A ceramic light-curing 3D printer using LCD screen as light source and printing method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a ceramic light-curing 3D printer and a printing method with an LCD screen as a light source, comprising a slurry pool, an LCD screen, a scraper and a molding pool, wherein the slurry pool and the molding pool are adjacently arranged, the bottom of the slurry pool is a first lifting plate, the top of the slurry pool is provided with a cover plate, a discharge port is provided on the cover plate near the molding pool, an adsorption cotton adsorbed with a non-wetting liquid is provided on the top of the cover plate, the bottom of the molding pool is a second lifting plate, the top of the second lifting plate is provided with a printing substrate, one end of the LCD screen is movably connected to one side of the scraper, the LCD screen can move up and down relative to the scraper, the LCD screen and the scraper are located above the slurry pool, the LCD screen contacts the adsorption cotton, the LCD screen and the scraper can reciprocate above the slurry pool and the molding pool, and the LCD screen is a variable light source device. The present invention can avoid the influence of the molding accuracy due to the surface tension of the material, and can ensure the overall molding accuracy of large-sized components.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of additive manufacturing, and in particular relates to a ceramic light-curing 3D printer using an LCD screen as a light source and a printing method. Background Art

[0002] A mainstream branch of 3D printing technology is photocuring printing technology, which uses the principle of photopolymerization reaction and subsequent curing after ultraviolet light beam irradiates liquid photosensitive resin or ceramic slurry, so that the material is formed point by point or layer by layer. Photocuring printing technology is mainly divided into SLA, DLP and LCD projection technology. SLA is the earliest 3D printer, which is laser molding. Its molding speed is slow, efficiency is low and price is high. LCD and DLP projection technology are both surface exposure molding reflection methods. DLP equipment has two molding methods: pull-up type and sinking type, but it is expensive and has a small molding format, which limits the application of DLP projection technology in large-size printing, or can only reduce the printing accuracy to achieve larger-size printing.

[0003] Currently, most LCD 3D printers on the market are of the top-down type. When printing large-sized ceramic components, it is difficult to print successfully due to the influence of material viscosity and gravity. There are also DLP devices that use the bottom-down type, but the maximum printing size is 300mm, which limits the printing of large-sized components. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a ceramic light-curing 3D printer and a printing method using an LCD screen as a light source, which can avoid the influence of the molding accuracy due to the surface tension of the material and ensure the overall molding accuracy of large-size components.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention is implemented by the following technical solutions:

[0006] A ceramic photocuring 3D printer with an LCD screen as a light source comprises a slurry pool, an LCD screen, a scraper and a molding pool, wherein the slurry pool and the molding pool are arranged adjacent to each other, the bottom of the slurry pool is a first lifting plate, the top of the slurry pool is provided with a cover plate, a discharge port is provided on the cover plate near the molding pool, adsorption cotton adsorbed with non-wetting liquid is provided on the top of the cover plate, the bottom of the molding pool is a second lifting plate, the top of the second lifting plate is provided with a printing substrate, one end of the LCD screen is movably connected to one side of the scraper, the LCD screen can move up and down relative to the scraper, the LCD screen and the scraper are located above the slurry pool, the LCD screen is in contact with the adsorption cotton, the LCD screen and the scraper can reciprocate above the slurry pool and the molding pool, and the LCD screen is a variable light source device.

[0007] Furthermore, the LCD screen is connected to an up-and-down displacement control mechanism, and the scraper is connected to a left-and-right displacement control mechanism.

[0008] Furthermore, the adsorption cotton is located close to the discharge port.

[0009] Furthermore, the light source of the LCD screen includes ultraviolet light with wavelengths of 355nm and 405nm.

[0010] Furthermore, the light source of the LCD screen includes visible light with a wavelength of 400nm to 760nm.

[0011] Furthermore, a lifting device is connected to the bottom of the first lifting plate and the second lifting plate.

