Printer control method and 3D printer

Abstract

The application discloses a printer control method and a 3D printer, and relates to the technical field of printing. The printer control method provided by the application comprises the following steps: acquiring a data queue for manufacturing a plurality of groups of three-dimensional objects, wherein the data queue at least comprises a plurality of groups of printing data corresponding to the plurality of groups of three-dimensional objects; manufacturing the plurality of groups of three-dimensional objects according to the data queue; judging whether there is an abnormality between a material tray and a forming platform; and stopping the step of manufacturing the plurality of groups of three-dimensional objects according to the data queue in the case that it is judged that there is an abnormality between the material tray and the forming platform. By stopping the subsequent printing operation in the case that it is judged that there is an abnormality between the material tray and the forming platform, unqualified products can be avoided, and material waste and equipment loss can be reduced. The 3D printer provided by the embodiment of the application is used for implementing the printer control method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of printing technology, and more specifically, to a printer control method and a 3D printer. Background Technology

[0002] 3D printing is a technology that uses 3D printing equipment to create three-dimensional solid objects by layering data from a three-dimensional model of the object to be printed. 3D manufacturing can overcome special structural obstacles that traditional machining cannot achieve, enabling the simplified production of arbitrarily complex structural components.

[0003] Due to various limitations, the most common method currently used in the market is single-printing. This involves manually removing the 3D object from the 3D printer after each print run, before proceeding to the next. However, this method is inefficient and cannot meet production demands. In mass production, automation can be used for tasks such as part removal and liquid replenishment, saving some manpower. However, during the printing process, if an anomaly occurs between the material tray and the forming platform (such as a solidified 3D object falling from the forming platform or foreign objects in the material tray), subsequent printing may fail, leading to defective products or even the printer being unable to complete subsequent print runs. If the anomaly goes undetected and the printer continues printing according to the data queue, printing material will be wasted, and the equipment may even be damaged. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application includes providing a printer control method and a 3D printer that can reduce waste of printing materials and avoid equipment damage in the event of abnormalities during mass printing.

[0005] The embodiments of the present invention can be implemented as follows:

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a printer control method applied to a 3D printer. The 3D printer includes a material tray and a forming platform. The material tray is used to hold printing material, and the forming platform is used to attach three-dimensional objects.

[0007] Obtain a data queue for manufacturing multiple sets of 3D objects, wherein the data queue contains at least multiple sets of printing data that correspond one-to-one with the multiple sets of 3D objects;

[0008] Multiple sets of 3D objects are created sequentially based on the data queue;

[0009] Determine if there are any abnormalities between the material tray and the forming platform;

[0010] If an anomaly is detected between the material tray and the forming platform, the process of sequentially manufacturing multiple sets of 3D objects according to the data queue is stopped.

[0011] In an optional implementation, the step of determining whether there is an abnormality between the material tray and the forming platform includes at least one of the following methods:

[0012] Determine whether the three-dimensional object on the forming platform has fallen off. If so, determine that there is an anomaly between the material tray and the forming platform.

[0013] Determine if there are foreign objects in the material tray. If so, determine if there is an abnormality between the material tray and the forming platform.

[0014] In an optional implementation, the step of determining whether a three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen includes:

[0015] The separation force between the cured layer and the bottom of the material tray is obtained during the rising process of the molding platform;

[0016] Determine whether the three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen off based on the change in the separation force.

[0017] In an optional implementation, the step of determining whether a three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen off based on the change in separation force includes:

[0018] The correspondence between separation force and the characteristics of the cross section of a three-dimensional object is established by using one of the following methods: mathematical modeling, simulation, or empirical formulas.

[0019] Based on the correspondence between the separation force and the characteristics of the three-dimensional object cross-section, the preset value of the separation force corresponding to the peeling of the solidified layer is obtained;

[0020] When the difference between the actual separation force between the cured layer and the bottom of the tray and the preset separation force value is outside the preset range, it is determined that the three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen.

[0021] In an optional implementation, the step of determining whether a three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen off based on the change in separation force includes:

[0022] If the percentage decrease in the separation force of the current cured layer relative to the separation force of the previous cured layer exceeds a preset percentage, it is determined that the 3D object on the molding platform has fallen; and / or

[0023] When the change in separation force obtained per unit time or per unit sampling value exceeds a preset change threshold, it is determined that the three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen.

[0024] In an optional implementation, the 3D printer further includes a photoelectric sensor, and a step for determining whether a three-dimensional object on the forming platform has fallen off includes:

[0025] The photoelectric sensor is controlled to scan the printing area of ​​the molding platform to obtain the contour information of the current three-dimensional object on the molding platform;

[0026] The system determines whether the 3D object on the molding platform has fallen off based on the comparison between the outline information of the current 3D object on the molding platform and the outline of the model corresponding to the printing data.

[0027] In an optional implementation, the 3D printer further includes an image sensor, and the step of determining whether a three-dimensional object on the forming platform has fallen off includes:

[0028] Control the image sensor to acquire the contour information of the current 3D object on the molding platform;

[0029] The system determines whether the 3D object on the molding platform has fallen off based on the comparison between the outline information of the current 3D object on the molding platform and the outline of the model corresponding to the printing data.

[0030] In an optional implementation, the 3D printer also includes a part-removal mechanism for separating the three-dimensional object from the forming platform.

[0031] The steps to determine whether a 3D object on the molding platform has fallen off include:

[0032] During the process of the pickup mechanism picking up an item, the driving force and / or power of the pickup mechanism are obtained;

[0033] The driving force and / or power of the picking mechanism are used to determine whether the three-dimensional object on the forming platform has fallen off.

[0034] In an optional implementation, the step of determining whether there are foreign objects in the tray includes:

[0035] Obtain the actual amount of printing material consumed during a printing process;

[0036] The actual consumption of printing material is compared with the preset consumption. If the difference between the actual consumption and the preset consumption is outside the preset range, it is determined that there is a foreign object in the material tray.

[0037] The preset consumption amount is obtained based on the printing data, or based on the volume of the three-dimensional graphic corresponding to a printing action, or based on the volume of the three-dimensional graphic corresponding to a printing action and the density of the printing material.

[0038] In an optional implementation, the step of obtaining the actual amount of printing material consumed during a printing activity includes:

[0039] The actual amount of printing material consumed in a printing cycle is determined by the change in the liquid level of the printing material in the tray before and after a printing cycle.

[0040] Alternatively, the actual amount of printing material consumed in a printing cycle can be determined based on the change in the weight of the tray before and after a printing cycle.

[0041] Alternatively, in the case of a 3D printer that includes an automatic liquid dispensing mechanism, the actual amount of printing material consumed during a printing cycle can be determined based on the liquid dispensing status of the automatic liquid dispensing mechanism during a printing cycle.

[0042] In an optional implementation, the step of performing a printing job based on a data queue includes controlling the forming platform to move towards the bottom of the tray to a target position for printing; the step of determining whether there are foreign objects in the tray includes:

[0043] If the molding platform cannot move to the target position due to insufficient displacement distance during its movement, it is determined that there is a foreign object in the material tray.

[0044] In an optional implementation, the 3D printer further includes an image sensor and a step of determining whether there are foreign objects in the tray, including:

[0045] Control the image sensor to acquire image information within the material tray;

[0046] Determine whether there are foreign objects in the material tray based on the image information inside the tray.

[0047] In an optional implementation, the 3D printer further includes an ultrasonic detection component; the step of determining whether there are foreign objects in the tray includes:

[0048] According to the pre-configured detection strategy, the ultrasonic detection component forms an ultrasonic detection beam within the material tray;

[0049] The presence of foreign objects in the tray is determined by the echo delay time and / or echo intensity information of the ultrasonic detection beam.

[0050] In an optional implementation, the detection strategy is configured as follows:

[0051] After the 3D printer prints a preset number of target layers, it executes an ultrasonic testing command to cause the ultrasonic testing component to form an ultrasonic detection beam within the material tray; or

[0052] After the 3D printer is started, the ultrasonic detection component continuously generates ultrasonic detection beams.

