Aerospace high-strength part 3D printer and printing method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of aviation high-strength parts 3D printer, including double-shaft single-arm cam rotary table, first horizontal drive component, second horizontal drive component, lifting drive component, double nozzle component.The present application is a kind of aviation high-strength parts 3D printer, when printing, the movement printing of double nozzle component XYZ axis is realized by the drive cooperation of first horizontal drive component, second horizontal drive component and lifting drive component, then the horizontal rotation and vertical swing of the piece to be printed are realized by the double-end rotation of double-shaft single-arm cam rotary table, and all-around 3D printing is realized by five-axis drive cooperation, with simple structure, low subsequent maintenance cost, suitable for batch generation advantage.A kind of aviation high-strength parts 3D printing method, comprising the following steps: A. placing the required material on double-end feeding assembly.The present application is a kind of aviation high-strength parts 3D printing method, and five-axis drive cooperation is used to realize all-around 3D printing, with simple structure, low subsequent maintenance cost, suitable for batch generation advantage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of 3D printing technology, specifically relating to a 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts and its printing method. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, 3D printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing or rapid prototyping, is a technique that uses digital model files as a basis and employs powdered metals or plastics and other bondable materials to construct objects layer by layer. In 3D printing drive systems, a cradle turntable is commonly used to support the printing substrate and drive its rotation. Existing turntables typically have their rotation axis center either higher than or slightly lower than the cradle arm's rotation axis center. This means that when the cradle arm rotates ±90 degrees, the rotation radius is in the upper semicircle. Consequently, the nozzle's Z-axis mounting position needs to be higher than the turntable's rotation axis, increasing the overall height of the mechanical structure and thus raising the overall height and cost of the 3D printing drive system. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts and a printing method thereof, which can print on five axes to increase efficiency.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts, comprising a dual-axis single-arm cam turntable, a first horizontal drive assembly, a second horizontal drive assembly, a lifting drive assembly, a dual-nozzle assembly, a dual-end feeding assembly, and a camera scanning assembly. The first horizontal drive assembly is mounted on the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable, the second horizontal drive assembly is mounted on the output end of the first horizontal drive assembly, and the output direction is perpendicular to the output direction of the first horizontal drive assembly. The lifting drive assembly and the dual-end feeding assembly are both mounted on the output end of the second horizontal drive assembly. The dual-nozzle assembly is mounted on the output end of the lifting drive assembly and is connected to the dual-end feeding assembly. The camera scanning assembly is mounted on one side of the first horizontal drive assembly, and the camera end is facing the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable.

[0005] The dual-end feeding assembly includes a wire feeder and a pellet feeder, which are located on opposite sides of the lifting drive assembly and are connected to the two output heads on the dual-nozzle assembly.

[0006] The wire feeder includes a support plate, a feed roll, a wiring connection unit, and a tension control swing rod. The support plate is mounted on the output end of the lifting drive assembly. The feed roll, wiring connection unit, and tension control swing rod are all mounted on the support plate. The wiring connection unit is located between the feed roll and the tension control swing rod. A first drive motor for driving the feed roll to rotate and a second drive motor for driving the tension control swing rod to swing are mounted on the side of the support plate facing the granule feeder. A large gear is mounted on the swing end of the tension control swing rod, and a small gear meshing with the large gear is mounted on the output end of the second drive motor.

[0007] The wiring connection unit includes two guide transmission clamps, a double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder, and a heating connection pipe. The double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder and the heating connection pipe are both mounted on the support plate. The driving direction of the double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder is set to drive back and forth between the feeding roll and the control tension swing rod. The two guide transmission clamps are respectively mounted on the two output ends of the horizontal rodless drive cylinder, and the heating connection pipe is located between the two guide transmission clamps.

[0008] The guide transfer clamp includes a gripper cylinder and two guide rings. The gripper cylinder is installed on the output end of a double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder. The two guide rings are respectively installed on the two grippers of the gripper cylinder, and the two guide rings are coaxially arranged.

[0009] The wiring connection unit also includes a cutting component, which is located on the side of the heating connection pipe near the control tension swing lever.

