Long-format 3D printer and printing method

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of 3D printing, and provides a long-width 3D printer and a printing method, which comprise a printing cabin, a powder bed, a compartment dividing mechanism, a powder laying device, a wind field circulation system and a powder bed divided into a first printing area and a second printing area along the length direction of the printing cavity, wherein the compartment dividing mechanism comprises a compartment main plate, and a scraper avoiding space exists between the compartment main plate and the powder bed; the wind field circulation system comprises an air inlet cover assembly, an air outlet cover assembly, an air inlet double valve mechanism and an air outlet double valve mechanism; the powder laying device comprises a scraper assembly movably arranged in the printing cabin and capable of passing through the scraper avoiding space, and a scraper driving mechanism for driving the scraper assembly to perform a powder laying action on the powder bed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and in particular to a long-format 3D printer and printing method. Background Technology

[0002] Selective laser melting (SLM) is an important branch of metal 3D printing technology. When a laser melts the target powder, sparks are generated, inevitably bringing with them splatter and dust. This dust and splatter, falling onto the printing surface, can affect the laser sintering effect, causing the printed part to fail to meet performance standards. Therefore, 3D printing equipment is often equipped with a wind system to provide a stable protective airflow. This protective airflow sweeps across the printing surface to carry away the dust and splatter.

[0003] For a long printed part, due to the long printing area, the airflow spreads in all directions after exiting the air duct, and there is turbulence on the printing area. This causes the smoke and dust generated during printing to fall on the printing area, reducing the performance of the printed part. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a long-format 3D printer and printing method, which can effectively avoid turbulence in the first printing space and the second printing space, thereby preventing smoke and splash particles generated during printing from falling on the printing surface, thus improving the product quality of the printed parts, especially suitable for long-length printed parts.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a long-format 3D printer, characterized in that it comprises:

[0006] The printing chamber has a downward-facing printing cavity;

[0007] The powder bed is vertically and adjustablely positioned at the opening of the printing cavity. The powder bed is divided into a first printing area and a second printing area that are connected to each other along the length of the printing cavity.

[0008] The compartmentalization mechanism includes a compartmentalization main plate, and there is a scraper clearance space between the compartmentalization main plate and the powder bed. The compartmentalization main plate is located at the middle of the printing cavity along the length of the printing cavity to divide the printing cavity into a first printing space and a second printing space. The first printing space and the first printing area are vertically corresponding, and the second printing space and the second printing area are vertically corresponding.

[0009] The air circulation system includes an air inlet hood assembly, an air outlet hood assembly, an air inlet dual valve mechanism, and an air outlet dual valve mechanism. The air inlet hood assembly is located on one side of the printing chamber along the width of the printing chamber, and the air outlet hood assembly is located on the other side of the printing chamber along the width of the printing chamber. The air inlet dual valve mechanism includes a first air inlet gate and a second air inlet gate arranged side by side. The first air inlet gate is movably and vertically located at the air inlet of the first printing space, and the second air inlet gate is movably and vertically located at the air inlet of the second printing area. The air outlet dual valve mechanism includes a first air outlet gate and a second air outlet gate arranged side by side. The first air outlet gate is movably and vertically located at the air outlet of the first printing space, and the second air outlet gate is movably and vertically located at the air outlet of the second printing area.

[0010] The powder spreading device includes a scraper assembly that is movably disposed in the printing chamber and can pass through the scraper clearance space, and a scraper drive mechanism that drives the scraper assembly to perform powder spreading action on the powder bed.

[0011] The laser emitting system includes a first laser emitter and a second laser emitter, both located on the top of the printing chamber. The first laser emitter emits a laser beam toward the first printing area, and the second laser emitter emits a laser beam toward the second printing area.

[0012] When the scraper assembly stops between the compartment main plate and the powder bed, the scraper assembly and the compartment main plate together form a compartment assembly structure.

[0013] Furthermore, the compartmentalization mechanism also includes a mounting base located on top of the printing compartment, on which the main compartmentalization plate is mounted.

[0014] Furthermore, the air intake dual valve mechanism also includes two first lifting drive mechanisms located in the printing chamber, one of which is driven to the first air intake gate, and the other is driven to the second air intake gate.

[0015] Furthermore, the dual-valve air outlet mechanism also includes two second lifting drive mechanisms located in the printing chamber, one of which is connected to the first air outlet gate, and the other is connected to the second air outlet gate.

