Curved surface 3D printing heat preservation device and curved surface 3D printing equipment

Abstract

This invention discloses a curved surface 3D printing insulation device and a curved surface 3D printing equipment, belonging to the field of additive manufacturing technology. The device includes: a supporting airbag located above the printing platform, with an opening at its top for the printing nozzle to extend into the opening to print a part; and a telescopic airbag located below the printing platform, possessing telescopic flexibility in the rotational direction of the printing platform; the supporting airbag and the telescopic airbag are detachably connected. This invention, through the combined design of the supporting airbag and the telescopic airbag, solves the problems of large insulation space and difficulty in controlling cavity temperature required for curved surface printing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of additive manufacturing technology, and in particular to a curved surface 3D printing insulation device and a curved surface 3D printing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In 3D printing technology, the filament shrinks and deforms when cooled. If the cooling rate is not properly controlled, it can easily lead to problems such as warping of the parts, or even render them unusable. Therefore, controlling the temperature of the molding space is a crucial factor affecting the molding quality.

[0003] Traditional planar 3D printing technology typically employs overall insulation of the machine's internal cavity. However, curved surface 3D printing technology adds two degrees of freedom to the platform's rotation, making traditional overall insulation of the internal cavity problematic due to the large insulation space and difficulty in controlling the cavity temperature. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a thermal insulation device for curved surface 3D printing, which aims to solve the problem of large space requiring thermal insulation and difficulty in controlling cavity temperature during the curved surface 3D printing process.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a curved surface 3D printing heat preservation device, applied to a curved surface 3D printing equipment. The curved surface 3D printing equipment includes a printing platform and a printing nozzle. The printing platform is rotatable. The curved surface 3D printing heat preservation device includes:

[0006] A support airbag is located above the printing platform. The top of the support airbag has an opening, and the printing nozzle extends into the opening to print and form a printed part.

[0007] A telescopic airbag is located below the printing platform and has telescopic properties in the rotational direction of the printing platform.

[0008] The support airbag and the telescopic airbag are detachably connected.

[0009] Optionally, the support airbag is provided with a support frame, which supports the support airbag so that the height of the inner wall of the support airbag is higher than the height of the printed part.

[0010] Optionally, a nozzle fixing assembly is provided at the opening, which fixes the printing nozzle to the support airbag.

[0011] Optionally, a temperature sensor is provided on the side wall of the support airbag.

[0012] Optionally, the detachable connection between the support airbag and the telescopic airbag includes a zipper connection or a snap-fit ​​connection.

[0013] Optionally, the supporting airbag is made of a heat-resistant elastic material.

[0014] Optionally, the telescopic airbag is made of a heat-resistant elastic material.

[0015] Optionally, a heating fan is provided at the bottom of the telescopic airbag.

[0016] Optionally, the curved 3D printing insulation device further includes an air supply duct, with the air inlet of the air supply duct located in the telescopic airbag and the air outlet of the air supply duct located in the supporting airbag, forming a duct circulation.

[0017] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a curved surface 3D printing device, which includes a printing platform, a printing nozzle and a curved surface 3D printing heat preservation device as described above, wherein the printing platform is rotatable;

[0018] A support airbag is installed above the printing platform. The top of the support airbag has an opening. The printing nozzle extends into the opening to print and form a printed part.

[0019] A telescopic airbag is installed below the printing platform, and the telescopic airbag has telescopic properties in the rotation direction of the printing platform.

[0020] The support airbag and the telescopic airbag are detachably connected.

[0021] The curved surface 3D printing insulation device provided by this invention is applied to a curved surface 3D printing equipment, which includes a printing platform and a printing nozzle. The printing platform can rotate to perform curved surface printing. The curved surface 3D printing insulation device includes a detachably connected support airbag and a telescopic airbag. The support airbag is located above the printing platform and has an opening at its top. The printing nozzle extends into the opening to print and form a printed part. That is, the printing nozzle, printing platform, and printed part are surrounded by the space enclosed by the support airbag. This space is the forming space, which greatly reduces the volume of the space that needs to be insulated and, to a certain extent, blocks the heat transfer between the printed part and the outside environment, slowing down the cooling rate of the printed part. The telescopic airbag is located below the printing platform and has telescopicity in the rotation direction of the printing platform. It can adapt to the scenario in curved surface printing technology where the printing platform has increased rotational degrees of freedom. It expands and contracts with the rotation of the printing platform. Even if the degree of expansion and contraction is not equal to the rotation angle of the printing platform, it can still maintain the connection with the support airbag, maintain the sealing and cavity temperature of the forming space, and thus solve the problem of large insulation space and difficult cavity temperature control required for curved surface printing. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a curved surface 3D printing insulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the posture changes of a curved surface 3D printing insulation device in the curved surface printing working state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0025] 1 Support airbag 2 Retractable airbag 3 Temperature sensor 4 Nozzle mounting assembly 5 Support skeleton 6 zipper

