A cooling system and a cooling method for an electron beam fuse additive manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of additive manufacturing, in particular to a cooling system and a cooling method for an electron beam fused filament additive manufacturing device. The cooling system provided by the application comprises a first cooling piece, a second cooling piece, a third cooling piece and a fourth cooling piece. The base plate of the first cooling piece is clamped with the cooling workbench through a clamping groove and a boss, the contact area of the base plate and the cooling workbench is increased, and the heat dissipation effect of the base plate is improved. The cooling cover of the second cooling piece is arranged in the area where the electron beam melts the filament, and the area where the electron beam melts the filament is cooled. The third cooling piece is used for following cooling of a red-hot area after forming. The fourth cooling piece cools the vacuum chamber by injecting liquid cooling medium into the liquid cooling chamber. The cooling system provided by the application improves the heat dissipation capacity in the electron beam fused filament deposition forming process. The cooling method provided by the application is based on the above cooling system, and therefore has the above technical effects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of additive manufacturing technology, and in particular to a cooling system and a cooling method for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment. Background Art

[0002] Metal additive manufacturing (AM) uses powder or wire as raw material, directly producing near-net-shape parts from digital part models to complex structural components through in-situ metallurgical melting and rapid solidification using a high-energy heat source. There are numerous types of AM technologies, including powder bed fusion (PBF) and directed energy deposition (DED) based on the material feed method. Based on the type of high-energy heat source, AM can be further categorized into laser AM, electron beam AM, and arc AM.

[0003] Electron beam fused wire additive manufacturing (EBFM) is a type of directed energy deposition (DED) technology. The forming process takes place in a vacuum environment, effectively preventing harmful impurities (such as oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen) from entering metal parts at high temperatures. This makes EBFM ideal for the manufacture of reactive metals such as titanium and aluminum. Due to the high output power of the electron beam heat source, EBFM offers advantages such as high production efficiency, high material utilization, and short manufacturing cycles.

[0004] However, the surface quality of electron beam fuse additive manufacturing is usually poor, and the grain structure is coarse and uneven, which is difficult to improve through subsequent heat treatment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application provides a cooling system and cooling method for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment, which can effectively solve the above or other potential technical problems.

[0006] A first aspect of the present application is to provide a cooling system for an electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device, the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device comprising a vacuum chamber, an electron gun and a wire feeding mechanism disposed within the vacuum chamber, the cooling system comprising a first cooling member, a second cooling member, a third cooling member and a fourth cooling member, the first cooling member, the second cooling member and the third cooling member being all disposed within the vacuum chamber, the fourth cooling member comprising a liquid cooling shell, the inner cavity of which constitutes the vacuum chamber; the first cooling member comprising a cooling workbench and a base plate, the base plate and the cooling workbench being engaged with a boss via a slot; the second cooling member comprising a cooling cover, the cooling cover being connected to the electron gun and covering an area where the electron beam melts the wire; the third cooling member comprising a robotic arm and a cooling tip disposed at the end of the robotic arm, the robotic arm following the movement of the electron gun to provide contact cooling to the red-hot area after forming; a liquid cooling chamber being defined within the shell wall of the liquid cooling shell, the vacuum chamber being cooled by injecting a liquid cooling medium into the liquid cooling chamber.

[0007] The cooling system for electron beam fused wire additive manufacturing equipment provided in an embodiment of the present application includes a first cooling member, a second cooling member, a third cooling member and a fourth cooling member, wherein the first cooling member, the second cooling member and the third cooling member are all arranged in the vacuum chamber, and the fourth cooling member includes a liquid cooling shell, the inner cavity of the liquid cooling shell constitutes the vacuum chamber. The first cooling member includes a cooling workbench and a substrate, and the substrate and the cooling workbench are clamped together by a slot and a boss. The clamping of the slot and the boss can effectively increase the contact area between the substrate and the cooling workbench, thereby better improving the heat dissipation effect of the substrate. At the same time, the second cooling member includes a cooling cover, which is connected to the electron gun and is arranged to cover the area where the electron beam melts the wire, so that the area where the electron beam melts the wire can be cooled. The third cooling element includes a robotic arm and a cooling tip disposed at the end of the robotic arm. The robotic arm follows the movement of the electron gun, providing contact cooling to the red-hot area after forming, thereby achieving follow-up cooling of the red-hot area after forming. The shell wall of the liquid-cooled shell includes a liquid-cooled chamber, into which a liquid cooling medium is injected to cool the vacuum chamber. The first, second, third, and fourth cooling elements facilitate effectively improving the heat dissipation capacity during the electron beam fuse deposition forming process during additive manufacturing.

[0008] In an optional embodiment according to the first aspect, a first liquid cooling chamber and a first liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet are provided in the cooling workbench at opposite ends of the first liquid cooling chamber; and a liquid cooling channel is provided on the substrate.

[0009] In an optional embodiment according to the first aspect, a plurality of first heat-conducting metal parts are arranged at intervals in the first liquid-cooling cavity, one end of the first heat-conducting metal part is connected to the top wall of the first liquid-cooling cavity close to the substrate, and the other end extends toward the bottom wall of the first liquid-cooling cavity away from the substrate.

[0010] In an optional embodiment according to the first aspect, a second liquid cooling cavity is provided on the inner side of the wall panel of the cooling cover, and the second liquid cooling cavity is a cavity surrounding the inner wall of the cooling cover.

