Printhead dock positioning method, positioning system and 3D printing equipment
By combining mechanical movement and electrical trigger signals, the real-time coordinates of the nozzle holder are obtained, which solves the high-cost and large-volume nozzle positioning problem in the existing technology, realizes low-cost and miniaturized nozzle positioning, and ensures the accurate docking and stability of the nozzle and the nozzle holder.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202411568429.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-05
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-09
- Estimated Expiration
- 2044-11-05
AI Technical Summary
Existing nozzle positioning methods rely on visual recognition or tool probes, which are costly and bulky, making them difficult to apply to miniaturized and cost-sensitive 3D printing equipment.
By adopting simple mechanical movement and electric triggering signal, the real-time coordinates of the nozzle seat are obtained through the contact and conduction between the conductive element and the positioning sensor element, and the position of the nozzle dock is determined.
It reduces the cost and volume of 3D printing equipment and ensures the accurate docking and stability of the nozzle and nozzle seat.
Smart Images

Figure CN119217722B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and in particular to a nozzle dock positioning method, a positioning system and a 3D printing device. Background Art
[0002] With the rapid development of industrial intelligence and automation, the demand for multi-color, multi-material printing in 3D printing equipment is growing, making precise nozzle positioning particularly important. Existing nozzle positioning typically relies on sensors such as visual recognition or tool setting probes. Monocular vision can only identify planar feature points and has limited accuracy, while binocular vision and tool setting probes are expensive and bulky, making them difficult to apply to miniaturized, cost-sensitive 3D printing equipment. Summary of the Invention
[0003] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a nozzle dock positioning method, positioning system and 3D printing equipment, which use simple mechanical movement and electrical trigger signals to locate the nozzle dock position, thereby reducing the cost and volume of the 3D printing equipment.
[0004] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for positioning a nozzle dock, which is applied to a 3D printing device, wherein the 3D printing device includes a motion mechanism, a nozzle dock and a nozzle seat; the motion mechanism is provided with an X-axis guide rail and a Y-axis guide rail for driving the nozzle seat to move; a zero point position is pre-set on the motion mechanism; the nozzle seat is arranged on the motion mechanism, and a conductive element is provided on a side close to the nozzle dock; the nozzle dock is provided with at least one nozzle and at least one positioning sensor element on a side close to the nozzle seat; the positioning method includes: when a positioning instruction is received, controlling the nozzle seat to move to the zero point position; controlling the nozzle seat to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and connects with the surface extending along the Y-axis direction and the surface extending along the X-axis direction of the positioning sensor element in a preset order, obtaining a first real-time coordinate of a reference point on the nozzle seat when the conductive element contacts and connects for the first time, and obtaining a second real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle seat when the conductive element contacts and connects for the second time; determining the position of the nozzle dock according to the first real-time coordinate and the second real-time coordinate.
[0005] Furthermore, the nozzle holder is controlled to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and connects with the surface extending along the Y-axis direction and the surface extending along the X-axis direction of the positioning sensor element in a preset order, and the first real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle holder is obtained when the conductive element contacts and connects for the first time, and the second real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle holder is obtained when the conductive element contacts and connects for the second time. The steps include: controlling the nozzle holder to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and connects with the positioning sensor element, and obtaining the first real-time coordinate of the nozzle holder when the contacts and connects; controlling the nozzle holder to move to the preset coordinates to disengage the conductive element from the positioning sensor element; after moving to the preset coordinates, controlling the nozzle holder to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and connects with the positioning sensor element again, and obtaining the second real-time coordinate of the nozzle holder when the contacts and connects.
[0006] Furthermore, the nozzle holder is controlled to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected, and the step of obtaining the first real-time coordinate of the nozzle holder when they are connected includes: controlling the nozzle holder to move to the first test coordinate; wherein, when the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the vertical coordinate of the first test coordinate is within a preset first threshold range, and the horizontal coordinate is the difference between the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the preset first test step length; when the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the horizontal coordinate of the first test coordinate is within a preset second threshold range, and the vertical coordinate is within a preset third threshold range; judging whether the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected; if the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are not in contact and connected, updating the first test coordinate based on the preset step adjustment method to obtain an updated first test coordinate; controlling the nozzle holder to move to the updated first test coordinate until the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected; and determining that the updated first test coordinate is the first real-time coordinate.
[0007] Furthermore, the nozzle holder is controlled to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected again, and the step of obtaining the second real-time coordinate of the nozzle holder when the connection occurs includes: controlling the nozzle holder to move to the second test coordinate; wherein, when the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, and the second contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the horizontal coordinate of the second test coordinate is within the preset second threshold range, and the vertical coordinate is within the preset third threshold range; when the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, and the second contact conduction is When the surface extending along the Y-axis direction is in contact and conductive, the ordinate of the second test coordinate is within the preset first threshold range, and the abscissa is the difference between the abscissa of the preset positioning coordinate and the preset first test step length; determine whether the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and conductive; if the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are not in contact and conductive, update the second test coordinate based on the preset step length adjustment method to obtain an updated second test coordinate; control the nozzle holder to move to the updated second test coordinate until the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and conductive; determine the updated second test coordinate as the second real-time coordinate.
[0008] Furthermore, the maximum value of the preset first threshold range is the sum of the ordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the first ordinate offset; the minimum value of the preset first threshold range is the difference between the ordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the first ordinate offset; wherein the first ordinate offset is half the length of the surface of the conductive element extending along the Y-axis direction; the maximum value of the preset second threshold range is the sum of the abscissa of the preset positioning coordinate and the length of the surface of the positioning sensor element extending along the X-axis direction; the minimum value of the preset second threshold range is the sum of the abscissa of the preset positioning coordinate and the length of the surface of the conductive element extending along the X-axis direction; the maximum value of the preset third threshold range is the sum of the ordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the second ordinate offset; the minimum value of the preset third threshold range is the difference between the ordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the second ordinate offset; wherein the second ordinate offset is the sum of the preset second test step, the first ordinate offset and the third ordinate offset; the third ordinate offset is half the length of the surface of the positioning sensor element extending along the Y-axis direction.
