A multi-material continuous solidification forming apparatus and method
By using a multi-material continuous curing molding device and method, the problem of printing multiple materials simultaneously in 3D printing has been solved, enabling the diversification of material properties and efficient splicing, while reducing costs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-03-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-15
AI Technical Summary
Existing 3D printing technology has difficulty printing multiple materials simultaneously, resulting in materials with limited properties that cannot meet various performance requirements. Furthermore, there is a problem that mixing materials can lead to performance degradation.
The multi-material continuous curing and forming device includes an integrated feeding and scraper device, a feeding belt, a pretreatment platform, and a forming platform. It achieves continuous feeding and forming of multiple materials through a recyclable feeding belt and a downward-facing light source. The pretreatment platform removes redundant materials, and the forming platform rotates to splice the materials.
It enables simultaneous printing of multiple materials, avoids material mixing, improves printing efficiency, saves time and equipment costs, and meets various performance requirements.
Smart Images
Figure CN116277941B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of 3D printing, specifically relating to a multi-material continuous curing molding apparatus and method. Background Technology
[0002] 3D printing has become a major research hotspot in recent years. Researchers in this field have made great progress in developing new materials, designing new structures, and finding new applications. However, most of these achievements involve printing with a single material. While single-material printing can produce high-performance samples, the material is limited, with identical properties and characteristics. Moreover, the same material has the same drawbacks, meaning a product can only have one characteristic, making it difficult to meet the diverse performance requirements of a product. In contrast, multi-material printing allows for the combination of various material properties, solving many problems with different performance requirements. Furthermore, printing multiple materials simultaneously can save time and equipment costs, improving the efficiency of the entire printing process.
[0003] Therefore, designing a method and equipment that can print multiple materials simultaneously is the key issue. At the same time, the design also needs to meet the following requirements: be able to add multiple resin materials in the same process, remove redundant materials before resin molding to facilitate molding, avoid mixing multiple materials to reduce performance, and realize the splicing of multiple materials. Summary of the Invention
[0004] This invention provides a multi-material continuous curing molding apparatus and method, which can simultaneously print multiple materials, and can also add multiple resin materials in the same process, remove redundant materials before resin molding to facilitate molding, avoid mixing multiple materials to reduce performance, and realize the splicing of multiple materials.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:
[0006] A multi-material continuous curing molding device includes: an integrated feeding and scraping device, a feeding belt, a pretreatment platform, a molding platform, and a lower-mounted light source. The entire structure can be divided into three parts: upper, middle, and lower. The upper part includes the integrated feeding and scraping device, the pretreatment platform, and the molding platform, located above the feeding belt. The pretreatment platform and the molding platform are located on the right side of the whole and are sequentially installed above the feeding belt. The shape of the pretreatment platform is consistent with the shape to be pretreated, generally square; the shape of the molding platform is consistent with the shape to be molded, generally circular. The pretreatment platform and the molding platform are liftable. The middle layer includes the feeding belt, which forms a closed loop from left to right. The lower part includes the lower-mounted light source.
[0007] In the device described above, the feeding belt is a recyclable feeding belt. The feeding belt is sent out from one side and returned from the other side, and the feeding process is continuous through repeated cycles. In addition, the feeding belt is made of a smooth material, which facilitates the recycling of excess material.
[0008] The integrated feeding and scraper device has a feeding port at the top and a scraper at the bottom, connected by a pipe in the middle. The scraper has a reserved hole as a discharge port. Resin material is added at the feeding port, and the resin material flows down the pipe in the device and out of the reserved hole in the middle of the scraper, completing the feeding. It forms a relative movement with the scraper and spreads the slurry evenly.
[0009] The forming platform is designed as a rotatable and lifting device. The pre-treated resin is transported to the bottom of the forming platform by the feeding belt. The lower light source shapes the remaining shape on the forming platform. The forming platform is then lifted and rotated at a corresponding angle to wait for the next material to be delivered, thus enabling the splicing of multiple materials.
