Metal powder automatic drying equipment, drying method and printing system

Abstract

The application discloses a metal powder automatic drying equipment, a drying method and a printing system. The metal powder automatic drying equipment comprises a heating chamber, a heating piece, a powder car, a separation tank, a sealed air compressor, a condenser, two inert gas delivery pipelines, a control switch group and a controller. The heating chamber, the powder car, the two separation tanks, the condenser and the sealed air compressor are connected through a plurality of pipelines. The sealed air compressor is used for vacuumizing to form circulating air flow flowing in from a powder inlet of the separation tank and flowing out from a corresponding air outlet, so that the metal powder to be dried in the powder car is sent into the separation tank for gas-solid separation, and then is sent back into the powder car after drying through the heating chamber. The controller is signal-connected with the heating piece, the condenser, the sealed air compressor and the control switch group respectively, so as to control the cooperation of each part to realize the drying process. The application can continuously perform multiple drying operations, has high drying efficiency, and is not easy to cause oxidation, waste and cross contamination of the metal powder, and has high operation safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of 3D printing technology, specifically to an automatic metal powder drying device, drying method, and printing system. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in 3D printing, metal powder drying is typically carried out in a vacuum drying oven. The drying process is roughly as follows: First, the metal powder is poured out of its original container and placed in a metal tray. Then, the metal tray is placed in the vacuum drying oven for drying. After the metal powder is dried, it is returned to the metal powder container. During the metal powder drying process, the vacuum drying oven is first evacuated, and then heat is used to evaporate and remove moisture from the metal powder.

[0003] However, there are the following problems with using a vacuum drying oven for drying metal powders:

[0004] 1. The amount of metal powder that can be dried in a single batch is limited by the internal size of the vacuum drying oven. To increase the amount of metal powder that can be dried in a single batch, a larger vacuum drying oven is required, which will increase the cost accordingly.

[0005] 2. When using a vacuum drying oven to dry metal powder, the metal powder needs to be poured into the metal tray of the drying oven first, and then put back into the powder container after drying. The metal powder needs to be turned over multiple times during the drying process, which not only easily causes waste and cross-contamination of metal powder, but also poses a safety hazard of direct contact with operators. At the same time, it is impossible to carry out multiple drying operations continuously.

[0006] 3. When using a vacuum drying oven to dry metal powder, it is necessary to ensure that the airtightness of the equipment and the oxygen content always meet the standards, and to ensure the drying time. Otherwise, the powder may be oxidized due to excessive drying time or excessive oxygen content, or even the metal powder may be scrapped and cannot be reused.

[0007] 4. Each drying operation requires the operator to manually add the metal powder to be dried into the vacuum drying oven, which results in a long heating and cooling process in the vacuum drying oven, leading to low drying efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide an automatic metal powder drying equipment, drying method and printing system to solve the problems of the inability to perform multiple consecutive drying operations, low drying efficiency, metal powder being prone to excessive drying time, oxidation, waste and cross-contamination, and low operator safety when using vacuum drying ovens for metal powder drying.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0010] An automatic drying device for metal powder, characterized in that it comprises:

[0011] The heating chamber includes a discharge port and two inlets;

[0012] A heating element is disposed on the outer wall of the heating chamber;

[0013] The powder cart is used to store metal powder dried in the heating chamber or to supply metal powder to be dried to the heating chamber. The inlet of the powder cart is connected to the outlet.

[0014] The separator is used to separate the metal powder to be dried from the gas before it enters the heating chamber. There are two separators, and the two separators work alternately. The powder outlet of the two separators is connected to the two feed inlets in a one-to-one manner. The powder inlets of the two separators are respectively connected to the outlet of the powder cart. The gas outlet of the two separators is used to discharge the gas.

[0015] A sealed compressor is connected between the outlets of the two separation tanks and the outlet of the powder cart. The sealed compressor is used to create a vacuum to form a circulating airflow that flows in from the powder inlet and out from the corresponding outlet.

