Multi-material powder spreading device and 3D printing equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a multi-material powder laying device which is applied to 3D printing equipment, the 3D printing equipment further comprises a working box, the multi-material powder laying device is movably located on the working box, and the multi-material powder laying device reciprocates in the powder laying direction. The multi-material powder spreading device comprises a mounting support and at least two powder spreading assemblies, each powder spreading assembly comprises a guide rod and a powder spreading device, the guide rods are movably arranged on the mounting support, the guide rods of the powder spreading assemblies are parallel, the moving direction of the guide rods and the powder spreading direction are located on the same plane, and the powder spreading devices are arranged on the guide rods. And the powder spreading device is movably arranged on the guide rod. The invention further relates to 3D printing equipment. According to the scheme, the problem that efficient and accurate combined printing of various materials is difficult to achieve through an existing 3D printing technology can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of 3D printing, and in particular to a multi-material powder spreading device and 3D printing equipment. Background Art

[0002] In the current field of 3D printing technology, binder jet printing has been widely used as an advanced manufacturing method. This printing technology usually uses a single powder material as the main body, and the powder particles are bonded together by spraying a binder, and then stacked layer by layer to form the required three-dimensional structure. However, with the continuous expansion and deepening of application needs, a single powder material can no longer meet the complex and diverse performance requirements.

[0003] In order to solve this problem, some advanced manufacturing methods have begun to try to fill other powder materials inside the 3D printed products to optimize and enhance the material performance. The advantage of this method is that materials with different properties can be introduced into the product through post-processing to meet specific usage requirements. At the same time, there are also manufacturing methods that use different materials to print multiple products one after another, and then combine multiple products together through bonding and other technologies to achieve a product with multiple materials and multiple properties. This method shows unique advantages when manufacturing products with complex structures and multiple performance requirements.

[0004] However, current technology still faces some challenges in practical applications. First, the entire manufacturing process is relatively cumbersome and requires multiple treatments and processing at different manufacturing stages, which not only increases manufacturing costs but may also lead to unstable product quality. Secondly, in the process of combining products using 3D printing of multiple different materials, due to differences in material properties, processing accuracy and other factors, there are often deviations after combination, which directly affects the overall performance and reliability of the product. Therefore, how to optimize binder jet printing technology and achieve efficient and accurate combination of multiple materials has become an urgent problem to be solved in the current field of 3D printing technology. Summary of the invention

[0005] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a multi-material powder spreading device and 3D printing equipment to address the problem that the current 3D printing technology is difficult to achieve efficient and accurate combination printing of multiple materials.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a multi-material powder spreading device, which is applied to a 3D printing device, wherein the 3D printing device also includes a working box, the multi-material powder spreading device is movably located on the working box, and the multi-material powder spreading device reciprocates in a powder spreading direction, the multi-material powder spreading device includes a mounting bracket and at least two powder spreading components, the powder spreading component includes a guide rod and a powder spreader, the guide rod is movably arranged on the mounting bracket, and the guide rods of each of the powder spreading components are parallel, the moving direction of the guide rod is in the same plane as the powder spreading direction, and the powder spreader is movably arranged on the guide rod.

[0008] In one of the embodiments, it also includes a receiving mechanism, which is connected to the mounting bracket, the powder spreader faces the receiving mechanism, each powder spreader is used to lay a powder layer on the receiving mechanism, and the receiving mechanism is used to transfer the powder layer to the powder laying surface.

[0009] In one embodiment, the receiving mechanism is a belt transmission mechanism, each of the powder spreaders is used to spread a powder layer on the belt, and the rotating belt transfers the powder layer to the powder spreading surface.

[0010] In one embodiment, a powder scraper is further included. The powder scraper is movably disposed on the receiving mechanism, and the powder scraper is used to scrape off the powder on the receiving mechanism.

[0011] In one embodiment, the powder spreading assembly includes a plurality of powder spreaders, and the plurality of powder spreaders can be movably disposed on the guide rod.

