Dustproof device suitable for SLM metal 3D printing laser lens
By establishing a dust-proof device with airflow barrier under the SLM metal 3D printed laser lens, the problems of dust and smoke pollution are solved, and the service life and printing quality of the laser lens are improved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510100982.X
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-22
- Publication Date
- 2025-03-21
AI Technical Summary
During the SLM metal 3D printing process, laser lenses are easily contaminated by dust and smoke, resulting in reduced laser quality and printing defects.
A dust-proof device is designed to isolate dust and smoke by establishing an airflow barrier under the laser lens, and use an airflow wall formed by airflow guidance and convection holes to isolate dust and smoke to prevent it from approaching the laser lens.
It effectively improves the service life of laser lenses and avoids print quality defects caused by laser lens contamination.
Smart Images
Figure CN119657958A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of metal 3D printing, and in particular relates to a dust prevention device suitable for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses. Background Art
[0002] SLM metal 3D printing is a process of sintering metal powder layer by layer based on the energy generated by the laser. Usually, the printing cycle is a long process. In the process of metal sintering printing of metal 3D printing, in order to prevent the influence of oxygen on this process, the printing chamber is usually designed as a closed inert gas space. At the same time, a large amount of smoke and dust will be generated when the metal powder is sintered. The laser is usually set on the top of the printing chamber, and a hole is opened on the top of the printing chamber and sealed with laser-specific protective glass. The laser can perform sintering operations through this glass. The smoke and dust generated by sintering often float in the air and adhere to the protective glass. When the laser irradiates these attached dust, it will generate heat to burn spots on the glass, thereby affecting the quality of the laser and causing defects in printing. Summary of the invention
[0003] In response to the problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a dust prevention device suitable for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses. The present invention establishes an airflow barrier under the laser lens by guiding the airflow, effectively preventing dust and smoke from approaching the laser lens, thereby effectively improving the service life of the laser lens and avoiding printing quality defects caused by laser lens contamination.
[0004] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is: A dust prevention device suitable for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses, comprising: A dust cover, wherein a plurality of lens through holes are arranged on the dust cover, the laser lens is installed above the lens through holes, the lens through holes are vertically projected onto the plane where the laser lens is located in a shape of a ring, and a plurality of convection holes are arranged on the hole wall of the lens through holes; A plurality of guide channels are located inside the dust cover and are connected to an external air source, and flow channels are arranged along the peripheral side of the hole wall of the lens through hole to form the guide channels; The airflow enters the guide channel, and after the guide channel forms a circular uniform airflow, the airflow is ejected through the convection holes to form an airflow wall, so that the airflow establishes an airflow barrier under the laser lens, thereby isolating the dust and smoke in the printing process and preventing the dust and smoke from approaching the laser lens.
[0005] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the angle between the hole wall of the lens through hole and the plane where the laser lens is located is 70-80°.
[0006] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the center line of the convection hole is perpendicular to the hole wall of the lens through hole.
[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of convection plates parallel to the laser lens are arranged in the guide channel, the convection plates separate the guide channel into a plurality of guide spaces, and the convection holes are arranged in each of the guide spaces.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the dust cover is 40-60 mm.
[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dustproof device further comprises a plurality of air flow passages connected to an external air source, the air flow passages are arranged inside the dustproof cover, and the air flow passages and the guide channels form a "6" shape.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dust prevention device further comprises a shunt pipe, an inlet of the shunt pipe is connected to an external air source, and an outlet of the shunt pipe is connected to the air flow channel.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dust prevention device further comprises an air intake pipeline, an air intake end of the air intake pipeline is connected to an external air source, and an outlet of the air intake pipe is connected to the diverter pipe.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a 3A standard joint or a threaded pipe joint is provided at the air inlet end of the air inlet pipeline.
