A powder spreading levelling device and additive manufacturing apparatus comprising the same

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical fields of additive manufacturing equipment, in particular to a powder spreading and leveling device and an additive manufacturing equipment comprising the same, the powder spreading and leveling device comprising a transverse movement driving mechanism, a cantilever, a mounting plate, a scraper and a clamping mechanism. The transverse movement driving mechanism is mounted on a printing cabin bottom plate, and the cantilever is mounted on a moving end of the transverse movement driving mechanism. One end of the mounting plate is hinged to the cantilever, the scraper is mounted on the mounting plate and located directly above a printing substrate on the printing cabin bottom plate, and the clamping mechanism is mounted on the printing cabin bottom plate and used for clamping or releasing one end of the mounting plate away from the cantilever. Through the hinging of the mounting plate and the cantilever and the clamping mechanism used for clamping or releasing the mounting plate, the leveling of the scraper and the printing substrate can be conveniently and quickly achieved, the operation efficiency is improved, the leveling effect is ensured, and the powder spreading and leveling device has a simple structure and a low manufacturing cost.

Description

A powder spreading and leveling device and additive manufacturing equipment including the same. Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of additive manufacturing equipment technology, specifically to a powder spreading and leveling device and additive manufacturing equipment including the same. Background Technology

[0002] Selective laser melting (SLM) is an important branch of metal 3D printing technology. The SLM manufacturing process includes a powder spreading step, where powder is fed to the laser printing area (i.e., the printing substrate) by a powder feeding mechanism and then spread evenly by a powder spreading device. The squeegee is in direct contact with the powder during this process. The powder spreading action must ensure the parallelism between the lower working surface of the squeegee and the printing substrate to guarantee the uniformity of the powder layer thickness across the entire printing area. Powder spreading uniformity is a key requirement affecting the density, mechanical properties, and other quality parameters of the printed part.

[0003] The existing methods for ensuring the parallelism between the doctor blade and the printing surface in toner spreading devices are mainly as follows: First, the printing substrate is leveled using a leveling device; then, the parallelism between the doctor blade and the printing substrate is adjusted using two sets of linear adjustment mechanisms (micrometer heads, threaded joints, etc.). Leveling the substrate requires at least three (typically four) adjustment axes, and leveling the doctor blade also requires two. Therefore, to ensure the parallelism between the doctor blade's working surface and the printing surface after each substrate clamping and doctor blade replacement, a total of five (or six) adjustment actions are required. Some devices use manual adjustment mechanisms, which often take a considerable amount of time, affecting printing efficiency. Furthermore, the time spent on manual adjustments varies depending on the operator, significantly impacting equipment maintenance time and cost estimates. Other devices use electronically controlled adjustments, which are complex in structure and more expensive. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a powder spreading and leveling device and an additive manufacturing equipment including the same, in order to solve the technical problem that adjusting the parallelism between the squeegee and the printing substrate is troublesome and affects the work efficiency in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a powder spreading and leveling device for additive manufacturing equipment, comprising:

[0006] A transverse drive mechanism is mounted on the bottom plate of the printing chamber;

[0007] A cantilever, which is mounted on the moving end of the lateral drive mechanism;

[0008] Mounting plate, one end of which is hinged to the cantilever;

[0009] A scraper is mounted on the mounting plate and located directly above the printing substrate on the bottom plate of the printing chamber;

[0010] A clamping mechanism, mounted on the bottom plate of the printing chamber, is used to clamp or release the mounting plate at one end away from the cantilever.

[0011] More preferably, the clamping mechanism includes a base, a screw, a left chuck, a right chuck, a coupling, and a motor. The base is mounted on the bottom plate of the printing chamber, the motor is mounted on the base, the coupling is mounted on the output end of the motor, one end of the screw is connected to the coupling, the left chuck is provided with a left helix, the right chuck is provided with a right helix, and both the left and right chucks are sleeved on the screw and can move closer to or further away from each other when the screw rotates.

[0012] More preferably, the base is provided with a dovetail guide groove, and both the left clamp and the right clamp are provided with dovetail segments, which are engaged in the dovetail guide groove.