[0010] A multi-material continuous curing molding method includes the following steps:
[0011] (1) Configure various resin materials as needed, add resin materials and mixed fillers to prepare a material with suitable viscosity that can be quickly removed after molding;
[0012] (2) Add the first type of resin material to the feeding hole, turn on the feeding belt, wait for the resin material to flow out, and the scraper moves relative to the feeding belt to complete the leveling of the resin material;
[0013] (3) The feeding belt continues to work, transporting the flattened resin material to the bottom of the pretreatment platform. The feeding belt stops, the pretreatment platform moves down to the feeding belt, and the lower light source emits light of a specific shape to form the material. After the forming is completed, the pretreatment platform moves up to move the formed part out together with the pretreatment platform substrate.
[0014] (4) The feeding belt continues to work, sending the remaining resin to the bottom of the molding worktable. The feeding belt stops, and the molding platform moves down to the feeding belt. The lower light source emits light of a specific shape to form the resin. After the molding is completed, the molding platform moves up to form the remaining resin onto the molding platform. The platform moves up and rotates at the same time to facilitate the molding of the next type of resin and splicing.
[0015] (5) The feeding belt continues to work, sending the next type of resin to the bottom of the molding platform. Steps (2)-(4) are repeated to finally achieve the molding of multiple materials.
[0016] Beneficial effects: This invention provides a multi-material continuous curing molding apparatus and method. The apparatus is based on a pretreatment platform to cure and remove redundant materials to achieve continuous molding of multiple materials without cleaning. It is based on a molding platform to achieve splicing of multiple materials after curing. It can meet the addition of multiple resin materials in the same process, remove redundant materials before resin molding to facilitate molding, avoid mixing multiple materials and reducing performance, and achieve splicing of multiple materials by rotating the molding platform. It solves the need for splicing multiple materials and greatly saves time and costs. Attached Figure Description
[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-material transfer forming platform structure in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-material transfer forming process in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated feeding and scraper device in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the preprocessing platform in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the forming platform in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] In the diagram: 1. Scraper, 2. Integrated feeding and scraper device, 3. Feeding belt, 4. Lower light source, 5. Pre-treatment platform, 6. Forming platform. Detailed Implementation
[0023] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments:
[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, a multi-material continuous curing molding device includes: an integrated feeding and scraping device, a feeding belt, a pretreatment platform, a forming platform, and a lower-mounted light source. The overall device can be divided into three parts: upper, middle, and lower. The upper layer includes the integrated feeding and scraping device, the pretreatment platform, and the forming platform. The integrated feeding and scraping device is located on the far left, above the feeding belt. The pretreatment platform and the forming platform are located on the right side of the device, sequentially installed above the feeding belt. The shape of the pretreatment platform is consistent with the shape to be pretreated, generally square; the shape of the forming platform is consistent with the shape to be formed, generally circular. The pretreatment platform and the forming platform are liftable. The middle layer includes the feeding belt, which forms a closed loop from left to right. The lower layer includes the lower-mounted light source. Figure 2The entire process is as follows: Resin material is extruded onto a feeding belt using an integrated feeding and scraper device. The resin material is spread out by the relative movement of the scraper and the feeding belt. The feeding belt delivers the resin to a pretreatment platform. A downward-facing light source shapes the resin onto the pretreatment platform. After shaping, the pretreatment platform is lifted to remove excess material to be peeled off. The feeding belt continues to transport the remaining resin material to a forming platform. The downward-facing light source shapes the resin material onto the forming platform. The forming platform is lifted to complete the shaping of one material. Then, the forming platform rotates to await the shaping of the next material, ultimately achieving the splicing and shaping of multiple materials.
[0025] The feeder belt is designed for continuous feeding. It is sent out from one end and returned from the other end, and the feeding process is continuous. The feeder belt is made of a smooth material, which facilitates the recycling of excess material.
[0026] like Figure 3 As shown, a specially designed integrated scraper and feeding system is adopted. Resin material is added to the feeding port, and the resin material flows down the pipe in the device and flows out from the reserved hole in the middle of the scraper, thus completing the feeding. It forms a relative movement with the scraper and spreads the slurry evenly.
[0027] like Figure 4 As shown, by designing a pre-processing platform, excess resin is shaped onto the platform using a downward-facing light source. This facilitates the transport of the remaining resin of a specified shape to the forming platform for further shaping, helping to remove redundant resin in advance and improving the efficiency of splicing multiple materials.
[0028] like Figure 5 As shown, the molding platform is designed as a rotatable and lifting device. The pre-treated resin is transported to the bottom of the molding platform by the feeding belt. The lower light source shapes the remaining shape on the molding platform. The molding platform is lifted and rotated at the corresponding angle to wait for the next material to be delivered, so as to splice multiple materials.