[0026] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0027] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0028] Curved surface 3D printing technology is one of the important research directions in the field of additive manufacturing. Unlike traditional planar 3D printing technology, it adds two rotation axes to the printing platform, allowing the platform to rotate during printing and enabling the printing of curved surfaces, thereby improving or overcoming the inherent defects of traditional planar printing. Curved surface printing has the following advantages: First, it reduces or even eliminates support structures. While planar printing requires some overhanging structures for support, curved surface printing allows for supportless printing. Second, it mitigates the impact of the "step effect" on the surface quality of parts, resulting in smoother printed surfaces. Third, for thin-walled structures, the printing direction can be changed in three-dimensional space, and the printing path can be optimized according to the shape characteristics of the part, significantly improving the mechanical properties of the part.

[0029] In 3D printing technology, the filament shrinks and deforms when cooled. If the cooling rate is not controlled properly, it can easily lead to problems such as warping of parts, or even scrapping of parts. Therefore, the control of the temperature of the molding space is an important factor affecting the molding quality. Traditional planar 3D printing technology usually adopts the overall insulation technology of the inner cavity of the chassis. However, the equipment structure of curved surface 3D printing technology increases the two degrees of freedom of platform rotation. The traditional overall insulation technology of the inner cavity of the chassis will have the following problems: (1) The platform can rotate, resulting in a larger movement space of the equipment and a larger space that needs to be insulated, making it difficult to control the cavity temperature; (2) The increase in degrees of freedom leads to a more complex motion and control system, more electronic components, and more restrictions on their placement. The reliability of electronic components will be reduced when subjected to cavity temperature.

[0030] This invention provides a curved surface 3D printing insulation device. The curved surface 3D printing insulation device provided by this invention is applied to a curved surface 3D printing equipment, which can employ an extrusion-type FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) process. This curved surface 3D printing equipment includes at least a printing platform and a printing nozzle. The printing platform is rotatable and can perform planar printing and / or curved surface printing. In planar printing, the printing platform has a degree of freedom to move vertically, while in curved surface printing, the printing platform can also have one or two additional rotational degrees of freedom, rotating around its rotation axis to achieve the printing of curved surface parts.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a curved surface 3D printing insulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown, the curved surface 3D printed insulation device includes:

[0032] Support airbag 1 is located above the printing platform. The top of the support airbag 1 has an opening. The printing nozzle extends into the opening to print and form a printed part.

[0033] Telescopic airbag 2, located below the printing platform, has telescopic properties in the rotation direction of the printing platform;

[0034] The support airbag 1 and the telescopic airbag 2 are detachably connected.

[0035] In this embodiment, the space surrounded by the supporting airbag 1 is the molding space that needs to be insulated. It separates the printed part from the outside air, preventing the heat emitted by the filament from being transferred to the outside, thus playing a role in heat preservation. The top of the supporting airbag 1 has an opening, so that the printing nozzle containing molten printing material can extend into the opening, reaching a position close to the printing platform, and extruding the printing material onto the printing platform, accumulating layer by layer to form the printed part. The supporting airbag 1 can adopt a single-layer or double-layer structure. In the double-layer structure, a hollow or insulation layer filled with insulation material can be set to enhance the heat preservation effect.

[0036] In some embodiments, the support airbag 1 is made of a heat-resistant elastic material. The heat-resistant elastic material used in the support airbag 1 allows it to maintain its shape at temperatures higher than room temperature without significant shrinkage, thus maintaining the stability of the molding space. Heat-resistant elastic materials that can be used in the support airbag 1 include silicone rubber, polyurethane, PET (Polyethylene glycol terephthalate), and PP (Polypropylene).

[0037] In some embodiments, the telescopic airbag 2 is made of a heat-resistant elastic material. The telescopic airbag 2 can use the same material as the supporting airbag 1, facilitating the connection between the two. The telescopic airbag 2 can be accordion-shaped and, when in use, is fitted under the printing platform, detachably connected to the supporting airbag 1 to form a complete airbag. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the posture changes of the thermal insulation device for curved surface 3D printing during the curved surface printing process, such as... Figure 2 As shown, when the printing platform rotates, the telescopic airbag 2 has elasticity in all directions, which can effectively wrap the printing space and achieve a heat preservation effect.

