Printing head device, 3D printing object and method for 3D printing

Abstract

A printer head apparatus (100) for a 3D printing apparatus, a 3D printed object (450), and a 3D printing method (500) are provided. The printer head apparatus comprises: a first nozzle (110) arranged to move linearly along an axis x and to deposit a first printing material (120) in a first direction A perpendicular to the axis x and produce layers (130) of deposited first printing material stacked in a direction z opposite the first direction A; a second nozzle (140) arranged to deposit a second printing material (150) on a side (160) of the deposited layer of the first printing material, where a normal N of the side extends perpendicular to the direction z, where the first nozzle and the second nozzle are arranged parallel to each other at a predetermined distance D to the first direction A, and wherein the nozzle is configured to simultaneously deposit the first printing material and the second printing material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of 3D printing. More specifically, the present invention relates to a printer head device for a 3D printing device, a 3D printed object and a method for 3D printing. Background Art

[0002] Additive manufacturing, sometimes referred to as 3D printing, refers to processes used to synthesize three-dimensional objects. 3D printing is rapidly gaining popularity due to its ability to perform rapid prototyping without the need for assembly or molding techniques to form the desired object.

[0003] By using a 3D printing device, an article or object can be three-dimensionally constructed in multiple printing steps that are usually controlled by a computer model. For example, a sliced ​​3D model of an object can be provided, where each slice is regenerated by a 3D printing device in a discrete printing step. The 3D printing device can deposit continuous layers of extrudable material from a dispenser, and these layers can be cured or hardened after deposition, for example using a laser to initiate the curing process. An example of such a 3D printing device is disclosed in US2010 / 0327479Al.

[0004] The most widely used additive manufacturing technology is the process known as fused deposition modeling (FDM). FDM is an additive manufacturing technology that is often used for modeling, prototyping and production applications. FDM works on the "additive" principle by depositing material in layers. Other terms for FDM are "fused filament fabrication" (FFF) or "filament 3D printing" (FDP), which are considered equivalent to FDM. In general, an FDM printer uses a thermoplastic filament that is heated to its melting point and then extruded layer by layer (in fact, one strand after another) to produce a three-dimensional object. FDM printers are relatively fast and can be used to print relatively complex or intricate objects. Alternatively, direct FDM (also known as pellet printing or FGF (fused granular fabrication)) can be performed from pellet or granular materials.

[0005] However, FDM may suffer from cracking of the deposited material due to stresses built up in the printed object due to uneven cooling. To avoid this, one or more additional processing steps may be suggested, but it should be noted that additional processing steps result in operational inefficiencies in terms of time and / or cost.

[0006] Therefore, alternative solutions are of interest, which enable efficient and convenient production of objects via FDM, wherein these objects have reduced built-in stresses. Summary of the invention

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to alleviate the above mentioned problems and to provide an apparatus and a method for manufacturing objects by FDM, wherein these objects have reduced built-in stresses compared to objects manufactured by FDM according to the prior art.

[0008] This and other objects are achieved by providing a printer head arrangement and a method having the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0009] Therefore, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer head device for a 3D printing apparatus, comprising at least one first nozzle, the at least one first nozzle being arranged to move linearly along an axis x, and depositing a first printing material in a first direction A perpendicular to the axis x, and producing a layer of the deposited first printing material stacked in a direction z opposite to the first direction A. The printer head device also comprises at least one second nozzle, the at least one second nozzle being arranged to deposit a second printing material on at least one side of the layer of the deposited first printing material, wherein a normal N of the at least one side is perpendicular to the axis x and extends perpendicular to the direction z. The at least one first nozzle and the at least one second nozzle are arranged parallel to each other in the first direction A at a predetermined distance D, and wherein the at least one first nozzle and the at least one second nozzle are configured to deposit the first printing material and the second printing material simultaneously, respectively.

[0010] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a 3D printed object is provided. The 3D printed object comprises a plurality of layers of a deposited first printing material, wherein each of the plurality of layers extends at least partially along an axis x. The plurality of layers are stacked in a direction z perpendicular to the axis x, and the plurality of layers comprise at least one side portion, wherein a normal N of at least one side portion is perpendicular to the axis x and extends perpendicular to the direction z. At least one side of the plurality of layers comprises at least one groove between at least one pair of adjacent layers of the plurality of layers, wherein at least one groove extends parallel to the axis x. The 3D printed object also comprises a deposited second printing material provided in at least a portion of at least one groove.