[0016] Furthermore, the air inlet hood assembly includes an outer air inlet hood and an inner air inlet hood that are nested together. The outer air inlet hood is connected to the fresh air control pipeline of the air field circulation system, and the inner air inlet hood includes an inner hood body located in the printing chamber and a honeycomb rectifier plate located in the inner hood body.

[0017] Furthermore, the air outlet hood assembly includes an outer air outlet hood and an inner air outlet hood that are nested together. The outer air outlet hood is connected to the fresh air control pipeline of the air field circulation system, and the inner air outlet hood is located in the printing chamber.

[0018] Furthermore, the inner cavity of the air inlet hood assembly is divided into two air inlet chambers by an air inlet baffle, one of which is connected to the first printing space and the other is connected to the second printing space; the inner cavity of the air outlet hood assembly is divided into two air outlet chambers by an air outlet baffle, one of which is connected to the first printing space and the other is connected to the second printing space.

[0019] Furthermore, the scraper drive mechanism includes two linear drive modules, which are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the printing chamber along the width direction of the printing chamber, and are correspondingly connected to both ends of the scraper assembly.

[0020] Furthermore, the linear drive module includes a linear guide rail extending along the length of the printing cavity, a drive component slidably disposed on the linear guide rail, a lead screw threadedly engaged with the drive component, and a scraper drive motor connected to the end of the lead screw. The drive component is connected to the scraper assembly.

[0021] The present invention also provides a printing method, wherein the printing method uses the aforementioned long-format 3D printer, and includes the following steps:

[0022] S1, the first air inlet gate is opened and the second air inlet gate is closed, the first air outlet gate is opened and the second air outlet gate is closed, forming a protective gas environment in the first printing space;

[0023] S2, the scraper assembly receives two layers of printing powder from a powder supply device;

[0024] S3, drive the scraper assembly to perform powder spreading action in the direction from the first printing area to the second printing area, and stop directly below the compartment main plate, so as to evenly spread a portion of the printing powder of the two layers of printing powder on the first printing area. At this time, the scraper assembly and the compartment main plate together form a compartment assembly structure.

[0025] S4, the first laser emitter emits light to print on the first printing area;

[0026] S5, continue to drive the scraper assembly to perform the powder spreading action in the direction from the first printing area to the second printing area, so as to evenly spread the remaining amount of one of the two layers of printing powder on the second printing area.

[0027] S6, the first air inlet gate is closed and the second air inlet gate is opened, the first air outlet gate is closed and the second air outlet gate is opened, forming a protective gas environment in the second printing space;

[0028] S7, the second laser emitter emits light to print on the second printing area;

[0029] S8, the powder bed descends by one layer thickness, driving the scraper assembly to perform a powder spreading action in the direction from the second printing area to the first printing area, stopping directly below the compartment main plate, so as to evenly spread a portion of the other layer of printing powder in the second printing area. At this time, the scraper assembly and the compartment main plate together form a compartment assembly structure.

[0030] S9, the second laser emitter emits light again to print on the second printing area;

[0031] S10, continue to drive the scraper assembly to perform the powder spreading action in the direction from the second printing area to the first printing area, so as to evenly spread the remaining amount of the other layer of printing powder in the two layers of printing powder on the first printing area.

[0032] S10, the first air inlet gate is opened and the second air inlet gate is closed, the first air outlet gate is opened and the second air outlet gate is closed, forming a protective gas environment in the first printing space;

[0033] S11, the first laser emitter emits light again to print on the first printing area.

[0034] As described above, the long-format 3D printer and printing method of the present invention have the following beneficial effects: In the present invention, the remaining structure of the long-format 3D printer, excluding the fresh air control pipeline of the airflow circulation system, constitutes the main structure of the long-format 3D printer. The opening of the printing chamber of the printing compartment faces downward, and the powder bed is disposed at the opening of the printing chamber. With this arrangement, the powder bed moves up and down at the bottom of the printing compartment under the drive of the external lifting drive mechanism. The main innovation of the present invention is that the main body plate of the compartmentalization mechanism is located at the middle of the printing chamber along its length. At this time, the first printing space and the second printing space are not completely separated, that is, the bottom area of ​​the first printing space and the bottom area of ​​the second printing space are connected. This also divides the printing chamber into the first printing space and the second printing space, avoiding mutual influence between the airflow of the first printing space and the airflow of the second printing space, thereby avoiding turbulence in the first printing space and the second printing space, so that the first printing area and the second printing area are both distributed under a stable airflow field. More importantly, due to the scraper clearance space between the compartment main plate and the powder bed, when the scraper assembly is positioned between them, the scraper assembly and the compartment main plate together form a compartment assembly structure. This effectively divides the printing cavity into a near-completely separated first and second printing space, more effectively preventing airflow interference between the first and second printing spaces. This further reduces turbulence within the first and second printing spaces, ensuring both areas are under a stable airflow field. This prevents dust and splatter particles from falling onto the printing surface, thus improving the quality of the printed parts. Specifically, when the scraper assembly is directly below the compartment main plate, a small gap exists between them. This gap should be as small as possible, just enough to allow the scraper assembly to pass smoothly through the clearance space. The long-format 3D printer uses an airflow circulation system with a fresh air control duct. The two ends of this duct are connected to the inlet and outlet hood assemblies, respectively.