[0010] The pellet feeder includes a mounting base, a discharge hopper, a hot-melt pipe unit, a transmission pipe, a transmission screw unit, and an insulated telescopic pipe. The mounting base is installed on the output end of the lifting drive assembly. The discharge hopper is placed on the mounting base, and the discharge port of the discharge hopper is threadedly connected to the input end of the hot-melt pipe unit. The transmission pipe is threadedly connected to the output end of the hot-melt pipe unit. The transmission screw unit is rotatably installed inside the transmission pipe. A connecting pipe is installed at the input end of the insulated telescopic pipe, and the connecting pipe is threadedly connected to the output end of the transmission pipe. An air pump is installed on the connecting pipe.

[0011] The first horizontal drive assembly includes a first drive cylinder and a second drive cylinder, which are located on opposite sides of the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable.

[0012] The dual-axis single-arm cam turntable includes a base, a first rotation drive end, and a second rotation drive end. The first rotation drive end is mounted on the base, and the second rotation drive end is mounted on the output end of the first rotation drive end. The rotation axis of the first rotation drive end is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the second rotation drive end.

[0013] A method for 3D printing high-strength aerospace parts includes the following steps:

[0014] A. Place the required materials on the double-ended feeding assembly;

[0015] B. Place a magnetic printing disk on a dual-axis single-arm cam turntable;

[0016] C. Power on and start printing. The first horizontal drive component, the second horizontal drive component and the lifting drive component work together to drive the dual printhead assembly to print along the XYZ axes. In addition, the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable drives the magnetic print disk to rotate horizontally and vertically, forming a five-axis drive printing.

[0017] D. Remove the magnetic print disk after printing is complete.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] 1. The present invention provides a 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts. During printing, the movement of the dual-nozzle assembly along the XYZ axes is achieved through the coordinated driving of the first horizontal drive assembly, the second horizontal drive assembly, and the lifting drive assembly. Then, the workpiece to be printed is driven to rotate horizontally and swing vertically through the double-end rotation of the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable. The five-axis drive is coordinated to achieve omnidirectional 3D printing. It has the advantages of simple structure, low subsequent maintenance cost, and suitability for mass production.

[0020] 2. The present invention provides a 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts, which uses two methods to stably feed materials to the two output heads on the dual-nozzle assembly, and can be used for different materials.

[0021] 3. The present invention provides a 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts. When the filament is about to run out, the old feed roll is removed and replaced with a new feed roll. The beginning of the new filament is placed in the wiring connection unit, and the end of the old filament is placed in the wiring connection unit for heating and bonding. This facilitates continued transmission without stopping the printer to return or replace the filament, and does not affect the progress.

[0022] 4. This invention relates to a 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts. When the in-line material is used up, the granular material is placed in the discharge hopper, then conveyed to the hot melt pipeline unit for hot melt liquefaction and placed in the transmission pipe. It is then pressurized and conveyed through the transmission screw unit and transferred to the dual nozzle assembly via the insulated telescopic tube. All components are connected by threads for easy disassembly and cleaning. An air pump is provided so that after disassembly or when the transmission screw unit stops conveying through the insulated telescopic tube, the air pressure from the air pump can push the remaining material in the insulated telescopic tube out of the tube, preventing blockage.

[0023] 5. The present invention provides a 3D printing method for high-strength aerospace parts, which uses five-axis drive to achieve omnidirectional 3D printing. It has the advantages of simple structure, low subsequent maintenance cost, and suitability for mass production. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the 3D printer of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the wire feeder of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the wire feeder of the present invention from another perspective;

[0027] Figure 4 This is an enlarged structural schematic diagram of the wiring connection unit of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the guide and transfer clip of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pellet feeder of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable of the present invention.

[0031] In the diagram, the following are marked: 1. Dual-axis single-arm cam turntable; 101. Base; 102. First rotation drive; 103. Second rotation drive end; 2. First horizontal drive assembly; 3. Second horizontal drive assembly; 4. Lifting drive group; 5. Dual-nozzle assembly; 6. Dual-end feeding assembly; 7. Camera scanning assembly; 8. Wire feeder; 801. Support plate; 802. Feed roll; 803. Control swing lever for tension / slack; 804. First drive motor; 805. Second drive... Motor; 806, Large gear; 807, Wiring connection unit; 808, Guide transmission clamp; 809, Double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder; 8010, Heating connection pipe; 8011, Cutting part; 8012, Gripper cylinder; 8013, Guide ring; 9, Pellet feeder; 901, Mounting base; 902, Discharge hopper; 903, Hot melt pipe unit; 904, Transmission pipe; 905, Transmission screw unit; 906, Insulated telescopic pipe; 907, Air pump. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the above features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings for detailed explanation.

