive the second printhead to rotate relative to the clamping unit.

6. The working method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping unit includes two grippers, and the first driving unit can drive the two grippers to move towards or away from each other.

7. The working method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stage has a working position and a release position. When the stage is in the working position, the projections of the first printing nozzle and the second printing nozzle are both located on the stage in the Z-axis direction of the 3D printer. When the stage is in the release position, the projections of the first printing nozzle and the second printing nozzle are both located outside the stage in the Z-axis direction. The 3D printer also includes a third drive mechanism, which is electrically connected to the control system and is mounted on the frame. The third drive mechanism can drive the stage to move between the working position and the release position.

8. The working method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The stage is sheet-shaped and made of PLA or ABS material; and / or The support surface of the stage is coated with an easy-release coating.

9. The working method according to claim 8, characterized in that: When the stage is in the shape of a thin sheet, a through hole is provided on the stage, and the through hole penetrates the stage along the thickness direction of the stage. The diameter of the through hole is between 0.28 and 1.2 times the diameter of the extruded printing filament.

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