[0016] A condenser, connected between the hermetic compressor and the two outlets, is used to recover moisture from the circulating gas flow.

[0017] Several pipes are used to connect the heating chamber, the powder car, the two separation tanks, the condenser and the hermetically sealed compressor;

[0018] Two inert gas delivery pipelines are used to connect to the inert gas generating device. The two inert gas delivery pipelines are respectively connected to the heating chamber and the pipeline located between the sealed compressor and the outlet.

[0019] The control switch group includes switches F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, and F11.

[0020] The switches F2, F4, and F9 correspond to one of the two separation tanks, and the switches F3, F5, and F10 correspond to the other of the two separation tanks. Switches F2 and F3 are respectively located between the powder inlet and the outlet, switches F4 and F5 are respectively located between the powder outlet and the feed inlet, and switches F9 and F10 are respectively located between the gas outlet and the condenser.

[0021] Switch F6 is located between the discharge port and the inlet; switch F7 is located between the outlet and the sealed compressor and the two powder inlets; switch F1 is located between the sealed compressor and switch F7; switches F8 and F11 are respectively located on the two inert gas conveying pipelines; and

[0022] The controller is connected to the heating element, the condenser, the hermetically sealed compressor, and the control switch group via signals.

[0023] Furthermore, each of the two separation tanks is equipped with a detection element, and the two detection elements are respectively connected to the controller signal;

[0024] The two detection devices are used to detect the amount of metal powder stored in the two separation tanks respectively. The controller controls one of the two separation tanks to be connected to the heating chamber, the powder cart and the condenser according to the detection results of the two detection devices.

[0025] Furthermore, the detection element is any one or a combination of several of the following: level sensor, weighing sensor, capacitive proximity switch, ultrasonic sensor, and probe level gauge.

[0026] Furthermore, the heating chamber includes a side wall, a top wall and a bottom wall disposed opposite to each other at both ends of the side wall. The side wall has a cylindrical structure, the bottom wall has a downwardly convex conical structure, the discharge port is disposed at the bottom end of the bottom wall, and the two feed ports are disposed on the top wall.

[0027] Furthermore, the heating element is any one or a combination of heating plates, heating rods, and infrared heating lamps.

[0028] Furthermore, the switches F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, and F7 are all pneumatic valves.

[0029] Furthermore, the sealed compressor is a sealed vacuum pump or a sealed fan.

[0030] The present invention also provides an automatic drying method for metal powder, which is applicable to the automatic drying equipment for metal powder as described in any of the above claims, and the automatic drying method for metal powder includes the following steps:

[0031] Step 1: Open switches F8 and F11 using the controller to fill the entire equipment with inert gas using the inert gas generator. After filling is complete, close switches F8 and F11 using the controller.

[0032] Step 2: Open switches F1, F2, and F9 via the controller to simultaneously start the sealed compressor and condenser, thereby forming a circulating airflow and collecting the moisture in the circulating airflow;

[0033] Step 3: The controller intermittently opens switch F7, and the metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the first separation tank under the action of the circulating airflow for gas-powder separation. At the same time, the controller starts the heating element to heat the heating chamber.

[0034] Step 4: When the amount of metal powder stored in the first separation tank reaches the protection threshold, the controller controls the switch F2 to close, the switch F9 to close and the switch F4 to open. The metal powder in the first separation tank enters the heating chamber for static heating. At the same time, the controller controls the switches F3 and F10 to open. The metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the second separation tank for gas-powder separation under the action of the circulating airflow.

[0035] Step 5: When the metal powder storage level in the second separation tank reaches the protection threshold, the controller controls switches F3 and F10 to close, stopping the supply of metal powder to be dried to the second separation tank. At the same time, the controller controls switches F9 and F6 to open, allowing the dried metal powder in the heating chamber to enter the powder cart for storage.

[0036] Step Six: After a preset time, the controller controls switch F6 to close, switch F4 to close, and switch F2 to open. The metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the first separation tank for gas-powder separation under the action of the circulating airflow.