[0053] In an optional implementation, the step of determining whether there is an anomaly between the tray and the forming platform is performed at least before printing based on each set of print data or after printing each set of print data is completed.

[0054] In an optional implementation, the method further includes: outputting prompt information and / or alarm information when an anomaly is determined to exist.

[0055] Secondly, this application provides a 3D printer, comprising:

[0056] A manufacturing mechanism is used to sequentially manufacture multiple sets of three-dimensional objects according to a data queue. The data queue contains at least multiple sets of printing data that correspond one-to-one with the multiple sets of three-dimensional objects. The manufacturing mechanism includes: a material tray for holding the printing material for manufacturing the three-dimensional objects; and a forming platform for attaching the three-dimensional objects.

[0057] The control mechanism, electrically connected to the manufacturing mechanism and the part-picking mechanism, is used to determine whether there is an abnormality between the material tray and the forming platform. If an abnormality is determined to exist between the material tray and the forming platform, the manufacturing mechanism is stopped.

[0058] In an optional implementation, a detection mechanism is also included, which is used to detect whether a three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen off, and / or to detect whether there are foreign objects in the material tray; when the control mechanism detects that a three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen off or that there are foreign objects in the material tray, it determines that there is an abnormality between the material tray and the molding platform.

[0059] In an optional embodiment, the manufacturing mechanism includes a lifting assembly for driving the molding platform to rise and fall, the detection mechanism includes a separation force sensor for detecting the separation force between the cured layer and the bottom of the tray, and the control mechanism is configured as follows:

[0060] The separation force between the cured layer and the bottom of the material tray is obtained during the rising process of the molding platform;

[0061] Determine whether the three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen off based on the change in the separation force.

[0062] In an optional implementation, the detection mechanism includes a photoelectric sensor, and the control mechanism is configured to:

[0063] The photoelectric sensor is controlled to scan the printing area of ​​the molding platform to obtain the contour information of the current three-dimensional object on the molding platform;

[0064] The system determines whether the 3D object on the molding platform has fallen off based on the comparison between the outline information of the current 3D object on the molding platform and the outline of the model corresponding to the printing data.

[0065] In an optional implementation, the detection mechanism includes an image sensor, and the control mechanism is configured to:

[0066] Control the image sensor to acquire the contour information of the current 3D object on the molding platform;

[0067] The system determines whether the 3D object on the molding platform has fallen off based on the comparison between the outline information of the current 3D object on the molding platform and the outline of the model corresponding to the printing data.

[0068] In an optional embodiment, the 3D printer includes a part-removing mechanism for removing the 3D objects from the forming platform after each set of 3D objects has been manufactured. A detection mechanism includes a part-removing force sensor disposed on the part-removing mechanism for detecting the driving force of the part-removing mechanism during part removal. A control mechanism is configured to:

[0069] During the item retrieval process, the driving force of the item retrieval mechanism is obtained through the item retrieval force sensor;

[0070] The driving force of the picking mechanism determines whether the three-dimensional object on the forming platform will fall.

[0071] In an optional embodiment, the detection mechanism includes a liquid level sensor for detecting the level of printing material in the tray; the control mechanism is configured to:

[0072] The actual amount of printing material consumed in a printing cycle is determined by the change in the liquid level of the printing material in the tray before and after a printing cycle.

[0073] The actual amount of printing material consumed is compared with the preset amount. If the difference between the actual amount of printing material consumed and the preset amount of consumption is outside the preset range, it is determined that there is a foreign object in the material tray.

[0074] In an optional implementation, the detection mechanism includes a load cell for detecting the weight of the tray; the control mechanism is configured to:

[0075] The actual amount of printing material consumed in a printing cycle is determined by the change in the weight of the material tray before and after a printing cycle.

[0076] The actual amount of printing material consumed is compared with the preset amount. If the difference between the actual amount of printing material consumed and the preset amount of consumption is outside the preset range, it is determined that there is a foreign object in the material tray.

[0077] In an optional implementation, the detection mechanism includes an image sensor, and the control mechanism is configured to:

[0078] The system controls the image sensor to acquire image information from the material tray; it then determines whether there are foreign objects in the tray based on the image information.

[0079] And / or, control the image sensor to acquire the contour information of the current 3D object on the molding platform; determine whether the 3D object on the molding platform has fallen off based on the comparison result between the contour information of the current 3D object on the molding platform and the model contour corresponding to the printing data.

[0080] In an optional implementation, the testing mechanism includes an ultrasonic testing component, and the control mechanism is configured to:

[0081] According to the pre-configured detection strategy, the ultrasonic detection component forms an ultrasonic detection beam within the material tray;

[0082] The presence of foreign objects in the tray is determined by the echo delay time and / or echo intensity information of the ultrasonic detection beam.

[0083] In an optional embodiment, the manufacturing mechanism includes a lifting assembly for driving the molding platform to rise and fall, the lifting assembly for driving the molding platform to move towards the bottom of the tray to a target position for printing, the detection mechanism includes a displacement sensor for detecting the displacement of the molding platform, and the control mechanism is configured to:

[0084] If the molding platform cannot move to the target position due to insufficient displacement distance during its movement, it is determined that there is a foreign object in the material tray.

[0085] In an optional implementation, the 3D printer includes an automatic liquid dispensing mechanism for adding printing material to a tray; the control mechanism is configured to:

[0086] Based on the liquid dispensing status of the automatic liquid dispensing mechanism during a printing cycle, determine the actual amount of printing material consumed in a printing cycle.

[0087] The actual amount of printing material consumed is compared with the preset amount. If the difference between the actual amount of printing material consumed and the preset amount of consumption is outside the preset range, it is determined that there is a foreign object in the material tray.

[0088] In an optional implementation, the 3D printer includes a part-retrieving mechanism for removing the 3D objects from the forming platform after each set of 3D objects has been manufactured; the control mechanism is configured to:

[0089] The contact force between the part-picking mechanism and the forming platform is obtained. When the contact force is less than the preset force threshold range, it is determined that there is an abnormality between the material tray and the forming platform. The contact force is obtained by means of one or more of the following: force sensor reading, motor power driving the part-picking mechanism, and motor torque.

[0090] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention include, for example:

[0091] The printer control method provided in this application is applied to a 3D printer. The 3D printer includes a material tray and a forming platform. The material tray is used to hold printing material, and the forming platform is used to attach three-dimensional objects. The method includes: acquiring a data queue for manufacturing multiple sets of three-dimensional objects, wherein the data queue contains at least multiple sets of printing data corresponding one-to-one with the multiple sets of three-dimensional objects; sequentially manufacturing multiple sets of three-dimensional objects according to the data queue; determining whether there is an anomaly between the material tray and the forming platform; and stopping the step of sequentially manufacturing multiple sets of three-dimensional objects according to the data queue if an anomaly is determined to exist between the material tray and the forming platform. By stopping subsequent printing operations when an anomaly is determined to exist between the material tray and the forming platform, defective products can be avoided, reducing material waste and equipment wear. The 3D printer provided in this application is used to implement the above-described printer control method. Attached Figure Description

[0092] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0093] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a 3D printer in one embodiment of this application;

[0094] Figure 2 This is a control block diagram of a 3D printer in one embodiment of this application;

[0095] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a printer control method in one embodiment of this application;

[0096] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the ultrasonic probe in the first embodiment of this application;

[0097] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the ultrasonic probe in the second embodiment of this application;

[0098] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the ultrasonic probe in the third embodiment of this application;

[0099] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the ultrasonic probe in the fourth embodiment of this application;

[0100] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the ultrasonic probe in the fifth embodiment of this application.

[0101] Icons: 010-3D printer; 100-forming platform; 200-material tray; 300-lifting assembly; 400-lighting assembly; 500-detection mechanism; 510-ultrasonic probe; 521-first ultrasonic probe; 522-second ultrasonic probe; 541-guide rail; 542-slider; 600-part picking mechanism; 700-automatic liquid dispensing mechanism; 800-control mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0102] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, 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 some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0103] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0104] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0105] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of this invention is usually placed, they are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0106] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0107] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0108] In related technologies, when 3D printers perform batch printing based on a data queue, they cannot automatically determine whether there are any abnormalities affecting the printing process between the material tray and the forming platform. For example, the 3D object might detach from the forming platform due to insufficient adhesion, or there might be foreign objects in the material tray. When an abnormality occurs, the 3D printer will continue printing according to the subsequent print data in the data queue, resulting in the final product failing to meet the required quality. Furthermore, in batch printing scenarios, since the removal of each product from the forming platform is automated, often unattended and prolonged, continued printing after an abnormality leads to significant material waste, unnecessary wear and tear on the equipment, and even damage due to the abnormal printing.