[0012] In one embodiment, the powder spreading component further includes a vibrator, and the vibrator is disposed on the powder spreading device.

[0013] In one embodiment, at least two powder adders are further included, each of which is used to add powder to the corresponding powder spreader.

[0014] In one embodiment, each of the powder feeders is movably disposed on the corresponding guide rod, and the powder feeder is used to dynamically add powder to the corresponding powder spreader.

[0015] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a 3D printing device, comprising the multi-material powder spreading device described above.

[0016] The technical solution adopted by the present invention can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0017] In the multi-material powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention, by accurately spreading powders of at least two different materials on the same printing layer, the device greatly improves the diversity of printing materials, allowing 3D printing to cope with more complex and diverse printing task requirements. This innovation not only enriches the selection range of printing materials, but also provides more possibilities for the performance of printed objects, such as improvements in strength, hardness, wear resistance, etc. In addition, the multi-material powder spreading device also has excellent printing accuracy. Its precise mobile control mechanism ensures the accuracy and consistency of the powder spreading process, effectively avoiding problems such as uneven powder laying and misalignment that may occur in traditional 3D printing, which not only improves the printing quality, but also further enhances the structural stability and service life of the printed objects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of a 3D printing device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 It is a partial structural schematic diagram of the multi-material powder spreading device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Description of reference numerals:

[0021] 100 - working box, 210 - mounting bracket, 220 - powder spreading assembly, 221 - guide rod, 222 - powder spreading device, 230 - receiving mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described more fully below with reference to the relevant drawings. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are given in the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the disclosure of the present invention more thoroughly understood.

[0023] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a centered element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a centered element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "bottom end", "top end" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be the only implementation method.

[0024] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art of the present invention. The terms used herein in the specification of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0025] like Figure 1-Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a multi-material powder spreading device, which is applied to a 3D printing device. The 3D printing device also includes a working box 100. The multi-material powder spreading device is movably located on the working box 100, and the multi-material powder spreading device reciprocates in a powder spreading direction. The multi-material powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention includes a mounting bracket 210 and at least two powder spreading components 220.

[0026] As the main component of the 3D printing device, the work box 100 provides a stable working environment for the printing process. The multi-material powder spreading device is movably mounted on the work box 100 to ensure the smooth progress of the powder spreading process. The mounting bracket 210 is used as a supporting structure to fix and carry the powder spreading component 220. The powder spreading component 220 is the core component for realizing the powder spreading function.

[0027] Each powder spreading assembly 220 includes a guide rod 221 and a powder spreader 222. The guide rod 221 is movably disposed on the mounting bracket 210, and the guide rods 221 of each powder spreading assembly 220 are parallel to each other, ensuring the consistency and accuracy of the powder spreading process. The moving direction of the guide rod 221 is in the same plane as the powder spreading direction, that is, they are parallel to the powder spreading surface, which facilitates accurate powder spreading operation. The powder spreader 222 is movably disposed on the guide rod 221, and is used to evenly spread the powder on the printing plane.

[0028] In the specific working process, the multi-material powder spreading device moves on the working box 100 to drive the powder spreading assembly 220 to move along the powder spreading direction. At the same time, the powder spreading assembly 220 moves on the mounting bracket 210 to drive the powder spreader 222 to move, so as to adjust the position of each powder spreader 222. Furthermore, the powder spreader 222 moves on the guide rod 221 to achieve precise movement along the direction of the guide rod 221. Therefore, the powder spreader 222 can move in multiple directions, so as to accurately spread the powder on the printing plane. At least two powder spreaders 222 contain different powders. By controlling the moving paths and speeds of different powder spreaders 222, it is possible to lay powders of at least two different materials on the same printing layer.