[0035] The second major innovation of this invention lies in the following: the airflow circulation system includes an air inlet hood assembly, an air outlet hood assembly, an air inlet dual-valve mechanism, and an air outlet dual-valve mechanism. The air inlet hood assembly is located on one side of the printing chamber along its width, and the air outlet hood assembly is located on the other side of the printing chamber along its width. The air inlet dual-valve mechanism includes a first air inlet gate and a second air inlet gate arranged side-by-side. The first air inlet gate is vertically and flexibly positioned at the air inlet of the first printing space, and the second air inlet gate is vertically and flexibly positioned at the air inlet of the second printing area. The air outlet dual-valve mechanism includes a first air outlet gate and a second air outlet gate arranged side-by-side. The first air outlet gate is vertically and flexibly positioned at the air outlet of the first printing space, and the second air outlet gate is vertically and flexibly positioned at the air outlet of the second printing area. The first and second printing areas are not printed synchronously, but rather sequentially in separate sections. This ensures that the first and second printing areas are distributed under their respective stable airflow fields, preventing dust and splash particles generated during printing from falling onto the printing surface, thereby improving the quality of the printed parts.

[0036] Therefore, the present invention can effectively avoid turbulence in the first and second printing spaces, thereby preventing smoke and splash particles generated during printing from falling onto the printing surface, thus improving the product quality of the printed parts, especially suitable for long printed parts. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a 3D view showing the main structure of a long-format 3D printer.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a top view of the main structure of a long-format 3D printer.

[0039] Figure 3 Displayed as along Figure 2 A sectional view of line A-A in the middle.

[0040] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the internal structure of the main body of a long-format 3D printer.

[0041] Figure 5 The view shown is of the compartmentalization mechanism, the scraper assembly, and the powder bed.

[0042] Figure 6 The image shown is a 3D view of a linear drive module.

[0043] Figure 7 The image shown is a cross-sectional view of the linear drive module.

[0044] Figure 8 The image shown is a 3D view of the air intake shroud assembly.

[0045] Figure 9 The image shown is a 3D view of the air vent assembly.

[0046] Component labeling: Printing chamber 1, Printing cavity 11, First printing space 111, Second printing space 112, Powder bed 2, First printing area 21, Second printing area 22, Compartmentation mechanism 3, Mounting base 31, Compartmentation main body plate 32, Air circulation system 4, Inlet hood assembly 41, Inlet baffle 411, Inlet cavity 412, Outer inlet hood 413, Inner inlet hood 414, Inner hood body 414a, Honeycomb rectifier plate 414b, Outlet hood assembly 42, Outlet baffle 421, Outlet cavity 422, Outer inlet hood 423, Inner inlet hood 424, Inlet dual valve mechanism 43. First air inlet gate 431, second air inlet gate 432, first lifting drive mechanism 433, air outlet double valve mechanism 44, first air outlet gate 441, second air outlet gate 442, second lifting drive mechanism 443, powder spreading device 5, scraper assembly 51, scraper drive mechanism 52, linear drive module 521, linear guide rail 521a, drive component 521b, lead screw 521c, laser emitting system 6, first laser emitter 61, first laser module 611, first protective mirror assembly 612, second laser emitter 62, second laser module 621, second protective mirror assembly 622. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification.

[0048] It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings of this specification are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, without affecting the effectiveness and purpose of the invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this invention. Furthermore, the terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "middle," and "one" used in this specification are merely for clarity and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of the invention's implementation.

[0049] exist Figure 1 In the diagram, the curved arrows indicate the airflow direction; the X direction indicates the length of printing chamber 1, the Y direction indicates the width of printing chamber 1, and the Z direction indicates the height of printing chamber 1.