[0109] To address the shortcomings of the aforementioned technologies, this application provides a printer control method and a 3D printer. By stopping subsequent printing operations when an anomaly is detected between the material tray and the forming platform during the printing process based on the data queue, material waste and equipment wear are reduced.

[0110] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a 3D printer 010 in one embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a control block diagram of a 3D printer 010 in one embodiment of this application. Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the 3D printer 010 provided in this embodiment is a photopolymerization printer, specifically an LCD, DLP, or SLA printer. The 3D printer 010 includes a manufacturing mechanism, a part-loading mechanism 600, an automatic liquid dispensing mechanism 700, a detection mechanism 500, and a control mechanism 800. The manufacturing mechanism is used to sequentially manufacture multiple sets of three-dimensional objects according to a data queue, where the data queue contains at least multiple sets of printing data corresponding one-to-one with the multiple sets of three-dimensional objects. Specifically, in this embodiment, the manufacturing mechanism includes a forming platform 100, a material tray 200, a lifting assembly 300, and a lighting assembly 400. The forming platform 100 is used to attach the three-dimensional object; the material tray 200 is used to hold the printing material and has an opening facing the forming platform 100; the lifting assembly 300 is drively connected to the forming platform 100 and is used to drive the forming platform 100 to move up or down to approach or move away from the material tray 200; the lighting assembly 400 is used to irradiate the printing material in the material tray 200 to solidify the printing material and attach it to the forming platform 100 or the already solidified printing material. In this embodiment, the forming platform 100, the material tray 200, and the illumination component 400 are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The bottom of the material tray 200 is transparent. The illumination component 400 projects a light beam (such as ultraviolet light UV) upwards, allowing the light beam to enter the receiving cavity of the material tray 200 from the bottom. The printing material is a photosensitive material (such as photosensitive resin), which can undergo solidification under the irradiation of a specific wavelength of light beam, thus becoming a solid slice layer, i.e., a cured layer. The 3D printer 010 of this application embodiment forms a three-dimensional object by printing layer by layer. By sequentially forming several cured layers on the forming platform 100, a three-dimensional object formed by stacking several cured layers can be obtained. During the 3D printing process, the forming platform 100 gradually rises under the drive of the lifting component 300, while the position where the printing material undergoes solidification remains unchanged (located in the material tray 200). The specific forming method and principle of the photopolymer printer can be referred to in the prior art, and will not be repeated here.

[0111] The automatic liquid dispensing mechanism 700 can automatically replenish printing material to the material tray 200 according to the decrease of printing material in the material tray 200, thereby realizing batch printing production.

[0112] The part-retrieving mechanism 600 is used to remove the printed 3D object from the manufacturing mechanism; specifically, the part-retrieving mechanism 600 is used to separate the 3D object from the forming platform 100 and remove the 3D object. The part-retrieving mechanism 600 may include a scraper (not shown), a scraper drive (not shown) for driving the scraper to move relative to the forming platform 100, a receiving basket (not shown), and a receiving basket drive (not shown). The part-retrieving process includes using the scraper to peel the 3D object from the forming platform 100, after the 3D object falls into the receiving basket, the 3D object is transported away through the receiving basket for the printing of the next 3D object.

[0113] The detection mechanism 500 in this embodiment can be used to collect relevant information during the batch printing production process. The controller can determine whether there is an abnormality between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100 based on the information fed back by the detection mechanism 500. The detection mechanism 500 may include one or more of the following: force sensor, displacement sensor, liquid level sensor, weighing sensor, image sensor, photoelectric sensor, and ultrasonic detection component.

[0114] In this embodiment, the lifting assembly 300, the illumination assembly 400, the detection mechanism 500, the part-picking mechanism 600, and the automatic liquid-dispensing mechanism 700 are all electrically connected to the control mechanism 800. The control mechanism 800 can control the lifting assembly 300, the illumination assembly 400, the part-picking mechanism 600, and the automatic liquid-dispensing mechanism 700 to achieve batch printing of multiple products. Furthermore, the control mechanism 800 can detect feedback information from the detection mechanism 500 to determine whether there is an abnormality between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100. If an abnormality is determined to exist between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100, the manufacturing mechanism will stop operating.

[0115] In an optional embodiment, the control mechanism 800 is specifically configured to: acquire the contact force between the picking mechanism 600 and the forming platform 100, and determine that there is an abnormality between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100 when the contact force is less than a preset force threshold range; wherein, the contact force is acquired by means of one or more of the force sensor reading, the motor power driving the picking mechanism 600, and the motor torque.

[0116] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a printer control method in one embodiment of this application. The printer control method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to the 3D printer 010 provided in this application embodiment. Figure 3 As shown, the printer control method includes:

[0117] Step S100: Obtain a data queue for manufacturing multiple sets of three-dimensional objects, wherein the data queue contains at least multiple sets of printing data corresponding one-to-one with the multiple sets of three-dimensional objects.

[0118] During the preprocessing stage, based on printing requirements, the control mechanism 800 performs operations such as grouping, layout, and slicing on the 3D model, generating multiple sets of data. These sets of data are then arranged in a specific order to form a data queue. Each set of printing data in the data queue is used to manufacture a set of 3D objects.

[0119] Step S200: Create multiple sets of three-dimensional objects sequentially according to the data queue.

[0120] In this embodiment, the 3D printer 010 prints consecutively based on multiple sets of printing data in the data queue. That is, after a set of three-dimensional objects is formed on the forming platform 100, the part-removing mechanism 600 removes the set of three-dimensional objects to avoid affecting the next printing. Here, a set of three-dimensional objects corresponds to a set of printing data in step S100, and each set of three-dimensional objects requires one round of printing operation to complete. The part-removing mechanism 600 can be a mechanism that directly removes the three-dimensional objects from the forming platform 100, or it can be a mechanism that replaces the forming platform 100 with formed three-dimensional objects. Additionally, printing material can be automatically replenished to the material tray 200 according to printing needs. Replenishment can be done after a printing cycle is completed or before it begins, or it can be done during a printing cycle.

[0121] Step S300: Determine whether there is an abnormality between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100.

[0122] In this embodiment, the anomaly between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100 refers to anomalies that affect the normal operation of the printing job, specifically including the following two categories:

[0123] 1) The three-dimensional object falls off the molding platform 100. The reason why the three-dimensional object falls off the molding platform 100 is that the adhesion between the cured layer and the molding platform 100 or the previous cured layer is insufficient. The falling of the three-dimensional object includes the complete falling off of the cured part, the falling off of one or more newly formed cured layers, and the partial falling off of the newly formed cured layer.

[0124] 2) Foreign objects are present in the material tray 200. Foreign objects present in the material tray 200 will affect the curing and molding of the printing material in the material tray 200; and will also affect the movement of the molding surface to the target position, for example, the molding platform 100 may not be able to continue to descend to the appropriate position due to the obstruction of foreign objects.

[0125] In this embodiment, when either a three-dimensional object falls from the molding platform 100 or a foreign object exists in the material tray 200, an anomaly is determined to exist between the material tray 200 and the molding platform 100. Therefore, step S300 can be implemented in at least one of the following ways:

[0126] Determine whether the three-dimensional object on the forming platform 100 has fallen off. If so, determine that there is an anomaly between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100.

[0127] Determine whether there are foreign objects in the material tray 200. If so, determine that there is an abnormality between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100.

[0128] Correspondingly, the control mechanism 800 can detect whether a three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 has fallen off, and / or whether there are foreign objects in the material tray 200, through the detection mechanism 500, thereby determining whether there is an abnormality between the material tray 200 and the molding platform 100.