[0011] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a 3D printing method is provided, comprising the following steps: providing a printer head device comprising at least one first nozzle and at least one second nozzle, linearly moving the at least one first nozzle along an axis x, and depositing a first printing material in a first deposition direction A perpendicular to the axis x by the at least one first nozzle, generating a layer of deposited first printing material stacked in a direction z opposite to the first direction A, depositing a second printing material on at least one side of the layer of deposited first printing material by the at least one second nozzle, wherein a normal N of at least one side extends perpendicular to the first direction z, wherein the at least one first nozzle and the at least one second nozzle are arranged parallel to each other in the first direction A at a predetermined distance D, and wherein the deposition of the first printing material and the deposition of the second printing material are performed simultaneously.

[0012] Therefore, the invention according to the first aspect is based on the concept of providing a printer head device for a 3D printing device, which printer head device is capable of reducing built-in stress in a 3D printed object by a dual nozzle device, wherein the first nozzle (one or more) and the second nozzle (one or more) are oriented differently and are arranged at a predetermined distance D from each other. It should be noted that the second aspect of the invention shares the same general inventive concept as the first aspect of the invention, in that the 3D printed object has reduced built-in stress. Therefore, the third aspect of the invention shares the same general inventive concept as the first and second aspects of the invention, in that the method is capable of producing a 3D printed object with reduced built-in stress.

[0013] The advantage of the present invention is that the printer head device for a 3D printing device can avoid built-in stress in a 3D printed object in an effective and convenient manner. Compared with a single nozzle device in which the deposited printing material starts to cool from the surface immediately after deposition, the dual nozzle device according to the present invention achieves the cooling of the printing material to be spread over a longer time and / or a larger area, resulting in a reduced level of stress accumulated in the 3D printed object.

[0014] A further advantage of the present invention is that the printer head device deposits (extrudes) the first printing material simultaneously with the second printing material, i.e. during the same movement of the printer head device in one (single) process. Thus, the present invention can avoid any additional processing steps for the purpose of reducing stress. It should be understood that additional processing steps may include mechanical post-treatment of the surface of the object and / or the application of auxiliary fluids and / or materials, which may result in an increase in manufacturing costs and / or time. In contrast, on the other hand, the printer head device of the present invention results in a cost-saving and / or time-saving operation.

[0015] It should be understood that the above-mentioned advantages of the printer head device of the first aspect of the present invention are also applicable to the 3D printed object according to the second aspect of the present invention and the method according to the third aspect of the present invention.

[0016] The printer head device for a 3D printing device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes at least one first nozzle, which is arranged to move linearly along an axis x and deposit a first printing material in a first direction A perpendicular to the axis x. For example, a filament of the first printing material can be deposited from the first nozzle. The term "printing material" herein means a material that can be extruded, such as a plastic material. Therefore, the first nozzle (one or more) is arranged or configured to deposit the first printing material in a first direction A and move linearly vertically along an axis x perpendicular to the first direction A. The first nozzle (one or more) is also configured to produce a layer of the deposited first printing material stacked in a direction z opposite to the first direction A. Therefore, by depositing the first printing material, the first nozzle is configured to produce a layer of the deposited first printing material stacked in the direction z. In addition, since the first nozzle is configured to deposit the first printing material in the first direction A, the layer of the deposited first printing material is stacked in the direction z opposite to the first direction A.

[0017] The printer head arrangement further comprises at least one second nozzle arranged to deposit a second printing material on at least one side of the layer of the deposited first printing material, wherein a normal N of the at least one side extends perpendicular to the direction z. Thus, the second nozzle(s) are arranged or configured to deposit the second printing material on one side(s) of the layer of the first printing material deposited by the first nozzle(s).

