Powder feeding device and powder feeding method for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing

Abstract

The application provides a powder feeding device and a powder feeding method for directional energy deposition additive manufacturing, wherein the powder feeding device comprises a sealed box body, a powder pushing mechanism, a powder taking mechanism, a powder collecting box, an air inlet pipe and a powder outlet pipe; the powder pushing mechanism, the powder taking mechanism and the powder collecting unit are arranged in the sealed box body; the powder pushing mechanism comprises a powder bin, a powder pushing plate and a first driving device; the powder bin is fixedly arranged and has an upper opening; the powder pushing plate is sleeved in the powder bin and connected with the first driving device; the powder taking mechanism comprises a second driving device and a roller; the roller is arranged at the upper opening of the powder bin and densely provided with powder collecting fibers thereon; the second driving device is connected with the roller; the powder collecting box is fixed above the powder bin and provided with comb teeth corresponding to the powder collecting fibers; and the air inlet pipe and the powder outlet pipe are connected with the sealed box body. The powder feeding device and the powder feeding method for the directional energy deposition additive manufacturing can realize continuous, uniform and stable output of powder, avoid powder extrusion and reduce the blockage of the powder feeder.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of deposition additive manufacturing technology, and particularly provides a powder feeding device and a powder feeding method for directional energy deposition additive manufacturing. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the process of directional energy deposition additive manufacturing, a powder feeder is used to continuously input metal powder material, and under the protection of inert gas atmosphere, the metal powder is rapidly heated, melted and then rapidly solidified, and is accumulated layer by layer into a component with a certain geometric shape. Among them, the powder feeder is a device that can uniformly and accurately deliver powder to the processing site according to the process requirements in the process of directional energy deposition additive manufacturing, and is an important factor that directly affects the stability, precision and final product quality of directional energy deposition additive manufacturing.

[0003] In the prior art, the powder feeder mainly has the following types: screw type, scraper type and rotating wheel type. The screw type and the scraper type powder feeder have the phenomenon of friction and extrusion between the powder and the powder feeding element, and the powder is easy to block, which affects the continuity and stability of powder feeding. The powder feeding process of the rotating wheel type powder feeder is intermittent and discontinuous, and the powder feeding precision is low and the continuous powder feeding stability is poor.

[0004] Therefore, it is urgent to develop a new type of powder feeding device for directional energy deposition additive manufacturing to avoid extrusion of powder during powder feeding, reduce the occurrence of blockage, and realize continuous, uniform and stable delivery of powder. SUMMARY

[0005] In view of this, the present application provides a powder feeding device and a powder feeding method for directional energy deposition additive manufacturing to solve the problems existing in the prior art powder feeder.

[0006] In one aspect, the present application provides a powder feeding device for directional energy deposition additive manufacturing, comprising a sealed box body, a powder pushing mechanism, a powder taking mechanism, a powder collecting box, an air inlet pipe and a powder outlet pipe. The powder pushing mechanism, the powder taking mechanism and the powder collecting unit are all arranged in the sealed box body. The powder pushing mechanism comprises a powder bin, a powder pushing plate and a first driving device. The powder bin is fixedly arranged and has an upper opening. The powder pushing plate is sleeved in the powder bin and connected with the first driving device, and is used to push the powder in the powder bin upward under the driving of the first driving device. The powder taking mechanism comprises a second driving device and a roller. The roller is arranged at the upper opening of the powder bin and densely provided with powder collecting fibers thereon. The second driving device is connected with the roller and is used to drive the roller to rotate. The powder collecting box is fixed above the powder bin and is provided with comb teeth corresponding to the powder collecting fibers. The air inlet pipe and the powder outlet pipe are both connected with the sealed box body. The air inlet of the air inlet pipe is used to send the powder scraped off by the comb teeth out through the powder outlet pipe.

[0007] Preferably, the cross-sections of the powder bin and the powder pushing plate are both rectangular, and the top of the powder pushing plate is a semicircular groove structure.