[0033] like Figure 1-7As shown, this embodiment provides a 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts, including a dual-axis single-arm cam turntable 1, a first horizontal drive assembly 2, a second horizontal drive assembly 3, a lifting drive assembly 4, a dual-nozzle assembly 5, a dual-end feeding assembly 6, and a camera scanning assembly 7. The first horizontal drive assembly 2 is mounted on the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable 1, and the second horizontal drive assembly 3 is mounted on the output end of the first horizontal drive assembly 2, with its output direction perpendicular to the output direction of the first horizontal drive assembly 2. The lifting drive assembly 4 and the dual-end feeding assembly 6 are both mounted on the output end of the second horizontal drive assembly 3. The dual-nozzle assembly 5 is mounted on the output end of the lifting drive assembly 4 and is connected to the dual-end feeding assembly 6. The camera scanning assembly 7 is mounted on one side of the first horizontal drive assembly 2, with its camera end facing the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable 1. During printing, the movement of the dual-nozzle assembly 5XYZ axes is achieved through the coordinated driving of the first horizontal drive assembly 2, the second horizontal drive assembly 3, and the lifting drive assembly 4. Then, the workpiece to be printed is driven to rotate horizontally and swing vertically by the double-end rotation of the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable 1. The five-axis drive is coordinated to achieve omnidirectional 3D printing. The structure is simple, the subsequent maintenance cost is low, and it is suitable for mass production.

[0034] Furthermore, the dual-end feeding assembly 6 includes a wire feeder 8 and a pellet feeder 9, which are located on opposite sides of the lifting drive assembly 4 and are respectively connected to the two output heads on the dual-nozzle assembly 5. Specifically, the dual-nozzle assembly 5 includes a first contact head, a second nozzle, and a lifting cylinder. The first contact head and the lifting cylinder are both mounted on the drive end of the lifting drive assembly 4, and the second nozzle is mounted on the drive end of the lifting cylinder. The lifting cylinder drives the second contact head to rise and fall, thereby switching between the first and second nozzles. Two methods are used to stably feed materials to the two output heads on the dual-nozzle assembly 5, making it suitable for different materials.

[0035] Furthermore, the wire feeder 8 includes a support plate 801, a feed roll 802, a wiring connection unit 807, and a tension control swing rod 803. The support plate 801 is installed on the output end of the lifting drive assembly 4. The feed roll 802, the wiring connection unit 807, and the tension control swing rod 803 are all installed on the support plate 801. The wiring connection unit 807 is located between the feed roll 802 and the tension control swing rod 803. The support plate 801 facing the pellet feeder 9 is equipped with a first drive motor 804 that drives the feed roll 802 to rotate and a second drive motor 805 that drives the tension control swing rod 803 to swing. A large gear 806 is installed at the swing end of the tension control swing rod 803, and a small gear that meshes with the large gear 806 is installed at the output end of the second drive motor 805. The feed roll 802 is rotatably mounted on the support plate 801. The wire on the feed roll 802 is then passed through the wiring connection unit 807, wound around the tension control swing rod 803, and finally connected to the dual-nozzle assembly 5. The feed roll 802 is fed by the first drive motor 804, and the tension control swing rod 803 is adjusted by the second drive motor 805. Since the small gear drives the large gear 806, each swing is a fine adjustment to prevent over-tensioning and wire detachment from the dual-nozzle assembly. Item 5, and when the wire material is about to run out, the old wire material is stored by controlling the tension swing rod 803 to swing and stretch it, making it convenient to connect any excess old wire material. The old feed roll 802 is removed and replaced with a new feed roll 802. Then, the first end of the new wire material is placed in the wiring connection unit 807, and the end of the old wire material is placed in the wiring connection unit 807 for heating and bonding. At the same time, the tension swing rod 803 is controlled to swing and loosen the old wire material for printing, which facilitates continued transmission without stopping the printer to return or replace the material, and does not affect the progress.