[0011] In an optional embodiment according to the first aspect, the cooling cover is a copper cover, and an inner side wall of the copper cover is provided with a tungsten layer.

[0012] In an optional embodiment according to the first aspect, the robotic arm is a six-axis robotic arm; the cooling end includes a vibration controller, a steering shaft, a contact layer, a third liquid cooling chamber, and a third liquid inlet pipe and a third liquid outlet pipe connected to the third liquid cooling chamber; the contact layer is arranged on the outside of the third liquid cooling chamber for contacting the red-hot area after forming; the steering shaft is connected to the cooling end to drive the cooling end to rotate so as to fit the deposited parts with an inclined angle; the vibration controller is connected to the cooling end to drive the cooling end to vibrate so that the contact layer intermittently contacts or moves away from the deposited parts.

[0013] In an optional embodiment according to the first aspect, the cooling system for the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment further includes an infrared temperature monitoring device, which is arranged on the inner wall of the vacuum chamber.

[0014] In an optional embodiment according to the first aspect, the cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment also includes a control device, which is connected to the infrared temperature monitoring device and the third cooling member; when the infrared temperature monitoring device detects that the temperature of the red-hot area is higher than or equal to a first preset temperature value, the control device controls the contact layer of the third cooling member to intermittently contact or move away from the deposited part to cool the deposited part; when the infrared temperature monitoring device detects that the temperature of the red-hot area is lower than a second preset temperature value, the control device controls the third cooling member to move away from the red-hot area after forming; wherein, the first preset temperature value is greater than the second preset temperature value.

[0015] In an optional embodiment according to the first aspect, the liquid-cooled shell includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall connecting the top wall and the bottom wall; the top wall has a top wall liquid cooling cavity and a top wall liquid inlet and a top wall liquid outlet connected to the top wall liquid cooling cavity; the bottom wall has a bottom wall liquid cooling cavity and a bottom wall liquid inlet and a bottom wall liquid outlet connected to the bottom wall liquid cooling cavity; the side wall has a side wall liquid cooling cavity and a side wall liquid inlet and a side wall liquid outlet connected to the side wall liquid cooling cavity; the fourth cooling component also includes a high-temperature resistant black coating applied to the inner side wall of the liquid cooling shell.

[0016] A second aspect of the present application further provides a cooling method, which is based on the above-mentioned cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment, comprising:

[0017] Processing a substrate and a liquid cooling workbench, and cooperating and installing the substrate and the cooling workbench;

[0018] Turning on a first cooling member, a second cooling member, a third cooling member, and a fourth cooling member of the cooling system for the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device, and evacuating the vacuum chamber;

[0019] The electron gun of the additive manufacturing equipment emits an electron beam to melt the wire material on the surface of the substrate; the first cooling member cools the melted wire material on the substrate; the second cooling member cools along with the electron gun; the mechanical arm of the third cooling member follows the movement of the electron gun, and the cooling end of the third cooling member contacts and cools the red-hot area after forming;

[0020] Electron beam additive manufacturing deposition is performed layer by layer until the part is completed.

[0021] The cooling method provided in the embodiments of the present application is based on the above-mentioned cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment, and therefore also has the above-mentioned technical effect of facilitating the effective improvement of the heat dissipation capacity and the reduction of the temperature during the electron beam fuse deposition forming process during the additive manufacturing process.

[0022] Advantages of additional aspects of the present application will be given in part in the following description, and in part will become apparent from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present application will become more readily understood through the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which various embodiments of the present application are illustrated by way of example and not limitation, wherein:

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a cooling system for an electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a cooling workbench for a cooling system for an electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a substrate for a cooling system of an electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a liquid cooling channel provided on a substrate of a cooling system for an electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a cooling end head of a cooling system for an electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 6 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a cooling hood of a cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0030] Description of reference numerals:

[0031] 100. Cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment; 1. Electron gun; 2. Vacuum chamber; 3. Wire feed mechanism; 4. Cooling table; 401. Boss; 402. First heat-conducting metal member; 5. Base plate; 501. Slot; 502. Liquid cooling channel; 6. Robot arm; 7. Cooling tip; 701. Third liquid inlet pipe; 702. Third liquid outlet pipe; 703. Third liquid cooling chamber; 704. Vibration controller; 705. Second heat-conducting metal member; 706. Contact layer; 707. Rotating Toward axis; 8. Cooling cover; 801. Second liquid cooling chamber; 802. Tungsten layer; 9. Infrared temperature monitoring device; 10. Top wall liquid cooling chamber; 11. High temperature resistant black coating; 12. Top wall liquid inlet; 13. Top wall liquid outlet; 14. Left side wall liquid inlet; 15. Left side wall liquid outlet; 16. Right side wall liquid inlet; 17. Right side wall liquid outlet; 18. Bottom wall liquid inlet; 19. Bottom wall liquid outlet; 20. Channel liquid inlet; 21. Channel liquid outlet; 22. First liquid inlet; 23. First liquid outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following describes in detail embodiments of the present application, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application.

[0033] It should be understood that the following embodiments do not limit the execution order of the steps in the method protected by the present application. The steps of the method of the present application can be executed in any possible order and in a cyclic manner without conflict.

[0034] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0035] 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 the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0036] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two elements or interaction between two elements, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on specific circumstances.

[0037] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and features of different embodiments or examples without contradiction.