[0037] Step 7: Control the switch F5 to open via the controller, and the metal powder in the second separation tank enters the heating chamber for static heating;

[0038] Step 8: When the amount of metal powder stored in the first separation tank reaches the protection threshold, the controller controls the switches F2 and F9 to close, stopping the supply of metal powder to be dried to the first separation tank. At the same time, the controller controls the switches F10 and F6 to open, and the dried metal powder in the heating chamber enters the powder cart for storage.

[0039] Step 9: After a preset time, the controller controls switch F6 to close, switch F5 to close, and switch F3 to open. The metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the second separation tank for gas-powder separation under the action of the circulating airflow.

[0040] Step 10: Control the switch F4 to open via the controller, and the metal powder in the first separation tank enters the heating chamber for static heating. At the same time, control the switches 2 and F9 to open via the controller, and the metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the first separation tank under the action of the circulating airflow for gas-powder separation.

[0041] Step 11: Repeat steps 5 to 10 within the set drying time to complete the drying process of the metal powder to be dried.

[0042] Furthermore, in step eleven, the drying time is set according to the volume of the powder cart and the specifications of the metal powder to be dried.

[0043] The present invention also provides a printing system comprising at least:

[0044] Printers, used for printing products; and

[0045] As described in any of the above-mentioned automatic metal powder drying equipment, the automatic metal powder drying equipment provides the metal powder remaining after printing by the printer to the heating chamber for drying via a powder cart, and then provides the dried metal powder to the printer again for printing via the powder cart.

[0046] Due to the application of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of this application compared with the prior art are as follows:

[0047] 1. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application connects the powder cart, the separation tank, and the heating chamber through pipelines, and a sealed compressor is installed on the pipelines to form a circulating airflow that flows in from the powder inlet and out from the corresponding air outlet. This drives the metal powder to be dried in the powder cart through the separation tank into the heating chamber. There is no need for operators to manually add the metal powder to be dried into the heating chamber, which reduces the need for handling the metal powder and manual intervention during the drying process, improves the safety of the drying process, and is less likely to cause metal powder waste and cross-contamination.

[0048] 2. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application allows two separation tanks to operate alternately, providing the metal powder to be dried into the heating chamber respectively. This enables the heating chamber to carry out a continuous drying process without waiting for a long heating and cooling process, thereby improving drying efficiency and reducing costs.

[0049] 3. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application is filled with inert gas by setting up two inert gas conveying pipelines connected to the inert gas generator. This prevents the metal powder from oxidizing and prevents dust explosions caused by excessive oxygen content, thus improving the safety of the drying process. At the same time, a sealed compressor is selected to ensure the airtightness of the entire equipment.

[0050] 4. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application achieves automated control of the metal powder drying equipment by setting up a controller, control switch group and detection components. The controller can monitor parameters such as temperature, pressure and powder storage in the separation tank, and perform corresponding control operations according to preset conditions to ensure the stability and consistency of the drying process, thereby improving production efficiency and reducing manual intervention and errors.

[0051] 5. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application can remove moisture in the circulating airflow by setting a condenser, thereby removing the moisture generated by the metal powder during the drying process, thus preventing the moisture from affecting the metal powder, thereby improving the drying effect and quality of the metal powder. In addition, the high-temperature waste heat in the metal powder drying process can be converted into the heat energy of the condensate, saving energy, reducing energy consumption in the production process, and also reducing the impact on the environment by reducing the emission and waste of heat energy.

