Method of manufacturing 3d article by fused deposition modeling
By using the thermoplastic wire with a concave section and elongated axis, the problem of energy and time consumption of wire drying process in 3D printing is solved, and a more efficient 3D printing process is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202380047239.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-06-16
- Filing Date
- 2023-06-12
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-28
AI Technical Summary
The thermoplastic wire used in existing 3D printing consumes a lot of energy and time during the drying process, affecting the printing efficiency.
The thermoplastic wire with a concave section and the elongated axis, which has an increased surface area, which shortens the drying time.
By using concave section silk, the drying time is significantly reduced, and the efficiency and productivity of 3D printing are improved.
Smart Images
Figure CN119384349A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a filament for use in a method for manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling using a 3D printer, a method for using the filament, and a 3D printer for performing the method. Background Art
[0002] The 3D printing process is a process in which materials are joined or solidified under computer control to create three-dimensional objects of almost any shape or geometry. Such three-dimensional objects are typically produced using data from a three-dimensional model and are usually produced by continuously adding material layer by layer.
[0003] One example of a 3D printing process is fused deposition modeling (FDM), which is also known as fused filament fabrication (FFF) or filament 3D printing (FDP). FDM is one of the most commonly used forms of 3D printing. In the FDM process, a 3D printer creates an object in a layer-by-layer manner by extruding a printable material (typically a filament of thermoplastic material) along a tool path that is generated from a digital representation of the object. The printable material is heated to just beyond solidification and extruded through the nozzle of the printer head of the 3D printer. The extruded printable material melts onto the previously deposited material and solidifies as the temperature decreases. In a typical 3D printer, the printable material is deposited as a series of planar layers on a substrate that defines a building platform. The position of the printer head relative to the substrate is then increased along the print axis (perpendicular to the build platform), and the process is repeated until the object is complete.
[0004] FDM printers are relatively fast, inexpensive, and can be used to print complex three-dimensional objects. These printers are used to print a variety of shapes using a variety of 3D printable materials.
[0005] Most filaments used in FDM are hygroscopic, meaning they can absorb moisture from the air. Materials such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamides (such as nylon), polycarbonate (PC), polyesters (such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG)), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) are most likely to absorb moisture from the air. The same is true for materials such as polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), and polypropylene (PP).
[0006] Water absorption by filaments can affect the quality of printed objects. For example, it can cause bubbles in printed layers, extrusion issues, brittle, soft and fragile printed parts, and / or poor adhesion to the build platform.
[0007] In order to prevent this type of problem, and to obtain a printed object that is free of defects and has good mechanical integrity, it is necessary to use dry filaments. This can be achieved by placing the filament in an oven with a dry atmosphere. Typical oven temperatures are in the range of 40 to 50 degrees Celsius, and typical drying times are in the range of 4 to 6 hours. Summary of the invention
[0008] Drying silk is an energy and time consuming process and the present invention aims to improve this.
[0009] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a filament for use in a method of manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling using a 3D printer, wherein the filament comprises a thermoplastic material, the filament has an elongation axis, and a cross section of the filament perpendicular to the elongation axis has a concave shape.
[0010] According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling using a 3D printer, wherein the method comprises the steps of depositing a 3D printable material layer by layer to provide a 3D object comprising layers of 3D printable material, and wherein the 3D printable material is a filament according to the first aspect.
[0011] A concave shape is a shape that has at least one reflected interior angle. In other words, a concave shape has at least one interior angle that is greater than 180 degrees but less than 360 degrees. If a point within the angle of a shape is inside the shape, the angle is called an interior angle (sometimes also called an internal angle). An example of a concave shape is a polygon, such as a star shape or a cross shape.
[0012] Compared to a "standard" wire with a circular cross-section, a wire having a cross-section with a concave shape (and comparable thickness) has an increased surface area and therefore reduced drying time.
[0013] An example of a wire having a cross-section with a concave shape is a wire having a wire center portion and a plurality of wire extensions. The wire center portion has a wire center axis that coincides with the elongation axis of the wire. Each wire extension has an extension length and extends from the wire center portion in an extension direction perpendicular to the wire center axis.
[0014] In the above examples, the wire extensions may be regularly distributed around the wire center portion. Furthermore, the wire extensions may be straight or non-straight, such as curved.