[0050] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5As shown, the present invention provides a long-format 3D printer, comprising:

[0051] Printing chamber 1, the printing chamber 1 has a printing cavity 11 with the opening facing downward;

[0052] The powder bed 2 is vertically and vertically disposed at the opening of the printing cavity 11. The powder bed 2 is divided into a first printing area 21 and a second printing area 22 that are connected to each other along the length of the printing cavity 11.

[0053] The compartmentalization mechanism 3 includes a compartmentalization main plate 32. There is a scraper clearance space between the compartmentalization main plate 32 and the powder bed 2. The compartmentalization main plate 32 is located at the middle of the printing cavity 11 along the length of the printing cavity 11 to divide the printing cavity 11 into a first printing space 111 and a second printing space 112. The first printing space 111 and the first printing area 21 are vertically corresponding, and the second printing space 112 and the second printing area 22 are vertically corresponding.

[0054] The air circulation system 4 includes an air inlet hood assembly 41, an air outlet hood assembly 42, an air inlet dual valve mechanism 43, and an air outlet dual valve mechanism 44. The air inlet hood assembly 41 is located on one side of the printing chamber 1 along the width direction of the printing chamber 1, and the air outlet hood assembly 42 is located on the other side of the printing chamber 1 along the width direction of the printing chamber 1. The air inlet dual valve mechanism 43 includes a first air inlet gate 431 and a second air inlet gate 432 arranged side by side. The first air inlet gate 431 is movably and vertically located at the air inlet of the first printing space 111, and the second air inlet gate 432 is movably and vertically located at the air inlet of the second printing area 22. The air outlet dual valve mechanism 44 includes a first air outlet gate 441 and a second air outlet gate 442 arranged side by side. The first air outlet gate 441 is movably and vertically located at the air outlet of the first printing space 111, and the second air outlet gate 442 is movably and vertically located at the air outlet of the second printing area 22.

[0055] The powder spreading device 5 includes a scraper assembly 51 that is movably disposed in the printing chamber 1 and can pass through the scraper clearance space, and a scraper drive mechanism 52 that drives the scraper assembly 51 to perform powder spreading action on the powder bed 2.

[0056] The laser emitting system 6 includes a first laser emitter 61 and a second laser emitter 62, both located on the top of the printing chamber 1. The first laser emitter 61 is used to emit a laser beam to the first printing area 21, and the second laser emitter 62 is used to emit a laser beam to the second printing area 22.

[0057] When the scraper assembly 51 stops between the compartment main plate 32 and the powder bed 2, the scraper assembly 51 and the compartment main plate 32 together form a compartment assembly structure.

[0058] In this invention, the remaining structure of the long-format 3D printer, excluding the fresh air control pipeline of the air circulation system 4, constitutes the main structure of the long-format 3D printer. The opening of the printing chamber 11 of the printing chamber 1 faces downward, and the powder bed 2 is disposed at the opening of the printing chamber 11. With this arrangement, the powder bed 2 moves up and down at the bottom of the printing chamber 1 under the drive of an external lifting drive mechanism. The main innovation of this invention is that the main body plate 32 of the compartment mechanism 3 is located at the middle of the printing cavity 11 along its length. At this time, the first printing space 111 and the second printing space 112 are not completely separated. That is, the bottom area of ​​the first printing space 111 and the bottom area of ​​the second printing space 112 are connected. This can also divide the printing cavity 11 into the first printing space 111 and the second printing space 112, avoiding mutual influence between the airflow of the first printing space 111 and the airflow of the second printing space 112, thereby avoiding turbulence in the first printing space 111 and the second printing space 112, so that the first printing area 21 and the second printing area 22 are both distributed under a stable wind field. More importantly, since there is a scraper clearance space between the compartment main plate 32 and the powder bed 2, when the scraper assembly 51 stops between the compartment main plate 32 and the powder bed 2, the scraper assembly 51 and the compartment main plate 32 together form a compartment assembly structure. This can divide the printing cavity 11 into a first printing space 111 and a second printing space 112 that are almost completely separated. This more effectively avoids the mutual influence between the airflow in the first printing space 111 and the airflow in the second printing space 112, and thus more effectively avoids the generation of turbulence in the first printing space 111 and the second printing space 112. This makes the first printing area 21 and the second printing area 22 more evenly distributed under a stable air field, avoiding the dust and splash particles generated during printing from falling on the printing surface, thereby improving the product quality of the printed parts. Specifically, when the scraper assembly 51 is located directly below the compartment main body plate 32, there is a small gap between the scraper assembly 51 and the compartment main body plate 32, for example, 1 to 5 mm. The smaller this gap, the better, as long as it allows the scraper assembly 51 to pass smoothly through the scraper clearance space. The long-format 3D printer uses an airflow circulation system 4, which has a fresh air control duct. The two ends of the fresh air control duct are connected to the air inlet hood assembly 41 and the air outlet hood assembly 42, respectively.