[0129] In step S400, if an anomaly is determined to exist between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100, the step of sequentially manufacturing multiple sets of three-dimensional objects according to the data queue is stopped.

[0130] In the event of an anomaly between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100, subsequent printing operations are stopped, thereby avoiding waste of printing materials and damage to the equipment. Specifically, the process of sequentially manufacturing multiple sets of 3D objects according to the data queue is stopped, including stopping the operation of the lighting component 400, the lifting component 300, the automatic liquid dispensing mechanism 700, and the part picking mechanism 600.

[0131] Optionally, the step of determining whether there is an abnormality between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100 in step S300 shall be performed at least before printing based on each set of printing data or after printing each set of printing data is completed. In other words, step S300 shall be performed at least once before or after each round of printing operation. Optionally, step S300 may also be performed during a round of printing operation, so that abnormalities can be detected in time and the printing operation can be stopped.

[0132] The following describes the specific method for determining whether a three-dimensional object on the forming platform 100 has fallen off in step S300.

[0133] Optionally, the step of determining whether the three-dimensional object on the forming platform 100 has fallen off in step S300 includes:

[0134] Step S301: During the process of the molding platform 100 rising, the separation force between the cured layer and the bottom of the material tray 200 is obtained;

[0135] Step S302: Determine whether the three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 has fallen off based on the change in the separation force.

[0136] Specifically, the detection mechanism 500 includes a separation force sensor for detecting the separation force between the cured layer and the bottom of the tray 200. The separation force sensor can be installed on the molding platform 100 and / or the lifting assembly 300. The control mechanism 800 can collect the separation force between the cured layer and the bottom of the tray 200 through the separation force sensor during the rising of the molding platform 100.

[0137] It is understandable that after curing, due to the adhesion between the cured layer and the bottom of the material tray 200, the cured layer will peel off from the bottom of the material tray 200 when the molding platform 100 rises, thus causing the molding platform 100 to be subjected to a downward force. The change in the force is related to the cross-section and distribution of the cured layer. Specifically, step S302 can be achieved in the following ways: using one of the following methods—mathematical modeling, simulation, and empirical formulas—to establish a correspondence between the separation force and the characteristics of the three-dimensional object's cross-section; based on the correspondence between the separation force and the characteristics of the three-dimensional object's cross-section, to obtain the preset value of the separation force corresponding to the peeling of the cured layer; when the difference between the actual separation force between the cured layer and the bottom of the material tray 200 and the preset value of the separation force is outside the preset range, it is determined that the three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 has fallen. It is also possible to determine whether the cured layer has partially fallen or fallen entirely based on the difference between the actual separation force and the preset value of the separation force.

[0138] In other embodiments, step S302 can also be implemented in the following ways:

[0139] A three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 is determined to have fallen when the percentage decrease in the separation force of the current cured layer relative to the separation force of the previous cured layer exceeds a preset percentage. For example, this can be determined by comparing the difference in separation force sensor readings between two adjacent curing cycles. If the percentage decrease in separation force relative to the previous cured layer exceeds a preset percentage, it can be considered that a three-dimensional object has fallen. For instance, when the cross-section of the cured layer is large, the separation force sensor reading is often large, such as 200–600 N. However, in the event of a plate fall, the separation force sensor reading may drop sharply, for example, to below 50 N. Alternatively, a three-dimensional object on the molding platform is determined to have fallen when the change in separation force obtained per unit time or per unit sampling value exceeds a change threshold.

[0140] It should be understood that the readings of the separation force sensor often differ for different material trays 200 with different characteristics. The above judgment can be made based on material trays 200 with the same characteristics.

[0141] In another optional embodiment, step S300, which involves determining whether a three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 has fallen, includes:

[0142] Step S311: Control the photoelectric sensor to scan the printing area of ​​the molding platform 100 to obtain the contour information of the current three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100.

[0143] Step S312: Determine whether the three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 has fallen off based on the comparison result between the contour information of the current three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 and the model contour corresponding to the printing data.

[0144] Specifically, the contour information of the 3D object includes its length in a predetermined direction (such as a direction parallel to the cross-section of the cured layer). The detection mechanism 500 includes a photoelectric sensor, such as a through-beam photoelectric sensor. When the 3D object is printed or partially printed, the photoelectric sensor can scan the 3D object on the forming platform 100. Specifically, the scanning can be performed after a printing operation is completed (i.e., a group of 3D objects are completed), or after a certain cured layer is printed and separated from the bottom of the tray 200. The photoelectric sensor is controlled to scan along a direction parallel to the cross-section at the height of the model with known cross-sectional information. If the photoelectric sensor scans the actual object, the light path it emits is blocked. By calculating the blocked information, the blocked length or a list of lengths (or a list of lengths if the cross-section is intermittent) can be calculated, which is the length in the scanning direction. By comparing the list of lengths with the corresponding cross-sectional information, it can be determined whether the 3D object has fallen.

[0145] The scanning process can be achieved by controlling the movement of the photoelectric sensor, controlling the movement of the molding platform 100, or simultaneously controlling the movement of both the photoelectric sensor and the molding platform 100.

[0146] For example, let L be the expected length of the cross-section corresponding to the cured layer in a predetermined direction parallel to the cross-section. A photoelectric sensor passes the forming platform 100 at a certain speed, or the forming platform 100 passes the photoelectric sensor at a certain speed. During this process, the presence of a three-dimensional object will cause occlusion, resulting in a signal change. Based on the duration of the signal (1 or 0), the actual length L1 within this range is obtained. The expected length L is compared with the actual length L1. If they are close, it's normal; if the difference is large, it indicates a board drop has occurred. The expected length L can be obtained or analyzed from the print data file, while L1 is the actual length.

[0147] In another optional embodiment, step S300, which involves determining whether a three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 has fallen, includes:

[0148] Step S321: Control the image sensor to acquire the contour information of the current three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100;

[0149] Step S322: Determine whether the three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 has fallen off based on the comparison result between the contour information of the current three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 and the model contour corresponding to the printing data.

[0150] In this embodiment, the detection mechanism 500 includes an image sensor. After a printing operation is completed, or during a printing operation, images of the printing area of ​​the forming platform 100 are captured from one or more angles. These images are compared with a preset three-dimensional object image for the current printing stage, and the differences between the two are analyzed based on an image recognition algorithm to determine the degree of difference. If the degree of difference is greater than a preset value, meaning that the actual formed three-dimensional object differs significantly from the preset formed three-dimensional object, it is determined that the three-dimensional object has fallen.

[0151] The preset image can be obtained based on the printed data file and the shooting angle. It should be noted that when there are multiple shooting angles, the average difference between the images from multiple angles can be obtained, and the difference between this average value and the preset value can be used to determine whether the 3D object has fallen.

[0152] In another optional embodiment, step S300, which involves determining whether a three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 has fallen, includes:

[0153] Step S331: During the process of picking up a part by the picking mechanism 600, the driving force and / or power of the picking mechanism 600 are obtained;

[0154] Step S332: Determine whether the three-dimensional object on the forming platform 100 has fallen off based on the driving force and / or power of the picking mechanism 600.

[0155] It is understandable that after normal printing is completed, the retrieval mechanism 600 will remove the printed 3D object from the forming platform 100. Because there is an adhesive force between the 3D object and the forming platform 100, the retrieval mechanism 600 needs a certain driving force to successfully retrieve the object. However, if the 3D object falls off, the adhesion area of ​​the 3D object to the forming platform 100 will decrease, or there may be no 3D object attached to the forming platform 100, in which case the required retrieval force will decrease.

[0156] Taking the part-retrieving mechanism 600, which includes a blade and a blade drive component, as an example, the detection mechanism 500 may include a part-retrieving force sensor disposed on the part-retrieving mechanism 600. The part-retrieving force sensor is used to detect the driving force of the part-retrieving mechanism 600 when retrieving a part. The driving force can be characterized by the thrust of the blade and the torque of the blade drive component. The control mechanism 800 can collect the driving force of the part-retrieving mechanism 600 through the part-retrieving force sensor. It can also acquire the driving force data curve in real time and make judgments based on the curve. In addition, the power of the blade drive component can also be used to determine whether a three-dimensional object is falling.