[0052] 6. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application uses a powder cart to transport the metal powder to be dried to the heating chamber for drying, or transports the metal powder dried in the heating chamber to the printer for printing, so that the automatic metal powder drying process can be coordinated with the printing process to achieve automated production. Attached Figure Description

[0053] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0054] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic metal powder drying equipment shown in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0056] 1-Heating chamber; 11-Side wall; 12-Bottom wall; 13-Inlet; 14-Outlet; 2-Powder cart; 21-Inlet; 22-Outlet; 23-Powder tank; 3-Separation tank; 31-Powder inlet; 32-Powder outlet; 33-Air outlet; 4-Sealed compressor; 5-Condenser; 6-Inert gas conveying pipeline. Detailed Implementation

[0057] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0058] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate for the embodiments of this application described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0059] In this application, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "middle," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing the invention and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0060] Furthermore, in addition to indicating direction or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in certain situations to indicate a dependency or connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0061] Furthermore, the terms "installation," "setup," "equipped with," "connection," "linking," and "socketing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral structure; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or an internal connection between two devices, components, or parts. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0062] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. This application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0063] One embodiment of the present invention provides a printing system, which includes at least a printer for printing products and an automatic metal powder drying device. The automatic metal powder drying device provides the metal powder remaining after printing by the printer to the heating chamber for drying through a powder cart, and then provides the dried metal powder to the printer again for printing through the powder cart, so as to realize the automated production of the automatic metal powder drying process and the printing process.

[0064] Please see Figure 1 In this embodiment, the aforementioned automatic metal powder drying equipment includes a heating chamber 1, a heating element (not shown) surrounding the outer wall of the heating chamber 1, a powder cart 2, two separation tanks 3, a sealed compressor 4, a condenser 5, two inert gas delivery pipelines 6, a control switch group, and a controller (not shown). The heating chamber 1, powder cart 2, two separation tanks 3, condenser 5, and sealed compressor 4 are connected by several pipelines (not labeled). The controller is connected to the heating element, condenser 5, sealed compressor 4, and control switch group via signals.

[0065] It should be noted that the controller can be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The controller is responsible for executing instructions and algorithms to implement control functions for the heating element, condenser 5, hermetic compressor 4, and control switch group. This is a conventional technical approach.

[0066] Heating chamber 1 is used to heat the metal powder to be dried (not shown) and to send the dried metal powder into powder cart 2 for storage. Specifically, heating chamber 1 includes a side wall 11, a top wall (not labeled) and a bottom wall 12 disposed opposite each other at both ends of the side wall 11, two feed inlets 13 disposed on the top wall and a discharge outlet 14 disposed on the bottom wall 12. The two feed inlets 13 are respectively used to communicate with two separation tanks 3, and the discharge outlet 14 is used to communicate with powder cart 2.

[0067] To facilitate uniform heating of the metal powder in the heating chamber 1 and to facilitate the delivery of the dried metal powder into the powder cart 2, in this embodiment, the side wall 11 has a cylindrical structure, the bottom wall 12 has a downwardly convex conical structure, and the discharge port 14 is located at the bottom end of the bottom wall 12. Admittedly, in other embodiments, the heating chamber 1 may also be configured as an integral conical structure, and this application does not specifically limit this.

[0068] Heating elements are arranged around the side walls 11 and bottom walls 12 of the heating chamber 1 to heat the heating chamber 1. In this embodiment, the heating elements are any one or a combination of heating plates, heating rods, and infrared heating lamps. This application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0069] The powder cart 2 is used to store metal powder dried in the heating chamber 1 or to supply metal powder to be dried in the heating chamber 1. Specifically, the inlet 21 of the powder cart 2 is connected to the outlet 14. In this embodiment, the powder cart 2 includes a moving structure (not shown) and a powder tank 23 disposed on the moving structure. The inlet 21 and the outlet 22 are both disposed on the powder tank 23. The moving structure can be a traveling wheel and a drive component. The powder tank, traveling wheel, and drive component are all conventional structures and will not be described in detail here.

[0070] The separating tank 3 is used to separate the metal powder to be dried from the gas before it enters the heating chamber 1. Simultaneously, as mentioned above, the powder cart 2 is used to supply the heating chamber 1 with the metal powder to be dried. Specifically, the powder outlet 32 ​​of the two separating tanks 3 is connected to the two feed inlets 13 in a one-to-one configuration. The powder inlets 31 of the two separating tanks 3 are respectively connected to the outlet 22 of the powder cart 2, and the gas outlets 33 of the two separating tanks 3 are used to discharge gas.