[0013] Due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the present invention has the following advantages and positive effects compared with the prior art: The dustproof device provided by the present invention comprises a dust cover, a plurality of lens through holes are arranged on the dust cover, and the laser lens is covered and installed on the lens through holes. The projection of the laser through hole of the present invention on the plane where the laser lens is located is a circular ring, so that the laser through hole is in the shape of a truncated cone (the shape of a cone without the tip of the top) in the thickness direction of the dust cover, a guide channel is arranged along the peripheral side of the hole wall of the laser through hole, and a plurality of convection holes are opened on the hole wall. After the airflow enters the guide channel, the guide channel forms a circular uniform airflow, and the airflow is ejected through the convection holes to form an airflow wall, so that the airflow establishes an airflow barrier under the laser lens, thereby isolating dust and smoke in the printing process and preventing dust and smoke from approaching the laser lens, thereby effectively improving the service life of the laser lens and avoiding printing quality defects caused by laser lens contamination. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Figure 1 It is an overall schematic diagram of the dust prevention device of the present invention applicable to SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses; Figure 2 A top view of the dust prevention device of the present invention applicable to SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses; Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view of the dust prevention device of the present invention applicable to SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Middle AA section; Figure 5 for Figure 4 The enlarged image of part B without the laser lens; Figure 6 This is a fluid simulation diagram of a dust prevention device suitable for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] Explanation of the reference numerals: 1. Intake pipe; 2. Diverter pipe; 3. Guide channel; 4. Hole wall; 5. Dust cover; 6. Laser lens; 7. Diverter plate; 8. Convection hole; 9. Lens through hole; 10. Air flow channel; 11. Guide space. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] During the SLM metal printing process, 50μm metal powder is evenly laid on the powder bed in a closed cabin. Multiple groups of lasers are installed on the top of the cabin, and the lasers sinter the metal powder on the powder bed through protective lenses. During the sintering process, a large amount of sintering smoke and particles will be generated. At the same time, a wind field will be established in the sealed cabin to blow away the smoke, which will also cause the smoke and powder to drift to the protective lens. During long-term work, dust and smoke will adhere to the lens. When the laser encounters the dust attached to the lens, sintering spots will be generated, which will affect the quality of the laser and cause printing defects.
[0017] In view of the above technical problems, the present invention designs a dust-proof device, in which a dust cover is arranged above the cabin, a laser through hole is arranged on the dust cover, a laser glass cover is installed above the laser through hole, a guide channel is arranged on the surrounding side of the laser through hole inside the dust cover, a convection hole is opened on the hole wall of the laser through hole, and gas is introduced into the guide channel. By setting the guide channel and the convection hole to guide the gas, an airflow barrier is established under the laser lens, which effectively prevents dust and smoke from approaching the laser lens, thereby solving the above technical problems.
[0018] The following is a further detailed description of a dust prevention device for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses proposed by the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The advantages and features of the present invention will become clearer according to the following description.
[0019] See also Figure 1-5 , a dustproof device suitable for SLM metal 3D printing laser lens, comprising: a dustproof cover 5 and a plurality of guide channels 3, The dust cover 5 is installed on the upper part of the printing chamber, and a plurality of lens through holes 9 are arranged on the dust cover 5. The laser lens 6 is installed above the lens through hole 9 and covers the lens through hole 9. The lens through hole 9 is vertically projected on the plane where the laser lens 6 is located in a shape of a circular ring, and a plurality of convection holes 8 are arranged on the hole wall 4 of the lens through hole 9; The guide channel 3 is located inside the dust cover 5, and the guide channel 3 is connected to the external air source. A flow channel is arranged along the peripheral side of the hole wall 4 of each lens through hole 9 to form a circular guide channel 3; The projection of the laser through hole of this embodiment on the plane where the laser lens 6 is located is a circular ring, so that the laser through hole is a truncated cone shape in the thickness direction of the dust cover 5. Preferably, the aperture close to the laser lens 6 is smaller than the aperture away from the plane where the laser lens 6 is located. A guide channel 3 is arranged along the peripheral side of the hole wall 4 of the laser through hole, and a plurality of convection holes 8 are opened on the hole wall 4. After the airflow enters the guide channel 3, the guide channel 3 forms the airflow into a circular uniform airflow, and the airflow is ejected through the convection holes 8 to form a downward pressure airflow in the central area of the lens through hole 9. The airflow converges and collides at the center of the circle to form a downward airflow wall; because the laser lens 6 covers the lens through hole 9, the airflow establishes an airflow barrier below the laser lens 6, thereby isolating a large amount of dust and smoke during the printing process, preventing dust and smoke from approaching the laser lens 6, thereby effectively improving the service life of the laser lens 6 and avoiding printing quality defects caused by contamination of the laser lens 6.
[0020] Further preferably, the angle between the hole wall 4 of the lens through hole 9 and the plane where the laser lens 6 is located is 70-80°, so that the airflow is guided downward more accurately, forming a downward pressure airflow toward the central area of the lens through hole 9.
[0021] Furthermore, the center line of the convection hole 8 is perpendicular to the hole wall 4 of the lens through hole 9, so that the guide airflow is sprayed obliquely, thereby controlling the airflow trend after the collision to deviate from the direction of the laser lens 6, thereby blocking and pressing the dust downward, and at the same time controlling the dust in other wind field areas in the cabin, thereby taking the dust out of the cabin.
[0022] In some embodiments, a plurality of convection plates parallel to the laser lens 6 are arranged in the guide channel 3. The convection plates separate the guide channel 3 into a plurality of layers of guide spaces 11. Convection holes 8 are arranged in each guide space 11. After the airflow enters the guide channel 3, due to the arrangement of the convection plates, the diverter plate 7 layers the airflow, thereby ensuring that the gas flow in each layer of the guide space 11 is relatively uniform. Preferably, the convection holes 8 in each layer of the guide space 11 are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction.