[0008] Further preferably, the first driving device includes a first motor, a screw, a screw nut and a first coupling, wherein the first motor is fixedly arranged, the screw is connected to the first motor through the first coupling, and the screw nut is fixedly connected to the powder pushing plate and cooperates with the screw.

[0009] Further preferably, the first motor is fixedly connected to the powder bin via a screw mounting plate.

[0010] Further preferably, the second driving device includes a second motor and a second coupling, and the second motor is connected to the rotating shaft of the roller through the second coupling.

[0011] Further preferably, the air outlet of the air inlet pipe is located above the powder collecting box, and the air inlet of the powder outlet pipe is connected to the side wall or bottom of the powder collecting box.

[0012] Further preferably, the powder bin, powder pushing plate, roller, powder collecting box and powder outlet pipe are all multiple and arranged in one-to-one correspondence.

[0013] Further preferably, the rotating shafts of the rollers are fixedly connected in sequence and then connected to the second driving device, or there are multiple second driving devices and they are connected to the rollers in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0014] Further preferably, the powder pushing plate is connected to the first driving device after being fixedly connected, or there are multiple first driving devices and they are connected to the powder pushing plates in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0015] The present invention also provides a powder feeding method for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing, using the above-mentioned powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing. The powder feeding method for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing includes:

[0016] Opening the powder outlet pipe and continuously blowing compressed gas into the sealed box through the air inlet pipe, wherein the compressed gas flows through the powder collecting box;

[0017] The powder pushing mechanism is used to push the powder in the powder bin to continuously move upward, and the powder taking mechanism is used to continuously transfer the powder in the powder bin to the powder collecting box through the cooperation between the powder collecting cilia and the comb teeth, wherein the powder transferred to the powder collecting box is continuously output through the powder outlet pipe along with the compressed air flow.

[0018] The powder feeding device and powder feeding method for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing provided by the present invention can achieve continuous, uniform and stable output of powder, avoid powder extrusion, and reduce clogging of the powder feeder. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 A perspective view of the powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing provided by the present application;

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic view of the connection of the powder pushing mechanism, the powder taking mechanism, the powder collecting box and the powder outlet pipe;

[0021] Figure 3 A top view of Figure 2 ;

[0022] Figure 4 An A-A sectional view of Figure 3 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The present application will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 to 4 , the present application provides a powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing, comprising a sealed box body 1, a powder pushing mechanism, a powder taking mechanism, a powder collecting box 4, an air inlet pipe 5 and a powder outlet pipe 6, wherein the powder pushing mechanism, the powder taking mechanism and the powder collecting unit 4 are all arranged in the sealed box body 1, the powder pushing mechanism comprises a powder bin 21, a powder pushing plate 22 and a first driving device, the powder bin 21 is fixedly arranged and has an upper opening, the powder pushing plate 22 is sleeved in the powder bin 21 and connected with the first driving device, and is used for moving upwardly the powder 10 in the powder bin 21 under the driving of the first driving device, the powder taking mechanism comprises a second driving device and a roller 32, the roller 32 is arranged at the upper opening of the powder bin 21 and densely provided with powder collecting fibers 321 thereon, as shown in Figure 2 , the roller can be mounted at the upper opening of the powder bin through an ear piece 9, the second driving device is connected with the roller 32 and used for driving the roller 32 to rotate, the powder collecting box 4 is fixed above the powder bin 21 and provided with comb teeth 41 corresponding to the powder collecting fibers 321, the powder collecting box is preferably a plastic powder collecting box, the air inlet pipe 5 and the powder outlet pipe 6 are both connected with the sealed box body 1, and the air inlet of the air inlet pipe 5 is used for sending out the powder scraped off by the comb teeth 41 through the powder outlet pipe 6.