[0071] In this embodiment, the separator 3 is specifically a cyclone separator 3. It utilizes the rotating flow generated when the circulating airflow passes through the cyclone separator 3 to separate the metal powder suspended in the airflow. The specific principle is as follows: After the circulating airflow enters the cyclone separator 3, it forms a rotating motion inside the cyclone separator 3. Due to centrifugal force, a relatively high-pressure area is generated near the inner wall surface (not shown) of the cyclone separator 3 inside the circulating airflow, while the area inside the circulating airflow is a lower-pressure area. This pressure difference allows the metal powder to move along the circulating airflow towards the inner wall surface of the cyclone separator 3. When the metal powder approaches the inner wall surface of the cyclone separator 3, due to inertia, it continues to move along the inner wall surface of the cyclone separator 3 and eventually concentrates at the bottom of the cyclone separator 3, while the gas is discharged from the outlet 33.

[0072] To continuously supply the metal powder to be dried into the heating chamber 1 and improve drying efficiency, the two separation tanks 3 are configured to operate alternately. Specifically, the two separation tanks 3 are controlled by a controller to operate alternately. Each of the two separation tanks 3 is equipped with a detection element (not shown), and the two detection elements are connected to the controller signal. The two detection elements are used to detect the amount of metal powder stored in the two separation tanks 3. Based on the detection results of the two detection elements, the controller controls one of the two separation tanks 3 to connect to the heating chamber 1, the powder cart 2, and the condenser 5.

[0073] In this embodiment, the detection element is any one or a combination of several of the following: a level sensor, a load cell, a capacitive proximity switch, an ultrasonic sensor, and a probe level gauge. This application does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0074] A sealed compressor 4 is used to create a vacuum, forming a circulating airflow that flows in from the powder inlet 31 and out from the corresponding outlet 33, thereby driving the metal powder to be dried from the powder cart 2 into the two separation tanks 3 for gas-solid separation. Specifically, the sealed compressor 4 is connected between the outlets 33 of the two separation tanks 3 and the outlet 22 of the powder cart 2. In this embodiment, the sealed compressor 4 is a sealed vacuum pump or a sealed fan. This is prior art and will not be discussed in detail here.

[0075] The condenser 5 is connected between the hermetically sealed compressor 4 and the two outlets 33, and is used to recover moisture in the circulating gas flow. The condenser 5 is a device used to convert gas or vapor into liquid. It is usually achieved by contacting high-temperature gas or vapor with a cooling medium to remove heat from the gas or vapor, thereby cooling it and condensing it into a liquid.

[0076] Two inert gas delivery pipelines 6 are used to connect to the inert gas generator (not shown), which are respectively connected to the heating chamber 1 and the pipeline located between the sealed compressor 4 and the outlet 22. This allows the entire equipment to be filled with inert gas before the drying process, thereby reducing the oxygen content within the equipment, preventing oxidation of the metal powder, and preventing dust explosions caused by excessive oxygen content, thus improving the safety of the drying process.

[0077] The control switch group is used to realize the control of the entire device by the controller. The control switch group includes switch F1, switch F2, switch F3, switch F4, switch F5, switch F6, switch F7, switch F8, switch F9, switch F10, and switch F11.

[0078] Specifically, switches F2, F4, and F9 correspond to one of the two separator tanks 3, and switches F3, F5, and F10 correspond to the other of the two separator tanks 3. Switches F2 and F3 are respectively located between the corresponding powder inlet 31 and outlet 22. Switches F4 and F5 are respectively located between the corresponding powder outlet 32 ​​and feed inlet 13. Switches F9 and F10 are respectively located between the corresponding gas outlet 33 and condenser 5. Switch F6 is located between discharge outlet 14 and inlet 21. Switch F7 is located between outlet 22, sealed compressor 4, and the two powder inlets 31. Switch F1 is located between sealed compressor 4 and switch F7. Switches F8 and F11 are respectively located on the two inert gas conveying pipelines 6.