[0157] The following describes the specific method for determining whether there are foreign objects in the material tray 200 in step S300.

[0158] Optionally, the step of determining whether there are foreign objects in the material tray 200 in step S300 includes:

[0159] Step S341: Obtain the actual amount of printing material consumed during a printing action;

[0160] Step S342: Compare the actual consumption of printing material with the preset consumption. If the difference between the actual consumption of printing material and the preset consumption is outside the preset range, it is determined that there is a foreign object in the material tray 200.

[0161] The preset consumption amount is obtained based on printing data, or based on the volume of the 3D graphic corresponding to a printing action, or based on the volume of the 3D graphic corresponding to a printing action and the density of the printing material. Here, a printing action can be the printing of one or more cured layers, or the printing of a group of 3D objects or several groups of 3D objects.

[0162] During normal printing, printing material (such as resin) is gradually consumed. If a plate falls off, the subsequent 3D object cannot be printed, or cannot be printed completely, resulting in abnormal printing material consumption. This consumption can be measured by volume and / or mass. The preset value for printing material consumption can be calculated from data stored in the 3D printing data file or obtained directly, or it can be obtained from the 3D object's graphic file, along with the corresponding volume or weight (calculated based on volume and the density of the printing material), thus yielding the expected value for printing material consumption.

[0163] Optionally, the actual amount of printing material consumed during a printing action can be obtained in the following three ways:

[0164] 1) Determine the actual amount of printing material consumed in a printing cycle based on the change in the level of printing material in the material tray 200 before and after a printing cycle. This method requires the detection mechanism 500 to include a level sensor, which is used to detect the level of printing material in the material tray 200.

[0165] 2) Determine the actual amount of printing material consumed in a printing cycle based on the change in the weight of the material tray 200 before and after a printing cycle. This method requires the detection mechanism 500 to include a weighing sensor, which is used to detect the weight of the material tray 200.

[0166] 3) When the 3D printer 010 includes an automatic liquid dispensing mechanism 700, the actual consumption of printing material for a printing cycle is determined based on the liquid dispensing status of the automatic liquid dispensing mechanism 700 during a printing cycle. Specifically, this can be done by analyzing the liquid dispensing status of the automatic liquid dispensing mechanism 700, such as the amount of liquid dispensed, the number of dispensing cycles, and the initiation status of the dispensing operation. For example, the amount of printing material consumed can be determined based on the amount of liquid dispensed; or by combining the initiation status of the dispensing operation and the number of dispensing cycles to determine if there is any material drop. It should be noted that in one application scenario, under normal liquid dispensing conditions, after each printing cycle, the automatic liquid dispensing mechanism 700 adds printing material to the material tray 200 before the next printing cycle begins, as the printing material is continuously consumed, to meet the needs of the next printing cycle. However, if the initial liquid level is high, it may not be able to reach a low liquid level to trigger automatic liquid dispensing in a short time. In this case, it may be necessary to print more layers before automatic liquid dispensing is activated. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the error of multiple printing cycles to accurately determine the material drop situation.

[0167] In another optional embodiment, the step of determining whether there are foreign objects in the tray 200 in step S300 includes:

[0168] Step S351: Control the image sensor to acquire the contour information of the current three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100;

[0169] Step S352: Determine whether the three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 has fallen off based on the comparison result between the contour information of the current three-dimensional object on the molding platform 100 and the model contour corresponding to the printing data.

[0170] In this embodiment, the detection mechanism 500 needs to include an image sensor. Specifically, after a printing operation is completed, the material tray 200 can be photographed from one or more angles, and the image must include the internal situation of the material tray 200. Based on the photographed image, an image recognition algorithm is used to determine whether the material tray 200 contains foreign objects different from the printing material. Specifically, image data of various regions in the image can be acquired, such as at least one of parameters including grayscale, brightness, transmittance, illuminance, luminous flux, and color gamut, and the acquired image data can be compared and analyzed to obtain the judgment result.

[0171] For light-transmitting printing materials, such as light-transmitting resin, images can be captured from the top of the material tray 200; for opaque or poorly light-transmitting printing materials, images can be captured from the bottom of the material tray 200.

[0172] In another optional embodiment, the step of determining whether there are foreign objects in the tray 200 in step S300 includes:

[0173] When the forming platform 100 fails to move to the target position due to insufficient displacement distance during the movement to the target position, it is determined that there is a foreign object in the material tray 200.

[0174] In this embodiment, the detection mechanism 500 includes a displacement sensor for detecting the displacement of the forming platform 100. It can be understood that before each cured layer is printed, the lifting component 300 needs to drive the forming platform 100 to move to the bottom of the material tray 200 to the target position for printing. The theoretical movement distance of the forming platform 100 from the starting position to the target position can be recorded as L. If a three-dimensional object falls between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100, it will block the movement of the forming platform 100 to the target position. For example, when the lifting component 300 drives the forming platform 100 to move to L1 (L1 < L), due to the certain thickness of the foreign object in the material tray 200, it will be blocked and cannot continue to drive the forming platform 100 to move, that is, the situation of being unable to move to the target position occurs. When analyzing that the reason for the movement failure is that the displacement distance of the lifting component 300 driving the forming platform 100 is insufficient (such as the difference from the theoretical movement distance L is greater than a threshold value, such as 0.001 mm), it can be determined that there is a foreign object in the material tray 200.

[0175] In another optional embodiment, the step of determining whether there is a foreign object in the material tray 200 in step S300 includes:

[0176] Step S361, according to the pre-configured detection strategy, make the ultrasonic detection component form an ultrasonic detection beam in the material tray 200;

[0177] Step S362, judge whether there is a foreign object in the material tray 200 according to the echo delay time and / or echo intensity information of the ultrasonic detection beam.

[0178] In this embodiment, the detection mechanism 500 includes an ultrasonic detection component. Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the ultrasonic probe 510 in the first embodiment of this application. As Figure 4 shown, the ultrasonic detection component can include a plurality of ultrasonic probes 510 arranged on the material tray 200, and the ultrasonic probes 510 can generate a plurality of ultrasonic detection beams in the material tray 200. Through this arrangement method, it can effectively form an ultrasonic detection beam in the material tray 200 and avoid blocking the light beam of the lighting component 400 by the ultrasonic detection component. In this embodiment, the plurality of ultrasonic probes 510 are arranged in at least one row, the plurality of ultrasonic detection beams are parallel to each other, and the formed ultrasonic detection plane is parallel to the bottom of the material tray 200. When the ultrasonic detection beam detects a foreign object, the echo signal will change, so it can be judged whether there is a foreign object in the material tray 200 according to the echo delay time and / or echo intensity information of the ultrasonic detection beam.

[0179] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the ultrasonic probe 510 in the second embodiment of this application. Figure 5 As shown, optionally, the ultrasonic testing assembly includes at least one row of first ultrasonic probes 521, which are used to form a first detection sound beam propagating in a first direction. Multiple first ultrasonic probes 521 belonging to the same row are arranged in a second direction, with the first direction perpendicular to the second direction. Further, the ultrasonic testing assembly also includes at least one row of second ultrasonic probes 522, which are used to form a second detection sound beam propagating in the second direction. Multiple second ultrasonic probes 522 belonging to the same row are arranged in the first direction. The tray 200 can be a rectangular tray 200, meaning the bottom wall of the tray 200 is rectangular, and each of the four sides of the bottom wall has a side wall (a total of four side walls). Two side walls are spaced apart in the first direction, and the other two side walls are spaced apart in the second direction. At least one of the two side walls spaced apart in the first direction has at least one row of first ultrasonic probes 521, and at least one of the two side walls spaced apart in the second direction has at least one row of second ultrasonic probes 522. Figure 5 As shown, a row of first ultrasonic probes 521 is respectively arranged on two sidewalls spaced apart in the first direction of the material tray 200, and a row of second ultrasonic probes 522 is respectively arranged on two sidewalls spaced apart in the second direction of the material tray 200. In optional other embodiments, the first ultrasonic probes 521 may be arranged on only one of the two sidewalls spaced apart in the first direction, and the second ultrasonic probes 522 may be arranged on only one of the two sidewalls spaced apart in the second direction.