[0038] Metal additive manufacturing (AM) uses powder or wire as raw material, directly producing near-net-shape parts from digital part models to complex structures through in-situ metallurgical melting and rapid solidification using a high-energy heat source. There are numerous types of metal AM technologies, including powder bed fusion (PBF) and directed energy deposition (DED) based on the material feed method. Based on the type of high-energy beam heat source, they can be further categorized as laser AM, electron beam AM, and arc AM. Electron beam fuse AM (EBFAM), a type of DED, operates in a vacuum environment, effectively preventing harmful impurities (such as oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen) from entering the metal parts at high temperatures. This makes it ideal for the manufacture of reactive metals such as titanium and aluminum. Due to the high output power of the electron beam heat source, EBFAM offers advantages such as high production efficiency, high material utilization, and short manufacturing cycles. However, EBFAM typically produces poor surface quality and a coarse and uneven grain structure, making it difficult to improve with subsequent heat treatment.

[0039] Research has found that this is due to the high energy density of the electron beam itself and the fact that the EBM process is performed in a vacuum environment. Parts dissipate heat primarily through radiation and conduction in contact with the substrate, without convection. This makes heat dissipation difficult. When the number of deposited layers increases, heat gradually accumulates, making it more difficult to dissipate heat at the top of the deposited layer compared to at the bottom. This can easily lead to poor surface quality and uneven internal structure in the part. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to improve heat dissipation and reduce temperatures during the EBM process.

[0040] In view of this, a first aspect of the present application is to provide a cooling system for an electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device, the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device including a vacuum chamber and an electron gun and a wire feeding mechanism disposed in the vacuum chamber, the cooling system for the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device including a first cooling member, a second cooling member, a third cooling member, and a fourth cooling member, the first cooling member, the second cooling member, and the third cooling member are all disposed in the vacuum chamber, the fourth cooling member includes a liquid cooling shell, the inner cavity of the liquid cooling shell constitutes the vacuum chamber; the first cooling member includes a cooling workbench and a base plate, the base plate and the cooling workbench are clamped to the boss via a slot; the second cooling member includes a cooling cover, the cooling cover is connected to the electron gun and is disposed over the area where the electron beam melts the wire; the third cooling member includes a robotic arm and a cooling tip disposed at the end of the robotic arm, the robotic arm follows the movement of the electron gun to contact cool the red-hot area after forming; the shell wall of the liquid cooling shell has a liquid cooling chamber, and the vacuum chamber is cooled by injecting a liquid cooling medium into the liquid cooling chamber.

[0041] The cooling system for electron beam fused wire additive manufacturing equipment provided in an embodiment of the present application includes a first cooling member, a second cooling member, a third cooling member and a fourth cooling member, wherein the first cooling member, the second cooling member and the third cooling member are all arranged in the vacuum chamber, and the fourth cooling member includes a liquid cooling shell, the inner cavity of the liquid cooling shell constitutes the vacuum chamber. The first cooling member includes a cooling workbench and a substrate, and the substrate and the cooling workbench are clamped together by a slot and a boss. The clamping of the slot and the boss can effectively increase the contact area between the substrate and the cooling workbench, thereby better improving the heat dissipation effect of the substrate. At the same time, the second cooling member includes a cooling cover, which is connected to the electron gun and is arranged to cover the area where the electron beam melts the wire, so that the area where the electron beam melts the wire can be cooled. The third cooling element includes a robotic arm and a cooling tip disposed at the end of the robotic arm. The robotic arm follows the movement of the electron gun, providing contact cooling to the red-hot area after forming, thereby achieving follow-up cooling of the red-hot area after forming. The liquid-cooled shell has a liquid-cooled chamber within its wall, and a liquid cooling medium is injected into the liquid-cooled chamber to cool the vacuum chamber. The first, second, third, and fourth cooling elements facilitate effectively improving the heat dissipation capacity and reducing the temperature during the electron beam fuse deposition forming process during additive manufacturing.

[0042] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 , the cooling system 100 for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment provided in an embodiment of the present application, the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment includes a vacuum chamber 2 and an electron gun 1 and a wire feeding mechanism 3 arranged in the vacuum chamber 2, the cooling system 100 for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment includes a first cooling member, a second cooling member, a third cooling member and a fourth cooling member, the first cooling member, the second cooling member and the third cooling member are all arranged in the vacuum chamber 2, the fourth cooling member includes a liquid cooling shell, the inner cavity of the liquid cooling shell constitutes the vacuum chamber 2; the first cooling member The component includes a cooling workbench 4 and a base plate 5, and the base plate 5 is engaged with the cooling workbench 4 through a slot 501 and a boss 401; the second cooling component includes a cooling cover 8, which is connected to the electron gun 1 and covers the area where the electron beam melts the wire; the third cooling component includes a robotic arm and a cooling end 7 arranged at the end of the robotic arm, and the robotic arm follows the movement of the electron gun 1 to contact cool the red-hot area after forming; the shell wall of the liquid-cooled shell has a liquid cooling chamber, and the vacuum chamber is cooled by injecting liquid cooling medium into the liquid cooling chamber.