[0012] A printing method of a ceramic light-curing 3D printer using an LCD screen as a light source, comprising:

[0013] Control the LCD screen and the scraper to be located above the slurry pool, so that the scraper is located near the discharge port, so that the LCD screen contacts the adsorbent cotton, and control the second lifting plate to rise so that the printing substrate is at a set distance from the top of the forming pool; control the first lifting plate to rise, extrude the slurry from the discharge port, control the LCD screen and the scraper to move horizontally above the forming pool, and the scraper spreads the slurry on the printing substrate, control the LCD screen to move downward and sink to 0.2mm to 0.5mm above the slurry, and control the different light sources of the LCD screen to irradiate the slurry in sections according to the parts to be formed, so as to complete the first layer printing;

[0014] Next, the LCD screen is controlled to move upward, the LCD screen and the scraper are controlled to move horizontally above the slurry pool, so that the scraper is located near the discharge port, the LCD screen is in contact with the adsorption cotton, and the second lifting plate is controlled to descend a set distance; the first lifting plate is controlled to rise to extrude the slurry from the discharge port, the LCD screen and the scraper are controlled to move horizontally above the forming pool, the scraper spreads the slurry on the printing substrate, the LCD screen is controlled to move downward to sink to 0.2mm to 0.5mm above the slurry, and different light sources of the LCD screen are controlled to irradiate the slurry in sections according to the parts to be formed to complete the second layer printing; the second printing method is continuously repeated to complete the printing of the remaining layers.

[0015] Furthermore, different light sources of the LCD screen are controlled to irradiate the slurry in 2 to 4 sections according to the parts to be formed.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0017] The present invention provides a ceramic light-curing 3D printer with an LCD screen as a light source, wherein a scraper and an LCD screen are set as one body and movably connected, the LCD screen is a variable light source device, and different light sources can be replaced according to demand, and the components to be printed can be cured line by line and domain by domain during feeding, so as to realize the overall precise forming of large-size ceramic components, and the forming accuracy can be avoided to be affected by the surface tension of the material, the LCD screen is in contact with an adsorbent cotton adsorbed with a non-wetting liquid, and when moving, the non-wetting liquid on the adsorbent cotton is coated on the LCD screen, and when the LCD screen sinks to 0.2mm to 0.5mm above the slurry, the LCD screen can be prevented from being too close to the slurry and adhesion can be prevented, and at the same time, the LCD screen can be prevented from being too far away from the slurry, and the LCD screen refraction causes the LCD light source energy loss, thereby affecting the forming efficiency, and at the same time, the non-wetting liquid on the LCD screen can prevent the slurry from splashing on the LCD screen and adhering to the screen. The present invention uses an LCD screen as a light source, which greatly reduces the equipment cost compared with DLP equipment and SLA equipment.

[0018] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, preferred embodiments are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific implementation modes of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the description of the specific implementation modes will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation modes of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a ceramic light-curing 3D printer using an LCD screen as a light source according to the present invention.

[0021] In the figure: 1-slurry pool; 101-first lifting plate; 102-cover plate; 103-discharging port; 2-LCD screen; 3-scraper; 4-forming pool; 401-second lifting plate; 5-adsorption cotton; 6-printing substrate; 7-slurry; 8-parts to be formed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] As a specific embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1As shown, a ceramic light-curing 3D printer with an LCD screen as a light source includes a slurry pool 1, an LCD screen 2, a scraper 3 and a molding pool 4. The slurry pool 1 and the molding pool 4 are arranged adjacent to each other, that is, the slurry pool 1 and the molding pool 4 are arranged to be connected left and right.

[0024] The bottom of the slurry pool 1 is a first lifting plate 101, and the top of the slurry pool 1 is provided with a cover plate 102. A discharge port 103 is provided on the cover plate 102 near the forming pool 4, and an absorbent cotton 5 adsorbed with a non-wetting liquid is provided on the top of the cover plate 102. Figure 1 As shown, preferably, the adsorbent cotton 5 is located near the discharge port 103. Specifically, when the first lifting plate 101 moves upward, the slurry 7 in the slurry pool 1 is squeezed out from the discharge port 103. In this embodiment, a lifting device is connected to the bottom of the first lifting plate 101, and the lifting device is used to control the first lifting plate 101 to rise or fall. In this embodiment, a non-wetting liquid such as paraffin emulsion is coated on the LCD screen 2. When the LCD screen 2 sinks into the slurry 7, it can prevent the slurry from adhering to the LCD screen.

[0025] The bottom of the forming pool 4 is a second lifting plate 401, and a printing substrate 6 is arranged on the top of the second lifting plate 401. In this embodiment, a lifting device is connected to the bottom of the second lifting plate 401, and the lifting and lowering of the second lifting plate 401 is controlled by the lifting device. Specifically, when the second lifting plate 401 moves upward, the printing substrate 6 moves upward, and when the second lifting plate 401 moves downward, the printing substrate 6 moves downward. As the number of printing layers increases, the second lifting plate 401 continues to drop.