[0018] At least one first nozzle and at least one second nozzle are arranged parallel to the first direction A at a predetermined distance D from each other, and wherein the at least one first nozzle and the at least one second nozzle are configured to deposit the first printing material and the second printing material simultaneously, respectively. Therefore, the first nozzle and the second nozzle are spaced apart by the predetermined distance D, and are configured to operate simultaneously when depositing the first printing material and the second printing material, respectively.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one second nozzle may be arranged to deposit a second printing material in a second direction B, wherein the angle α between the first direction A and the second direction B is in the range of 30° to 135°. Preferably, the range may be from 30° to 110°, such as 30° to 90°. An advantage of this embodiment is that the second printing material may be applied to the side (one or more) of the layer of the deposited first printing material at an even more preferred angle, which may cause the stress level accumulated in the 3D printed object to be further reduced.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one first nozzle may be arranged in the vertical direction and arranged to vertically deposit a first printing material in a first direction A. The advantage of this embodiment is that when the layer of the first printing material accumulates in the vertical direction in a direction opposite to the (vertical) first direction A, the 3D printed object can be constructed with relatively high stability.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a first operating temperature T1 of at least one first nozzle may be different from a second operating temperature T2 of at least one second nozzle. The advantage of this embodiment compared to the second nozzle(s) and / or the second printing material during deposition is that it increases the versatility of the printhead device for providing different operating temperatures for the first nozzle(s) and / or the first printing material during deposition. For example, in a case where it is desired that the first printing material and / or the second printing material have different viscosities, the operating nozzle temperature(s) can be changed and / or set differently. The advantage of this embodiment is that the heating of the first printing material and / or the second printing material(s) can be performed in a more efficient and / or energy-saving manner.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of T1 + 20°C < T2 and T1 + 80°C > T2 may be satisfied. For the first relationship, preferably T1 + 25°C < T2 is satisfied, more preferably T1 + 30°C < T2, and even more preferably T1 + 35°C < T2 is satisfied. For the second relationship, preferably T1 + 80°C > T2 is satisfied, more preferably T1 + 60°C > T2, and even more preferably T1 + 50°C > T2 is satisfied. It should be noted that both (first and second) relationships may be satisfied, i.e., T1 + 20°C < T2 < T1 + 80°C. Thus, the second operating temperature T2 of the second nozzle(s) may be more than 20°C higher than the first operating temperature T1 of the first nozzle(s), while still being less than 80°C higher than the first operating temperature T1 of the first nozzle(s). The advantage of this embodiment is that the relatively high second operating temperature T2 of the second nozzle(s) provides a viscosity of the second printing material that is lower than the viscosity of the first printing material deposited by the first nozzle(s) having the (relatively low) first operating temperature T1. In other words, the lower viscosity of the second material provides improved wettability compared to the first printing material. Additionally, the advantage of this embodiment where the second operating temperature T2 of the second nozzle(s) is still less than 80°C higher than the first operating temperature T1 of the first nozzle(s) is that any deformation of the layer of the deposited first printing material is alleviated. In other words, a higher temperature of the second operating temperature T2 of the second nozzle(s) would cause deformation of the layer of the deposited first printing material.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined distance D may correspond to the thickness w of 1 to 10 layers of the deposited first printing material in the direction z. An advantage of this embodiment is that the second printing material may be deposited on the side (or sides) of the layer of the first printing material that has not (completely) cooled after deposition, which may further reduce the stress level accumulated in the 3D printed object.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined distance D may correspond to a thickness w of ≥30 layers of the deposited first printing material in the z direction. An advantage of this embodiment is that the reliability of the process of the printer head device is improved.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the material composition, color, and texture of the first printed material may be the same as at least one of the material composition, color, and texture of the second printed material, respectively. Thus, one or more of the properties of the material composition, color, and texture of the first printed material may be the same as the corresponding property(s) of the second printed material. This embodiment is advantageous in terms of the convenience of the same property(s) of the first material and the second material, for example, with respect to processing or material(s), aesthetic appearance of the 3D printed object, cost, etc.

[0026] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the material composition of the first printed material may be the same as the material composition of the second printed material, and wherein at least one of the color and texture of the first printed material may be different from at least one of the color and texture of the second printed material, respectively. An advantage of this embodiment is the convenience of the same material composition of the first material and the second material, for example with respect to processing or material(s), while the difference in color and / or texture may contribute to the aesthetic appearance of the 3D printed object.