[0043] It should be noted that the cooling system 100 for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a first cooling member, a second cooling member, a third cooling member and a fourth cooling member. The first cooling member, the second cooling member and the third cooling member are all arranged in the vacuum chamber 2. The fourth cooling member includes a liquid cooling shell, and the inner cavity of the liquid cooling shell constitutes the vacuum chamber 2. The first cooling member includes a cooling table 4 and a substrate 5. The substrate 5 and the cooling table 4 are clamped with the boss 401 through a slot 501. The clamping of the slot 501 and the boss 401 can effectively increase the contact area between the substrate 5 and the cooling table 4, thereby better improving the heat dissipation effect of the substrate 5. At the same time, the second cooling member includes a cooling cover 8, which is connected to the electron gun 1 and is arranged to cover the area where the electron beam melts the wire, so that the area where the electron beam melts the wire can be cooled. The third cooling element includes a robotic arm and a cooling tip 7 disposed at the end of the robotic arm. The robotic arm follows the movement of the electron gun 1, providing contact cooling to the red-hot area after forming, thereby achieving follow-up cooling of the red-hot area after forming. The shell wall of the liquid-cooled shell has a liquid-cooled chamber, into which a liquid cooling medium is injected to cool the vacuum chamber 2. The above-mentioned first, second, third, and fourth cooling elements facilitate effectively improving the heat dissipation capacity and reducing the temperature during the electron beam fuse deposition forming process during additive manufacturing.

[0044] Specifically, in this embodiment, the area where the electron beam melts the wire specifically refers to the molten pool of the deposition process and the small area around it, that is, the size of the cooling cover 8 can cover the molten pool of the deposition process and the small area around it, thereby improving the heat dissipation capacity, while also improving the lateral heat dissipation conditions of the formed part and reducing the anisotropy of the formed part.

[0045] Specifically, in this embodiment, the base plate 5 is provided with a plurality of slots 501 , which are arranged at equal intervals. Accordingly, the cooling table 4 is provided with a plurality of bosses 401 that match the slots 501 .

[0046] It should be noted that the substrate 5 and the cooling table 4 are engaged via the engaging grooves 501 and the bosses 401. This engagement effectively increases the contact area between the substrate 5 and the cooling table 4, thereby further enhancing the heat dissipation effect of the substrate 5. Furthermore, the engagement between the substrate 5 and the cooling table 4 via the engaging grooves 501 and the bosses 401 also serves to position and secure the substrate 5, thereby ensuring the stability of the substrate 5 installation.

[0047] In an optional exemplary embodiment, a first liquid cooling cavity and a first liquid inlet 22 and a first liquid outlet 23 are provided in the cooling workbench 4 at opposite ends of the first liquid cooling cavity; and a liquid cooling channel 502 is provided on the base plate 5 .

[0048] It should be noted that, specifically, in this embodiment, the cooling workbench 4 is provided with a first liquid cooling chamber and a first liquid inlet 22 and a first liquid outlet 23 provided at opposite ends of the first liquid cooling chamber. During use, the liquid cooling medium enters the first liquid cooling chamber through the first liquid inlet 22 and flows out of the first liquid cooling chamber through the first liquid outlet 23, thereby achieving liquid cooling flow within the first liquid cooling chamber, thereby better achieving the cooling function of the cooling workbench 4, and further achieving cooling of the substrate 5. For example, in this embodiment, the liquid cooling medium may be cooling water.

[0049] It should also be noted that a liquid cooling channel 502 is provided on the substrate 5 for dissipating heat and cooling the substrate 5. The figure also briefly shows the channel liquid inlet 20 and the channel liquid outlet 21 of the liquid cooling channel 502.

[0050] Specifically, in this embodiment, the thickness of the substrate 5 can be set to be greater than or equal to 20 mm. When the thickness of the substrate 5 is 20 mm to 45 mm, a rectangular groove with a width of 15 mm and a height of 10 mm can be processed on the bottom of the substrate 5, with a spacing of 15 mm between the grooves. The multiple rectangular grooves are distributed in a matrix. Based on this embodiment of size, the liquid cooling channel 502 can be omitted.

[0051] When the thickness of the substrate 5 is 45 mm to 80 mm, a groove identical to that of the substrate 5 with a thickness of 20 mm to 45 mm can be processed at the bottom of the substrate 5. In an embodiment of this size, a liquid cooling channel 502 can be provided on the substrate 5, and the diameter of the liquid cooling channel 502 can be set to 15 mm.

[0052] In an optional exemplary embodiment, a plurality of first heat-conducting metal parts 402 are arranged in an interval manner in the first liquid-cooling cavity. One end of the first heat-conducting metal part 402 is connected to the top wall of the first liquid-cooling cavity close to the substrate 5, and the other end extends toward the bottom wall of the first liquid-cooling cavity away from the substrate 5.

[0053] It should be noted that, specifically, in this embodiment, a plurality of first heat-conducting metal parts 402 are arranged at intervals in the first liquid-cooling cavity. One end of the first heat-conducting metal part 402 is connected to the top wall of the first liquid-cooling cavity close to the substrate 5, and the other end extends toward the bottom wall of the first liquid-cooling cavity away from the substrate 5. The provision of the first heat-conducting metal part 402 can increase the contact area of ​​the internal cooling water and further improve the heat dissipation effect.

[0054] Specifically, in this embodiment, the first heat-conducting member is a copper sheet, which has good thermal conductivity and can effectively transfer heat from the substrate 5 on its top to the bottom, and then contact the liquid-cooling medium in the first liquid-cooling chamber, further improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0055] In an optional exemplary embodiment, a second liquid cooling cavity 801 is provided on the inner side of the wall plate of the cooling cover 8 , and the second liquid cooling cavity 801 is an annular cavity surrounding the inner wall of the cooling cover 8 .