[0026] One end of the LCD screen 2 is movably connected to one side of the scraper 3, and the LCD screen 2 can move up and down relative to the scraper 3. Specifically, the LCD screen 2 is connected to an up and down displacement control mechanism, and the up and down displacement control mechanism is controlled to realize the up and down movement of the LCD screen 2. The up and down displacement control mechanism is a conventional structure and will not be described in detail in the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, at the starting position, the LCD screen 2 and the scraper 3 are located above the slurry pool 1, the LCD screen 2 is in contact with the adsorbent cotton 5, and the scraper 3 is located near the discharge port 103. The LCD screen 2 and the scraper 3 can reciprocate above the slurry pool 1 and the forming pool 4. Specifically, the scraper 3 is connected to a left-right displacement control mechanism, and the scraper 3 and the LCD screen 2 can reciprocate above the slurry pool 1 and the forming pool 4 through the control of the left-right displacement control mechanism. Similarly, the left-right displacement control mechanism is a conventional structure, and the present invention will not repeat it.

[0027] The LCD screen 2 is a variable light source device. Preferably, the light source of the LCD screen 2 includes ultraviolet light with wavelengths of 355nm and 405nm, and also includes visible light with wavelengths of 400nm to 760nm. This light source is a detachable device, and the ultraviolet light of 405nm, 355nm and the light source of 400nm to 760nm wavelength can be replaced according to needs.

[0028] During printing, the LCD screen 2 and the scraper 3 are controlled to be located above the slurry pool 1 (starting position), the scraper 3 is located near the discharge port 103, the LCD screen 2 is in contact with the adsorption cotton 5, the second lifting plate 401 is controlled to rise, and the printing substrate 6 is at a set distance from the top of the forming pool 4; the first lifting plate 101 is controlled to rise, the slurry 7 is squeezed out from the discharge port 103, the LCD screen 2 and the scraper 3 are controlled to move horizontally above the forming pool 4, during which the non-wetting liquid on the adsorption cotton 5 is coated on the lower surface of the LCD screen 2, the scraper 3 spreads the slurry 7 on the printing substrate 6, the LCD screen 2 is controlled to move downward and sink to 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm above the slurry 7, and the different light sources of the LCD screen 2 are controlled to irradiate the slurry 7 in 2 to 4 sections according to the parts 8 to be formed, and the first layer of printing is completed;

[0029] Next, the LCD screen 2 is controlled to move upward, and the LCD screen 2 and the scraper 3 are controlled to move horizontally above the slurry pool 1, so that the scraper 3 is located near the discharge port 103, so that the LCD screen 2 contacts the adsorption cotton 5, and the second lifting plate 401 is controlled to descend a set distance; the first lifting plate 101 is controlled to rise, and the slurry 7 is squeezed out from the discharge port 103, and the LCD screen 2 and the scraper 3 are controlled to move horizontally above the molding pool 4, and the scraper 3 spreads the slurry 7 on the printing substrate 6, and the LCD screen 2 is controlled to move downward to sink to 0.2mm~0.5mm above the slurry 7, and the different light sources of the LCD screen 2 are controlled to irradiate the slurry 7 in 2~4 sections according to the parts 8 to be formed to complete the second layer printing; and the second printing method is repeated continuously to complete the printing of the remaining layers.

[0030] The printer of the present invention focuses on printing ceramic components with a size of 300 mm to 600 mm.

[0031] The advantage of the present invention of forming below the liquid surface is that the heat dissipated by the LCD screen can be conducted to the liquid slurry, thereby promoting the thermal reaction.

[0032] The bottom of the slurry pool of the present invention has a self-heating function, and the temperature can be controlled between room temperature and 80° C., which can prevent the sedimentation phenomenon caused by long-term storage of high-viscosity materials.

[0033] In the present invention, the printing substrate is a steel plate with holes and a steel plate with serrations that fit together. The advantage of the steel plate with holes is that it is convenient to remove the printed part and recycle the excess resin and ceramic slurry.

[0034] The scraper of the present invention is also provided with a liquid level detector (laser sensor) for automatically calibrating and detecting the liquid level height.