[0059] The second major innovation of this invention is that the air circulation system 4 includes an air inlet hood assembly 41, an air outlet hood assembly 42, an air inlet dual valve mechanism 43, and an air outlet dual valve mechanism 44. The air inlet hood assembly 41 is located on one side of the printing chamber 1 along the width direction of the printing chamber 1, and the air outlet hood assembly 42 is located on the other side of the printing chamber 1 along the width direction of the printing chamber 1. The air inlet dual valve mechanism 43 includes a first air inlet gate 431 and a second air inlet gate 432 arranged side by side. The first air inlet gate 431 is movably and vertically located at the air inlet of the first printing space 111, and the second air inlet gate 432 is movably and vertically located at the air inlet of the second printing area 22. The air outlet dual valve mechanism 44 includes a first air outlet gate 441 and a second air outlet gate 442 arranged side by side. The first air outlet gate 441 is movably and vertically located at the air outlet of the first printing space 111, and the second air outlet gate 442 is movably and vertically located at the air outlet of the second printing area 22.

[0060] When only the first laser emitter 61 emits a laser beam toward the first printing area 21, the first air inlet gate 431 rises to open the air inlet of the first printing space 111, and the first air outlet gate 441 also rises to open the air outlet of the first printing space 111; at the same time, the second air inlet gate 432 falls to close the air inlet of the second printing area 22, and the second air outlet gate 442 falls to close the air outlet of the second printing area 22.

[0061] When only the second laser emitter 62 is used to emit a laser beam toward the second printing area 22, the first air inlet gate 431 descends to close the air inlet of the first printing space 111, and the first air outlet gate 441 also descends to close the air outlet of the first printing space 111; at the same time, the second air inlet gate 432 rises to open the air inlet of the second printing area 22, and the second air outlet gate 442 rises to open the air outlet of the second printing area 22.

[0062] The first printing area 21 and the second printing area 22 are not printed synchronously, but are printed sequentially in separate areas. This allows the first printing area 21 and the second printing area 22 to be distributed under their respective stable air fields, avoiding the fall of smoke and splash particles generated during printing onto the printing surface, thereby improving the product quality of the printed parts.

[0063] Therefore, the present invention can effectively avoid turbulence in the first and second printing spaces, thereby preventing smoke and splash particles generated during printing from falling onto the printing surface, thus improving the product quality of the printed parts, especially suitable for long printed parts.

[0064] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 As shown, in order to simplify the structure of the compartment mechanism 3 and to suspend the compartment main plate 32, the compartment mechanism 3 also includes a mounting base 31 located on the top of the printing compartment 1, and the compartment main plate 32 is mounted on the mounting base 31.

[0065] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 As shown, in order to enable the first air inlet gate 431 and the second air inlet gate 432 to move up and down respectively, the air inlet dual valve mechanism 43 also includes two first lifting drive mechanisms 433 provided in the printing chamber 1, one of which is connected to the first air inlet gate 431 and the other is connected to the second air inlet gate 432.

[0066] Furthermore, in order to enable the first air outlet gate 441 and the second air outlet gate 442 to move up and down respectively, the air outlet dual valve mechanism 44 also includes two second lifting drive mechanisms 443 provided in the printing chamber 1, one of which is connected to the first air outlet gate 441 and the other is connected to the second air outlet gate 442.

[0067] Preferably, the first lifting drive mechanism 433 or the second lifting drive mechanism 443 can be an electric cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder, wherein the electric cylinder is a modular product that integrates a servo motor and a lead screw, converting the rotary motion of the servo motor into linear motion.