[0009] Furthermore, the position of the nozzle dock is represented by a target horizontal coordinate and a target vertical coordinate; the target horizontal coordinate is the first target horizontal coordinate or the second target horizontal coordinate; the target vertical coordinate is the first target vertical coordinate or the second target vertical coordinate; and the step of determining the position of the nozzle dock according to the first real-time coordinate and the second real-time coordinate includes: when the first contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, determining the first target horizontal coordinate of the positioning sensor element based on a preset X-direction error and the horizontal coordinate of the first real-time coordinate; determining the first target vertical coordinate of the positioning sensor element based on a preset Y-direction error and the vertical coordinate of the second real-time coordinate; when the first contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, determining the second target vertical coordinate of the positioning sensor element based on the preset Y-direction error and the vertical coordinate of the first real-time coordinate; determining the second target horizontal coordinate of the positioning sensor element based on the preset X-direction error and the horizontal coordinate of the second real-time coordinate; and determining the nozzle coordinate corresponding to each nozzle in the nozzle dock based on a preset nozzle-positioning sensor element correspondence, the target horizontal coordinate, and the target vertical coordinate.
[0010] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a positioning system for a nozzle dock, which is applied to a 3D printing device. The 3D printing device includes a motion mechanism, a nozzle dock, and a nozzle base. The motion mechanism is provided with an X-axis guide rail and a Y-axis guide rail for driving the nozzle base to move. The motion mechanism is pre-set with a zero position. The nozzle base is disposed on the motion mechanism, and a conductive element is disposed on a side near the nozzle dock. The nozzle dock is provided with at least one nozzle and at least one positioning sensor element on a side near the nozzle base. The positioning system includes: a zeroing module for controlling the nozzle base to move to the zero position when a positioning instruction is received; a real-time coordinate determination module for controlling the nozzle base to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and connects with a surface extending along the Y-axis direction and a surface extending along the X-axis direction of the positioning sensor element in a preset sequence, respectively, and obtaining a first real-time coordinate of a reference point on the nozzle base when the conductive element contacts and connects for the first time, and obtaining a second real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle base when the conductive element contacts and connects for the second time. The nozzle dock position determination module is for determining the position of the nozzle dock based on the first real-time coordinate and the second real-time coordinate.
[0011] In the third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a 3D printing device, including a controller, a motion mechanism, a nozzle dock and a nozzle seat; also including the above-mentioned nozzle dock positioning system; the nozzle dock positioning system is arranged in the controller; the controller is respectively connected to the nozzle dock and the nozzle seat; a zero point position is pre-set on the motion mechanism; the nozzle seat is set on the guide rail of the motion mechanism through a slider, and the controller drives the slider to move by controlling the drive motor so that the nozzle seat can move freely along the motion mechanism; the nozzle seat is equipped with a conductive element on the side close to the nozzle dock; the nozzle dock is equipped with at least one nozzle and at least one positioning sensor element on the side close to the nozzle seat.
[0012] Furthermore, the positioning sensing element is a metal positioning pin or a contact sensor.
[0013] Furthermore, at least one pit is provided on the nozzle dock; each pit is correspondingly installed with a nozzle; the pit width of each pit is the same, and the pit width is greater than or equal to the nozzle width of the nozzle; the positioning sensor element is provided on one side or both sides of the pit.
[0014] An embodiment of the present invention provides a positioning method, a positioning system and a 3D printing device for a nozzle dock, wherein the 3D printing device includes a motion mechanism, a nozzle dock and a nozzle seat; the motion mechanism is provided with an X-axis guide rail and a Y-axis guide rail for driving the nozzle seat to move; a zero point position is pre-set on the motion mechanism; the nozzle seat is arranged on the motion mechanism, and a conductive element is provided on a side close to the nozzle dock; the nozzle dock is provided with at least one nozzle and at least one positioning sensor element on a side close to the nozzle seat; the positioning method includes: when a positioning instruction is received, controlling the nozzle seat to move to the zero point position; controlling the nozzle seat to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and connects with the surface extending along the Y-axis direction and the surface extending along the X-axis direction of the positioning sensor element in a preset order, obtaining a first real-time coordinate of a reference point on the nozzle seat when the conductive element contacts and connects for the first time, and obtaining a second real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle seat when the conductive element contacts and connects for the second time; determining the position of the nozzle dock according to the first real-time coordinate and the second real-time coordinate. In this method, simple mechanical movement and electrical trigger signals are used to locate the nozzle dock position, thereby reducing the cost and volume of the 3D printing equipment, and further ensuring the accurate docking and stability of the nozzle and nozzle base.
[0015] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in the following description, and in part will become apparent from the description, or understood by practicing the present invention. The purposes and other advantages of the present invention are realized and obtained by the structures particularly pointed out in the description, claims and drawings.
[0016] 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
[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the specific embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.
[0018] Figure 1A flow chart of a method for positioning a nozzle dock provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] Figure 2 A partial schematic diagram of a 3D printing device provided in Example 1 of the present invention;
[0020] Figure 3 A flow chart of a method for contact and conduction between a conductive element and a positioning sensor element provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] Figure 4 A flow chart of a first real-time coordinate determination method provided in Example 1 of the present invention;
[0022] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of surface contact extending along the Y-axis direction provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of surface contact extending along the X-axis direction provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] Figure 7 A flow chart of a second real-time coordinate determination method provided in Example 1 of the present invention;
[0025] Figure 8 A flow chart of a method for determining the position of a nozzle dock provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the positioning system of the nozzle dock provided in the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] Figure 10 This is an overall schematic diagram of the 3D printing device provided in Example 3 of the present invention;
[0028] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the nozzle dock provided in Example 3 of the present invention.
[0029] Icons: 1-zeroing module; 2-real-time coordinate determination module; 3-nozzle dock position determination module; 11-motion mechanism; 12-nozzle base; 121-conductive element; 13-nozzle dock; 131-positioning sensor element; 132-nozzle; 14-printing platform. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0031] To facilitate understanding of this embodiment, the embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below.