[0056] It should be noted that, specifically, a second liquid cooling cavity 801 is provided on the inner side of the wall panel of the cooling cover 8. The second liquid cooling cavity 801 is an annular cavity surrounding the inner wall of the cooling cover 8, which facilitates cooling and dissipating the heat in the area covered by the cooling cover 8.

[0057] In an optional exemplary embodiment, the cooling cover 8 is a copper cover, and a tungsten layer 802 is provided on the inner side wall of the copper cover.

[0058] It should be noted that, specifically, in this embodiment, the cooling shroud 8 is made of copper, fully utilizing copper's relatively good thermal conductivity. A tungsten layer 802 is provided on the inner sidewall of the copper shroud. While copper has good thermal conductivity, it can be locally melted or damaged by electron bombardment. Depositing a tungsten coating on the inner surface of the copper shroud ensures heat dissipation efficiency while improving its durability, thereby effectively extending the service life of the cooling shroud 8.

[0059] For example, in this embodiment, the thickness of the tungsten layer 802 deposited on the inner sidewall of the copper cap may be set to 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm.

[0060] Specifically, the specific operation process can be to first roughen the inside of the copper cover by sandblasting, then remove surface impurities by ultrasonic cleaning or the like, and then perform vacuum plasma spraying of the tungsten layer 802 .

[0061] In an optional exemplary embodiment, the robotic arm is a six-axis robotic arm; the cooling end head 7 includes a vibration controller 704, a steering shaft 707, a contact layer 706, a third liquid cooling chamber 703, and a third liquid inlet pipe 701 and a third liquid outlet pipe 702 connected to the third liquid cooling chamber 703; the contact layer 706 is arranged on the outside of the third liquid cooling chamber 703 for contacting the red-hot area after forming; the steering shaft 707 is connected to the cooling end head 7 to drive the cooling end head 7 to rotate so as to fit the deposited parts with an inclined angle; the vibration controller 704 is connected to the cooling end head 7 to drive the cooling end head 7 to vibrate so that the contact layer 706 intermittently contacts or moves away from the deposited parts.

[0062] It should be noted that, specifically, in this embodiment, the robotic arm is configured as a six-axis robotic arm. A six-axis robotic arm is a robotic arm with six axes, each of which is a joint, allowing the robotic arm to move and rotate in different ways. These six axes allow the robotic arm to move in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis planes, and can use rolling, pitching, and other movements for positioning. This function is suitable for simulating the complex movements of a human arm. Due to the six-axis robotic arm's good flexibility and strength, as well as a wide working range, it is convenient for the cooling end 7 to better cool the deposited parts from all angles.

[0063] In an optional exemplary embodiment, the number of the third cooling members may be one, two, or more.

[0064] In this embodiment, the number of third cooling members can be set to one to eight, that is, different numbers of third cooling members can be set in the vacuum chamber 2 according to the specific needs of the user, thereby achieving good follow-up contact cooling of the deposited parts.

[0065] The third cooling member includes a robotic arm and a cooling head 7 arranged at the end of the robotic arm, that is, one to eight six-axis robotic arms and a cooling head 7 arranged at the end of each six-axis robotic arm can be arranged in the vacuum chamber 2.

[0066] Illustratively, in this embodiment, there are two third cooling members, which are respectively placed on two opposite sides of the electron gun 1 .

[0067] Specifically, in this embodiment, the cooling end head 7 is configured to include a vibration controller 704, a steering shaft 707, a contact layer 706, a third liquid cooling chamber 703, and a third liquid inlet pipe 701 and a third liquid outlet pipe 702 connected to the third liquid cooling chamber 703; the contact layer 706 is arranged on the outside of the third liquid cooling chamber 703 for contacting the red-hot area after forming; the steering shaft 707 is connected to the cooling end head 7 to drive the cooling end head 7 to rotate so as to fit the deposited parts with an inclined angle; the vibration controller 704 is connected to the cooling end head 7 to drive the cooling end head 7 to vibrate so that the contact layer 706 intermittently contacts or moves away from the deposited parts, thereby achieving intermittent contact cooling of the deposited parts by the cooling end head 7.

[0068] Specifically, in this embodiment, a plurality of second heat-conducting metal parts 705 arranged at intervals are provided in the third liquid cooling chamber 703 , and one end of the second heat-conducting metal part 705 is connected to the top wall of the third liquid cooling chamber 703 , and the other end extends toward the bottom wall of the third liquid cooling chamber 703 .

[0069] It should be noted that, specifically, in this embodiment, a plurality of second heat-conducting metal parts 705 are arranged at intervals in the third liquid cooling chamber 703. The provision of the second heat-conducting metal parts 705 can increase the contact area of ​​the internal cooling water and further improve the heat dissipation effect.

[0070] Exemplarily, the second heat-conducting metal member 705 is a copper sheet.

[0071] It should be noted that the copper sheet has good thermal conductivity, which further improves the heat dissipation effect.

[0072] In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the material of the contact layer 706 may be titanium alloy, steel, copper, or the like.

[0073] It should be noted that the material of the contact layer 706 is a material that is resistant to high temperatures and does not react with the material of the deposited part. For example, for depositing steel parts, the contact layer 706 can be made of copper, and for depositing titanium alloy parts, the contact layer 706 can be made of graphite.

[0074] In an optional exemplary embodiment, the cooling system 100 for the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment further includes an infrared temperature monitoring device 9 , which is disposed on the inner wall of the vacuum chamber 2 .