[0013] More preferably, the clamping mechanism further includes a guide rail pair and a slider. The guide rail pair is mounted on the bottom plate of the printing chamber and its length direction is consistent with the moving direction of the moving end of the transverse drive mechanism. The slider is slidably mounted on the guide rail pair, and the base is mounted on the slider.

[0014] More preferably, the clamping mechanism further includes a dust cover plate, a groove is provided on the bottom plate of the printing chamber, and a slot is provided on the side wall of the groove; the guide rail pair is located in the groove, and the dust cover plate is engaged in the slot; the dust cover plate has a multi-segment telescopic structure, and a through hole is provided on the dust cover plate for the base to pass through.

[0015] More preferably, the powder leveling device further includes a rotating shaft and a locking nut. One end of the rotating shaft is provided with a threaded section. The rotating shaft is inserted into the cantilever and the mounting plate. The locking nut is sleeved on the threaded section so that the mounting plate can rotate around the rotating shaft.

[0016] More preferably, the powder leveling device further includes a substrate adjustment mechanism, which is mounted on the top plate and used to control the rotation of the printing substrate. The printing substrate is provided with a level sensor, which is electrically connected to the substrate adjustment mechanism.

[0017] More preferably, the powder spreading and leveling device also includes a top plate, the upper end surface of which is provided with a ball head, and the lower end surface of the printing substrate is provided with a concave hole corresponding to the ball head.

[0018] More preferably, the powder leveling device also includes a laser displacement sensor, which is mounted on the cantilever.

[0019] The present invention also proposes an additive manufacturing apparatus, including the powder spreading and leveling device described above.

[0020] This invention discloses a powder-spreading and leveling device and an additive manufacturing apparatus including the same, which has at least the following advantages: First, the printing substrate is controlled to be parallel to the horizontal plane. Then, an external lifting mechanism is electrically raised and lowered to control the printing substrate to be flat with the squeegee. After flattening, a clamping mechanism clamps one end of the mounting plate. The external lifting mechanism descends by one powder-spreading layer thickness. At this time, the working surface of the squeegee is parallel to the printing substrate, allowing for normal printing and powder spreading. Through the hinge between the mounting plate and the cantilever, and the clamping mechanism for clamping or releasing the mounting plate, combined with the lifting mechanism of the additive manufacturing apparatus, the leveling of the squeegee and the printing substrate can be conveniently and quickly achieved, improving work efficiency, ensuring leveling effect, and the powder-spreading and leveling device has a simple structure and low manufacturing cost. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the powder spreading and leveling device of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of the powder spreading and leveling device of the present invention from another angle;

[0024] Figure 3 is an exploded structural diagram of the powder spreading and leveling device of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism of the present invention from another angle;

[0027] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the base, left clamp and right clamp of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the dustproof cover plate of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the printed cabin floor plate of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the printing substrate of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the top plate of the present invention.

[0032] In the attached diagram: 1-Transverse drive mechanism, 2-Printing chamber bottom plate, 21-Groove, 22-Slot, 3-Cantilever, 4-Mounting plate, 5-Scraper, 6-Printing substrate, 61-Concave hole, 7-Clamping mechanism, 71-Base, 711-Dovetail guide groove, 72-Screw, 73-Left chuck, 731-Dovetail section, 74-Right chuck, 75-Coupling, 76-Motor, 77-Guide rail pair, 78-Slider, 79-Dustproof cover, 791-Through hole, 8-Rotating shaft, 9-Locking nut, 10-Substrate adjustment mechanism, 11-Top plate, 111-Ball head, 12-Laser displacement sensor.

[0033] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0036] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3. A powder spreading and leveling device for additive manufacturing equipment includes a transverse drive mechanism 1, a cantilever 3, a mounting plate 4, a scraper 5, and a clamping mechanism 7.