[0032] Example 1:
[0033] Figure 1 This is a flow chart of the method for positioning the nozzle dock provided in Example 1 of the present invention.
[0034] The nozzle dock positioning method is applied to 3D printing equipment, refer to Figure 2 The 3D printing device includes a motion mechanism 11, a nozzle dock 13 and a nozzle seat 12; the motion mechanism 11 is used to drive the nozzle seat 12 to move; a zero point position is pre-set on the motion mechanism 11; the nozzle seat 12 is set on the motion mechanism 11, and a conductive element is provided on the side close to the nozzle dock 13; the nozzle dock 13 is provided with at least one nozzle and at least one positioning sensor element on the side close to the nozzle seat 12.
[0035] Here, the motion mechanism 11 is located on the top surface of the 3D printing device. It is equipped with X-axis and Y-axis guide rails to drive the nozzle holder 12. The zero point serves as the starting reference position and can be any position on the motion mechanism 11. The nozzle dock 13 is a movable component that stores the nozzles.
[0036] The positioning sensing element can be a metal positioning pin or a contact sensor. The conductive element can be a metal panel or a conductive post. When the conductive element contacts the metal positioning pin, a conductive trigger signal (such as a voltage signal or a current signal) is generated. When the conductive element contacts the contact sensor, a contact trigger signal (such as a pressure change signal) is generated.
[0037] The positioning coordinates are the preset coordinates of the positioning sensor element. When there is only one positioning sensor element, the preset positioning coordinates are the coordinate values of the preset positioning sensor element in the coordinate system formed by the motion mechanism. When there are more than one positioning sensor element, the preset positioning coordinates are the coordinate values of one of the positioning sensor elements in the coordinate system formed by the motion mechanism.
[0038] On a 3D printer, the motion mechanism 11 can move the nozzle holder 12 along a specified path and access the nozzle dock 13 to complete the nozzle grabbing and replacement. When the 3D printer is started, the motion mechanism moves the nozzle holder to the zero position, ensuring that the nozzle holder starts from a known position.
[0039] Reference Figure 1 , location positioning methods include:
[0040] Step S101: When a positioning instruction is received, the nozzle holder is controlled to move to a zero position.
[0041] Here, when a positioning command is received, the nozzle holder moves from any position to the zero position.
[0042] Step S102, control the nozzle holder to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and connects with the surface extending along the Y-axis direction and the surface extending along the X-axis direction of the positioning sensor element in a preset order, and obtains the first real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and connects for the first time, and obtains the second real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and connects for the second time.
[0043] Here, since the nozzle seat has a certain width and thickness, it is necessary to set a reference point and obtain its real-time coordinates. For example, Figure 5 Point B or other positions in the .
[0044] The preset order is pre-set based on actual conditions. It can be set to first contact the surface extending along the Y-axis direction, and then adjust the direction to contact the surface extending along the X-axis direction; or first contact the surface extending along the X-axis direction, and then adjust the direction to contact the surface extending along the Y-axis direction. The surface extending along the Y-axis direction is the surface opposite to the nozzle dock and the nozzle base.
[0045] The first coordinate position of the nozzle base is recorded when it contacts for the first time, and the second coordinate position is recorded when it contacts for the second time.
[0046] Specifically, when the positioning sensing element is a metal positioning pin, the conductive element and the metal positioning pin are both made of conductive materials, and the metal positioning pin is connected to the power ground. When the conductive element contacts the metal positioning pin, a trigger signal (such as a voltage signal or a current signal) is generated.
[0047] The positioning sensing element is a contact sensor (such as a strain gauge or piezoelectric sheet), and when the conductive element contacts the metal positioning pin, the small deformation and pressure changes are detected by the resistance change (strain gauge) or charge generation (piezoelectric sheet) of the contact sensor to generate a trigger signal.
[0048] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 3 The steps of step S102 include:
[0049] Step S301 , controlling the nozzle holder to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element, and obtaining the first real-time coordinate of the reference point of the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element.
[0050] Here, the nozzle holder moves toward the nozzle dock, the conductive element contacts the positioning sensor element, forming a conduction signal, and recording the coordinates of the nozzle holder reference point at this time.
[0051] Step S302 , controlling the nozzle base reference point to move to a preset coordinate so that the conductive element is out of contact with the positioning sensor element.
[0052] Here, the preset coordinates can be pre-set according to actual conditions, and the preset coordinates are coordinates that ensure that the conductive element no longer contacts the positioning sensor element.
[0053] Step S303: After moving to the preset coordinates, the nozzle holder is controlled to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected again, and the second real-time coordinates of the reference point of the nozzle holder are obtained when the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected again.
[0054] Here, the printhead holder moves from the preset coordinates to the printhead dock again, contacts the positioning sensor element, and records the coordinates at this time. If the first contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the second contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction; if the first contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the second contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction.
[0055] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 4 The steps of step S301 include:
[0056] Step S401, controlling the nozzle holder to move to the first test coordinate; wherein, when the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the vertical coordinate of the first test coordinate is within a preset first threshold range, and the horizontal coordinate is the difference between the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the preset first test step length; when the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the horizontal coordinate of the first test coordinate is within a preset second threshold range, and the vertical coordinate is within a preset third threshold range.
[0057] Here, the maximum value of the preset first threshold range is the sum of the vertical coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the first vertical coordinate offset; the minimum value of the preset first threshold range is the difference between the vertical coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the first vertical coordinate offset; wherein the first vertical coordinate offset is half the length of the surface of the conductive element extending along the Y-axis direction.
[0058] The maximum value of the preset second threshold range is the sum of the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the length of the surface of the positioning sensor element extending along the X-axis direction; the minimum value of the preset second threshold range is the sum of the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the length of the surface of the conductive element extending along the X-axis direction.