[0068] Furthermore, such as Figure 8 As shown, to ensure uniform airflow into the printing chamber 11 and facilitate quick assembly of the air inlet hood assembly 41, the air inlet hood assembly 41 includes an outer air inlet hood 413 and an inner air inlet hood 414 that are nested together. The outer air inlet hood 413 is connected to the fresh air control duct (not shown) of the airflow circulation system 4. The inner air inlet hood 414 includes an inner hood body 414a disposed in the printing chamber 1 and a honeycomb-shaped rectifier plate 414b disposed in the inner hood body 414a. Preferably, the outer air inlet hood 413 and the inner air inlet hood 414 have mounting flanges.

[0069] Furthermore, such as Figure 9 As shown, to facilitate quick assembly of the air outlet hood assembly 42, the air outlet hood assembly 42 includes an outer air outlet hood 423 and an inner air outlet hood 424 that are nested together. The outer air outlet hood 423 is connected to the fresh air control pipe of the air field circulation system 4, and the inner air outlet hood 424 is located in the printing chamber 1. Preferably, both the outer air outlet hood 423 and the inner air outlet hood 424 also have mounting flanges.

[0070] Furthermore, to pre-divide the fresh air in the fresh air control duct into two airflows, the inner cavity of the air inlet hood assembly 41 is divided into two air inlet chambers 412 by an air inlet baffle 411. One air inlet chamber 412 is connected to the first printing space 111, and the other air inlet chamber 412 is connected to the second printing space 112. To expel airflows containing splashes or smoke, the inner cavity of the air outlet hood assembly 41 is divided into two air outlet chambers 422 by an air outlet baffle 421. One air outlet chamber 422 is connected to the first printing space 111, and the other air outlet chamber 422 is connected to the second printing space 112. In summary, this ensures that the first printing area 21 and the second printing area 22 are distributed under their respective stable airflow fields.

[0071] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, in order to enable the scraper assembly 51 to perform the powder scraping action, the scraper drive mechanism 52 includes two linear drive modules 521. The two linear drive modules 521 are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the printing chamber 1 along the width direction of the printing chamber 1, and the two linear drive modules 521 are correspondingly connected to the two ends of the scraper assembly 51.

[0072] Furthermore, to precisely and smoothly control the movement of the scraper assembly 51, the linear drive module 521 includes a linear guide rail 521a extending along the length of the printing chamber 11, a drive member 521b slidably disposed on the linear guide rail 521a, a lead screw 521c threadedly engaged with the drive member 521b, and a scraper drive motor drively connected to the end of the lead screw 521c. The drive member 521b is connected to the scraper assembly 51. Preferably, to protect the linear drive module 521, the linear drive module 521 can be installed in small separation spaces on opposite sides of the printing chamber 1.

[0073] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 As shown, in order to ensure that both the first printing area 21 and the second printing area 22 are irradiated by the laser beam, the first laser emitter 61 includes a first laser module 611 and a first protective mirror assembly 612 aligned vertically, and the second laser emitter 62 includes a second laser module 621 and a second protective mirror assembly 622 aligned vertically. Preferably, the first laser module 611 and the second laser module 621 are mounted on the outer wall of the top plate of the printing chamber 1.

[0074] Furthermore, in order to more accurately control the airflow in the printing cavity 11, the fresh air control pipeline includes an airflow pipeline, and the airflow pipeline is equipped with an air source component, an air inlet speed control valve, an air inlet speed meter, and an air outlet speed meter.

[0075] The present invention also provides a printing method, wherein the printing method uses the aforementioned long-format 3D printer, and includes the following steps:

[0076] S1, the first air inlet gate 431 is opened and the second air inlet gate 432 is closed, the first air outlet gate 441 is opened and the second air outlet gate 442 is closed, forming a protective gas environment in the first printing space 111;

[0077] S2, the scraper assembly 51 receives two layers of printing powder from a powder supply device;

[0078] S3, drive the scraper assembly 51 to perform powder spreading action in the direction from the first printing area 21 to the second printing area 22, and stop directly below the compartment main plate 32, so as to evenly spread a portion of the printing powder of the two layers of printing powder on the first printing area 21. At this time, the scraper assembly 51 and the compartment main plate 32 together form a compartment assembly structure.

[0079] S4, the first laser emitter 61 emits light to print on the first printing area 21;

[0080] S5, continue to drive the scraper assembly 51 to perform the powder spreading action in the direction from the first printing area 21 to the second printing area 22, so as to evenly spread the remaining amount of one of the two layers of printing powder on the second printing area 22.