[0038] In some embodiments, the support airbag 1 is provided with a support frame 5, which supports the support airbag 1 so that the inner wall height of the support airbag 1 is higher than the height of the printed part, thus preventing contact between the support airbag 1 and the printed part and avoiding any impact on the quality of the printed part. The number of support frames 5 is not specifically limited and can be selected according to the shape of the support frame 5 and the volume of the support airbag 1. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, four arc-shaped support frames 5 are respectively positioned at the four corners of the printing platform to support the airbag 1. The curvature and length of the support frames 5 can be selected according to the size of the printed parts to form molding spaces of different volumes and shapes, achieving better heat preservation while preventing contact with the printed parts. The support frames 5 can be made of metal or carbon fiber, providing strong fixing and support functions.

[0039] In some embodiments, a printhead fixing component 4 is provided at the opening to fix the printhead. The shape and size of the opening can be set according to actual needs, but it should not be too large to avoid excessive heat transfer from the opening. The printhead fixing component 4 can fix the printhead completely or flexibly. Complete fixation means that after the printhead is fixed on the printhead fixing component 4, the relative position between the two does not change, and the support airbag 1 moves completely with the movement of the printhead, which also drives the extension and retraction of the telescopic airbag 2. The printhead fixing component with complete fixation function can be a printhead clip. Flexible fixation means that after the printhead is fixed on the printhead fixing component 4, relative movement can still occur between the printhead and the printhead fixing component 4. For example, when the printhead only changes its position in the vertical direction, relative sliding occurs between the printhead fixing component 4 and the printhead, and the position of the printhead fixing component in space remains unchanged.

[0040] In some embodiments, temperature sensors 3 are provided on the sidewalls of the supporting airbag 1. There are no specific limitations on the number of temperature sensors 3 or their positions on the sidewalls; for example, one temperature sensor 3 can be provided at the center of each sidewall of the supporting airbag 1, and four temperature sensors 3 can be provided on four sidewalls. The temperature sensors 3 can monitor the temperature within the molding space in real time, reflecting the insulation effect.

[0041] In some embodiments, the detachable connection between the support airbag 1 and the telescopic airbag 2 includes a zipper connection or a snap-fit ​​connection. Figure 1 The diagram shows a case where a zipper 6 is used to connect the support airbag 1 and the telescopic airbag 2. The zipper 6 connects the support airbag 1 and the telescopic airbag 2 to form a complete airbag, which facilitates the installation and disassembly of the curved 3D printed insulation device during use.

[0042] In some embodiments, a heating fan is installed at the bottom of the telescopic airbag 2. The printed part is located within the forming space surrounded by the supporting airbag 1. The insulation provided by the supporting airbag 1 alone may not be sufficient to meet the requirements of some printing scenarios with high temperature control demands. By installing a heating fan at the bottom of the telescopic airbag 2, hot air flows upwards from the bottom of the telescopic airbag 2, passing through the gap between the telescopic airbag 2 and the printing platform to reach the supporting airbag 1, achieving heat transfer and raising the temperature inside the supporting airbag 1. Furthermore, the hot airflow passing through the gap does not directly blow onto the printed part, avoiding any impact on the printing process while heating.

[0043] In some embodiments, the curved 3D printing insulation device further includes an air supply duct. The air inlet of the air supply duct is located in the telescopic airbag 2, and the air outlet of the air supply duct is located in the support airbag 1, forming a duct circulation. The heat source of the air supply duct can be a heating fan. After the heating fan is started, the hot airflow enters the telescopic airbag 2 from the air inlet. The hot airflow has a lower density and moves upward, entering the support airbag 1 from the gap between the telescopic airbag 2 and the printing platform. The air in the support airbag 1 flows out from the air outlet. In the connected duct, a hot airflow circulation is formed, gradually replacing the relatively low temperature air in the support airbag 1 with heated air, thereby raising the cavity temperature in the molding space.

[0044] This invention significantly reduces the volume of the forming space requiring insulation for curved surface printing, saving energy needed for heating. Even when the insulation temperature requirement is not high, the heat generated by the nozzle and forming platform itself is sufficient to achieve the insulation effect. Simultaneously, the reduced insulation space volume decreases the time spent waiting for the cavity temperature to reach the target level during the printing process, improving printing efficiency.

[0045] This invention, through a combination of supporting and telescopic airbags, adapts to the rotating working conditions of the printing platform during curved surface printing without interfering with the printed parts. The zipper connection facilitates the installation of the insulation device and the removal of the printed parts. The airbags isolate most of the electronic components in the motion control system from the hot zone, reducing the impact of heat on the reliability of these components.