[0038] A printing substrate 6 is mounted on the printing chamber base plate 2 of the additive manufacturing equipment. A transverse drive mechanism 1 is mounted on the upper surface of the printing chamber base plate 2 and located at the edge of the printing chamber base plate 2. The transverse drive mechanism 1 can be a motorized linear module, which is mounted on the printing chamber base plate 2 with screws. A cantilever 3 has an approximately 7-shaped structure. One end of the cantilever 3 is mounted on the moving end of the transverse drive mechanism 1 with screws, and the other end is hinged to the mounting plate 4. Moving the moving end of the transverse drive mechanism 1 can move the cantilever 3. One end of the mounting plate 4 is hinged to the cantilever 3, so the mounting plate 4 can rotate relative to the hinge point. A scraper 5 is mounted on the mounting plate 4 with screws, and the length direction of the scraper 5 is consistent with the length direction of the mounting plate 4. The scraper 5 can be a steel scraper 5. The lower edge of the scraper 5 extends downward relative to the mounting plate 4, and the scraper 5 is located directly above the printing substrate 6. A clamping mechanism 7 is mounted on the printing chamber base plate 2 and is used to clamp or release the mounting plate 4. The clamping mechanism 7 is positioned relative to the cantilever 3. One end of the mounting plate 4 is hinged to the cantilever 3, and the other end is clamped or released by the clamping mechanism 7.

[0039] First, the printing substrate 6 is controlled to be parallel to the horizontal plane in the moving direction of the squeegee 5 (i.e., the moving direction of the moving end of the transverse drive mechanism 1). Then, the external lifting mechanism is electrically lifted to control the printing substrate 6 to be flat with the squeegee 5; at this time, the clamping mechanism 7 is in a state of releasing the mounting plate 4. During the process of flattening the squeegee 5 with the printing substrate 6, the squeegee 5 and the mounting plate 4 can rotate around the hinge point between the mounting plate 4 and the cantilever 3. After flattening, the clamping mechanism 7 clamps one end of the mounting plate 4. The external lifting mechanism descends by one powder layer thickness. At this time, the working surface of the squeegee 5 is parallel to the printing substrate 6, and normal printing and powder spreading can be performed. It should be noted that various methods can be used to control the printing substrate 6 to be parallel to the horizontal plane, but this embodiment specifically uses the substrate adjustment mechanism 10 (see below for details).

[0040] By hinged mounting plate 4 to cantilever 3 and clamping mechanism 7 for clamping or releasing mounting plate 4, combined with lifting mechanism of additive manufacturing equipment, leveling of scraper 5 and printing substrate 6 can be achieved conveniently and quickly, improving work efficiency and ensuring leveling effect. Moreover, the powder spreading and leveling device has a simple structure and low manufacturing cost.

[0041] Referring to Figure 4, the clamping mechanism 7 includes a base 71, a screw 72, a left chuck 73, a right chuck 74, a coupling 75, and a motor 76. The base 71 is mounted on the printing chamber base plate 2, serving as a base for mounting the motor 76, screw 72, coupling 75, left chuck 73, and right chuck 74. The motor 76 is mounted on the base 71 and located on its outer side wall. One end of the coupling 75 is connected to the output end of the motor 76, and the other end is connected to one end of the screw 72. Two reverse threads are machined on the screw 72. The left chuck 73 has a left-hand helix, and the right chuck 74 has a right-hand helix; the left chuck 73 and right chuck 74 are respectively screwed onto the two reverse threads on the screw 72. When motor 76 starts, its output rotates in the forward direction, driving coupling 75 to rotate. Screw 72 rotates synchronously with coupling 75. When screw 72 rotates in the forward direction, left chuck 73 and right chuck move closer together to clamp mounting plate 4. When motor 76's output rotates in the reverse direction, left chuck 73 and right chuck 74 move further apart to release mounting plate 4. Alternatively, motor 76 can be controlled so that left chuck 73 and right chuck 74 move further apart when motor 76's output rotates in the forward direction, and move closer together when motor 76's output rotates in the reverse direction. This clamping mechanism 7 is designed such that the clamping or releasing of mounting plate 4 by left chuck 73 and right chuck 74 can be controlled by controlling the forward and reverse rotation and the angle of rotation of motor 76. It has a simple structure and is highly practical.

[0042] Referring to Figure 5, the clamping mechanism 7 also includes a guide rail pair 77 and a slider 78. The guide rail pair 77 is mounted on the printing chamber base plate 2, and its length direction is consistent with the movement direction of the moving end of the transverse drive mechanism 1. The slider 78 is slidably mounted on the guide rail pair 77, and the base 71 is mounted on the slider 78. The transverse drive mechanism 1 can drive the cantilever 3, the mounting plate 4, and the scraper 5 to move in the front-back direction (i.e., the movement direction of the moving end of the transverse drive mechanism 1). During the movement of the scraper 5, the clamping mechanism 7 can maintain the state of clamping the mounting plate 4 to prevent the scraper 5 from shaking. In order to enable components such as the base 71, the left chuck 73, and the right chuck 74 to move in the front-back direction, the guide rail pair 77 is provided on the printing chamber base plate 2, the slider 78 can move along the length direction of the guide rail pair 77, and the base 71 is mounted on the slider 78.