[0059] The maximum value of the preset third threshold range is the sum of the vertical coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the second vertical coordinate offset; the minimum value of the preset third threshold range is the difference between the vertical coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the second vertical coordinate offset; wherein the second vertical coordinate offset is the sum of the preset second test step, the first vertical coordinate offset and the third vertical coordinate offset; the third vertical coordinate offset is half the length of the surface of the positioning sensor element extending along the Y-axis direction.
[0060] The first test step length and the second test step length can be pre-set according to actual conditions, and the first test step length and the second test step length can be the same or different. The test step length can be set to 8 mm and 10 mm, etc.
[0061] Because the conductive element is a plane, in order to ensure that the conductive element and the positioning sensor element can contact the surface extending along the Y-axis direction, the vertical coordinate offset is half the length of the surface of the conductive element extending along the Y-axis direction.
[0062] Because the nozzle holder contacts the positioning sensor element through the conductive element, a larger contact surface will cause errors in the determination of the coordinates. Therefore, when the contact conduction is the surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the test horizontal coordinate is set within the preset second threshold range to make the conductive element and the surface of the positioning sensor element extending along the X-axis direction touch and conduct.
[0063] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 When the length L1 of the conductive element along the Y-axis is 10 cm and the length of the conductive element along the X-axis is W1, the first ordinate offset C1 can be set to L1 / 2 = 5 cm, the length of the positioning sensor element along the X-axis is L2, the length of the positioning sensor element along the Y-axis is W2, the first test step length is ΔX, the second test step length is ΔY, the third ordinate offset C3 can be set to W2 / 2, and the second ordinate offset C2 can be set to ΔY+C1+C3=ΔY+L1 / 2+W2 / 2. The preset positioning coordinates are (X0, Y0), the first threshold range is [Y0-C1, Y0+C1], the second threshold range is [X0+W1, X0+L2], and the third threshold range is [Y0-C2, Y0+C2].
[0064] Here, the movement of the nozzle holder to the first test coordinate is defined as the movement of the center point B (the aforementioned reference point) of the conductive element of the nozzle holder to the first test coordinate.
[0065] Specifically, assuming the preset positioning coordinates are (X0, Y0), which are the center of the front end of the positioning sensor element, point A. When the conductive element extends along the Y direction in contact, the first test coordinate is (X1, Y1), where X1 = X0 - ΔX, and Y1 is a value in [Y0 - C1, Y0 + C1].
[0066] If the conductive element extends in the X direction, the first test coordinate is (X1, Y1), where X1 is a value in [X0+W1, X0+L2], and Y1 is a value in [Y0-C2, Y0+C2].
[0067] Step S402 , determining whether the conductive element is in contact with the positioning sensor element.
[0068] Here, whether the conductive element contacts the positioning sensing element is detected and a conduction signal is generated.
[0069] Step S403 : If the conductive element is not in contact with the positioning sensor element, the first test coordinate is updated based on a preset step adjustment method to obtain an updated first test coordinate.
[0070] Here, if there is no conduction signal, the first test coordinate is adjusted according to the step size adjustment method.
[0071] When the contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis, the step size adjustment method is to increase the unit step size based on the horizontal coordinate. When the contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis, and the vertical coordinate of the first test coordinate is within the range of [Y0, Y0+C1], the step size adjustment method is to reduce the unit step size based on the vertical coordinate. When the contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis, and the vertical coordinate of the first test coordinate is within the range of [Y0-C1, Y0], the step size adjustment method is to increase the unit step size based on the vertical coordinate. The unit step size can be set to 1.
[0072] Step S404 , controlling the nozzle holder to move to the updated first test coordinate until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element.
[0073] Here, the nozzle holder is moved to the updated coordinates and the adjustment is repeated until the contact is made.
[0074] Step S405: Determine the updated first test coordinates as first real-time coordinates.
[0075] Here, when the on signal is generated, the current updated coordinates are the first real-time coordinates.
[0076] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 7 The steps of step S303 include:
[0077] Step S501, controlling the nozzle holder to move to the second test coordinate; wherein, when the first contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, and the second contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the horizontal coordinate of the second test coordinate is within the preset second threshold range, and the vertical coordinate is within the preset third threshold range; when the first contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, and the second contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the vertical coordinate of the second test coordinate is within the preset first threshold range, and the horizontal coordinate is the difference between the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the preset first test step length.
[0078] Here, when the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the second contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction. When the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the second contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction.
[0079] Step S502 , determining whether the conductive element is in contact with the positioning sensor element.
[0080] Here, it is detected whether the nozzle holder is in contact and conductive at the second test coordinate.
[0081] Step S503 : If the conductive element is not in contact with the positioning sensor element, the second test coordinate is updated based on a preset step adjustment method to obtain an updated second test coordinate.
[0082] Here, if there is no conduction signal, the second test coordinate is updated according to the step size adjustment method.
[0083] Step S504 , controlling the nozzle holder to move to the updated second test coordinate until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element.
[0084] Here, move the nozzle holder to the updated coordinates and repeat the adjustment until conduction occurs.
[0085] Step S505: Determine the updated second test coordinates as second real-time coordinates.
[0086] Here, when the on signal is generated, the current updated coordinates are the second real-time coordinates.
[0087] Step S103: determining the position of the printhead dock according to the first real-time coordinate and the second real-time coordinate.
[0088] In one embodiment, the position of the showerhead dock is represented by a target abscissa and a target ordinate; the target abscissa is the first target abscissa or the second target abscissa; and the target ordinate is the first target ordinate or the second target ordinate.
[0089] Reference Figure 8 The steps of step S103 include:
[0090] Step S601: When the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, a first target horizontal coordinate of the positioning sensor element is determined based on a preset X-direction error and the horizontal coordinate of the first real-time coordinate; and a first target vertical coordinate of the positioning sensor element is determined based on a preset Y-direction error and the vertical coordinate of the second real-time coordinate.