[0036] Specifically, the wiring connection unit 807 includes two guide transmission clamps 808, a double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder 809, and a heating connection pipe 8010. Both the double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder 809 and the heating connection pipe 8010 are mounted on the support plate 801. The driving direction of the double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder 809 is set to drive back and forth between the feeding roll 802 and the control tension swing rod 803. The two guide transmission clamps 808 are respectively mounted on the two output ends of the horizontal rodless drive cylinder, and the heating connection pipe 8010 is located between the two guide transmission clamps 808. Each guide transmission clamp 808 includes a gripper cylinder 8012 and two guide rings 8013. The gripper cylinder 8012 is mounted on the output end of the double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder 809, and the two guide rings 8013 are respectively mounted on the two grippers of the gripper cylinder 8012, and the two guide rings 8013 are coaxially arranged. Two guide transfer clamps 808 stably guide the wire material. When the wire material is about to be used up, the first end of the new wire material is placed in the guide ring 8013 on the guide transfer clamp 808 near the feed roll 802. Then, the two guide rings 8013 are driven to move towards each other by the gripper cylinder 8012 to clamp the new wire material. Then, the gripper cylinder 8012 is driven by the double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder 809 to move the new wire material into the heating connection pipe 8010 and stop, so that the new wire material is in contact with the old wire material. The gripper cylinder 8012 on the side of the old wire material also drives the two guide rings 8013 to move towards each other to clamp the old wire material. Then, the heating connection pipe 8010 is heated, and at the same time, the two guide transfer clamps 808 move towards each other by the double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder 809, so that the new wire material and the old wire material are connected.

[0037] Furthermore, the wiring connection unit 807 also includes a cutting component 8011, which is located on the side of the heating connection pipe 8010 near the control tension swing rod 803. After the connection is completed, the wire is passed through the cutting hole of the cutting component 8011, and the excess wire at the connection point is cut off, so that the connection point is the same thickness as the original wire, which facilitates the feeding of the dual nozzle assembly 5.

[0038] Furthermore, the pellet feeder 9 includes a mounting base 901, a discharge hopper 902, a hot melt pipe unit 903, a transmission pipe 904, a transmission screw unit 905, and an insulated telescopic pipe 906. The mounting base 901 is mounted on the output end of the lifting drive assembly 4. The discharge hopper 902 is placed on the mounting base 901, and the discharge port of the discharge hopper 902 is threadedly connected to the input end of the hot melt pipe unit 903. The transmission pipe 904 is threadedly connected to the output end of the hot melt pipe unit 903. The transmission screw unit 905 is rotatably mounted inside the transmission pipe 904. A connecting pipe is installed at the input end of the insulated telescopic pipe 906, and the connecting pipe is threadedly connected to the output end of the transmission pipe 904. An air pump 907 is installed on the connecting pipe. The granular material is placed in the discharge hopper 902, then conveyed to the hot melt pipeline unit 903 for hot melt liquefaction and placed in the transmission pipe 904. It is then pressurized and conveyed through the transmission screw unit 905 and the insulated telescopic tube 906 to the dual nozzle assembly 5. All components are connected by threads for easy disassembly and cleaning. An air pump 907 is provided so that after disassembly or when the transmission screw unit 905 stops conveying and the insulated telescopic tube 906 is closed, the air pressure from the air pump 907 can push the remaining material in the insulated telescopic tube 906 out, preventing the insulated telescopic tube 906 from becoming clogged.

[0039] Furthermore, the first horizontal drive assembly 2 includes a first drive cylinder and a second drive cylinder, which are respectively located on opposite sides of the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable 1. The second horizontal drive assembly 3 is stably driven by the two first and second drive cylinders.

[0040] Furthermore, the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable 1 includes a base 101, a first rotation drive 102 end, and a second rotation drive end 103. The first rotation drive 102 end is mounted on the base 101, and the second rotation drive end 103 is mounted on the output end of the first rotation drive 102 end. The rotation axis of the first rotation drive 102 end is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the second rotation drive end 103. Horizontal rotation and vertical oscillation can be achieved through the mutual cooperation of the two first rotation drive ends 102 ends and the second rotation drive end 103.

[0041] A method for 3D printing high-strength aerospace parts includes the following steps:

[0042] A. Place the required materials on the double-ended feeding assembly 6;

[0043] B. Place a magnetic printing disk on the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable 1;

[0044] C. Start printing. The first horizontal drive assembly 2, the second horizontal drive assembly 3 and the lifting drive assembly 4 work together to drive the dual printhead assembly 5XYZ axes to print. In addition, the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable 1 drives the magnetic print disk to rotate horizontally and vertically to form a five-axis drive printing.