[0025] The powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing can continuously adsorb the powder in the powder bin through the powder collecting fibers in the powder taking mechanism, and the powder adsorbed on the powder collecting fibers can continuously move to the powder collecting box under the action of the comb teeth; the continuous upward pushing of the powder in the powder bin by the powder pushing mechanism can realize the continuous replenishment of the powder and avoid the extrusion of the powder, thereby reducing the blockage of the powder feeder; the powder moved to the powder collecting box can be continuously, uniformly and stably output through the powder outlet pipe along with the compressed gas continuously entering the sealed box body through the air inlet pipe, and the powder will not be accumulated.

[0026] As an improvement of the technical solution, as shown in Figure 2 , Figure 4 The cross section of the powder bin 21 and the push powder plate 22 is rectangular, and the top of the push powder plate 22 is a semicircular groove structure which cooperates with the roller to realize the full use of the powder in the powder bin.

[0027] As an improvement of the technical solution, as shown in Figure 2 , Figure 4 The first driving device includes a first motor 231, a lead screw 232, a lead screw nut 233, and a first coupling 234, wherein the first motor 231 is fixedly arranged, the lead screw 232 is connected with the first motor 231 through the first coupling 234, and the lead screw nut 233 is fixedly connected with the push powder plate 22 and cooperatively connected with the lead screw 232. The first motor can control the push powder plate to continuously rise through the lead screw.

[0028] As an improvement of the technical solution, as shown in Figure 2 , Figure 4 The first motor 231 is fixedly connected with the powder bin 21 through a lead screw mounting plate 24.

[0029] As an improvement of the technical solution, as shown in Figure 2 , Figure 3 The second driving device includes a second motor 311 and a second coupling 312, and the second motor 311 is connected with the rotating shaft of the roller 32 through the second coupling 312.

[0030] As an improvement of the technical solution, as shown in Figures 1 to 4 The gas outlet of the air inlet pipe 5 is located above the powder collecting box 4, and the gas inlet of the powder outlet pipe 6 is connected with the side wall or the bottom of the powder collecting box 4.

[0031] The powder feeder is not limited to one powder outlet, but can also realize multi-way powder outlet. As an improvement of the technical solution, as shown in Figures 1 to 4 The powder bin 21, the push powder plate 22, the roller 32, the powder collecting box 4, and the powder outlet pipe 6 are multiple and one-to-one correspondingly arranged.

[0032] As an improvement of the technical solution, the rotating shaft 322 of the roller 32 is fixedly connected in sequence and connected with the second driving device (as shown in Figure 2 ) to realize the synchronous control of multiple rollers, or the second driving device is multiple and connected with the rollers 32 one-to-one to realize the individual control of multiple rollers.

[0033] As an improvement of the technical solution, the push powder plate 22 is fixedly connected through a second fixing plate 8 and connected with the first driving device (as shown in Figure 2As shown in the figure, the first driving device is one, and is connected with the plurality of push powder plates 22 in one-to-one correspondence, to realize the synchronous rising of the plurality of push powder plates, or the first driving device is a plurality and is connected with the plurality of push powder plates 22 in one-to-one correspondence, to realize the individual control of the plurality of push powder plates.

[0034] In actual application, the powder in the plurality of powder bins can be the same powder or different powder, and the powder output of each powder outlet pipe can be realized by adjusting the roller speed, the material quality, the diameter, the length and the distribution density of the powder collecting fiber, and the rising speed of the push powder plate, but is not limited thereto.

[0035] As an improvement of the technical solution, as shown in the figure, the powder bin 21 is fixedly connected through the first fixed plate 7. Figure 2 、 Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the powder bin 21 is fixedly connected through the first fixed plate 7.

[0036] The application further provides a powder feeding method for directional energy deposition additive manufacturing, which adopts the powder feeding device for directional energy deposition additive manufacturing.

[0037] The powder outlet pipe 6 is opened, and the compressed gas is continuously blown into the sealed box body 1 through the air inlet pipe 5, wherein the compressed gas flows through the powder collecting box.