[0091] Here, when the reference point is point B, the horizontal coordinate of the first real-time coordinate is the first target horizontal coordinate of the positioning sensor element, that is, the preset X-direction error is 0; when the reference point is set inside the nozzle holder, it is necessary to convert the X-direction distance from the reference point to the outer surface of the conductive element to confirm the first target horizontal coordinate of the positioning sensor element, that is, the preset X-direction error is the X-direction distance from the reference point to the outer surface of the conductive element.
[0092] When the reference point is point B, the preset Y-direction error is the sum of half the length of the surface of the conductive element extending along the Y-axis direction and half the length of the surface of the positioning sensing element extending along the Y-axis direction, that is, L1 / 2+W2 / 2.
[0093] Step S602: When the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, a second target vertical coordinate of the positioning sensor element is determined based on a preset Y-direction error and the vertical coordinate of the first real-time coordinate; and a second target horizontal coordinate of the positioning sensor element is determined based on a preset X-direction error and the horizontal coordinate of the second real-time coordinate.
[0094] Specifically, the preset positioning coordinates of a positioning sensor element are set to (100, 100), the reference point is point B, the preset X-direction error is 0, and the preset Y-direction error is 5 mm.
[0095] When the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the second contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, and the vertical coordinate of the second test coordinate is set to be greater than the vertical coordinate of the positioning coordinate, the horizontal coordinate corresponding to the first real-time coordinate (95, 100) is determined to be the first target horizontal coordinate, and the vertical coordinate corresponding to the second real-time coordinate (105, 105) is the difference between the first target vertical coordinate and the preset Y-direction error. At this time, the first target horizontal coordinate is 95 and the first target vertical coordinate is 100.
[0096] When the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the second contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, and the vertical coordinate of the second test coordinate is set to be smaller than the vertical coordinate of the positioning coordinate, the horizontal coordinate corresponding to the first real-time coordinate (95, 100) is determined to be the first target horizontal coordinate, and the vertical coordinate corresponding to the second real-time coordinate (105, 95) is the first target vertical coordinate based on the sum of the preset Y-direction error. At this time, the first target horizontal coordinate is 95, and the first target vertical coordinate is 100.
[0097] When the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, and the vertical coordinate of the first test coordinate is set to be greater than the vertical coordinate of the positioning coordinate, and the second contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the vertical coordinate corresponding to the first real-time coordinate (105, 105) and the second target vertical coordinate based on the difference in the preset Y-direction error are determined, and the horizontal coordinate corresponding to the second real-time coordinate (95, 100) is the second target horizontal coordinate. At this time, the second target horizontal coordinate is 95 and the second target vertical coordinate is 100.
[0098] When the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, and the vertical coordinate of the first test coordinate is set to be smaller than the vertical coordinate of the positioning coordinate, and the second contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the vertical coordinate corresponding to the first real-time coordinate (105, 95) and the second target vertical coordinate based on the preset Y-direction error are determined, and the horizontal coordinate corresponding to the second real-time coordinate (95, 100) is the second target horizontal coordinate. At this time, the second target horizontal coordinate is 95 and the second target vertical coordinate is 100.
[0099] Step S603 : determining the nozzle coordinates corresponding to each nozzle in the nozzle dock based on the preset nozzle-positioning sensor element correspondence, the target horizontal coordinate, and the target vertical coordinate.
[0100] Here, the correspondence between the nozzle and the positioning sensor element is pre-stored, and at least one pit is set on the nozzle dock; each pit is correspondingly installed with a nozzle; the pit width of each pit is the same, and the pit width is greater than or equal to the nozzle width of the nozzle; the positioning sensor element is set on one side or both sides of the pit.
[0101] Specifically, assume that a nozzle dock has six adjacent pits and a positioning sensor element, the pit width of each pit is 80 mm, the positioning sensor is set 20 mm to the left of the pit group, and the preset positioning coordinates corresponding to the positioning sensor element are (100, 100). If the actual coordinates corresponding to the positioning sensor element are determined to be (95, 95), the center point coordinates of each pit can be determined to be (95, 155), (95, 235), (95, 315), (95, 395), (95, 475), and (95, 555). The center point coordinates corresponding to each pit are the nozzle coordinates corresponding to the nozzle installed in that pit.
[0102] In one embodiment, if there is more than one positioning sensor element, the coordinate deviation corresponding to each positioning sensor element is calculated, and the mean / median of all coordinate deviations is calculated to obtain the target coordinate deviation. Based on the target coordinate deviation and the preset printhead-positioning sensor element correspondence, the corresponding printhead coordinate of each printhead in the printhead dock is determined.
[0103] An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for positioning a nozzle dock, which is applied to a 3D printing device, wherein the 3D printing device includes a motion mechanism, a nozzle dock and a nozzle seat; the motion mechanism is provided with an X-axis guide rail and a Y-axis guide rail for driving the nozzle seat to move; a zero point position is pre-set on the motion mechanism; the nozzle seat is arranged on the motion mechanism, and a conductive element is provided on a side close to the nozzle dock; the nozzle dock is provided with at least one nozzle and at least one positioning sensor element on a side close to the nozzle seat; the positioning method includes: when a positioning instruction is received, controlling the nozzle seat to move to the zero point position; controlling the nozzle seat to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and connects with the surface extending along the Y-axis direction and the surface extending along the X-axis direction of the positioning sensor element in a preset order, obtaining a first real-time coordinate of a reference point on the nozzle seat when the conductive element contacts and connects for the first time, and obtaining a second real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle seat when the conductive element contacts and connects for the second time; determining the position of the nozzle dock according to the first real-time coordinate and the second real-time coordinate. In this method, simple mechanical movement and electrical trigger signals are used to locate the nozzle dock position, thereby reducing the cost and volume of the 3D printing equipment, and further ensuring the accurate docking and stability of the nozzle and nozzle base.
[0104] Example 2:
[0105] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the positioning system of the nozzle dock provided in the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0106] The 3D printing equipment includes a motion mechanism, a nozzle dock and a nozzle seat; the motion mechanism is provided with an X-axis guide rail and a Y-axis guide rail for driving the nozzle seat to move; a zero point position is pre-set on the motion mechanism; the nozzle seat is arranged on the motion mechanism, and a conductive element is provided on the side close to the nozzle dock; the nozzle dock is provided with at least one nozzle and at least one positioning sensor element on the side close to the nozzle seat.