[0015] In a direction parallel to the extension direction, the filament center portion has a center portion width. The ratio of the extension length to the center portion width may be equal to or greater than 1.
[0016] The plurality of filament extensions may include a first subset of filament extensions including a first material of a first color and a second subset of filament extensions including a second material of a second color, wherein the first color is different than the second color.
[0017] According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a 3D printer used in the method according to the first aspect. The 3D printer has a printer head having a filament inlet and a filament outlet. The filament inlet is used to receive the filament according to the second aspect and has a concave filament inlet shape. The filament outlet has a circular filament outlet shape.
[0018] The wire inlet shape may have an inlet central portion and a plurality of inlet extensions. Each inlet extension has an extension length and extends in a direction away from the inlet central portion.
[0019] The printer head may have a wire channel for passing the wire according to the second aspect from the wire inlet through the printer head to the wire outlet. The wire channel may be shaped so that when the wire passes through the wire channel, the wire extension is folded around the wire center portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts, and in which:
[0021] Figure 1 A 3D printer for performing a method of manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling is shown.
[0022] Figure 2 (a) to Figure 2 (d) shows a cross section of a filament used in a method of manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling.
[0023] Figure 3 (a) to Figure 3 (c) shows a cross section of a filament used in a method of manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling.
[0024] Figure 4 (a) to Figure 3 (c) shows a cross section of a filament used in a method of manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling.
[0025] Figure 5 A cross section of a filament used in a method of manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling is shown.
[0026] Figure 6 A cross section of a filament used in a method of manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling is shown.
[0027] Figure 7 A method of manufacturing a filament by joining two or more filament components together is shown.
[0028] Figure 8 A printer head of a 3D printer for performing a method of manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling is shown.
[0029] Fig. 9 A printer head of a 3D printer for performing a method of manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling is shown.
[0030] The drawings are schematic and not necessarily drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] Figure 1 Schematically depicted is a 3D printer 100 for performing a method of manufacturing a 3D object by fused deposition modeling. The 3D printer 100 may also be referred to as an FDM printer.
[0032] The 3D printer 100 has a printer head 110 , and the printer head 110 has a filament inlet 111 and a filament outlet 112 .
[0033] Filament 200 is fed into printer head 110 via filament inlet 111. In printer head 110, filament 200 is melted and subsequently deposited by printer head 110 on building platform 120 in a layer-by-layer manner to provide 3D object 900.
[0034] The 3D object 900 has a layer stack 910 that includes multiple layers 920 of 3D printing material 921 .
[0035] The wire 200 has an axis of elongation 210. In a plane perpendicular to the axis of elongation 210, the wire 200 has a cross-section. Figure 2 An example of such a cross section is shown.
[0036] Figure 2 (a) shows a cross section 220 of the filament 200. The cross section 220 is in a plane perpendicular to the elongation axis 210 of the filament 200 and it has a cross shape.
[0037] like Figure 2 As shown in (b), the wire 200 resembles a cylindrical wire in which four V-shaped grooves 231 have been cut at regular positions along the periphery 230 and extend in a direction along the elongation axis 210.
[0038] like Figure 2As shown in (c), the cross section 220 has four internal angles 221, each of which is greater than 180 degrees but less than 360 degrees. Angles between 180 degrees and 360 degrees are called reflection angles. Therefore, the cross section 220 has four reflection internal angles.
[0039] When a shape has at least one reflected internal angle, the shape is referred to as a concave shape. Cross section 220 is clearly an example of a concave shape.
[0040] Figure 2 (d) shows again the same cross section 220 of the filament 200. It is now indicated that the filament 200 has a filament central portion 241 and four filament extensions 242. The filament central portion 241 is the portion surrounded by the dotted circle 240. It has a filament central axis coinciding with the elongation axis 210 of the filament 200. Each filament extension 242 has an extension length L and extends from the filament central portion 241 in an extension direction perpendicular to the filament central axis (and therefore also perpendicular to the elongation axis 210).
[0041] Compared to a comparable "standard" wire (a cylindrical wire of comparable thickness, such as Figure 2 230 in (b)). Therefore, the drying time of the filament 200 will be less than the drying time of a comparable "standard" filament (at least when the filaments are made of the same material).