[0027] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first printing material may include a material having a first molecular weight M1, a first melting temperature T m1 and the first glass transition temperature T g1 The second printing material may include a polymer material having a second molecular weight M2, a second melting temperature T m2 and the second glass transition temperature T g2 Polymer material, where M1≠M2, T m1 ≥T m2 +20℃ and T g1 ≥T g2 +20°C is satisfied. The advantage of this embodiment is that the versatility of the printer head device is increased for providing different polymer materials with different molecular weights. In addition, with the (relatively low) second melting temperature T m2 and / or a (relatively low) second glass transition temperature T g2In comparison, the (relatively high) first melting temperature T m1 and / or a (relatively high) first glass transition temperature T g1 The difference between the two is that the second printing material is arranged to melt more easily and therefore flow more easily than the first printing material. This, in turn, can result in improved application of the second printing material on / to the first printing material, which can reduce built-in stresses in the 3D printed object to an even greater extent.

[0028] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the printer head device may include a single printer head, the single printer head including at least one first nozzle and at least one second nozzle. The advantage of this embodiment is the convenience and / or compactness of the first nozzle and the second nozzle arranged in a single printer head. This embodiment is also conducive to ensuring the simultaneous operation of the first nozzle and the second nozzle and / or the movement of the first nozzle and the second nozzle relative to each other.

[0029] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the printer head device may include at least two printer heads, each including at least one first nozzle and at least one second nozzle.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the printer head device may be configured to control a first deposition rate R1 of a first printing material and a second deposition rate R2 of a second printing material. An advantage of this embodiment is that the printer head device may customize and / or adjust the deposition speed of the first printing material and the second printing material in a convenient manner. For example, the rate or speed of deposition may be adapted to the cooling rate of the first printing material and / or the second printing material, which may reduce the built-in stress in the 3D printed object to an even higher degree.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a 3D printing device is provided, comprising a printer head device according to any one of the aforementioned embodiments. The 3D printing device may also include a controller for controlling a first deposition rate R1 of a first printing material and a second deposition rate R2 of a second printing material. The 3D printing device is arranged to deposit a first printing material through at least one first nozzle and deposit a second printing material through at least one second nozzle.

[0032] Further objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when studying the following detailed disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims.Those skilled in the art will realize that different features of the present invention can be combined to produce embodiments other than those described in the following. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] This and other aspects of the invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the appended drawings showing embodiment(s) of the invention.

[0034] Figures 1 to 3 is a schematic view of a printer head of a 3D printing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,

[0035] Figure 4 is a schematic view of a first printed material and a second printed material according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,

[0036] Figure 5 A 3D printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown.

[0037] Figure 6 schematically shows a portion of a 3D printed object according to an embodiment of the present invention, and

[0038] Figure 7 is a schematic flow chart of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of a printer head device 100 for a 3D printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The printer head device 100 includes one or more first nozzles 110 (in Figure 1 Only a single first nozzle 110 is shown / exemplified in the figure). The first nozzle 110 is arranged to move linearly along the axis x, i.e. in the direction of the axis x and / or in the opposite direction of the axis x. It should be noted that any actuation mechanism of the printer head device 100 and / or the 3D printing device for linear movement of the first nozzle 110 is omitted. The first nozzle 110 is configured to deposit the first printing material 120 in a first direction A perpendicular to the axis x. Figure 1 In FIG. 1 , it is illustrated that the first nozzle 110 is arranged in a vertical direction and is arranged to vertically deposit the first printing material 120 in a first direction A. Therefore, the first printing material 120, for example, a material that can be extruded, such as a plastic material, is deposited by the first nozzle 110 in the first direction A, and the first nozzle 110 moves along an axis x perpendicular to the first direction A. The first nozzle 110 is also configured to produce a layer of the deposited first printing material 120, which is thus stacked in a direction z opposite to the first direction A. Therefore, according to Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 1 , the first nozzle 110 is configured to produce layers 130 of a deposited first printing material 120, wherein the layers 130 of the first printing material 120 are stacked on top of each other in a (vertical) direction z. Here, four layers 130 of the printing material 120 are shown, but it should be noted that the number of layers 130 may be arbitrary. The printer head device 100 further comprises one or more second nozzles 140 (in Figure 1Only a single second nozzle 140 is shown / exemplified in the figure), which is arranged to deposit the second printing material 150 on at least one side 160 of the layer 130 of the deposited first printing material 120, wherein the normal N of at least one side 160 extends perpendicular to the direction z. Therefore, according to Figure 1 In an example, the second nozzle 140 is arranged or configured to deposit the second printing material 150 on the side (one or more) 160 of the layer 130 of the first printing material 120 from a horizontal direction, wherein the normal N of the side (one or more) extends horizontally. According to an example, the second nozzle 140 may be arranged or configured to deposit the second printing material 150 on a plurality of N of the first printing material 120. L Layer 130, where N L Preferably at least 3, more preferably at least 5, even more preferably at least 10. According to another example, the second nozzle 140 may be arranged or configured to deposit the second printing material 150 on the side (one or more) 160 of the layer 130 of the first printing material 120, so that the area of ​​the side (one or more) 160 is covered by the second printing material 150 in the range from 20% to 80%, preferably 25% to 75%, more preferably 30% to 70%, and most preferably 35% to 65%. According to yet another example, the second nozzle 140 may be arranged or configured to deposit the second printing material 150 only on the outer side (external side) (one or more) 160 of the layer 130 of the first printing material 120, and therefore not on the inner side (opposite inner side) (one or more) of the layer 130 of the first printing material 120.