[0029] From the above content, it can be seen that in the multi-material powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention, by accurately spreading powders of at least two different materials on the same printing layer, the device greatly improves the diversity of printing materials, so that 3D printing can cope with more complex and diverse printing task requirements. This innovation not only enriches the selection range of printing materials, but also provides more possibilities for the performance of printed objects, such as improvements in strength, hardness, wear resistance, etc. In addition, the multi-material powder spreading device also has excellent printing accuracy. Its precise mobile control mechanism ensures the accuracy and consistency of the powder spreading process, effectively avoiding problems such as uneven powder laying and misalignment that may occur in traditional 3D printing, which not only improves the printing quality, but also further enhances the structural stability and service life of the printed objects.

[0030] The multi-material powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention may also include a receiving mechanism 230, the receiving mechanism 230 may be connected to the mounting bracket 210, the powder spreader 222 may face the receiving mechanism 230, each powder spreader 222 may be used to lay a powder layer on the receiving mechanism 230, and the receiving mechanism 230 may be used to transfer the powder layer to the powder spreading surface. In the specific working process, the receiving mechanism 230 is located between the powder spreader 222 and the working box 100, each powder spreader 222 first pre-lays a powder layer on the receiving mechanism 230, and then through the movement of the multi-material powder spreading device in the powder spreading direction, the receiving mechanism 230 gradually transfers the pre-laid powder layer to the powder spreading surface through the corresponding movement, and finally forms a complete powder layer.

[0031] The design of the receiving mechanism 230 makes the powder layer transfer process more efficient and accurate. It ensures the integrity and uniformity of the powder layer during the transfer process by accurately controlling the motion trajectory and speed. In addition, the receiving mechanism 230 can also adjust its relative position with the powder spreader 222 according to different printing task requirements, thereby achieving fine control of the thickness and distribution of the powder layer. This design not only improves printing efficiency, but also further optimizes printing quality, making the 3D printed objects more accurate and stable in detail performance and overall structure.

[0032] In an optional embodiment, the receiving mechanism 230 can be a belt transmission mechanism, and each powder spreader 222 can be used to lay a powder layer on the belt, and the rotating belt can transfer the powder layer to the powder laying surface. Specifically, the belt transmission mechanism may include a driving motor, a transmission belt and a support frame. The driving motor drives the transmission belt to rotate in a circle on the support frame to form a continuous powder layer transmission channel. Multiple powder spreaders 222 are evenly distributed along one side or both sides of the belt, and each powder spreader 222 includes a powder storage bin, a powder outlet and an adjustment mechanism. The powder storage bin is used to store powder materials, and the powder outlet is in contact with the belt. The amount and uniformity of the powder laid are controlled by the adjustment mechanism.

[0033] First, start the drive motor to make the transmission belt start to rotate, and each powder spreader 222 evenly spreads the powder on the belt through the powder outlet to form a thin layer of powder. As the belt continues to rotate, the laid powder layer is transferred to the top of the powder laying surface (i.e., the printing platform for 3D printing). At this time, the powder laying surface can be brought into contact with the belt through an appropriate mechanism (such as a lifting platform), thereby transferring the powder layer from the belt to the powder laying surface. Repeat the above steps as needed, laying powder layer by layer until the entire 3D printed part is completed.

[0034] Compared with other mechanisms, the belt transmission mechanism has continuous and smooth movement characteristics, which can significantly improve the efficiency of powder laying. By accurately controlling the powder outlet and adjustment mechanism of the powder spreader, the powder can be evenly laid, and the accuracy and surface quality of the 3D printed parts can be improved. The belt transmission mechanism has a simple structure and is easy to maintain, which helps to reduce the manufacturing cost and maintenance cost of 3D printing equipment. Of course, the receiving mechanism can also be other transmission mechanisms, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to this.