[0107] Reference Figure 9 , the location positioning system includes:
[0108] The zeroing module 1 is used to control the nozzle holder to move to the zero position when receiving a positioning instruction.
[0109] The real-time coordinate determination module 2 is used to control the nozzle holder to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and connects with the surface extending along the Y-axis direction and the surface extending along the X-axis direction of the positioning sensor element in a preset order, and obtains the first real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and connects for the first time, and obtains the second real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and connects for the second time.
[0110] The nozzle dock position determination module 3 is used to determine the position of the nozzle dock according to the first real-time coordinate and the second real-time coordinate.
[0111] In one embodiment, the real-time coordinate determination module 2 is configured to perform the following steps:
[0112] The nozzle seat is controlled to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element, and the first real-time coordinate of the nozzle seat is obtained when the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element.
[0113] The nozzle holder is controlled to move to a preset coordinate so that the conductive element is out of contact with the positioning sensing element.
[0114] After moving to the preset coordinates, the nozzle seat is controlled to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected again, and the second real-time coordinates of the nozzle seat are obtained when the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected again.
[0115] In one embodiment, the real-time coordinate determination module 2 is configured to perform the following steps:
[0116] The nozzle seat is controlled to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element, and the first real-time coordinate of the nozzle seat is obtained when the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element.
[0117] The nozzle holder is controlled to move to a preset coordinate so that the conductive element is out of contact with the positioning sensing element.
[0118] After moving to the preset coordinates, the nozzle seat is controlled to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected again, and the second real-time coordinates of the nozzle seat are obtained when the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected again.
[0119] In one embodiment, the real-time coordinate determination module 2 is configured to perform the following steps:
[0120] Control the nozzle holder to move to the first test coordinate; wherein, when the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the vertical coordinate of the first test coordinate is within a preset first threshold range, and the horizontal coordinate is the difference between the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the preset first test step length; when the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the horizontal coordinate of the first test coordinate is within a preset second threshold range, and the vertical coordinate is within a preset third threshold range.
[0121] Determine whether the conductive element is in contact with the positioning sensor element.
[0122] If the conductive element is not in contact with the positioning sensor element, the first test coordinate is updated based on a preset step adjustment method to obtain an updated first test coordinate.
[0123] The nozzle holder is controlled to move to the updated first test coordinate until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element.
[0124] The updated first test coordinates are determined as first real-time coordinates.
[0125] In one embodiment, the real-time coordinate determination module 2 is configured to perform the following steps:
[0126] Control the nozzle holder to move to the second test coordinate; wherein, when the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, and the second contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the horizontal coordinate of the second test coordinate is within the preset second threshold range, and the vertical coordinate is within the preset third threshold range; when the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, and the second contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the vertical coordinate of the second test coordinate is within the preset first threshold range, and the horizontal coordinate is the difference between the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the preset first test step length.
[0127] Determine whether the conductive element is in contact with the positioning sensor element.
[0128] If the conductive element is not in contact with the positioning sensor element, the second test coordinate is updated based on a preset step adjustment method to obtain an updated second test coordinate.
[0129] The nozzle holder is controlled to move to the updated second test coordinate until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element.
[0130] The updated second test coordinates are determined as the second real-time coordinates.
[0131] In one embodiment, the real-time coordinate determination module 2 is configured to perform the following steps:
[0132] The maximum value of the preset first threshold range is the sum of the vertical coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the first vertical coordinate offset; the minimum value of the preset first threshold range is the difference between the vertical coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the first vertical coordinate offset; wherein the first vertical coordinate offset is half the length of the surface of the conductive element extending along the Y-axis direction.
[0133] The maximum value of the preset second threshold range is the sum of the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the length of the surface of the positioning sensor element extending along the X-axis direction; the minimum value of the preset second threshold range is the sum of the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the length of the surface of the conductive element extending along the X-axis direction.
[0134] The maximum value of the preset third threshold range is the sum of the vertical coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the second vertical coordinate offset; the minimum value of the preset third threshold range is the difference between the vertical coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the second vertical coordinate offset; wherein the second vertical coordinate offset is the sum of the preset second test step, the first vertical coordinate offset and the third vertical coordinate offset; the third vertical coordinate offset is half the length of the surface of the positioning sensor element extending along the Y-axis direction.
[0135] In one embodiment, the position of the nozzle dock is represented by a target horizontal coordinate and a target vertical coordinate; the target horizontal coordinate is the first target horizontal coordinate or the second target horizontal coordinate; the target vertical coordinate is the first target vertical coordinate or the second target vertical coordinate. The nozzle dock position determination module 3 is used to perform the following steps:
[0136] When the first contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the first target horizontal coordinate of the positioning sensor element is determined based on the preset X-direction error and the horizontal coordinate of the first real-time coordinate; the first target vertical coordinate of the positioning sensor element is determined based on the preset Y-direction error and the vertical coordinate of the second real-time coordinate.
[0137] When the first contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the second target vertical coordinate of the positioning sensor element is determined based on the preset Y-direction error and the vertical coordinate of the first real-time coordinate; and the second target horizontal coordinate of the positioning sensor element is determined based on the preset X-direction error and the horizontal coordinate of the second real-time coordinate.
[0138] Based on the preset correspondence between the nozzle and the positioning sensor element, the target horizontal coordinate and the target vertical coordinate, the nozzle coordinate corresponding to each nozzle in the nozzle dock is determined.
[0139] An embodiment of the present invention provides a nozzle dock positioning system for use in 3D printing equipment. In this method, simple mechanical movement and electrical trigger signals are used to position the nozzle dock, thereby reducing the cost and volume of the 3D printing equipment, and further ensuring accurate docking and stability between the nozzle and the nozzle seat.
[0140] Example 3:
[0141] Figure 10 This is an overall schematic diagram of the 3D printing device provided in Example 3 of the present invention.