[0040] The first nozzle 110 and the second nozzle 140 are arranged parallel to each other in the first direction A at a predetermined distance D. Figure 1 , the predetermined distance D is parallel to the vertical direction, so that the first nozzle 110 and the second nozzle 140 are spaced apart in the vertical direction. According to one example, the predetermined distance D corresponds to the thickness w of the 1st to 10th layers of the deposited first printing material 120 in the direction z. Figure 1 , the thickness w is illustrated as 2 layers of the deposited first printing material 120. According to an alternative example, the predetermined distance D may correspond to the thickness w of ≥ 30 layers of the deposited first printing material 120 in the direction z.

[0041] The first nozzle 110 and the second nozzle 140 are configured to operate simultaneously and deposit the first printing material 120 and the second printing material 150 respectively and simultaneously. According to one example, the first operating temperature T1 of the first nozzle 110 may be different from the second operating temperature T2 of the second nozzle 140. For example, the second operating temperature T2 may be higher than the first operating temperature T1, and / or lower than a specific temperature above the first operating temperature T1. For example, T1 + 20°C < T2 and / or T1 + 80°C > T2 may be satisfied.

[0042] Figure 1 The printer head device 100 in [reference] may include a single printer head (not shown), which in turn includes a first nozzle 110 and a second nozzle 140. Alternatively, the printer head device 100 may include two or more printer heads each including a first nozzle 110 and a second nozzle 140.

[0043] Figure 2 is a schematic view of a printer head device 100 for a 3D printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that the printer head device 100 includes many features common to the printer head device 100 illustrated in [reference] Figure 1 and the associated text, so reference Figure 1 and the associated text for increased understanding. Compared with Figure 1 Figure 2 shows the deposition of the first and second printing materials of the printer head device 100 from another perspective. The first nozzle 110 is arranged to move linearly along the axis x, i.e., in the direction of the axis x, and is configured to deposit the first printing material 120 in a first direction A perpendicular to the axis x. The first nozzle 110 is thus configured to produce layers of the deposited first printing material 120 stacked in the direction z opposite to the first direction A. The second nozzle 140 of the printer head device is arranged to deposit the second printing material 150 on at least one side 160 of the layer 130 of the deposited first printing material 120. Here, it is shown that the second nozzle 140 is configured to deposit the second printing material 150 in the trench(es) or groove(s) between adjacent layers of the first printing material. Thus, according to this example, the second nozzle 140 of the printer head device is arranged to deposit the second printing material 150 such that the deposited second printing material 150 is separated in the cross-section of the layer 130 of the deposited first printing material 120. In other words, the deposited second printing material 150 does not overlap in the cross-section in the z-direction of the layer 130 of the deposited first printing material 120. According to an alternative example, the second nozzle 140 of the printer head device is arranged to deposit the second printing material 150 such that the deposited second printing material 150 overlaps in the cross-section in the z-direction of the layer 130 of the deposited first printing material 120 ( Figure 2not shown).

[0044] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a printer head device 100 for a 3D printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that the printer head device 100 includes many Figure 1 and / or Figure 2 The features common to the printer head device 100 are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and the associated text(s), so reference is made to the drawings(s) and the associated text(s) for enhanced understanding. Figure 3 In the embodiment, the second nozzle 140 is arranged to deposit the first printing material 120 in the second direction B, wherein the angle α between the first direction A and the second direction B is in the range of 30° to 135°, preferably 30° to 90°. Figure 2 In the example of FIG. 1 , the second nozzle 140 is inclined relative to the horizontal direction.