[0075] It should be noted that, specifically, in this embodiment, an infrared temperature monitoring device 9 is provided, and the infrared temperature monitoring device 9 is provided on the inner wall of the vacuum chamber 2, so as to facilitate measurement and monitoring of the temperature in the vacuum chamber 2 and avoid the phenomenon of excessive temperature.

[0076] Specifically, in this embodiment, the cooling system 100 for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment also includes a control device, which is connected to the infrared temperature monitoring device 9 and the third cooling member; when the infrared temperature monitoring device 9 detects that the temperature of the red-hot zone is higher than or equal to a first preset temperature value, the control device controls the contact layer 706 of the third cooling member to intermittently contact or move away from the deposited part to cool the deposited part; when the infrared temperature monitoring device 9 detects that the temperature of the red-hot area is lower than a second preset temperature value, the control device controls the third cooling member to move away from the red-hot area after forming; wherein, the first preset temperature value is greater than the second preset temperature value.

[0077] It should be noted that, specifically, in the present embodiment, a control device is arranged and connected with the infrared temperature monitoring device 9 and the third cooling member. In use, when the infrared temperature monitoring device 9 detects that the temperature of the red-hot region is higher than or equal to a first preset temperature value, the control device controls the contact layer 706 of the third cooling member to intermittently contact or move away from the deposited part to cool the deposited part; that is, when the infrared temperature monitoring device 9 detects that the temperature of the red-hot region is higher than or equal to the first preset temperature value, the signal is transmitted to the control device, and the control device controls the third cooling member to start working, thereby implementing contact cooling of the deposited part. After a period of time, when the infrared temperature monitoring device 9 detects that the temperature of the red-hot region is lower than a second preset temperature value, the control device controls the third cooling member to move away from the formed red-hot region; that is, after the third cooling member has cooled the deposited part to the preset temperature value and has completed the cooling work, when the infrared temperature monitoring device 9 detects that the temperature of the red-hot region is lower than the second preset temperature value, the infrared temperature monitoring device 9 transmits the signal to the control device, and the control device controls the third cooling member to move away from the formed red-hot region, thereby realizing the cooling work of the third cooling member; wherein the first preset temperature value is greater than the second preset temperature value, that is, the first preset temperature value is a higher temperature, and the third cooling member needs to be started when the red-hot region is higher than or equal to the temperature value. The second preset temperature value is a lower temperature, and after the third cooling member is started for a period of time and completes the cooling work, the deposited part reaches a temperature below the preset temperature value, and the cooling work of the third cooling member ends.

[0078] Exemplarily, in the present embodiment, the first preset temperature value can be 500°C, and the second preset temperature value can be 400°C.

[0079] It can be understood that the first preset temperature value and the second preset temperature value are not limited here, and in other specific embodiments, the first preset temperature value and the second preset temperature value can be set to other preset values according to the specific needs of the user. Of course, the first preset temperature value and the second preset temperature value can also be the same value, that is, in this case, when the temperature of the red-hot region is higher than or equal to the preset temperature value, the third cooling member is started to cool, and when the temperature is lower than the preset temperature, the third cooling member stops cooling.

[0080] In an optional exemplary embodiment, the liquid-cooled shell includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall connecting the top wall and the bottom wall; the top wall has a top wall liquid-cooled cavity 10 and a top wall liquid inlet 12 and a top wall liquid outlet 13 connected to the top wall liquid-cooled cavity 10; the bottom wall has a bottom wall liquid-cooled cavity and a bottom wall liquid inlet 18 and a bottom wall liquid outlet 19 connected to the bottom wall liquid-cooled cavity; the side wall has a side wall liquid-cooled cavity and a side wall liquid inlet and a side wall liquid outlet connected to the side wall liquid-cooled cavity; the fourth cooling component also includes a high-temperature resistant black coating 11 coated on the inner wall of the vacuum chamber 2.

[0081] It should be noted that, specifically, in this embodiment, the liquid-cooled shell includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall connecting the top wall and the bottom wall; the top wall has a top wall liquid-cooled cavity 10, a top wall liquid inlet 12, and a top wall liquid outlet 13 communicating with the top wall liquid-cooled cavity 10; the bottom wall has a bottom wall liquid-cooled cavity, a bottom wall liquid inlet 18, and a bottom wall liquid outlet 19 communicating with the bottom wall liquid-cooled cavity; and the side wall has a side wall liquid-cooled cavity, a side wall liquid inlet, and a side wall liquid outlet communicating with the side wall liquid-cooled cavity. In other words, the six walls of the liquid-cooled shell constituting the vacuum chamber 2 all include liquid-cooled cavities. During the cooling process, the entire environment of the vacuum chamber 2 can be cooled by introducing a liquid cooling medium into the six walls of the liquid-cooled shell. This facilitates cooling the entire vacuum chamber 2 and further ensures the heat dissipation effect.

[0082] It should also be noted that the fourth cooling element also includes a high-temperature resistant black coating 11 applied to the inner wall of the vacuum chamber 2. This configuration effectively utilizes the principle that black can effectively absorb heat, further improving the heat dissipation and cooling capabilities of the cooling cover 8. At the same time, the high-temperature resistant black coating ensures that the coating absorbs heat while maintaining high stability, preventing heat accumulation and damage to the coating.

[0083] For example, in the figure, the side wall shows a left side wall and a right side wall, and correspondingly shows a left side wall liquid inlet 14 and a left side wall liquid outlet 15; a right side wall liquid inlet 16 and a right side wall liquid outlet 17.