[0035] Finally, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments are only specific implementations of the present invention, which are used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit them. The protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to the above-described embodiments, ordinary technicians in the field should understand that any technician familiar with the technical field can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the above-described embodiments within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, or can easily think of changes, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein; and these modifications, changes or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and should be included in the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A ceramic light-curing 3D printer using an LCD screen as a light source, characterized in that: The invention comprises a slurry pool (1), an LCD screen (2), a scraper (3) and a molding pool (4), wherein the slurry pool (1) and the molding pool (4) are arranged adjacent to each other, the bottom of the slurry pool (1) is a first lifting plate (101), the top of the slurry pool (1) is provided with a cover plate (102), a discharge port (103) is provided on the cover plate (102) at a position close to the molding pool (4), an adsorption cotton (5) adsorbed with a non-wetting liquid is provided on the top of the cover plate (102), the bottom of the molding pool (4) is a second lifting plate (401), and the A printing substrate (6) is arranged on the top of the second lifting plate (401); one end of the LCD screen (2) is movably connected to one side of the scraper (3); the LCD screen (2) can move up and down relative to the scraper (3); the LCD screen (2) and the scraper (3) are located above the slurry pool (1); the LCD screen (2) is in contact with the adsorption cotton (5); the LCD screen (2) and the scraper (3) can move back and forth above the slurry pool (1) and the molding pool (4); and the LCD screen (2) is a variable light source device.

2. A ceramic light-curing 3D printer with an LCD screen as a light source according to claim 1, characterized in that: The LCD screen (2) is connected to an up-and-down displacement control mechanism, and the scraper (3) is connected to a left-and-right displacement control mechanism.

3. A ceramic light-curing 3D printer with an LCD screen as a light source according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adsorption cotton (5) is located close to the discharge port (103).

4. A ceramic light-curing 3D printer with an LCD screen as a light source according to claim 1, characterized in that: The light source of the LCD screen (2) includes ultraviolet light with wavelengths of 355nm and 405nm.

5. A ceramic light-curing 3D printer with an LCD screen as a light source according to claim 4, characterized in that: The light source of the LCD screen (2) includes visible light with a wavelength of 400nm to 760nm.

6. A ceramic light-curing 3D printer using an LCD screen as a light source according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottoms of the first lifting plate (101) and the second lifting plate (401) are connected with lifting devices.

7. The printing method of a ceramic light-curing 3D printer using an LCD screen as a light source according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: include: The LCD screen (2) and the scraper (3) are controlled to be located above the slurry pool (1), so that the scraper (3) is located near the discharge port (103), so that the LCD screen (2) contacts the adsorbent cotton (5), and the second lifting plate (401) is controlled to rise so that the printing substrate (6) is at a set distance from the top of the molding pool (4); the first lifting plate (101) is controlled to rise to extrude the slurry (7) from the discharge port (103), the LCD screen (2) and the scraper (3) are controlled to move horizontally above the molding pool (4), the scraper (3) spreads the slurry (7) on the printing substrate (6), the LCD screen (2) is controlled to move downward and sink to 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm above the slurry (7), and different light sources of the LCD screen (2) are controlled to irradiate the slurry (7) in sections according to the parts to be molded (8), so as to complete the first layer printing; Next, the LCD screen (2) is controlled to move upward, the LCD screen (2) and the scraper (3) are controlled to move horizontally above the slurry pool (1), so that the scraper (3) is located near the discharge port (103), so that the LCD screen (2) contacts the adsorption cotton (5), and the second lifting plate (401) is controlled to descend a set distance; the first lifting plate (101) is controlled to rise a set distance to extrude the slurry (7) from the discharge port (103), the LCD screen (2) and the scraper (3) are controlled to move horizontally above the forming pool (4), the scraper (3) spreads the slurry (7) on the printing substrate (6), the LCD screen (2) is controlled to move downward and sink to 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm above the slurry (7), and different light sources of the LCD screen (2) are controlled to irradiate the slurry (7) in sections according to the parts to be formed (8), so as to complete the second layer printing; the second printing method is continuously repeated to complete the printing of the remaining layers.

8. The printing method of a ceramic light-curing 3D printer using an LCD screen as a light source according to claim 7, characterized in that: The different light sources of the LCD screen (2) are controlled to irradiate the slurry (7) in 2 to 4 sections according to the parts (8) to be formed.

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