[0045] Figure 4 1 is a schematic diagram of a first printing material 120 and a second printing material 150 and their properties. According to one example, one or more of the material composition, color, and texture of the first printing material 120 are respectively the same as the corresponding material composition, color, and texture of the second printing material 150. Alternatively, the material composition of the first printing material 120 can be the same as the material composition of the second printing material 150, and the color and / or texture of the first printing material 120 are respectively different from the corresponding color and / or texture of the second printing material 150. According to another example, the first printing material 120 includes a first molecular weight M1, a first melting temperature T m1 and the first glass transition temperature T g1 The second printing material 150 includes a polymer material having a second molecular weight M2, a second melting temperature T m2 and the second glass transition temperature T g2 , wherein one or more of the following relationships are satisfied: M1≠M2 (i.e., the polymer material of the first printing material 120 has a first molecular weight M1, which is different from a second molecular weight M2 of the polymer material of the second printing material 120), T m1 ≥T m2 +20°C (ie, the first melting temperature T of the first printing material 120 m1 Higher than the second melting temperature T of the second printing material 150 m2 ) and T g1 ≥T g2 +20°C (ie, the first glass transition temperature T of the first printing material 120 g1 Higher than the second glass transition temperature T of the second printing material 150 g2 ).

[0046] Figure 5 A 3D printing device 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. The 3D printing device 400 includes a printer head device according to any of the aforementioned embodiments, and further, the printer head device includes a first nozzle 110 and a second nozzle 140. The 3D printing device 400 also includes a first printing material 410 arranged to be deposited by the first nozzle 110, and a second printing material 420 arranged to be deposited by the second nozzle 140. It should be noted that the length and form of the first printing material 410 and the second printing material 420 are schematic. According to an example, the printer head device or the 3D printing device is configured to control a first deposition rate R1 of the first printing material 110 and a second deposition rate R2 of the second printing material 140.

[0047] Figure 6 Schematically shows a portion of a 3D printed object 450 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that the 3D printed object 450 can be substantially any object, and Figure 6 A cross section or portion of such an object 450 is schematically shown. The 3D printed object 450 includes a plurality of layers 130 of a deposited first printing material 120. Each of the plurality of layers 130 extends at least partially along an axis x, and the plurality of layers 130 are stacked in a direction z perpendicular to the axis x. The plurality of layers 130 include at least one side portion 160, wherein a normal N of the side portion (one or more) 160 is perpendicular to the axis x and extends perpendicular to the direction z (one time or more). The profile of the plurality of layers 130 includes a protrusion of the first printing material 120 deposited at its side portion (one or more) 160, resulting in a groove, a recess, etc. Therefore, the plurality of layers 130 include a corresponding groove 135 between at least one pair of adjacent layers 130a, 130b of the plurality of layers 130. The groove (one or more) 135 is parallel to the axis x and extends in the opposite direction of the normal N (one time or more). The 3D printed object 450 also includes a second printing material 150 in at least a portion of at least one groove 135.

[0048] Figure 75 is a schematic flow chart of a 3D printing method 500 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The method 500 includes a step 510 of providing a printer head device including at least one first nozzle and at least one second nozzle. The method 500 also includes linearly moving 520 at least one first nozzle along an axis x, and depositing 530 a first printing material in a first deposition direction A perpendicular to the axis x by the at least one first nozzle. The method 500 also includes generating 540 a layer of the deposited first printing material stacked in a direction z opposite to the first direction A. The method 500 also includes depositing 550 a second printing material on at least one side of the layer of the deposited first printing material by at least one second nozzle, wherein a normal N of the at least one side extends perpendicular to the first direction z, wherein the at least one first nozzle and the at least one second nozzle are arranged parallel to each other in the first direction A at a predetermined distance D, and wherein the deposition of the first printing material and the deposition of the second printing material are performed simultaneously.

[0049] Those skilled in the art recognize that the present invention is by no means limited to the preferred embodiments described above. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For example, it should be understood that the drawings are merely schematic views of printer head devices according to embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, any element / component of the printer head device 100, such as the first nozzle 110 and / or the at least one second nozzle 140, may have a size, shape and / or size different from that depicted and / or described. For example, the first nozzle 110 and / or the second nozzle (one or more) 140 may be larger or smaller than illustrated in the figure.