[0042] A filament with reduced drying time is obtained when the filament has an increased surface area compared to a comparable "standard" filament. Such increased surface area can be obtained when the filament has a cross-section with a concave shape (i.e., having at least one internal reflection angle) in a plane perpendicular to the filament's axis of elongation.
[0043] Figure 2 (a) to Figure 2 The wire 200 shown in (d) has a cross-section with a concave shape.
[0044] As mentioned above, the filament 200 has four internal reflection angles. To obtain increased surface area, and therefore reduced drying time, it is sufficient to have at least one internal reflection angle, and the one or more internal reflection angles may have any value between 180 and 360 degrees.
[0045] As described above, the wire 200 resembles a cylindrical wire in which four V-shaped grooves 231 have been cut at regular positions along the periphery 230 and extend in a direction along the elongation axis 210. To obtain increased surface area, and therefore reduced drying time, any number of grooves will suffice, the grooves may have any shape, the grooves may be distributed in any manner along the periphery, and the grooves may extend to any length along the elongation axis of the wire.
[0046] As described above, the filament 200 has a filament central portion 241 having a filament central axis coinciding with the elongation axis 210 of the filament 200, and four filament extensions 242, each having an extension length L and extending from the filament central portion 241 in an extension direction perpendicular to the filament central axis. In order to obtain an increased surface area, and thus a reduced drying time, any number of filament extensions may be used, and the filament extensions may have any length and form.
[0047] Figure 3 (a) shows another example of a wire. Here, the wire 300 has a cross section 320 with a star shape. The cross section 320 has a wire center portion 341, and the wire center portion 341 has a wire center axis that coincides with the elongation axis of the wire 300. The cross section 320 also has six wire extensions 342 regularly distributed around the wire center portion 341. The wire extensions 342 have substantially the same extension length L, and they all extend from the wire center portion 341 in an extension direction perpendicular to the wire center axis.
[0048] Figure 3 (b) shows another example of a wire. Here, a wire 400 cross section 320, the cross section 320 having a cross shape (actually, a cross shape with three cross bars). The cross section 420 has a wire center portion 441, and the wire center portion 441 has a wire center axis that coincides with the elongation axis of the wire 400. The cross section 420 also has six wire extensions 442 regularly distributed around the wire center portion 341. The wire extensions 442 have substantially the same extension length L, and they all extend from the wire center portion 441 in an extension direction perpendicular to the wire center axis.
[0049] exist Figure 3 (a) and Figure 3 In (b), the wire extensions 342 and 442 are straight extensions, respectively. The wire extension 342 has a prism shape with a triangular base, and the wire extension 442 has a prism shape with a rectangular base.
[0050] Figure 3 (c) shows another example of a wire. The wire 500 is similar to Figure 3 (b) filament 400, but now the filament extension 542 is not straight, but is curved in the direction of extension.
[0051] Figure 3 (a) to Figure 3 Each filament shown in (c) has a cross section in a plane perpendicular to the axis of elongation, wherein the cross section has a concave shape. The cross section of each filament has at least one internal reflection angle.
[0052] Figure 3 (a) to Figure 3Each wire shown in (c) has a wire center portion and a plurality of wire extension portions, wherein the wire center portion has a wire center axis coinciding with the elongation axis of the wire, and wherein each wire extension portion has an extension length and extends from the wire center portion in an extension direction perpendicular to the wire center axis.
[0053] Figure 3 (a) to Figure 3 Each of the filaments shown in (c) has filament extensions regularly distributed around a central portion of the filament.
[0054] Figure 3 The wire 300 of (a) has a cross section with a star shape, and Figure 3 The wire 400 of (b) has a cross-shaped cross section. Both of these shapes are examples of concave polygons. In addition to the star shape and the cross shape, any concave polygon shape can be used to provide a wire with an increased surface area.
[0055] Figure 4 (a) to Figure 4 (c) shows filaments 610, 620 and 630, respectively. Wires 610, 620 and 630 have cross sections 611, 621 and 631, respectively. Each of these cross sections has a concave shape in the form of a cross, with four wire extensions (613, 623 and 633) extending from a wire central portion (612, 622 and 632) and regularly distributed around the wire central portion.