[0043] Please refer to Figures 4, 7, and 8. The clamping mechanism 7 also includes a dust cover 79, which covers the guide rail pair 77 and the slider 78 to prevent dust, powder, etc., from falling onto the guide rail pair 77 and affecting the sliding of the slider 78. A groove 21 is provided on the bottom plate 2 of the printing chamber, the length direction of which is consistent with the moving direction of the moving end of the transverse drive mechanism 1. Slots 22 are provided on the opposite side walls of the groove 21, the length direction of which is consistent with the length direction of the groove 21. The guide rail pair 77 is located on the bottom surface of the groove 21, and the dust cover 79 is secured in the slot 22 and located directly above the guide rail pair 77. To ensure that the dust cover 79 does not interfere with the movement of the base 71 while covering the guide rail pair 77, this embodiment uses a multi-segment telescopic structure for the dust cover 79, and a through hole 791 is provided on the dust cover 79 for the base 71 to pass through. The guide rail pair 77 and the slider 78 are located below the dust cover 79. The lower end of the base 71 passes through the through hole 791 and is connected to the slider 78. The left chuck 73 and the right chuck 74 and other components are located above the dust cover 79.

[0044] Referring to Figure 6, specifically, a dovetail guide groove 711 is provided on the base 71, and the length direction of the dovetail guide groove 711 is consistent with the movement direction of the left chuck 73 and the right chuck 74. Both the left chuck 73 and the right chuck 74 are provided with dovetail segments 731, the shape and size of which are adapted to the dovetail guide groove 711, and the dovetail segments 731 are engaged within the dovetail guide groove 711. By providing the dovetail guide groove 711 and the dovetail segments 731, the movement of the left chuck 73 and the right chuck 74 can be restricted, allowing them to move only in a specified direction, preventing deviation, and ensuring accurate clamping of the mounting plate 4 during operation.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 3. The powder leveling device also includes a rotating shaft 8 and a locking nut 9. Holes are machined on the cantilever 3 and the mounting plate 4, which are connected together by the rotating shaft 8. One end of the rotating shaft 8 is machined with a threaded section. The locking nut 9 is used to fix the cantilever 3 and the mounting plate 4 together. The cantilever 3, the mounting plate 4, the rotating shaft 8 and the locking nut 9 form a set of rotating pairs, allowing the mounting plate 4 to rotate freely around the rotating shaft 8.

[0046] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the powder spreading and leveling device also includes a substrate adjustment mechanism 10, which is mounted on the top plate 11 and used to control the rotation of the printing substrate 6. The control of the printing substrate 6 to be parallel to the horizontal plane is specifically achieved through the substrate adjustment mechanism 10. A horizontal sensor (not shown in the figures) is installed inside the printing substrate 6 and is electrically connected to the substrate adjustment mechanism 10. The horizontal sensor provides feedback to control the pitch adjustment of the printing substrate 6. The substrate adjustment mechanism 10 controls the printing substrate 6 based on the data fed back by the built-in horizontal sensor, so that the printing substrate 6 is parallel to the horizontal plane in the forward and backward movement direction of the squeegee 5.

[0047] Please refer to Figures 2 and 3. The powder spreading and leveling device also includes a top plate 11, which is located directly below the printing substrate 6. The top plate 11 is connected to an external lifting mechanism, which is electrically raised and lowered to drive the top plate 11 to rise and fall, thereby driving the printing substrate 6 to rise and fall.

[0048] Please refer to Figures 9 and 10. The upper end face of the top plate 11 is provided with a ball head 111, and the lower end face of the printing substrate 6 is provided with a concave hole 61 corresponding to the ball head 111. The design of the ball head 111 and the concave hole 61 allows the printing substrate 6 to easily rotate around the ball head 111 in the forward direction of the squeegee 5, and the rotation is smooth.