[0142] Reference Figure 10 The 3D printing device includes a controller (not shown in the figure), a motion mechanism 11, a nozzle dock 13 and a nozzle seat 12; it also includes the above-mentioned nozzle dock positioning system (not shown in the figure); the nozzle dock positioning system is arranged in the controller; the controller is respectively connected to the nozzle dock and the nozzle seat.
[0143] The motion mechanism 11 is pre-set with a zero point position.
[0144] Here, the motion mechanism 11 is located on the upper surface of the 3D printing device and consists of two X-axis guide rails and one Y-axis guide rail, forming a rectangular moving path. The X-axis guide rail is set in the horizontal direction of the frame, and the Y-axis guide rail is perpendicular to the X-axis guide rail. The Y-axis guide rail moves along the X-axis guide rail; a zero point position is pre-set on the motion mechanism 11.
[0145] The nozzle seat 12 is set on the guide rail of the motion mechanism through a slider. The controller drives the slider by controlling the driving motor to move so that the nozzle seat 12 can move freely along the motion mechanism 11. The nozzle seat 12 is equipped with a conductive element 121 on the side close to the nozzle dock 13.
[0146] The nozzle dock 13 is provided with at least one nozzle 132 and at least one positioning sensor element 131 on a side close to the nozzle seat 12 .
[0147] Here, the nozzle holder 12 is set on the Y-axis guide rail through a slider, and the controller controls the driving motor to drive the slider to move, so that the nozzle holder 12 can move freely along the X-axis and Y-axis directions of the motion mechanism 11.
[0148] The driving motor may be a linear motor or a stepping motor.
[0149] Each nozzle 132 can print filaments of different colors / materials. Each positioning sensor element 131 corresponds to a preset positioning coordinate.
[0150] In one embodiment, the positioning sensor element 131 is a metal positioning pin or a contact sensor.
[0151] Here, the metal positioning pin is a conductive material, and the contact sensor is a strain gauge or a piezoelectric piece.
[0152] In one embodiment, at least one pit is provided on the nozzle dock 13; each pit is correspondingly installed with a nozzle 132; the pit width of each pit is the same, and the pit width is greater than or equal to the nozzle width of the nozzle 132; Figure 11 The positioning sensor element 131 is set on one side or both sides of the pit.
[0153] Here, the positioning sensor element 131 can be set at any position on the Z axis perpendicular to the motion mechanism 11, and the coordinate of the positioning sensor element 131 on the Z axis has no effect on the determination of the position of the nozzle.
[0154] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 10 The 3D printing device also includes a printing platform 14; the printing platform 14 is arranged parallel to the motion mechanism 11; the motion mechanism 11 is arranged above the printing platform 14; the printing platform 14 is a flat heated bed for carrying the object to be printed.
[0155] Here, the nozzle holder 12 can grab a nozzle 132 on the nozzle dock 13 and combine them to perform 3D printing, so as to perform multi-color printing on the printing platform.
[0156] Embodiments of the present invention provide a 3D printing device that achieves multi-color or multi-material printing through precise coordination between a nozzle holder, nozzles, and nozzle dock, ensuring accurate positioning for each nozzle change. Contact-based calibration between the nozzle holder and nozzle dock allows for rapid determination of the precise position of the nozzle dock, eliminating the need for additional vision systems or complex sensors and reducing equipment costs. The fully automated calibration process reduces manual intervention and improves the efficiency and stability of multi-material printing.
[0157] The computer program product provided in the embodiments of the present invention includes a computer-readable storage medium storing program code. The instructions included in the program code can be used to execute the methods described in the previous method embodiments. For specific implementation, please refer to the method embodiments and will not be repeated here.
[0158] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working processes of the above-described systems and devices can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments and will not be repeated here.
[0159] In addition, in the description of the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed, detachable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.
[0160] If the functions are implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or the part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program codes, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.
[0161] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present invention. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0162] 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 scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above-described embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that any person skilled in the art can modify or easily conceive of changes to the technical solutions described in the above-described embodiments within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, or replace some of the technical features therein with equivalents. Such modifications, changes, or replacements do not deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.
Claims
1. A method for positioning a nozzle dock, characterized in that: Applicable to 3D printing equipment, the 3D printing equipment includes a motion mechanism, a nozzle dock and a nozzle holder; the motion mechanism is provided with an X-axis guide rail and a Y-axis guide rail for driving the nozzle holder to move; the motion mechanism is pre-set with a zero point position; the nozzle holder is arranged on the motion mechanism, and a conductive element is provided on a side close to the nozzle dock; The nozzle dock is provided with at least one nozzle and at least one positioning sensor element on a side close to the nozzle seat; the positioning method includes: When receiving a positioning instruction, controlling the nozzle holder to move to the zero position; Controlling the nozzle holder to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the surface extending along the Y-axis direction and the surface extending along the X-axis direction of the positioning sensor element in a preset order, respectively, obtaining a first real-time coordinate of a reference point on the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and conducts for the first time, and obtaining a second real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and conducts for the second time; The position of the nozzle dock is determined according to the first real-time coordinate and the second real-time coordinate.
2. The method for locating a position according to claim 1, wherein: The step of controlling the nozzle holder to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the surface extending along the Y-axis direction and the surface extending along the X-axis direction of the positioning sensor element in a preset order, obtaining a first real-time coordinate of a reference point on the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and conducts for the first time, and obtaining a second real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and conducts for the second time, includes: Controlling the nozzle holder to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element, and obtaining the first real-time coordinate of the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element; Controlling the nozzle holder to move to a preset coordinate so that the conductive element is out of contact with the positioning sensor element; After moving to the preset coordinates, the nozzle holder is controlled to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected again, and the second real-time coordinates of the nozzle holder are obtained when the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected again.