[0038] The powder material 10 in the powder bin is continuously pushed upward by the upward pushing mechanism, and the powder material in the powder bin 21 is continuously transferred into the powder collecting box 4 through the cooperation of the powder collecting fiber 321 and the comb teeth 41 by the powder taking mechanism, wherein the powder material 10 transferred into the powder collecting box 4 is continuously output through the powder outlet pipe 6 along with the compressed gas flow.

[0039] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the application, and is not used to limit the application, and any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the application shall be included in the protection scope of the application.

Claims

1. A powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing, characterized in that: include: A sealed box (1), a powder pushing mechanism, a powder taking mechanism, a powder collecting box (4), an air inlet pipe (5) and a powder outlet pipe (6), wherein the powder pushing mechanism, the powder taking mechanism and the powder collecting box (4) are all arranged in the sealed box (1), the powder pushing mechanism includes a powder bin (21), a powder pushing plate (22) and a first driving device, the powder bin (21) is fixedly arranged and has an upper opening, the powder pushing plate (22) is sleeved in the powder bin (21) and connected to the first driving device, and is used to push the powder in the powder bin (21) upward under the drive of the first driving device, the powder taking mechanism includes a second driving device and a roller (3 2), the roller (32) is arranged at the upper opening of the powder bin (21) and the roller (32) is densely provided with powder collecting hairs (321), the second driving device is connected to the roller (32) and is used to drive the roller (32) to rotate, the powder collecting box (4) is fixed above the powder bin (21) and the powder collecting box (4) is provided with comb teeth (41) corresponding to the powder collecting hairs (321), the air inlet pipe (5) and the powder outlet pipe (6) are both connected to the sealed box (1), and the air intake of the air inlet pipe (5) is used to send the powder scraped off by the comb teeth (41) out through the powder outlet pipe (6).

2. The powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cross-sections of the powder bin (21) and the powder pushing plate (22) are both rectangular, and the top of the powder pushing plate (22) is a semicircular groove structure.

3. The powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first driving device comprises a first motor (231), a lead screw (232), a lead screw nut (233) and a first coupling (234), wherein the first motor (231) is fixedly arranged, the lead screw (232) and the first motor (231) are connected via the first coupling (234), and the lead screw nut (233) is fixedly connected to the powder pushing plate (22) and is cooperatively connected to the lead screw (232).

4. The powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first motor (231) is fixedly connected to the powder bin (21) via a screw mounting plate (24).

5. The powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second driving device comprises a second motor (311) and a second coupling (312), and the second motor (311) is connected to the rotating shaft of the roller (32) via the second coupling (312).

6. The powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air outlet of the air inlet pipe (5) is located above the powder collecting box (4), and the air inlet of the powder outlet pipe (6) is connected to the side wall or the bottom of the powder collecting box (4).

7. The powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The powder bin (21), the powder pushing plate (22), the roller (32), the powder collecting box (4) and the powder outlet pipe (6) are all multiple and arranged in a one-to-one correspondence.

8. The powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing according to claim 7, characterized in that: The rotating shafts of the rollers (32) are fixedly connected in sequence and then connected to the second driving device, or there are multiple second driving devices and they are connected to the rollers (32) in a one-to-one correspondence.

9. The powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing according to claim 7, characterized in that: The powder pushing plate (22) is connected to the first driving device after being fixedly connected, or the first driving device is multiple and connected to the powder pushing plates (22) in a one-to-one correspondence.

10. A powder feeding method for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing, characterized in that: The powder feeding device for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is used, and the powder feeding method for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing comprises: Open the powder outlet pipe (6) and continuously blow compressed gas into the sealed box (1) through the air inlet pipe (5), wherein the compressed gas flows through the powder collecting box; The powder-pushing mechanism is used to push the powder (10) in the powder bin to continuously move upward, and the powder-taking mechanism is used to continuously transfer the powder in the powder bin (21) into the powder collecting box (4) through the cooperation of the powder collecting hairs (321) and the comb teeth (41), wherein the powder (10) transferred to the powder collecting box (4) is continuously discharged through the powder outlet pipe (6) along with the compressed air flow.

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