[0046] In this embodiment, the curved surface 3D printing insulation device includes a detachably connected support airbag and a telescopic airbag. The support airbag is located above the printing platform with an opening at its top. The printing nozzle extends into the opening to print, forming a printed part. In other words, the printing nozzle, printing platform, and printed part are enclosed within the space of the support airbag, which is the forming space. This greatly reduces the volume of the space requiring insulation and, to a certain extent, blocks heat transfer between the printed part and the outside environment, slowing down the cooling rate of the printed part. The telescopic airbag is located below the printing platform and has telescopic flexibility in the rotation direction of the printing platform. It can adapt to scenarios where the printing platform has increased rotational freedom in curved surface printing technology. It expands and contracts with the rotation of the printing platform. Even if the degree of expansion and contraction is not equal to the rotation angle of the printing platform, it can still maintain the connection with the support airbag, maintain the sealing and cavity temperature of the forming space, and thus solve the problems of large insulation space and difficult cavity temperature control required for curved surface printing.

[0047] This invention also provides a curved surface 3D printing device, which includes a printing platform, a printing nozzle, and a curved surface 3D printing heat preservation device as described in the above embodiment. The printing platform is rotatable.

[0048] A support airbag 1 is installed above the printing platform. The top of the support airbag 1 has an opening. The printing nozzle extends into the opening to print and form a printed part.

[0049] A telescopic airbag 2 is installed below the printing platform. The telescopic airbag 2 has telescopic properties in the rotation direction of the printing platform.

[0050] The support airbag 1 and the telescopic airbag 2 are detachably connected.

[0051] The curved 3D printing equipment, including the aforementioned curved 3D printing insulation device, isolates other electronic components while supporting the airbag 1 surrounds the printing platform, thus slowing down the cooling speed of the filament during printing. Through the combined design of the supporting airbag and the telescopic airbag, it can adapt to the working conditions of the printing platform rotating during curved printing without interfering with the printing process.

[0052] In this embodiment, the curved surface 3D printing insulation device includes a detachably connected support airbag and a telescopic airbag. The support airbag is located above the printing platform with an opening at its top. The printing nozzle extends into the opening to print, forming a printed part. In other words, the printing platform and the printed part are enclosed within the space enclosed by the support airbag, which is the forming space. This greatly reduces the volume of the space requiring insulation and, to a certain extent, blocks heat transfer between the printed part and the outside environment, slowing down the cooling rate of the printed part. The telescopic airbag is located below the printing platform and has telescopic flexibility in the rotation direction of the printing platform. It can adapt to scenarios where the printing platform has increased rotational freedom in curved surface printing technology. It expands and contracts with the rotation of the printing platform. Even if the degree of expansion and contraction is not equal to the rotation angle of the printing platform, it can still maintain the connection with the support airbag, maintain the sealing and cavity temperature of the forming space, and thus solve the problems of large insulation space and difficult cavity temperature control required for curved surface printing.

[0053] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the patent. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the description and drawings of the present invention, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A curved surface 3D printed heat preservation device, characterized in that, An application in curved surface 3D printing equipment, the curved surface 3D printing equipment including a printing platform and a printing nozzle, the printing platform being rotatable, the curved surface 3D printing heat preservation device including: A support airbag is located above the printing platform. The top of the support airbag has an opening into which the print head extends to print a part. A support frame is provided within the support airbag to support it, ensuring that the inner wall of the support airbag is higher than the height of the printed part. A print head fixing assembly is provided at the opening to fix the print head to the support airbag. A temperature sensor is provided on the side wall of the support airbag. A telescopic airbag is located below the printing platform and has telescopic properties in the rotation direction of the printing platform. A heating fan is provided at the bottom of the telescopic airbag. The supporting airbag and the telescopic airbag are detachably connected; The curved 3D printing insulation device also includes an air supply duct, with the air inlet of the air supply duct located in the telescopic air bladder and the air outlet of the air supply duct located in the supporting air bladder, forming a duct circulation.

2. The curved surface 3D printing heat preservation device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The detachable connection between the support airbag and the telescopic airbag includes a zipper connection or a snap-on connection.

3. The curved surface 3D printing heat preservation device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The supporting airbag is made of heat-resistant elastic material.

4. The curved surface 3D printing heat preservation device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The telescopic airbag is made of heat-resistant elastic material.

5. A curved surface 3D printing device, characterized in that, The curved surface 3D printing equipment includes a printing platform, a printing nozzle, and a curved surface 3D printing heat preservation device as described in any one of claims 1-4, wherein the printing platform is rotatable.

Images