[0180] Optionally, the ultrasonic testing assembly includes multiple rows of first ultrasonic probes 521 arranged in a third-direction orientation, and / or multiple rows of second ultrasonic probes 522, the third-direction being perpendicular to the first and second directions. Figure 5 In this diagram, the first direction is the front-to-back direction, the second direction is the left-to-right direction, and the third direction is the up-to-down direction. It's understandable that if a thin foreign object exists in the material tray 200, such as a small object in the second direction, and if this object is located between the detection beams of the two first ultrasonic probes 521, it cannot effectively reflect the sound waves, and therefore may be missed. However, by setting up a second ultrasonic probe 522, it can form an interwoven detection beam with the first ultrasonic probe 521, thus improving the problem of missed detection in single-direction beam detection.

[0181] Optionally, the detection mechanism 500 further includes a longitudinal ultrasonic detection component (not shown in the figure), which is used to form a longitudinal ultrasonic detection beam propagating upwards within the tray 200. When the longitudinal ultrasonic detection component is provided, the control mechanism 800 is also used to obtain three-dimensional structural information of the foreign object, such as its three-dimensional size and shape, based on the echoes of the ultrasonic detection beam and the longitudinal ultrasonic detection beam, if the presence of a foreign object is determined within the tray 200. The longitudinal ultrasonic detection component can be located below the tray 200 or within the bottom wall of the tray 200. The longitudinal ultrasonic detection component may include multiple ultrasonic probes 510 arrayed on the same horizontal plane, so that the detection range of the longitudinal ultrasonic detection component covers the entire receiving cavity of the tray 200.

[0182] Optionally, the testing mechanism 500 also includes a scanning drive assembly, which is connected to the ultrasonic testing assembly for driving the ultrasonic testing assembly to move relative to the tray 200 along a preset path. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the ultrasonic probe 510 in the third embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the ultrasonic probe 510 in the fourth embodiment of this application. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, a guide rail 541 extending along a preset path is provided on the material tray 200. The ultrasonic detection component slides with the guide rail 541, and the scanning drive component drives the ultrasonic detection component to move along the guide rail 541. By setting the scanning drive component, the ultrasonic detection component can be driven to scan the receiving cavity of the material tray 200, thus requiring fewer ultrasonic probes 510 to detect foreign objects within the material tray 200. Specifically, the track is set on two side walls of the material tray 200 spaced apart in a first direction, and the track extends along a second direction, meaning the preset direction is the second direction. Figure 6 In this embodiment, multiple ultrasonic probes 510 of the ultrasonic testing assembly are arranged at intervals along a second direction (left-right direction) on a slider 542, and the slider 542 is slidably engaged with a guide rail 541. Figure 7 In this embodiment, multiple ultrasonic probes 510 of the ultrasonic detection component are arranged at intervals on the slider 542 along the third direction (vertical direction). When the slider 542 moves along the guide rail 541, the ultrasonic detection component can scan a large spatial volume at once, thus improving the detection efficiency.

[0183] It should be understood that, in other alternative embodiments, the preset path is not limited to... Figure 6 , Figure 7 In this embodiment, the straight line segment along the second direction is used. In other embodiments, the preset path can be a C-shape, S-shape, or other path structure. Correspondingly, the extension direction of the guide rail 541 should match the preset path.

[0184] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the ultrasonic probe 510 in the fifth embodiment of this application. Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, multiple ultrasound probes 510 may not be synchronously driven by the scanning drive assembly on the same slider 542. Instead, multiple ultrasound probes 510 may be slidably engaged with the guide rail 541 and move independently along the guide rail 541.

[0185] In the above embodiments, the ultrasonic testing assembly is described using the example of being disposed on the side wall of the tray 200. When the ultrasonic probes 510 are disposed on two opposite side walls of the tray 200, the ultrasonic probes 510 on the opposite side walls can be staggered according to the probe beam angle parameters, so that the sound beam can be evenly distributed within the receiving cavity of the tray 200. Furthermore, the ultrasonic probes 510 can be disposed on the inner or outer surface of the side wall of the tray 200. The ultrasonic probes 510 are in close contact with the side wall, i.e., there is no air gap between them, which avoids sound energy loss due to the air interface affecting the accuracy of the detection results. The number of ultrasonic probes 510 can be determined according to the size of the tray 200 (such as the length of the side wall of the tray 200) and the sound beam angle of the ultrasonic probes 510. In other optional embodiments, the shape of the tray 200 can be non-rectangular, such as circular; in this case, each ultrasonic probe 510 of the ultrasonic testing assembly can be disposed around the side wall of the tray 200. The ultrasonic probes 510 can also be arranged in a non-array arrangement, or in other regular or irregular arrangements as needed.

[0186] The ultrasonic probe 510 and the material tray 200 can be an integrated structure, meaning the ultrasonic probe 510 and the material tray 200 are not detachable and are assembled as a single component in the 3D printer 010. Alternatively, the ultrasonic probe 510 and the material tray 200 can be a separate structure, meaning they are detachably connected. The separate structure offers greater flexibility. When installing the ultrasonic probe 510, its installation position and number can be freely adjusted according to the size of the material tray 200, the parameters of the ultrasonic probe 510, the characteristics of the printing material, and the preset ultrasonic detection resolution. Furthermore, the ultrasonic probe 510 is not bound to the material tray 200, allowing for independent replacement of either the material tray 200 or the ultrasonic probe 510, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the printing material tray 200. In contrast, with the integrated structure, when it is necessary to replace the material tray 200 or the ultrasonic probe 510, it can be replaced directly as a whole without reinstalling or even adjusting the position of the probe after replacement, which is highly convenient. The integrated structure can more easily achieve a tight contact between the ultrasonic probe 510 and the side wall of the material tray 200, and has a low dependence on the use of coupling agent to isolate the air between the ultrasonic probe 510 and the side wall of the material tray 200, or even without the use of coupling agent.

[0187] In alternative embodiments, the ultrasonic detection component may also be positioned outside the tray 200 and spaced apart from the outer surface of the sidewall of the tray 200. In this case, the ultrasonic detection beam should penetrate the sidewall of the tray 200 to detect foreign objects within the tray 200.

[0188] Optionally, the detection mechanism 500 in this embodiment has a resolution of 0.1 μm to 1 cm, meaning it can detect foreign objects with a minimum size of less than 1 mm. In this embodiment, when there are multiple foreign objects in the tray 200, the detection mechanism 500 can detect the number of foreign objects. Specifically, the resolution of the detection mechanism 500 includes lateral resolution and longitudinal resolution. Lateral resolution refers to the minimum distance between two foreign objects on an interface perpendicular to the sound beam, and longitudinal resolution refers to the minimum distance between two foreign objects located on the ultrasonic axis. Optionally, in this embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 510 of the detection mechanism 500 has a lateral resolution of less than 1 mm and a longitudinal resolution of less than 1 mm.

[0189] Optionally, the frequency range of the ultrasonic probe beam and the longitudinal ultrasonic probe beam is not less than 20 kHz, for example, 20 kHz to 200 MHz. The frequency of the ultrasonic probe beam and the longitudinal ultrasonic probe beam can be determined based on at least one of the characteristics of the printing material (such as viscosity, density, solid-liquid density difference), the structure of the tray 200 (such as shape and size), and the required resolution.

[0190] Based on the structure of the tray and ultrasonic detection component in the above embodiments, in step S361, the ultrasonic detection beam may include at least one row of first detection beams propagating in a first direction, and multiple first detection beams belonging to the same row are arranged in a second direction, with the first direction perpendicular to the second direction. This arrangement of the ultrasonic detection beams can be achieved by… Figure 4 , Figure 5 Implementation of the embodiment. Further, the ultrasonic detection beam may include multiple rows of first detection beams arranged in a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to the first and second directions. Optionally, the first and second directions may be two mutually perpendicular horizontal directions, and the third direction may be a vertical direction (i.e., the direction of gravity). When the tray 200 is normally placed, its bottom is horizontal, and its opening faces vertically upwards.