[0084] Specifically, in this embodiment, the six walls of the liquid-cooled housing are independent of each other, each with its own liquid inlet and outlet, enabling independent cooling. This arrangement provides better cooling performance and, if a problem occurs on one of the walls, allows for rapid location, facilitating troubleshooting and rapid repair.

[0085] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the liquid inlets of the four side walls are all located near the bottom wall, and the liquid outlets of the four side walls are all located near the top wall. Such an arrangement can better achieve the effect of cooling and heat dissipation.

[0086] Exemplarily, in order to further improve the cooling effect, each wall surface of the top wall, the bottom wall and the side wall of the liquid cooling shell is composed of at least two mutually independent liquid cooling cavities. In this way, the cooling cavities can be further differentiated, the cooling effect can be further improved, and the user can further easily find the location of the problem.

[0087] Exemplarily, taking the top wall including two mutually independent liquid cooling cavities as an example, the two mutually independent liquid cooling cavities are isolated from each other, and the two liquid cooling cavities have the same area, the top wall is bisected by the two liquid cooling cavities, and each mutually independent liquid cooling cavity has its own liquid inlet and liquid outlet. In this way, the shape is relatively regular, which facilitates the uniformity of cooling and facilitates processing. It can be understood that when including three or four mutually independent liquid cooling cavities, they can also be divided into three or four according to the above distribution rule.

[0088] In summary, the cooling system 100 for the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment provided by the application can realize fixation and positioning through the clamping of the clamping groove 501 and the boss 401, increase the contact area, and improve the heat dissipation capacity. By setting the first liquid cooling cavity in the cooling workbench 4 and the liquid cooling channel 502 on the substrate 5, the heat can be discharged in time. At the same time, by setting the first heat-conducting metal piece 402 in the first liquid cooling cavity, the contact area with the liquid cooling medium is increased, and the heat dissipation effect is improved. By designing the high-temperature-resistant black coating 11 and the fourth cooling piece on the inner wall of the vacuum chamber 2, the internal heat of the vacuum chamber 2 can be effectively absorbed and conducted. By designing the cooling cover 8 and the cooling end head 7 to follow and synchronize cooling, the heat dissipation effect does not weaken with the increase of the size of the part, and can be used for forming large parts. At the same time, the cooling cover 8 can also improve the lateral heat dissipation condition of the formed part, reduce the formation of coarse columnar crystals, and reduce the anisotropy of the formed part. Finally, by designing the mechanical sensor and the vibration coil of the cooling end head 7, low-frequency small-amplitude vibration is carried out to prevent the cooling end head 7 from being in contact with the red-hot area for too long and spreading to be unable to separate; and the contact layer 706 can be replaced according to the specific deposited part material, which can be widely used in the manufacturing of various metal materials.

[0089] The application also provides a cooling method based on the above-mentioned cooling system 100 for the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment, which comprises:

[0090] Processing the substrate 5 and the cooling workbench 4, and installing the substrate 5 and the cooling workbench 4 in cooperation;

[0091] Turning on the first cooling piece, the second cooling piece, the third cooling piece and the fourth cooling piece of the cooling system 100 for the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment, and vacuumizing the vacuum chamber 2;

[0092] The electron gun 1 of the additive manufacturing equipment emits an electron beam to melt the wire on the surface of the substrate 5; the first cooling member cools the melted wire on the substrate 5; the second cooling member cools along with the electron gun 1; the mechanical arm of the third cooling member follows the movement of the electron gun 1, and the cooling end 7 of the third cooling member performs contact cooling on the red-hot area after forming;

[0093] Electron beam additive manufacturing deposition is performed layer by layer until the part is completed.

[0094] Exemplarily, processing the substrate 5 and the cooling workbench 4 and cooperating and installing the substrate 5 and the cooling workbench 4 specifically includes:

[0095] According to the thickness of the substrate 5, a groove 501 is processed on the substrate 5; the oxide scale on the surface of the substrate 5 is polished and removed, and the surface of the substrate 5 is cleaned with anhydrous ethanol to remove oil stains, and then cleaned with deionized water, and then quickly dried;

[0096] A boss 401 matching the groove is machined on the cooling workbench 4 , and the base plate 5 and the cooling workbench 4 are assembled and assembled so that the boss 401 is engaged with the groove.

[0097] Exemplarily, starting the first cooling member, the second cooling member, the third cooling member, and the fourth cooling member of the cooling system 100 for the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device specifically includes:

[0098] The water cooling systems of the first cooling element, the second cooling element, the third cooling element and the fourth cooling element are turned on so that the liquid cooling medium is injected into the first cooling element, the second cooling element, the third cooling element and the fourth cooling element.

[0099] Exemplarily, the electron gun 1 of the additive manufacturing equipment emits an electron beam to melt the wire on the surface of the substrate 5; the first cooling member cools the melted wire on the substrate 5; the second cooling member cools along with the electron gun 1; the mechanical arm of the third cooling member follows the movement of the electron gun 1, and the cooling end 7 of the third cooling member performs contact cooling on the red-hot area after forming, specifically including:

[0100] The electron gun 1 emits an electron beam to melt the wire on the surface of the substrate 5, and the accompanying cooling cover 8 performs synchronous cooling. The six-axis robotic arm drives the cooling end 7 to follow the cooling cover 8 for further cooling. When the infrared temperature monitoring system detects that the temperature of the red-hot position around the molten pool is greater than or equal to 500°C, the cooling end 7 is attached to the red-hot area and starts low-frequency and small-amplitude vibration to contact and cool the red-hot area. When the infrared temperature monitoring system detects that the temperature of the red-hot area drops below 400°C, the cooling end 7 can leave the sample surface.