[0056] Each wire extension 613, 623 and 633 extends from the corresponding wire core portion 612, 622 and 632 in an extension direction perpendicular to the central axis of the wire core portion. Each wire extension 613, 623 and 633 has an extension length L, and each wire core portion 612, 622 and 632 has a core portion width W in a direction parallel to the extension direction.
[0057] exist Figure 4 In (a), the ratio of the extension length L to the width W of the central portion (L / W) is less than 1 (in other words, W is greater than L). Figure 4 (b), the ratio (L / W) of the extension length L to the width W of the central portion is equal to 1 (in other words, W is equal to L). Figure 4 (c), the ratio of the extension length L to the center portion width W (L / W) is greater than 1 (in other words, W is less than L). The greater the ratio of the extension length L to the center portion width W, the greater the surface area of the filaments, and thus the shorter the drying time.
[0058] Any concave shape has a minimum bounding circle. This is the circle with the smallest diameter that completely encloses the concave shape. Figure 6Shown are their respective minimum bounding circles 250, 350, 450 and 550 for filaments 200, 300, 400 and 500. The minimum bounding circle may have a diameter in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm, such as in the range of 1 mm to 3 mm, for example 1.75 mm or 2.85 mm, the latter two being the diameters of typical "standard" cylindrical filaments used in FDM.
[0059] Each of the filaments 200, 300, 400, 500, 610, 620 and 630 has a concave cross-section with n-order rotational symmetry. All of the above filaments have a filament central portion (wherein the filament central axis coincides with the elongation axis of the filament) and a plurality of identical filament extensions, each extending from the filament central portion in an extension direction perpendicular to the central axis.
[0060] For the purposes of the present invention, the order n may have any value. In fact, the cross section may even be asymmetrical, as long as it has a concave shape.
[0061] When the filament has a plurality of filament extensions extending from a filament central portion, the lengths of the filament extensions may be equal, but they may also be different.
[0062] The filament extensions may be distributed at regular intervals around the filament central portion, but they may also be randomly distributed around the filament central portion.
[0063] The wire extension extends from the wire central portion in an extension direction. The wire extension has a wire extension thickness perpendicular to the extension direction.
[0064] In the direction of extension, the filament extensions may be straight or non-straight, such as bent, curved, twisted and kinked.
[0065] The filament extension may have a constant filament extension thickness or a non-constant filament extension thickness, such as a filament extension thickness that decreases linearly or non-linearly along the extension direction.
[0066] Figure 6 A filament 640 is shown having a plurality of filament extensions including a first subset 641 of filament extensions and a second subset 642 of filament extensions. The first subset 641 of filament extensions includes a first material of a first color and the second subset 642 of filament extensions includes a second material of a second color. The first color is different from the second color.
[0067] The first subset of filament extensions may differ from the second subset of filament extensions in any optical property other than color, such as transmittance, reflectance, and diffusivity.
[0068] A filament having a cross-section perpendicular to its axis of elongation having a concave shape, such as each of filaments 200, 300, 400, 500, 610, 620, 630, and 640, may be manufactured by injection molding.
[0069] Alternatively, such wires may be made by joining two or more wire components together. Figure 7 As shown. The wire 700 is formed by joining the first wire member 710 and the second wire member 720. Each of the first wire member 710 and the second wire member 720 has a V-shaped cross section perpendicular to its elongation axis. After being joined together, the first wire member 710 and the second wire member 720 constitute the wire 700, having an X-shaped cross section perpendicular to its elongation axis. Each of the first wire member 710 and the second wire member 720 can be formed by folding material strips.
[0070] Figure 8 Again, it shows Figure 1 The printer head 110 is shown in FIG. The printer head 110 is a component of the 3D printer, and it has a filament inlet 111 and a filament outlet 112. The filament inlet 111 is used to receive a filament, such as Figure 2 (a) to Figure 2 (d) The wire 200 is shown.
[0071] The wire inlet 111 has a shape conforming to the cross-section of the wire 200. In other words, the wire inlet 111 has a concave wire inlet shape. More specifically, the wire inlet 111 has a wire inlet shape having an inlet center portion and a plurality of inlet extensions, wherein each inlet extension has an extension length, and wherein each inlet extension extends in a direction away from the inlet center portion.