[0081] S6, the first air inlet gate 431 is closed and the second air inlet gate 432 is opened, the first air outlet gate 441 is closed and the second air outlet gate 442 is opened, forming a protective gas environment in the second printing space 112;

[0082] S7, the second laser emitter 62 emits light to perform printing on the second printing area 22;

[0083] S8, the powder bed 2 descends by one layer thickness, driving the scraper assembly 51 to perform a powder spreading action in the direction from the second printing area 22 to the first printing area 21, stopping directly below the compartment main plate 32, so as to evenly spread a portion of the other layer of printing powder in the two layers of printing powder on the second printing area 22. At this time, the scraper assembly 51 and the compartment main plate 32 together form a compartment assembly structure.

[0084] S9, the second laser emitter 62 emits light again to print on the second printing area 22;

[0085] S10, continue to drive the scraper assembly 51 to perform the powder spreading action in the direction from the second printing area 22 to the first printing area 21, so as to evenly spread the remaining amount of the other layer of printing powder in the two layers of printing powder on the first printing area 21.

[0086] S10, the first air inlet gate 431 is opened and the second air inlet gate 432 is closed, the first air outlet gate 441 is opened and the second air outlet gate 442 is closed, forming a protective gas environment in the first printing space 111;

[0087] S11, the first laser emitter 61 emits light again to print on the first printing area 21.

[0088] Furthermore, repeat S2 to S11.

[0089] The printing method of the present invention can realize sequential printing of partitions, further improving the product quality of printed parts, and is especially suitable for printed parts with long lengths.

[0090] In summary, this invention effectively avoids turbulence in the first and second printing spaces, thereby preventing dust and splatter particles generated during printing from falling onto the printing surface, thus improving the quality of the printed parts, especially suitable for longer printed parts. Therefore, this invention effectively overcomes the various shortcomings of the prior art and has high industrial application value.

[0091] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A long-format 3D printer, characterized in that, include: Printing chamber (1), the printing chamber (1) has a printing cavity (11) with the opening facing downward; Powder bed (2), the powder bed (2) is vertically and vertically disposed at the opening of the printing cavity (11), the powder bed (2) is divided into a first printing area (21) and a second printing area (22) that are connected to each other along the length of the printing cavity (11); The compartmentalization mechanism (3) includes a compartmentalization main plate (32). There is a scraper clearance space between the compartmentalization main plate (32) and the powder bed (2). The compartmentalization main plate (32) is located at the middle of the printing cavity (11) along the length of the printing cavity (11) to divide the printing cavity (11) into a first printing space (111) and a second printing space (112). The first printing space (111) and the first printing area (21) are vertically corresponding, and the second printing space (112) and the second printing area (22) are vertically corresponding. The wind farm circulation system (4) includes an air inlet hood assembly (41), an air outlet hood assembly (42), an air inlet dual valve mechanism (43), and an air outlet dual valve mechanism (44). The air inlet hood assembly (41) is located on one side of the printing chamber (1) along the width direction of the printing chamber (1), and the air outlet hood assembly (42) is located on the other side of the printing chamber (1) along the width direction of the printing chamber (1). The air inlet dual valve mechanism (43) includes a first air inlet gate (431) and a second air inlet gate (432) arranged side by side. The first air inlet gate (431) is vertically and flexibly disposed at the air inlet of the first printing space (111), and the second air inlet gate (432) is vertically and flexibly disposed at the air inlet of the second printing area (22). The air outlet double valve mechanism (44) includes a first air outlet gate (441) and a second air outlet gate (442) arranged side by side. The first air outlet gate (441) is vertically and flexibly disposed at the air outlet of the first printing space (111), and the second air outlet gate (442) is vertically and flexibly disposed at the air outlet of the second printing area (22). The powder spreading device (5) includes a scraper assembly (51) that is movably disposed in the printing chamber (1) and can pass through the scraper clearance space, and a scraper drive mechanism (52) that drives the scraper assembly (51) to perform powder spreading action on the powder bed (2). The laser emitting system (6) includes a first laser emitter (61) and a second laser emitter (62) both located on the top of the printing chamber (1). The first laser emitter (61) is used to emit a laser beam to the first printing area (21), and the second laser emitter (62) is used to emit a laser beam to the second printing area (22). When the scraper assembly (51) stops between the compartment main plate (32) and the powder bed (2), the scraper assembly (51) and the compartment main plate (32) together form a compartment assembly structure.

2. The long-format 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The compartment mechanism (3) also includes a mounting base (31) located on top of the printing compartment (1), and the main body plate (32) of the compartment is mounted on the mounting base (31).