[0079] In this embodiment, switches F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, and F7 are all pneumatic valves. These are existing structures and will not be described in detail here. Admittedly, in other embodiments, switches F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, and F7 may also be electromagnetic switches; this application does not specifically limit this.

[0080] The present invention also provides an automatic drying method for metal powder, which is applicable to the aforementioned automatic drying equipment for metal powder. Taking the automatic drying equipment for metal powder in this embodiment as an example, the automatic drying method for metal powder includes the following steps:

[0081] Step 1: Open switches F8 and F11 using the controller to fill the entire equipment with inert gas through the inert gas generator. After filling is complete, close switches F8 and F11 using the controller.

[0082] Step 2: Open switches F1, F2, and F9 via the controller to simultaneously start the sealed compressor and condenser, thereby forming a circulating airflow and collecting moisture within the circulating airflow;

[0083] Step 3: The controller intermittently opens switch F7, and the metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the first separation tank under the action of the circulating airflow for gas-powder separation. At the same time, the controller starts the heating element to heat the heating chamber.

[0084] Step 4: When the metal powder storage level in the first separation tank reaches the protection threshold, the controller controls switch F2 to close, switch F9 to close and switch F4 to open. The metal powder in the first separation tank enters the heating chamber for static heating. At the same time, the controller controls switches F3 and F10 to open. The metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the second separation tank for gas-powder separation under the action of the circulating airflow.

[0085] Step 5: When the amount of metal powder stored in the second separation tank reaches the protection threshold, the controller controls switches F3 and F10 to close, stopping the supply of metal powder to be dried to the second separation tank. At the same time, the controller controls switches F9 and F6 to open, allowing the dried metal powder in the heating chamber to enter the powder cart for storage.

[0086] Step 6: After a preset time, the controller controls switch F6 to close, switch F4 to close, and switch F2 to open. The metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the first separation tank for gas-powder separation under the action of the circulating airflow.

[0087] Step 7: Open the switch F5 via the controller, and the metal powder in the second separation tank enters the heating chamber for static heating;

[0088] Step 8: When the amount of metal powder stored in the first separation tank reaches the protection threshold, the controller controls switches F2 and F9 to close, stopping the supply of metal powder to be dried to the first separation tank. At the same time, the controller controls switches F10 and F6 to open, allowing the dried metal powder in the heating chamber to enter the powder cart for storage.

[0089] Step 9: After a preset time, the controller controls switch F6 to close, switch F5 to close, and switch F3 to open. The metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the second separation tank for gas-powder separation under the action of the circulating airflow.

[0090] Step 10: Open switch F4 via controller to allow the metal powder in the first separation tank to enter the heating chamber for static heating. At the same time, open switches F2 and F9 via controller to allow the metal powder to be dried in the powder cart to enter the first separation tank for gas-powder separation under the action of circulating airflow.

[0091] Step 11: Repeat steps 5 to 10 within the set drying time to complete the drying process of the metal powder to be dried.

[0092] It is worth noting that in step eleven, the drying time is set according to the volume of the powder cart and the specifications of the metal powder to be dried. The specifications of the metal powder to be dried specifically include its chemical composition, particle size distribution, and moisture content.

[0093] Due to the application of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of this application compared with the prior art are as follows:

[0094] 1. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application connects the powder cart, the separation tank, and the heating chamber through pipelines, and a sealed compressor is installed on the pipelines to form a circulating airflow that flows in from the powder inlet and out from the corresponding air outlet. This drives the metal powder to be dried in the powder cart through the separation tank into the heating chamber. There is no need for operators to manually add the metal powder to be dried into the heating chamber, which reduces the need for handling the metal powder and manual intervention during the drying process, improves the safety of the drying process, and is less likely to cause metal powder waste and cross-contamination.