[0023] In some embodiments, the dust cover 5 has a thickness of 40-60 mm.
[0024] In some embodiments, the dustproof device also includes multiple air flow channels 10 connected to the external air source. The air flow channels 10 are arranged inside the dust cover 5. The air flow channels 10 and the guide channels 3 form a "6" shape. The "6" shape design can form the airflow into a vortex, so that the airflow can flow evenly into each guide space 11.
[0025] Furthermore, the dustproof device further comprises a shunt pipe 2, the inlet of the shunt pipe 2 is connected to the external air source, the outlet of the shunt pipe 2 is connected to the air channel 10, and the airflow is evenly distributed through the shunt pipe 2 to ensure the uniform airflow of each air channel 10. The shunt pipe 2 is preferably made of stainless steel and welded to both ends of the dust cover 5, and has good air tightness.
[0026] Furthermore, the dust prevention device also includes an air intake pipeline 1, the air intake end of the air intake pipeline 1 is connected to an external air source, the outlet of the air intake pipeline 1 is connected to the diverter pipe 2, and the air intake pipeline 1 is in the form of a corrugated hose, and the interface is flexible and can be connected to a variety of air source pipelines. Furthermore, the air intake end of the air intake pipeline 1 is provided with a 3A standard joint or a threaded pipe joint for easy connection with the air source.
[0027] The working principle of the dustproof device of this embodiment is: The dust-proof device is installed above the printing chamber, and the laser lens 6 protects the laser element. The airflow is evenly distributed to each airflow channel 10 through the shunt pipe 2, and then enters each circular guide channel 3. The airflow forms a vortex and flows evenly into each guide space 11. The airflow in each guide space 11 forms a circular uniform airflow along the hole wall 4 of the lens through hole 9. The airflow ejected from the convection hole 8 is sprayed in an oblique line to form a downward pressure airflow in the middle area of the laser lens 6. The airflow converges and collides at the center of the circle to form a downward airflow wall, and a thicker gas barrier is formed under the laser lens 6 to isolate a large amount of dust and smoke raised in the printing chamber.
[0028] Fluid analysis software is used for simulation, a finite element model is established, and a certain amount of wind speed and airflow is applied in the pipeline. The airflow simulation trend is as follows: Figure 6 As shown, the airflow forms a uniform wind field under the action of the airflow channel 10, the guide channel 3, the splitter plate 7 and the convection hole 8, and forms an airflow wall under the lens.
[0029] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Even if various changes are made to the present invention, if these changes fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, they still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A dust prevention device suitable for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses, characterized in that: include: A dust cover, wherein a plurality of lens through holes are arranged on the dust cover, the laser lens is installed above the lens through holes, the lens through holes are vertically projected onto the plane where the laser lens is located in a shape of a circular ring, and a plurality of convection holes are arranged on the hole wall of the lens through holes; A plurality of guide channels are located inside the dust cover and communicated with an external air source, and flow channels are arranged along the peripheral side of the hole wall of the lens through hole to form the guide channels; The airflow enters the guide channel, and after the guide channel forms a circular uniform airflow, the airflow is ejected through the convection holes to form an airflow wall.
2. The dust-proof device for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses according to claim 1, characterized in that: The angle between the hole wall of the lens through hole and the plane where the laser lens is located is 70-80°.
3. The dust-proof device for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses according to claim 2, characterized in that: The center line of the convection hole is perpendicular to the hole wall of the lens through hole.
4. The dustproof device for SLM metal 3D printing laser lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of convection plates parallel to the laser lens are arranged in the guide channel, and the convection plates separate the guide channel into a plurality of guide spaces, and the convection holes are arranged in each of the guide spaces.
5. The dust-proof device for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the dust cover is 40-60 mm.
6. The dustproof device for SLM metal 3D printing laser lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dustproof device also includes a plurality of air flow channels connected to an external air source, the air flow channels are arranged inside the dustproof cover, and the air flow channels and the guide channels form a "6" shape.
7. The dust-proof device for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses according to claim 6, characterized in that: The dustproof device further comprises a shunt pipe, an inlet of the shunt pipe is communicated with an external air source, and an outlet of the shunt pipe is communicated with the air flow channel.
8. The dust-proof device for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses according to claim 7, characterized in that: The dustproof device also includes an air intake pipeline, an air intake end of the air intake pipeline is connected to an external air source, and an outlet of the air intake pipe is connected to the diverter pipe.
9. The dust-proof device for SLM metal 3D printing laser lenses according to claim 8, characterized in that: The air inlet end of the air inlet pipeline is provided with a 3A standard joint or a threaded pipe joint.