3. The long-format 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air intake dual valve mechanism (43) also includes two first lifting drive mechanisms (433) located in the printing chamber (1), one of which is connected to the first air intake gate (431) and the other is connected to the second air intake gate (432).

4. The long-format 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air outlet dual valve mechanism (44) also includes two second lifting drive mechanisms (443) located in the printing chamber (1), one of which is connected to the first air outlet gate (441) and the other is connected to the second air outlet gate (442).

5. The long-format 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air inlet hood assembly (41) includes an outer air inlet hood (413) and an inner air inlet hood (414) that are nested together. The outer air inlet hood (413) is connected to the fresh air control pipe (43) of the air field circulation system (4). The inner air inlet hood (414) includes an inner hood body (414a) located in the printing chamber (1) and a honeycomb rectifier plate (414b) located in the inner hood body (414a).

6. The long-format 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air outlet hood assembly (42) includes an external air outlet hood (423) and an internal air outlet hood (424) that are nested together. The external air outlet hood (423) is connected to the fresh air control pipe (43) of the air field circulation system (4), and the internal air outlet hood (424) is located in the printing chamber (1).

7. The long-format 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner cavity of the air inlet hood assembly (41) is divided into two air inlet chambers (412) by an air inlet baffle (411), one of which is connected to the first printing space (111) and the other is connected to the second printing space (112); the inner cavity of the air outlet hood assembly (41) is divided into two air outlet chambers (422) by an air outlet baffle (421), one of which is connected to the first printing space (111) and the other is connected to the second printing space (112).

8. The long-format 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The scraper drive mechanism (52) includes two linear drive modules (521), which are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the printing chamber (1) along the width direction of the printing chamber (1), and the two linear drive modules (521) are correspondingly connected to the two ends of the scraper assembly (51).

9. The long-format 3D printer according to claim 8, characterized in that: The linear drive module (521) includes a linear guide rail (521a) extending along the length of the printing cavity (11), a drive member (521b) slidably disposed on the linear guide rail (521a), a lead screw (521c) threadedly engaged with the drive member (521b), and a scraper drive motor that is drivenly connected to the end of the lead screw (521c). The drive member (521b) is connected to the scraper assembly (51).

10. A printing method, wherein the printing method employs a long-format 3D printer as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1, the first air inlet gate (431) is opened and the second air inlet gate (432) is closed, the first air outlet gate (441) is opened and the second air outlet gate (442) is closed, forming a protective gas environment in the first printing space (111); S2, the scraper assembly (51) receives two layers of printing powder from a powder supply device; S3, drive the scraper assembly (51) to perform powder spreading action in the direction from the first printing area (21) to the second printing area (22), and stop directly below the compartment main plate (32) so as to evenly spread a portion of the amount of one of the two layers of printing powder on the first printing area (21). At this time, the scraper assembly (51) and the compartment main plate (32) together constitute a compartment assembly structure. S4, the first laser emitter (61) emits light to perform printing on the first printing area (21); S5, continue to drive the scraper assembly (51) to perform the powder spreading action in the direction from the first printing area (21) to the second printing area (22) so as to evenly spread the remaining amount of one of the two layers of printing powder on the second printing area (22). S6, the first air inlet gate (431) is closed and the second air inlet gate (432) is opened, the first air outlet gate (441) is closed and the second air outlet gate (442) is opened, forming a protective gas environment in the second printing space (112); S7, the second laser emitter (62) emits light to perform printing on the second printing area (22); S8, the powder bed (2) descends by one layer thickness, driving the scraper assembly (51) to perform a powder spreading action in the direction from the second printing area (22) to the first printing area (21), stopping directly below the compartment main plate (32), so as to evenly spread a portion of the other layer of printing powder in the two layers of printing powder on the second printing area (22). At this time, the scraper assembly (51) and the compartment main plate (32) together constitute a compartment assembly structure. S9, the second laser emitter (62) emits light again to perform printing on the second printing area (22); S10, continue to drive the scraper assembly (51) to perform the powder spreading action in the direction from the second printing area (22) to the first printing area (21) so as to evenly spread the remaining amount of the other printing powder in the two layers of printing powder on the first printing area (21). S10, the first air inlet gate (431) is opened and the second air inlet gate (432) is closed, the first air outlet gate (441) is opened and the second air outlet gate (442) is closed, forming a protective gas environment in the first printing space (111); S11, the first laser emitter (61) emits light again to print on the first printing area (21).

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