Claims

1. A printer head device (100) for a 3D printing device, comprising: at least one first nozzle (110) arranged to move linearly along an axis x and deposit a first printing material (120) in a first direction A perpendicular to the axis x and to produce layers (130) of the deposited first printing material stacked in a direction z opposite to the first direction A, at least one second nozzle (140) arranged to deposit a second printing material (150) on at least one side (160) of the layer of deposited first printing material, wherein a normal N of the at least one side extends perpendicular to the axis x and perpendicular to the direction z, The at least one first nozzle and the at least one second nozzle are arranged parallel to a first direction A at a predetermined distance D from each other, and the at least one first nozzle and the at least one second nozzle are configured to deposit the first printing material and the second printing material respectively and simultaneously.

2. The printer head device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second nozzle is arranged to deposit the second printing material in a second direction B, wherein an angle α between the first direction A and the second direction B is in the range of 30° to 135°. 3 . The printer head device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first nozzle is arranged in a vertical direction, and is arranged to vertically deposit the first printing material in the first direction A. 4 .

4. The printer head arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a single printer head, the single printer head comprising the at least one first nozzle and the at least one second nozzle.

5. The printer head device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising at least two printer heads, wherein the at least two printer heads respectively comprise the at least one first nozzle and the at least one second nozzle.

6. A 3D printing device (400), comprising: The printer head device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the 3D printing apparatus (400) further comprises a controller, wherein the controller is used to control a first deposition rate R1 of the first printing material and a second deposition rate R2 of the second printing material.

7. A 3D printed object (450), comprising: a plurality of layers (130) of a deposited first printing material (120), wherein each of the plurality of layers extends at least partially along an axis x, wherein the plurality of layers are stacked in a direction z perpendicular to the axis x, and wherein the plurality of layers comprises at least one side portion (160), wherein a normal N of the at least one side portion extends perpendicular to the axis x and perpendicular to the direction z, wherein the at least one side portion of the plurality of layers comprises at least one groove (135) between at least one pair of adjacent layers (130a, 130b) of the plurality of layers, wherein the at least one groove is parallel to the axis x and extends in a direction opposite to the normal N, as well as Deposited second printing material (150), the deposited second printing material being provided in at least a part of the at least one groove.

8. A 3D printing method (500), comprising the steps of: Providing (510) a printhead device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, Moving (520) the at least one first nozzle linearly along an axis x and depositing (530) a first printing material through the at least one first nozzle in a first deposition direction A perpendicular to the axis x, Generating (540) a layer of deposited first printing material stacked in a direction z opposite to the first direction A, Depositing (550) a second printing material by the at least one second nozzle on at least one side of the layer of deposited first printing material, wherein a normal N of the at least one side extends perpendicular to the first direction z, wherein the at least one first nozzle and the at least one second nozzle are arranged parallel to the first direction A at a predetermined distance D from each other, and wherein the deposition of the first printing material and the deposition of the second printing material are performed simultaneously.

9. The 3D printing method (500) according to claim 8, wherein a first operating temperature T1 of the at least one first nozzle is different from a second operating temperature T2 of the at least one second nozzle, and wherein at least one of the following is satisfied: T1 + 20 °C < T2, and T1 + 80 °C > T2.

10. The 3D printing method (500) according to any one of claims 8 and 9, wherein the predetermined distance D corresponds to a thickness w in the z direction of 1 to 10 layers of deposited first printing material.

11. The 3D printing method (500) according to any one of claims 8 and 9, wherein the predetermined distance D corresponds to a thickness w in the z direction of ≥30 layers of deposited first printing material.

12. The 3D printing method (500) according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein at least one of the material composition, color, and texture of the first printing material is the same as at least one of the material composition, color, and texture of the second printing material, respectively.

13. The 3D printing method (500) according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the material composition of the first printing material is the same as the material composition of the second printing material, and wherein at least one of the color and texture of the first printing material is different from at least one of the color and texture of the second printing material, respectively.

14. The 3D printing method (500) according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein The first printing material includes a first molecular weight M1, a first melting temperature T m1 and the first glass transition temperature T g1 of polymer materials, and The second printing material includes a second molecular weight M2, a second melting temperature T m2 and the second glass transition temperature T g2 polymer materials, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied: M1 ≠ M2, T m1 ≥T m2 +20℃, and T g1 ≥T g2 +20℃。

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