[0095] 2. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application allows two separation tanks to operate alternately, providing the metal powder to be dried into the heating chamber respectively. This enables the heating chamber to carry out a continuous drying process without waiting for a long heating and cooling process, thereby improving drying efficiency and reducing costs.

[0096] 3. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application is filled with inert gas by setting up two inert gas conveying pipelines connected to the inert gas generator. This prevents the metal powder from oxidizing and prevents dust explosions caused by excessive oxygen content, thus improving the safety of the drying process. At the same time, a sealed compressor is selected to ensure the airtightness of the entire equipment.

[0097] 4. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application achieves automated control of the metal powder drying equipment by setting up a controller, control switch group and detection components. The controller can monitor parameters such as temperature, pressure and powder storage in the separation tank, and perform corresponding control operations according to preset conditions to ensure the stability and consistency of the drying process, thereby improving production efficiency and reducing manual intervention and errors.

[0098] 5. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application can remove moisture in the circulating airflow by setting a condenser, thereby removing the moisture generated by the metal powder during the drying process, thus preventing the moisture from affecting the metal powder, thereby improving the drying effect and quality of the metal powder. In addition, the high-temperature waste heat in the metal powder drying process can be converted into the heat energy of the condensate, saving energy, reducing energy consumption in the production process, and also reducing the impact on the environment by reducing the emission and waste of heat energy.

[0099] 6. The automatic metal powder drying equipment provided in this application uses a powder cart to transport the metal powder to be dried to the heating chamber for drying, or transports the metal powder dried in the heating chamber to the printer for printing, so that the automatic metal powder drying process can be coordinated with the printing process to achieve automated production.

[0100] Finally, it should be noted that the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic drying device for metal powder, characterized in that, include: The heating chamber includes a discharge port and two inlets; A heating element is disposed on the outer wall of the heating chamber; The powder cart is used to store metal powder dried in the heating chamber or to supply metal powder to be dried to the heating chamber. The inlet of the powder cart is connected to the outlet. The separator is used to separate the metal powder to be dried from the gas before it enters the heating chamber. There are two separators, and the two separators work alternately. The powder outlet of the two separators is connected to the two feed inlets in a one-to-one manner. The powder inlets of the two separators are respectively connected to the outlet of the powder cart. The gas outlet of the two separators is used to discharge the gas. A sealed compressor is connected between the outlets of the two separation tanks and the outlet of the powder cart. The sealed compressor is used to create a vacuum to form a circulating airflow that flows in from the powder inlet and out from the corresponding outlet. A condenser, connected between the hermetic compressor and the two outlets, is used to recover moisture from the circulating gas flow. Several pipes are used to connect the heating chamber, the powder car, the two separation tanks, the condenser and the hermetically sealed compressor; Two inert gas delivery pipelines are used to connect to the inert gas generating device. The two inert gas delivery pipelines are respectively connected to the heating chamber and the pipeline located between the sealed compressor and the outlet. The control switch group includes switches F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, and F11. The switches F2, F4, and F9 correspond to one of the two separation tanks, and the switches F3, F5, and F10 correspond to the other of the two separation tanks. Switches F2 and F3 are respectively located between the powder inlet and the outlet, switches F4 and F5 are respectively located between the powder outlet and the feed inlet, and switches F9 and F10 are respectively located between the gas outlet and the condenser. The switch F6 is located between the discharge port and the inlet; the switch F7 is located between the outlet and the sealed air compressor and the two powder inlets; the switch F1 is located between the sealed air compressor and the switch F7; and the switches F8 and F11 are respectively located on the two inert gas conveying pipelines. as well as The controller is connected to the heating element, the condenser, the hermetically sealed compressor, and the control switch group via signals.

2. The automatic metal powder drying equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the two separation tanks is equipped with a detection element, and the two detection elements are respectively connected to the controller signal. The two detection devices are used to detect the amount of metal powder stored in the two separation tanks respectively. The controller controls one of the two separation tanks to be connected to the heating chamber, the powder cart and the condenser according to the detection results of the two detection devices.