[0101] The cooling method provided in the embodiment of the present application is based on the above-mentioned cooling system 100 for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment, and therefore also has the above-mentioned technical effect of facilitating the effective improvement of the heat dissipation capacity and the reduction of the temperature during the electron beam fuse deposition forming process during the additive manufacturing process.

[0102] Finally, it should be noted that the above implementation modes are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned implementation modes, ordinary technicians in this field should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned implementation modes, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the implementation modes of the present application.

[0103] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, this application will not further describe various possible combinations.

Claims

1. A cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment, characterized in that: The electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment includes a vacuum chamber and an electron gun and a wire feeding mechanism arranged in the vacuum chamber; The cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment includes a first cooling member, a second cooling member, a third cooling member, and a fourth cooling member, wherein the first cooling member, the second cooling member, and the third cooling member are all disposed within the vacuum chamber, and the fourth cooling member includes a liquid cooling shell, the inner cavity of which constitutes the vacuum chamber; The first cooling member includes a cooling workbench and a base plate, wherein the base plate and the cooling workbench are clamped together via a clamping groove and a boss; The second cooling member includes a cooling cover, which is connected to the electron gun and covers the area where the electron beam melts the wire; The third cooling member includes a mechanical arm and a cooling head provided at the end of the mechanical arm, wherein the mechanical arm follows the movement of the electron gun to contact cool the red-hot area after forming; The liquid cooling shell has a liquid cooling chamber in its shell wall, and the vacuum chamber is cooled by injecting a liquid cooling medium into the liquid cooling chamber; Wherein, the robotic arm is a six-axis robotic arm; The cooling end head includes a vibration controller, a steering shaft, a contact layer, a third liquid cooling cavity, and a third liquid inlet pipe and a third liquid outlet pipe connected to the third liquid cooling cavity; The contact layer is arranged outside the third liquid cooling chamber to contact the red-hot area after forming; The steering shaft is connected to the cooling end head to drive the cooling end head to rotate so as to fit the deposition parts with an inclined angle; The vibration controller is connected to the cooling end head and drives the cooling end head to vibrate so that the contact layer intermittently contacts or moves away from the deposited parts; Wherein, a plurality of card slots are arranged on the base plate, and a plurality of bosses matching with the card slots are arranged on the cooling workbench.

2. The cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first liquid cooling cavity and a first liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet are provided in the cooling workbench at opposite ends of the first liquid cooling cavity; and a liquid cooling channel is provided on the base plate.

3. The cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: A plurality of first heat-conducting metal parts are arranged in an interval in the first liquid cooling cavity. One end of the first heat-conducting metal part is connected to the top wall of the first liquid cooling cavity close to the substrate, and the other end extends toward the bottom wall of the first liquid cooling cavity away from the substrate.

4. The cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: A second liquid cooling cavity is provided on the inner side of the wall plate of the cooling cover. The second liquid cooling cavity is a cavity surrounding the inner wall of the cooling cover.

5. The cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cooling cover is a copper cover, and a tungsten layer is provided on the inner side wall of the copper cover.

6. The cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The cooling system for the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment further includes an infrared temperature monitoring device, which is arranged on the inner wall of the vacuum chamber.

7. The cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that: Also included is a control device connected to the infrared temperature monitoring device and the third cooling element; When the infrared temperature monitoring device detects that the temperature of the red-hot zone is higher than or equal to a first preset temperature value, the control device controls the contact layer of the third cooling member to intermittently contact or move away from the deposition part to cool the deposition part; When the infrared temperature monitoring device detects that the temperature of the red-hot area is lower than a second preset temperature value, the control device controls the third cooling member to move away from the formed red-hot area; Wherein, the first preset temperature value is greater than the second preset temperature value.

8. The cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The liquid cooling shell includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall connecting the top wall and the bottom wall; the top wall has a top wall liquid cooling cavity and a top wall liquid inlet and a top wall liquid outlet communicating with the top wall liquid cooling cavity; The bottom wall has a bottom wall liquid cooling cavity and a bottom wall liquid inlet and a bottom wall liquid outlet communicated with the bottom wall liquid cooling cavity; The side wall has a side wall liquid cooling cavity and a side wall liquid inlet and a side wall liquid outlet communicated with the side wall liquid cooling cavity; The fourth cooling member further includes a high-temperature resistant black coating applied to the inner side wall of the liquid-cooled shell.

9. A cooling method, characterized in that: The cooling method is based on the cooling system for electron beam fuse additive manufacturing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising: Processing a substrate and a liquid cooling workbench, and cooperating and installing the substrate and the cooling workbench; Turning on a first cooling member, a second cooling member, a third cooling member, and a fourth cooling member of the cooling system for the electron beam fuse additive manufacturing device, and evacuating the vacuum chamber; The electron gun of the additive manufacturing equipment emits an electron beam to melt the wire material on the surface of the substrate; the first cooling member cools the melted wire material on the substrate; the second cooling member cools along with the electron gun; the mechanical arm of the third cooling member follows the movement of the electron gun, and the cooling end of the third cooling member contacts and cools the red-hot area after forming; Electron beam additive manufacturing deposition is performed layer by layer until the part is completed.

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