[0045] D. Remove the magnetic print disk after printing is complete.

[0046] It adopts a five-axis drive to achieve omnidirectional 3D printing, with simple structure, low subsequent maintenance cost, and is suitable for mass production.

[0047] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles and main features of the present invention, as well as its advantages. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope. All such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed, which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts, characterized in that: The device includes a dual-axis single-arm cam turntable, a first horizontal drive assembly, a second horizontal drive assembly, a lifting drive assembly, a dual-nozzle assembly, a dual-end feeding assembly, and a camera scanning assembly. The first horizontal drive assembly is mounted on the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable. The second horizontal drive assembly is mounted on the output end of the first horizontal drive assembly, and its output direction is perpendicular to the output direction of the first horizontal drive assembly. The lifting drive assembly and the dual-end feeding assembly are both mounted on the output end of the second horizontal drive assembly. The dual-nozzle assembly is mounted on the output end of the lifting drive assembly and is connected to the dual-end feeding assembly. The camera scanning assembly is mounted on one side of the first horizontal drive assembly, and its camera end faces the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable. The dual-end feeding assembly includes a wire feeder and a pellet feeder, which are located on opposite sides of the lifting drive assembly and are connected to the two output heads on the dual-nozzle assembly. The wire feeder includes a support plate, a feed roll, a wiring connection unit, and a tension control swing rod. The support plate is mounted on the output end of the lifting drive assembly. The feed roll, wiring connection unit, and tension control swing rod are all mounted on the support plate. The wiring connection unit is located between the feed roll and the tension control swing rod. The support plate has a first drive motor for driving the feed roll to rotate and a second drive motor for driving the tension control swing rod to swing on the side facing the granule feeder. A large gear is mounted on the swing end of the tension control swing rod, and a small gear that meshes with the large gear is mounted on the output end of the second drive motor. The wiring connection unit includes two guide transmission clamps, a double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder, and a heating connection pipe. The double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder and the heating connection pipe are both mounted on the support plate. The driving direction of the double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder is set to drive back and forth between the feeding roll and the control tension swing rod. The two guide transmission clamps are respectively mounted on the two output ends of the horizontal rodless drive cylinder. The heating connection pipe is located between the two guide transmission clamps. The guide transfer clamp includes a gripper cylinder and two guide rings. The gripper cylinder is installed on the output end of a double-ended horizontal rodless drive cylinder. The two guide rings are respectively installed on the two grippers of the gripper cylinder, and the two guide rings are coaxially arranged. The wiring connection unit also includes a cutting component, which is located on the side of the heating connection pipe near the control tension swing lever.

2. The 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pellet feeder includes a mounting base, a discharge hopper, a hot-melt pipe unit, a transmission pipe, a transmission screw unit, and an insulated telescopic pipe. The mounting base is installed on the output end of the lifting drive assembly. The discharge hopper is placed on the mounting base, and the discharge port of the discharge hopper is threadedly connected to the input end of the hot-melt pipe unit. The transmission pipe is threadedly connected to the output end of the hot-melt pipe unit. The transmission screw unit is rotatably installed inside the transmission pipe. A connecting pipe is installed at the input end of the insulated telescopic pipe, and the connecting pipe is threadedly connected to the output end of the transmission pipe. An air pump is installed on the connecting pipe.

3. The 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first horizontal drive assembly includes a first drive cylinder and a second drive cylinder, which are located on opposite sides of the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable.

4. The 3D printer for high-strength aerospace parts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dual-axis single-arm cam turntable includes a base, a first rotation drive end, and a second rotation drive end. The first rotation drive end is mounted on the base, and the second rotation drive end is mounted on the output end of the first rotation drive end. The rotation axis of the first rotation drive end is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the second rotation drive end.

5. A printing method for a high-strength aerospace parts using a 3D printer according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: A. Place the required materials on the double-ended feeding assembly; B. Place a magnetic printing disk on a dual-axis single-arm cam turntable; C. Power on and start printing. The first horizontal drive component, the second horizontal drive component and the lifting drive component work together to drive the dual printhead assembly to print along the XYZ axes. In addition, the dual-axis single-arm cam turntable drives the magnetic print disk to rotate horizontally and vertically, forming a five-axis drive printing. D. Remove the magnetic print disk after printing is complete.

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