3. The automatic metal powder drying equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The detection element is any one or a combination of several of the following: level sensor, weighing sensor, capacitive proximity switch, ultrasonic sensor, and probe level gauge.

4. The automatic metal powder drying equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The heating chamber includes a side wall, a top wall and a bottom wall disposed opposite to each other at both ends of the side wall. The side wall has a cylindrical structure, and the bottom wall has a downwardly convex conical structure. The discharge port is disposed at the bottom end of the bottom wall, and the two inlets are disposed on the top wall.

5. The automatic metal powder drying equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The heating element is any one or a combination of heating plates, heating rods, and infrared heating lamps.

6. The automatic metal powder drying equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Switches F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, and F7 are all pneumatic valves.

7. The automatic metal powder drying equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sealed compressor is a sealed vacuum pump or a sealed fan.

8. An automatic drying method for metal powder, characterized in that, The automatic metal powder drying method is applicable to the automatic metal powder drying equipment as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, and the automatic metal powder drying method includes the following steps: Step 1: Open switches F8 and F11 using the controller to fill the entire equipment with inert gas using the inert gas generator. After filling is complete, close switches F8 and F11 using the controller. Step 2: Open switches F1, F2, and F9 via the controller to simultaneously start the sealed compressor and condenser, thereby forming a circulating airflow and collecting the moisture in the circulating airflow; Step 3: The controller intermittently opens switch F7, and the metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the first separation tank under the action of the circulating airflow for gas-powder separation. At the same time, the controller starts the heating element to heat the heating chamber. Step 4: When the amount of metal powder stored in the first separation tank reaches the protection threshold, the controller controls the switch F2 to close, the switch F9 to close and the switch F4 to open. The metal powder in the first separation tank enters the heating chamber for static heating. At the same time, the controller controls the switches F3 and F10 to open. The metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the second separation tank for gas-powder separation under the action of the circulating airflow. Step 5: When the metal powder storage level in the second separation tank reaches the protection threshold, the controller controls switches F3 and F10 to close, stopping the supply of metal powder to be dried to the second separation tank. At the same time, the controller controls switches F9 and F6 to open, allowing the dried metal powder in the heating chamber to enter the powder cart for storage. Step Six: After a preset time, the controller controls switch F6 to close, switch F4 to close, and switch F2 to open. The metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the first separation tank for gas-powder separation under the action of the circulating airflow. Step 7: Control the switch F5 to open via the controller, and the metal powder in the second separation tank enters the heating chamber for static heating; Step 8: When the amount of metal powder stored in the first separation tank reaches the protection threshold, the controller controls the switches F2 and F9 to close, stopping the supply of metal powder to be dried to the first separation tank. At the same time, the controller controls the switches F10 and F6 to open, and the dried metal powder in the heating chamber enters the powder cart for storage. Step 9: After a preset time, the controller controls switch F6 to close, switch F5 to close, and switch F3 to open. The metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the second separation tank for gas-powder separation under the action of the circulating airflow. Step 10: Control the switch F4 to open via the controller, and the metal powder in the first separation tank enters the heating chamber for static heating. At the same time, control the switches F2 and F9 to open via the controller, and the metal powder to be dried in the powder cart enters the first separation tank under the action of the circulating airflow for gas-powder separation. Step 11: Repeat steps 5 to 10 within the set drying time to complete the drying process of the metal powder to be dried.

9. The automatic drying method for metal powder as described in claim 8, characterized in that, In step eleven, the drying time is set according to the volume of the powder cart and the specifications of the metal powder to be dried.

10. A printing system, characterized in that, At least including: A printer, used to print products; as well as The automatic metal powder drying equipment as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the automatic metal powder drying equipment provides the metal powder remaining after printing by the printer to the heating chamber for drying via a powder cart, and provides the dried metal powder to the printer again for printing via the powder cart.

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