[0029] The molding method using the above-mentioned apparatus includes the following steps:
[0030] (1) Prepare a variety of resin materials, add resin materials and mixed fillers to prepare a material with suitable viscosity that can be quickly removed after molding.
[0031] (2) Add the first type of resin material to the feeding hole, turn on the feeding belt, wait for the resin material to flow out, and the scraper moves relative to the feeding belt to complete the leveling of the resin material.
[0032] (3) The feeding belt continues to work, transporting the flattened resin material to the bottom of the pretreatment platform. The feeding belt stops, and the pretreatment platform moves down to the feeding belt. After the lower light source is formed, the pretreatment platform moves up and moves the formed part out together with the pretreatment platform substrate.
[0033] (4) The feeding belt continues to work, sending the remaining resin to the bottom of the molding worktable. The feeding belt stops, and the molding platform moves down to the feeding belt. After the bottom light source is molded, the molding platform moves up to mold the remaining resin to the molding platform. The platform moves up and rotates at the same time to facilitate the molding of the next type of resin and splicing.
[0034] (5) The feeding belt continues to work, sending the next type of resin to the bottom of the molding platform, and repeating steps (2)-(4) to finally achieve the molding of multiple materials.
[0035] This invention designs a method and equipment that can simultaneously print multiple materials, while also enabling the addition of multiple resin materials in the same process, removing redundant materials before resin molding to facilitate molding, avoiding the performance degradation caused by mixing multiple materials, and realizing the splicing of multiple materials.
[0036] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are included within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method for continuous curing and molding of multiple materials, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Configure various resin materials as needed, add resin materials and mixed fillers to prepare a material with suitable viscosity that can be quickly removed after molding; (2) Add the first type of resin material to the feed port, turn on the feed belt, wait for the resin material to flow out, and the scraper moves relative to the feed belt to complete the leveling of the resin material; (3) The feeding belt continues to work, transporting the flattened resin material to the bottom of the pretreatment platform. The feeding belt stops, the pretreatment platform moves down to the feeding belt, and the lower light source emits light of a specific shape to form the material. After the forming is completed, the pretreatment platform moves up to remove the redundant material to be peeled off along with the pretreatment platform substrate. (4) The feeding belt continues to work, sending the remaining resin to the bottom of the molding worktable. The feeding belt stops, and the molding platform moves down to the feeding belt. The lower light source emits light of a specific shape to form the resin. After the molding is completed, the molding platform moves up to form the remaining resin onto the molding platform. The platform moves up and rotates at the same time to facilitate the molding of the next type of resin and splicing. (5) The feeding belt continues to work, sending the next type of resin to the bottom of the molding platform. Steps (2)-(4) are repeated to finally achieve the molding of multiple materials.
2. The multi-material continuous curing and molding apparatus used in the method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, include: Integrated feeding and scraper device, feeding belt, pretreatment platform, forming platform, and bottom-mounted light source; The integrated feeding and scraper device, the pretreatment platform, and the forming platform are sequentially installed above the feeding belt. The pretreatment platform is liftable; the forming platform is rotatable and liftable; and the lower light source is installed below the feeding belt. The overall device is divided into three layers: upper, middle and lower. The upper layer includes three parts installed from left to right: an integrated feeding and scraping device, a pre-treatment platform, and a forming platform. The middle layer includes a feeding belt that moves from left to right to form a closed loop. The lower layer includes a bottom-mounted light source.
3. The multi-material continuous curing and molding apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The feeding belt is a reusable feeding belt.
4. The multi-material continuous curing and molding apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The feed belt is made of a smooth material.
5. The multi-material continuous curing and forming apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The integrated feeding and scraper device has a feeding port at the top and a scraper at the bottom, connected by a pipe in the middle. The scraper has a reserved hole as a discharge port.
6. The multi-material continuous curing and molding apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pretreatment platform and the forming platform are height-adjustable.
7. The multi-material continuous curing and molding apparatus according to claim 2 or 6, characterized in that, The forming platform is rotatable.
8. The multi-material continuous curing and molding apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The shape of the pretreatment platform is consistent with the shape to be pretreated; the shape of the forming platform is consistent with the shape to be formed.