[0191] By forming multiple first detection sound beams, the first detection sound beams can be distributed as widely as possible in the space of the material tray 200, thereby reducing detection blind spots and reducing missed detections. Optionally, when the material tray 200 is provided with first ultrasonic probes 521 on two opposite sidewalls in the first direction, the first detection sound beams emitted from the two sidewalls can be staggered to make the distribution of the first detection sound beams more uniform.

[0192] Furthermore, the ultrasonic detection beam may also include at least one row of second detection beams propagating in the second direction, with multiple second detection beams belonging to the same row arranged in the first direction. Specifically, this can be achieved through... Figure 5 The embodiment implements this by forming at least one row of second detection sound beams, which can interweave with the first detection sound beam, avoiding the problem that thinner foreign objects are difficult to detect in a single detection direction. This improves detection accuracy and reduces false detections and missed detections. Optionally, the ultrasonic detection sound beam includes multiple rows of second detection sound beams arranged in a third direction, which is perpendicular to the first and second directions.

[0193] Optionally, the detection strategy in step S361 is configured to control multiple ultrasonic probes to sequentially and gradually form ultrasonic detection beams or to simultaneously form ultrasonic detection beams. In other words, each ultrasonic probe 510 in the ultrasonic detection assembly can emit ultrasonic detection beams simultaneously; or it can emit ultrasonic detection beams sequentially. For example, in Figure 5 In this embodiment, each row of first ultrasonic probes 521 emits a first detection sound beam sequentially, and then each row of second ultrasonic probes 522 emits a second detection sound beam sequentially. When forming each row of first or second detection sound beams, each probe can emit the detection sound beam simultaneously or sequentially.

[0194] Optionally, the detection strategy is also configured to control the ultrasonic probe beam to scan along a preset path within the material tray 200. Figures 6 to 8 In one embodiment, the control mechanism 800 can control the scanning drive unit to move at least a portion of the ultrasonic probes 510 of the ultrasonic detection assembly, thereby changing the position of the ultrasonic detection beam. This method can reduce the number of ultrasonic probes 510 in the ultrasonic detection assembly, and ensure that as many positions as possible in the receiving cavity of the tray 200 can be detected through scanning. The preset scanning path can be a straight line segment (such as along one of the first, second, and third directions), or other shaped paths such as C-shapes or S-shapes.

[0195] The detection strategy is also configured to determine the frequency of the ultrasonic detection beam based on at least one of the characteristics of the printing material, the structural features of the tray, and the required resolution. Optionally, the frequency range of the ultrasonic detection beam is 20kHz to 200MHz. It is understood that the selection of the ultrasonic detection beam frequency will affect the detection accuracy and effect. A suitable ultrasonic detection beam frequency should be selected based on relevant factors such as the size of the foreign object to be detected, the tray size, and the physical properties of the printing material. For a detailed explanation of the principle, please refer to the previous section on the frequency of the detection beam.

[0196] Step S362 involves determining whether there are foreign objects in the tray based on the echo delay time and / or echo intensity information of the ultrasonic detection beam. Specifically, this includes:

[0197] Obtain the echo delay time of the ultrasonic probe beam; determine whether the echo delay time is within the preset delay threshold range; if so, determine that there are no foreign objects in the tray; otherwise, determine that there are foreign objects in the tray.

[0198] During the propagation of the sound beam, if it encounters an interface with two different acoustic impedances, a portion of the sound beam returns to the former medium, i.e., reflection occurs at the interface. Therefore, the sound beam will be reflected when it passes through interfaces such as the material tray 200-liquid printing material and the liquid printing material-solid foreign object, generating an echo signal that can be received by the ultrasonic probe 510. Specifically, this step involves calculating the delay time and intensity of the echo received by the ultrasonic probe 510 of the transverse ultrasonic detection component relative to the emitted sound beam.

[0199] Specifically, during ultrasonic testing, the ultrasonic probe 510 emits one or more sets of ultrasonic waves in a certain direction. By monitoring the echo delay time, non-liquid foreign objects affecting printing can be identified within the liquid printing material in the tray 200. Since the size of the tray 200 is fixed, under the condition that the printing material contained is the same, if there are no foreign objects in the tray 200, the echo delay time is fixed. However, if there are foreign objects in the tray 200, the echo delay time of the ultrasonic probe 510 corresponding to the detection beam covering the foreign object will have a certain deviation. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the foreign object exists, its location, and even its size. Therefore, step S362 may specifically include: acquiring the echo delay time of the ultrasonic detection beam, comparing the echo delay time with a preset standard delay time for no residue or foreign objects to obtain a time deviation value; determining whether the time deviation value is within a preset time threshold range; if so, determining that there are no foreign objects in the tray; otherwise, determining that there are foreign objects in the tray.

[0200] Optionally, the preset threshold range is a threshold range with a reference value as the midpoint. The reference value is the echo delay time of the ultrasonic detection beam when there are no foreign objects in the material tray 200. It can be understood that if there are no foreign objects in the material tray 200, theoretically the echo delay time should be equal to the reference value. Considering the system error of the detection, it can be considered that there are no foreign objects in the material tray 200 when the echo delay time deviates within a certain range near the reference value. Therefore, in this embodiment, the preset threshold range is set to a threshold range with the reference value as the midpoint. In other optional embodiments, the setting method of the preset threshold range can be adjusted according to the actual situation.

[0201] The ultrasonic probe 510 can emit ultrasonic waves after receiving an excitation pulse. At the same time, the ultrasonic probe 510 is controlled by a focusing delay circuit to achieve acoustic focusing of the detection beam. After a period of delay, the ultrasonic probe 510 receives the reflected echo signal. After signal processing such as filtering and logarithmic amplification, the signal is converted into a digital signal by the DSC circuit and compared with the preset threshold range stored in the control mechanism 800 to determine whether there are foreign objects in the material tray 200.

[0202] In another optional embodiment, step S362, which determines whether there are foreign objects in the tray based on the echo delay time and / or echo intensity information of the ultrasonic detection beam, specifically includes:

[0203] Obtain the echo intensity information of the ultrasonic detection beam; determine whether there are foreign objects in the material tray based on the echo intensity information.

[0204] Furthermore, the presence of foreign objects in the tray is determined based on the echo intensity information, including:

[0205] When the echo intensity information is strong, it is determined that there is a solid foreign object; when the echo intensity information is weak, it is determined that there is a semi-solidified foreign object; when the echo intensity information is omnipresent, it is determined that there is no foreign object.

[0206] In the case where the 3D printer includes an information output device, the printer control method may optionally further include: controlling the information output device to output echo intensity information of the ultrasonic probe beam. Outputting echo intensity information of the ultrasonic probe beam through the information output device allows the user to intuitively understand the echo intensity during the current detection process.

[0207] Optionally, after acquiring the echo intensity information of the ultrasonic probe beam, the printer control method further includes:

[0208] The echo intensity information is converted into an echo image; the presence of foreign objects in the tray is determined based on the echo image, and the echo image is displayed; different echo intensity information corresponds to different grayscale values ​​in the echo image.

[0209] Specifically, when the information output device is a display screen, the step of controlling the information output device to output the echo intensity information of the ultrasonic probe beam may include: controlling the information output device to display an echo intensity image of the ultrasonic probe beam, wherein the grayscale value of the echo intensity image is positively or negatively correlated with the echo intensity of the ultrasonic probe beam. The grayscale value ranges from 0 to 255, where a grayscale value of 0 represents black and a grayscale value of 255 represents white.

[0210] In this embodiment, the user can determine whether there are foreign objects in the tray 200 through a visualized image. Specifically, the control mechanism 800 (such as a CPU) performs further image processing on the echo converted into a digital signal. The control mechanism 800 forms grayscale according to certain rules (algorithms), and then synthesizes it together with the chart forming circuit and the measurement circuit to present a visualized image on the display screen. The user can determine whether there are foreign objects based on the grayscale of the image on the display screen.