[0035] The multi-material powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention may also include a powder scraper, which is movably arranged on the receiving mechanism 230, and the powder scraper can be used to scrape off the powder on the receiving mechanism 230. In the specific working process, when the receiving mechanism 230 is receiving the first layer of powder, or after the powder spreading work of a certain layer of powder is completed, the residual powder on the receiving mechanism 230 can be scraped off by the powder scraper to ensure the surface cleanliness of the receiving mechanism 230. The powder scraper can be a movably arranged cleaning tool, and its shape and size are customized according to the design of the receiving mechanism 230 to ensure that it can effectively cover and clean all or most areas of the surface of the receiving mechanism. The powder scraper can achieve translational or rotational movement along the surface of the receiving mechanism by mechanical drive (such as a motor, a cylinder, etc.) or manual mode.

[0036] Working principle and operation steps: Make sure that the receiving mechanism 230 is in the initial position and the surface is clean and free of residual powder. Start the powder spreading device to evenly spread the first layer of powder on the receiving mechanism 230. After laying the first layer of powder, if a higher surface cleanliness is required, the powder scraper can be moved to slide along the surface of the receiving mechanism 230 to scrape off excess or unevenly distributed powder to ensure the flatness and uniformity of the first layer of powder. Repeat the powder spreading steps. After each layer of powder is laid, use the powder scraper to clean the receiving mechanism 230 to remove residual powder that may be generated by the powder spreading operation, keep the surface of the receiving mechanism 230 clean, and provide a good foundation for the laying of the next layer of powder. After completing the powder spreading work of all layers, use the powder scraper again for a comprehensive cleaning to ensure the quality and precision of the final product.

[0037] In the above case, by timely cleaning the residual powder on the receiving mechanism 230, the printing defects caused by uneven distribution of powder are effectively reduced. The surface of the receiving mechanism 230 is kept clean, which creates favorable conditions for the accurate laying of each layer of powder. Long-term cleaning and maintenance helps to extend the service life of the receiving mechanism 230 and improve the overall quality of the final printed product.

[0038] In an optional embodiment, the powder spreading assembly 220 may include a plurality of powder spreaders 222, and the plurality of powder spreaders 222 may be movably arranged on the guide rod 221. The guide rod 221 serves as a moving track for the powder spreader 222, ensuring that the powder spreader 222 can stably move along the guide rod 221, and the plurality of powder spreaders 222 may be movably arranged on the guide rod 221, that is, each powder spreader 222 may independently move on the guide rod 221. This arrangement not only improves the powder spreading efficiency, but also allows powders of different materials to be placed on each powder spreader 222, thereby adapting to more material printing jobs.

[0039] Furthermore, the design of the powder spreading assembly 220 enables multiple powder spreaders 222 to move synchronously or asynchronously on the guide rod 221. Synchronous movement can ensure that multiple powder spreaders 222 maintain consistent movement speed and position during the powder spreading process, which is suitable for printing tasks that require uniform powder spreading. Asynchronous movement allows each powder spreader 222 to flexibly adjust the movement speed and position according to printing requirements to adapt to different printing strategies and material properties.

[0040] In addition, in order to further improve the powder spreading accuracy and efficiency, the present invention may further include a driving mechanism (not shown in the figure) for driving the plurality of powder spreaders 222 to move on the guide rod 221. The driving mechanism may be a power device such as a motor or a cylinder, and is connected to the powder spreader 222 through a transmission mechanism (such as a gear, a belt, etc.) to achieve precise control of the moving speed and position of the powder spreader 222.

[0041] In the above case, by having multiple powder spreaders 222 working simultaneously, the powder spreading efficiency is significantly improved and the printing cycle is shortened. At the same time, it is allowed to place powders of different materials on each powder spreader 222, so that the printing assembly can adapt to more material printing work and improve printing flexibility. Furthermore, the synchronous or asynchronous movement mode enables the powder spreader 222 to flexibly adjust the movement speed and position according to the printing requirements, optimize the printing strategy, and improve the printing quality.