3. The method for locating a position according to claim 2, wherein: The step of controlling the nozzle holder to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element, and obtaining the first real-time coordinate of the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element, comprises: Controlling the nozzle holder to move to a first test coordinate; wherein, when the first contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the ordinate of the first test coordinate is within a preset first threshold range, and the abscissa is the difference between the abscissa of the preset positioning coordinate and a preset first test step length; when the first contact conduction is surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the abscissa of the first test coordinate is within a preset second threshold range, and the ordinate is within a preset third threshold range; Determining whether the conductive element is in contact and conductive with the positioning sensor element; If the conductive element is not in contact with the positioning sensor element, updating the first test coordinate based on a preset step adjustment method to obtain an updated first test coordinate; Controlling the nozzle holder to move to the updated first test coordinate until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element; The updated first test coordinates are determined as the first real-time coordinates.
4. The method for locating a position according to claim 2, wherein: The step of controlling the nozzle holder to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected again, and obtaining the second real-time coordinate of the nozzle holder when the conductive element and the positioning sensor element are in contact and connected again, comprises: Controlling the nozzle holder to move to a second test coordinate; wherein, when the first contact conduction is the surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, and the second contact conduction is the surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, the horizontal coordinate of the second test coordinate is within a preset second threshold range, and the vertical coordinate is within a preset third threshold range; when the first contact conduction is the surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, and the second contact conduction is the surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the vertical coordinate of the second test coordinate is within a preset first threshold range, and the horizontal coordinate is the difference between the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the preset first test step length; Determining whether the conductive element is in contact and conductive with the positioning sensor element; If the conductive element is not in contact with the positioning sensor element, updating the second test coordinate based on a preset step adjustment method to obtain an updated second test coordinate; Controlling the nozzle holder to move to the updated second test coordinate until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the positioning sensor element; The updated second test coordinates are determined as the second real-time coordinates.
5. The position positioning method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The maximum value of the preset first threshold range is the sum of the ordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the first ordinate offset; the minimum value of the preset first threshold range is the difference between the ordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the first ordinate offset; wherein the first ordinate offset is half the length of the surface of the conductive element extending along the Y-axis direction; The maximum value of the preset second threshold range is the sum of the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the length of the surface of the positioning sensor element extending along the X-axis direction; the minimum value of the preset second threshold range is the sum of the horizontal coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the length of the surface of the conductive element extending along the X-axis direction; The maximum value of the preset third threshold range is the sum of the vertical coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the second vertical coordinate offset; the minimum value of the preset third threshold range is the difference between the vertical coordinate of the preset positioning coordinate and the second vertical coordinate offset; wherein, the second vertical coordinate offset is the sum of the preset second test step, the first vertical coordinate offset and the third vertical coordinate offset; the third vertical coordinate offset is half the length of the surface of the positioning sensor element extending along the Y-axis direction.
6. The position positioning method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The position of the nozzle dock is represented by a target abscissa and a target ordinate; the target abscissa is the first target abscissa or the second target abscissa; the target ordinate is the first target ordinate or the second target ordinate; The step of determining the position of the printhead dock according to the first real-time coordinate and the second real-time coordinate includes: When the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the Y-axis direction, the first target horizontal coordinate of the positioning sensor element is determined based on a preset X-direction error and the horizontal coordinate of the first real-time coordinate; and the first target vertical coordinate of the positioning sensor element is determined based on a preset Y-direction error and the vertical coordinate of the second real-time coordinate; When the first contact conduction is a surface contact conduction extending along the X-axis direction, determining the second target vertical coordinate of the positioning sensor element based on the preset Y-direction error and the vertical coordinate of the first real-time coordinate; and determining the second target horizontal coordinate of the positioning sensor element based on the preset X-direction error and the horizontal coordinate of the second real-time coordinate; Based on the preset correspondence between the nozzle and the positioning sensor element, the target horizontal coordinate and the target vertical coordinate, the nozzle coordinate corresponding to each nozzle in the nozzle dock is determined.
7. A nozzle dock positioning system, characterized in that: Applicable to 3D printing equipment, the 3D printing equipment includes a motion mechanism, a nozzle dock and a nozzle holder; the motion mechanism is provided with an X-axis guide rail and a Y-axis guide rail for driving the nozzle holder to move; the motion mechanism is pre-set with a zero point position; the nozzle holder is arranged on the motion mechanism, and a conductive element is provided on a side close to the nozzle dock; The nozzle dock is provided with at least one nozzle and at least one positioning sensor element on a side close to the nozzle seat; the position positioning system includes: A zeroing module, configured to control the nozzle holder to move to the zero position upon receiving a positioning instruction; a real-time coordinate determination module, configured to control the nozzle holder to move toward the nozzle dock until the conductive element contacts and conducts with the surface extending along the Y-axis direction and the surface extending along the X-axis direction of the positioning sensor element, respectively, in a preset order, and obtain a first real-time coordinate of a reference point on the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and conducts for the first time, and obtain a second real-time coordinate of the reference point on the nozzle holder when the conductive element contacts and conducts for the second time; The nozzle dock position determination module is used to determine the position of the nozzle dock according to the first real-time coordinate and the second real-time coordinate.
8. A 3D printing device, characterized in that: The device comprises a controller, a motion mechanism, a nozzle dock and a nozzle base; further comprising the nozzle dock positioning system according to claim 7; the nozzle dock positioning system is arranged in the controller; the controller is connected to the nozzle dock and the nozzle base respectively; The motion mechanism is pre-set with a zero point position; The nozzle holder is arranged on the guide rail of the motion mechanism via a slider, and the controller drives the slider to move by controlling the drive motor, so that the nozzle holder can move freely along the motion mechanism; a conductive element is installed on the side of the nozzle holder close to the nozzle dock; The nozzle dock is provided with at least one nozzle and at least one positioning sensor element on a side close to the nozzle seat.
9. The 3D printing device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The positioning sensing element is a metal positioning pin or a contact sensor.
10. The 3D printing device according to claim 8, characterized in that: At least one pit is provided on the nozzle dock; each pit is correspondingly installed with one nozzle; the pit width of each pit is the same, and the pit width is greater than or equal to the nozzle width of the nozzle; The positioning sensor element is arranged on one side or both sides of the pit.
Citation Information
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