[0211] For example, determining the presence, type, and shape of foreign objects based on echo intensity images follows the following rules:

[0212] 1) White represents strong echo. When ultrasound encounters solid foreign objects (such as hard objects like fallen solidified printed parts), it will be almost completely reflected. The ultrasound probe 510 receives almost all of the emitted sound beam, so it appears as white (strong echo) in the image.

[0213] 2) Light gray represents weak echoes. When ultrasound waves encounter semi-solidified, soft foreign objects, they are partially reflected. The ultrasound probe 510 receives part of the sound beam, which is therefore displayed as light gray (weak echo) in the image.

[0214] 3) Black represents no echo. When the ultrasonic wave encounters the liquid printing material in the tray 200, it will pass through almost entirely without reflection. The ultrasonic probe 510 cannot receive the emitted sound beam, so it appears as black (no echo) in the image.

[0215] It should be understood that in the above example, the grayscale value and the echo intensity are positively correlated. In other embodiments, the grayscale value and the echo intensity may also be negatively correlated, that is, white on the image represents no echo, and black on the image represents strong echo.

[0216] If it is determined that there are no foreign objects in the material tray 200, it can be further determined whether the actual number of printed layers is equal to the total number of slice layers of the model. If so, printing ends; otherwise, the next foreign object detection is performed or the next foreign object detection is performed after the set conditions are met (such as the printing of the preset number of layers is completed).

[0217] In this embodiment, the 3D printer 010 prints layer by layer to form a printed part on the forming platform 100. Therefore, the detection strategy in step S361 can be configured as follows: after the 3D printer prints a preset target number of layers, an ultrasonic detection command is executed to cause the detection mechanism to form an ultrasonic detection beam within the material tray. The target number of layers can be manually set by the user or directly recorded in the 3D printing data.

[0218] The target layer number refers to the number of layers for ultrasonic testing, meaning that ultrasonic testing begins after the printer has printed the target number of layers. The preset layer number can be set according to requirements, such as 10, 50, 100, 200, 500 layers, etc. The preset target layer interval can be set to a constant value n. For example, if 3D printer 010 performs a foreign object detection function every n layers printed, with n=10, the target layer number would be 10, 20, 30, 40, etc. The target layer interval can also be set to a variable value, such as changing according to a certain pattern. For example, for the first 100 layers, the foreign object detection function can be activated every 10 layers printed; and after printing 100 layers, it can be activated every 100 layers printed. This is because the problem of printed parts falling off is more likely to occur in the initial stage of printing, therefore the detection and judgment frequency is relatively high in the initial stage of printing, and relatively low in the later stages of printing.

[0219] In other embodiments, detection and judgment can be performed in real time without setting a preset number of layers. In such embodiments, the detection strategy can be configured such that after the 3D printer is started, the detection mechanism 500 continuously emits ultrasonic detection beams, and the foreign object situation can be analyzed by combining the detection results of the detection mechanism 500 with the operating stage of the 3D printer 010.

[0220] Furthermore, the step of determining whether the three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen in step S300 may also include: forming a longitudinal ultrasonic detection beam in the material tray 200; and, if it is determined that there is a foreign object in the material tray 200, obtaining the three-dimensional structural information of the foreign object based on the echoes of the ultrasonic detection beam and the longitudinal ultrasonic detection beam.

[0221] Specifically, the control mechanism 800 can control the longitudinal ultrasonic detection component to emit a longitudinal ultrasonic detection beam. In combination with the ultrasonic detection beam, the control mechanism 800 can further calculate the three-dimensional structural information of the foreign object, such as the three-dimensional size and shape of the foreign object, based on the echoes of the ultrasonic detection beam and the longitudinal ultrasonic detection beam.

[0222] Optionally, the printer control method further includes: outputting a prompt message and / or stopping printing when an abnormality is determined to exist between the tray and the forming platform. The prompt message may be an image message, such as displaying a prompt indicating the presence of a foreign object on a screen; the prompt message may also be an audio message, emitting an audible warning when the information output device includes a speaker or buzzer; the prompt message may also be a flashing message, such as flashing or displaying a specified color to alert the user to the presence of a foreign object when the information output device includes an indicator light.

[0223] In summary, the printer control method provided in this application embodiment is applied to a 3D printer 010. The 3D printer 010 includes a material tray 200 and a forming platform 100. The material tray 200 is used to hold printing material, and the forming platform 100 is used to attach three-dimensional objects. The method includes: acquiring a data queue for manufacturing multiple sets of three-dimensional objects, wherein the data queue contains at least multiple sets of printing data corresponding one-to-one with the multiple sets of three-dimensional objects; manufacturing multiple sets of three-dimensional objects sequentially according to the data queue; determining whether there is an anomaly between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100; and stopping the step of sequentially manufacturing multiple sets of three-dimensional objects according to the data queue if an anomaly is determined to exist between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100. By stopping subsequent printing operations when an anomaly is determined to exist between the material tray 200 and the forming platform 100, defective products can be avoided, reducing material waste and equipment wear. The 3D printer 010 provided in this application embodiment is used to implement the above-described printer control method.

[0224] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A printer control method applied to a 3D printer, the 3D printer comprising a material tray and a forming platform, the material tray for holding printing material, and the forming platform for attaching a three-dimensional object, characterized in that... include: Obtain a data queue for manufacturing multiple sets of three-dimensional objects, wherein the data queue contains at least multiple sets of printing data corresponding one-to-one with the multiple sets of three-dimensional objects; Multiple sets of the three-dimensional objects are manufactured sequentially according to the data queue; During the process of sequentially manufacturing multiple groups of the three-dimensional objects according to the data queue, the following operations are performed for the manufacturing of the current group of three-dimensional objects: The separation force between the solidified layer and the bottom of the material tray during the rising process of the molding platform is obtained, and the three-dimensional object on the molding platform is judged to fall off based on the change of the separation force. When a fall is detected, the actual consumption of printing material for the cumulative group of objects manufactured is obtained. If the difference between the actual consumption of printing material and the preset cumulative consumption value is outside the preset range, it is determined that there is a foreign object in the material tray caused by the fallen 3D object. After the manufacturing of the group of 3D objects is completed, the step of manufacturing subsequent groups of 3D objects in sequence according to the data queue is stopped.

2. The printer control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen off based on the change in the separation force includes: The correspondence between separation force and the characteristics of the cross section of a three-dimensional object is established by using one of the following methods: mathematical modeling, simulation, or empirical formulas. Based on the correspondence between the separation force and the characteristics of the three-dimensional object cross-section, the preset value of the separation force corresponding to the peeling of the solidified layer is obtained; When the difference between the actual separation force between the cured layer and the bottom of the tray and the preset value of the separation force is outside the preset range, it is determined that the three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen.

3. The printer control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen off based on the change in the separation force includes: When the percentage decrease in the separation force of the current cured layer relative to the separation force of the previous cured layer exceeds a preset percentage, it is determined that the three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen; and / or When the change in separation force obtained per unit time or per unit sampling value exceeds a preset change threshold, it is determined that the three-dimensional object on the molding platform has fallen.

4. The printer control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The 3D printer also includes a part-removal mechanism for separating the three-dimensional object on the molding platform from the molding platform.

5. The printer control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset consumption amount is obtained based on the printing data, or based on the volume of the three-dimensional graphic corresponding to a printing action, or based on the volume of the three-dimensional graphic corresponding to a printing action and the density of the printing material.

6. The printer control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for obtaining the cumulative actual consumption of printing material for the manufactured groups include: The actual consumption of printing material for the cumulative manufactured sets is determined based on the change in the liquid level of the printing material in the tray before and after printing the manufactured sets. Alternatively, the actual amount of printing material consumed for the cumulative manufactured sets can be determined based on the change in the weight of the tray before and after printing the manufactured sets. Alternatively, if the 3D printer includes an automatic liquid dispensing mechanism, the actual amount of printing material consumed during the printing of the manufactured set can be determined based on the liquid dispensing status of the automatic liquid dispensing mechanism during the printing of the manufactured set.

7. The printer control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: determining that there are foreign objects in the tray caused by falling three-dimensional objects, and outputting prompt information and / or alarm information.

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