[0049] Referring to Figure 3, the powder spreading and leveling device also includes a laser displacement sensor 12, which is mounted on the cantilever 3 with screws. The laser displacement sensor 12 is used to sense whether the printing substrate 6 and the squeegee 5 are flat. During the process of the lifting mechanism controlling the top plate 11 and the printing substrate 6 to rise and the printing substrate 6 to be flattened with the squeegee 5, the lifting mechanism uses the feedback value from the laser displacement sensor 12 to perform closed-loop control to ensure that the printing substrate 6 and the squeegee 5 are flattened, thus guaranteeing the flattening effect.

[0050] The present invention also proposes an additive manufacturing apparatus, including the additive manufacturing apparatus described above, and further including a lifting mechanism for driving the top plate 11 to rise and fall. The additive manufacturing apparatus includes the additive manufacturing apparatus described above, and therefore possesses all the technical effects of the additive manufacturing apparatus described above, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0051] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A powder spreading and leveling device for use in additive manufacturing equipment, characterized in that, The powder spreading and leveling device includes: a transverse drive mechanism (1) mounted on the printing chamber bottom plate (2); a cantilever (3) mounted on the moving end of the transverse drive mechanism (1); a mounting plate (4) with one end hinged to the cantilever (3); a scraper (5) mounted on the mounting plate (4) and located directly above the printing substrate (6) on the printing chamber bottom plate (2); and a clamping mechanism (7) mounted on the printing chamber bottom plate (2) for clamping or releasing the mounting plate (4) away from the cantilever (3). One end; a top plate (11) and a substrate adjustment mechanism (10), the top plate (11) being located directly below the printing substrate (6), the substrate adjustment mechanism (10) being mounted on the top plate (11) and used to control the rotation of the printing substrate (6), a horizontal sensor being provided inside the printing substrate (6), the horizontal sensor being electrically connected to the substrate adjustment mechanism (10); a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism being used to drive the top plate (11) to lift and control the printing substrate (6) to be flat with the scraper (5); the clamp The holding mechanism (7) includes a base (71), a screw (72), a left chuck (73), a right chuck (74), a coupling (75), and a motor (76). The base (71) is mounted on the printing chamber base plate (2), the motor (76) is mounted on the base (71), the coupling (75) is mounted on the output end of the motor (76), one end of the screw (72) is connected to the coupling (75), the left chuck (73) is provided with a left helix, and the right chuck (74) is provided with a right helix. The left chuck (73) and the right chuck (74) are both sleeved on the screw (72) and can move closer or further apart when the screw (72) rotates; the clamping mechanism (7) also includes a guide rail pair (77) and a slider (78). The guide rail pair (77) is mounted on the printing chamber bottom plate (2) and its length direction is consistent with the moving direction of the moving end of the transverse drive mechanism (1). The slider (78) is slidably mounted on the guide rail pair (77), and the base (71) is mounted on the slider (78).

2. The powder spreading and leveling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (71) is provided with a dovetail guide groove (711), and the left clamp (73) and the right clamp (74) are both provided with dovetail segments (731), which are engaged in the dovetail guide groove (711).

3. The powder spreading and leveling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism (7) also includes a dust cover (79), a groove (21) is provided on the bottom plate (2) of the printing chamber, and a slot (22) is provided on the side wall of the groove (21); the guide rail pair (77) is located in the groove (21), and the dust cover (79) is engaged in the slot (22); the dust cover (79) is a multi-segment telescopic structure, and a through hole (791) is provided on the dust cover (79) for the base (71) to pass through.

4. The powder spreading and leveling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a rotating shaft (8) and a locking nut (9). One end of the rotating shaft (8) is provided with a threaded section. The rotating shaft (8) is inserted into the cantilever (3) and the mounting plate (4). The locking nut (9) is sleeved on the threaded section so that the mounting plate (4) can rotate around the rotating shaft (8).

5. The powder spreading and leveling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper end face of the top plate (11) is provided with a ball head (111), and the lower end face of the printing substrate (6) is provided with a concave hole (61) corresponding to the ball head (111).

6. The powder spreading and leveling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a laser displacement sensor (12), which is mounted on the cantilever (3).

7. An additive manufacturing apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the powder spreading and leveling device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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