[0072] The wire outlet 112 has a circular wire outlet shape.
[0073] The printer head 110 has a wire channel for allowing the wire to pass through the printer head 110 from the wire inlet 111 to the wire outlet 112. In other words, the wire inlet 111 and the wire outlet 112 are opposite ends of the wire channel. The dotted line shape drawn between the wire inlet 111 and the wire outlet 112 indicates different cross-sections of the wire channel, thereby showing that the cross-section of the wire channel gradually changes from the shape of the wire inlet 111 to the shape of the wire outlet 112.
[0074] Fig. 9 A printer head 120 is shown having a wire inlet 121 and a wire outlet 122 as opposite ends of a wire channel 123. Here, the wire channel 123 is shaped so that when a wire such as the wire 800 passes through the wire channel 123, the wire extension 842 is folded around the wire center portion 841.
[0075] When the wire has a plurality of wire extensions extending from a wire central portion, particularly when the wire extensions are flexible and / or curved, the tapered wire channel may cause the wire extensions to be folded around the wire central portion.
[0076] It should be noted that the above embodiments illustrate rather than limit the present invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any figure marks in brackets should not be interpreted as limiting the claims. The use of the verb "to comprise" and its variations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not stated in the claims. The article "a" or "an" in front of an element does not exclude the presence of multiple such elements. The present invention can be implemented by hardware comprising several different elements and by a suitably programmed computer. In a device claim that lists several devices, several of these devices can be embodied by the same hardware. The fact that certain measures are cited only in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used advantageously.
[0077] The various aspects discussed in this patent can be combined to provide additional advantages. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments can be combined, and more than two embodiments can also be combined.
Claims
1. A filament (640) for use in a method of manufacturing a 3D object (910) by fused deposition modeling using a 3D printer (100), wherein the filament (640) comprises a thermoplastic material, wherein the filament (640) has an elongation axis (210), wherein a cross-section (220) of the filament (640) perpendicular to the elongation axis (210) has a concave shape, wherein the filament (640) has a filament central portion (241) and a plurality of filament extensions (242), wherein the filament central portion (241) has a cross-section (220) with respect to the elongation axis (210). The wire axis (210) coincides with the wire center axis, wherein each wire extension (242) has an extension length and extends from the wire center portion (241) in an extension direction perpendicular to the wire center axis, wherein the multiple wire extensions include a first subset (641) of wire extensions and a second subset (642) of wire extensions, the first subset (641) of wire extensions including a first material of a first color, the second subset (642) of wire extensions including a second material of a second color, and wherein the first color is different from the second color.
2. The wire (640) according to claim 1, wherein the wire extensions (242) are regularly distributed around the wire central part (241).
3. The wire (640) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the wire extension (242) is straight.
4. The wire (640) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the wire center portion (241) has a center portion width in a direction parallel to the extension direction, and wherein the ratio of the extension length to the center portion width is equal to or greater than 1.
5. The wire (640) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the concave shape is a polygonal shape.
6. The wire (640) according to claim 5, wherein the polygonal shape is a star shape or a cross shape.
7. A method of manufacturing a 3D object (910) by fused deposition modeling using a 3D printer (100), wherein the method comprises the step of depositing a 3D printable material layer by layer to provide the 3D object (910) comprising a layer (920) of 3D printable material (921), and wherein the 3D printable material is a filament (640) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
8. A 3D printer (100) for performing the method according to claim 7, wherein the 3D printer (100) has a printer head (110), the printer head (110) having a filament inlet (111) and a filament outlet (112), the filament inlet (111) being used to receive the filament (640) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the filament inlet (111) has a concave filament inlet shape, the concave filament inlet shape having an inlet center portion and a plurality of inlet extensions, each inlet extension having an extension length and extending in a direction away from the inlet center portion, and wherein the filament outlet (112) has a circular filament outlet shape.
9. The 3D printer (100) according to claim 8, wherein the printer head (110) has a wire channel (123) for allowing the wire (800) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 to pass from the wire inlet (111) through the printer head (110) to the wire outlet (122), and wherein the wire channel (123) is shaped so that when the wire (800) passes through the wire channel (123), the wire extension (842) is folded around the wire center portion (842).