[0042] In the embodiment of the present invention, the powder spreading assembly 220 may further include a vibrator, which may be disposed on the powder spreading device 222. The function of the vibrator is to generate micro-vibrations during the powder spreading process, so as to help the powder material to be spread more evenly and tightly on the printing platform, reduce the gaps between the powders, and improve the printing quality.

[0043] The multi-material powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention may further include at least two powder feeders, each of which may be used to feed powder to the corresponding powder spreading device 222. Such a design enables the device to process multiple powder materials at the same time, meeting the requirements of multi-material printing.

[0044] Furthermore, each powder feeder is movably arranged on the corresponding guide rod 221, and the powder feeder can be used to dynamically add powder to the corresponding powder spreader 222. This design allows the powder feeder to dynamically adjust its position according to the position and needs of the powder spreader to achieve accurate powder addition to the powder spreader. The movement of the powder feeder can be achieved by a motor, a cylinder or other driving mechanism to ensure the flexibility and accuracy of the powder adding process.

[0045] When using the multi-material powder spreading device of the present invention, first, different types of powder materials are loaded into the corresponding powder feeders according to the requirements of the printing task. Then, the powder spreading process is started by the control system. Under the guidance of the guide rod, the powder spreader moves along a predetermined path, and the vibrator starts working at the same time to ensure that the powder is evenly spread. When the powder spreader reaches the predetermined position, the corresponding powder feeder moves to the top of the powder spreader according to the control signal to accurately add powder. The whole process can be repeated until the laying of the entire printing layer is completed.

[0046] Based on the multi-material powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention, the embodiment of the present invention further discloses a 3D printing device, including the multi-material powder spreading device described in any of the above embodiments.

[0047] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present invention, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this field, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present invention shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A multi-material powder spreading device, applied to a 3D printing device, the 3D printing device further comprising a working box (100), the multi-material powder spreading device being movably located on the working box (100), and the multi-material powder spreading device reciprocating in a powder spreading direction, characterized in that: The multi-material powder spreading device comprises a mounting bracket (210) and at least two powder spreading components (220), wherein the powder spreading component (220) comprises a guide rod (221) and a powder spreader (222), wherein the guide rod (221) is movably arranged on the mounting bracket (210), and the guide rods (221) of each of the powder spreading components (220) are parallel, and the moving direction of the guide rod (221) is in the same plane as the powder spreading direction, and the powder spreader (222) is movably arranged on the guide rod (221).

2. The multi-material powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a receiving mechanism (230), the receiving mechanism (230) is connected to the mounting bracket (210), the powder spreader (222) faces the receiving mechanism (230), each powder spreader (222) is used to spread a powder layer on the receiving mechanism (230), and the receiving mechanism (230) is used to transfer the powder layer to the powder spreading surface.

3. The multi-material powder spreading device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The receiving mechanism (230) is a belt transmission mechanism, and each of the powder spreaders (222) is used to spread a powder layer on the belt, and the rotating belt transfers the powder layer to the powder spreading surface.

4. The multi-material powder spreading device according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also comprises a powder scraper, which is movably arranged on the receiving mechanism (230) and is used to scrape off powder on the receiving mechanism (230).

5. According to the multi-material powder spreading device according to claim 1, the powder spreading component (220) includes a plurality of powder spreaders (222), and the plurality of powder spreaders (222) can be movably arranged on the guide rod (221).

6. The multi-material powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The powder spreading component (220) further comprises a vibrator, and the vibrator is arranged on the powder spreading device (222).

7. The multi-material powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes at least two powder adders, each of which is used to add powder to the corresponding powder spreader (222).

8. The multi-material powder spreading device according to claim 7, characterized in that: Each of the powder feeders is movably arranged on the corresponding guide rod (221), and the powder feeder is used to dynamically add powder to the corresponding powder spreader (222).

9. A 3D printing device, characterized in that: A multi-material powder spreading device comprising any one of claims 1 to 8.

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