Five-axis printer capable of supplying ink circularly

Abstract

The invention relates to a circulating ink supply five-axis printer which comprises a circulating ink supply system, a five-axis moving platform and a printing nozzle, the printing nozzle is arranged on the five-axis moving platform, and the circulating ink supply system is connected with the printing nozzle through a hose; the five-axis moving platform is used in cooperation with the circulating ink supply system, and accurate printing of the base material is achieved. The circulating printing spray head carried on the five shafts can efficiently complete a large-area printing task, a more complex printing path can be achieved, the circulating ink supply system can continuously supply ink, it is ensured that the spray head always has sufficient ink supply in the long-time printing process, and the printing efficiency is improved. And printing interruption caused by insufficient ink is effectively avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of printers, in particular to a five-axis printer with circulating ink supply. Background Art

[0002] The circulating ink supply system is an efficient and precise large-scale printing technology. Through a stable and continuous ink supply mechanism, it can meet industrial-level printing needs and has broad application prospects in packaging, ceramic wallpaper, automobiles, aerospace and other fields. The circulating ink supply system can effectively recycle unused ink, reduce costs and improve production efficiency; maintain a constant ink supply pressure, detect the ink supply in real time, and improve printing quality; support a variety of inks to meet the needs of different industries. It is suitable for long-term printing, will not cause nozzle clogging, and reduce maintenance costs.

[0003] The continuous reform and innovation of 3D printing technology has promoted the continuous development of the manufacturing and design fields. Among printing equipment, five-axis printing technology can achieve high-precision printing of complex shapes during the printing process due to its unique spatial movement ability. Compared with traditional three-axis printers, five-axis printers can move freely in more directions, greatly expanding their application range. However, the syringe-type nozzles commonly used in current five-axis systems limit their application in covering large surfaces, and existing nozzle technology often cannot meet the needs of efficient and high-quality printing.

[0004] The existing five-axis printing technology is mainly equipped with a syringe-type printing device. In terms of materials, the syringe-type printing device will cause more material waste during the printing process. The syringe-type print head is prone to clogging the nozzle when printing for a long time. In terms of printing effect, the syringe-type printing cannot continuously supply materials, and it will take longer to print a large area. In addition, the syringe-type printing device will cause uneven printing, resulting in lines or spots on the printed surface, affecting the printing effect. Summary of the invention

[0005] To this end, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a five-axis printer with circulating ink supply. The circulating printing nozzles carried on the five axes can efficiently complete large-area printing tasks and can achieve more complex printing paths. The circulating ink supply system can continuously supply ink to ensure that during long-term printing, the nozzles always have sufficient ink supply, effectively avoiding printing interruptions due to insufficient ink.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a circulating ink supply five-axis printer, comprising: a circulating ink supply system, a five-axis mobile platform and a print nozzle, the five-axis mobile platform is provided with a print nozzle, the circulating ink supply system is connected to the print nozzle through a hose; the five-axis mobile platform is used in conjunction with the circulating ink supply system to achieve accurate printing of a substrate, wherein the circulating ink supply system comprises a box body, one side of the box body is provided with a first ink supply port and a first ink return port, and the other side is provided with a second ink supply port and a second ink return port; an ink supply pump, an ink supply damper, an ink return damper and an ink return pump are provided in the box body, the ink supply pump extracts ink from an external ink container through the second ink supply port, and the ink is sequentially transported to the print nozzle through the ink supply damper and the first ink supply port under the action of the ink supply pump; the ink return pump is used to recover the ink at the ink return end of the print nozzle to the external ink container; under the action of the ink return pump, the ink at the ink return end of the print nozzle sequentially passes through the first ink return port, the ink return damper and the second ink return port to return to the external ink container to form a cycle.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the ink supply pump is further provided with a shock absorber for reducing vibration of the ink supply pump and lowering noise.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, an air release solenoid valve is further provided inside the box body for delivering air into the ink pipeline to drain the liquid in the ink pipeline.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, an ink leakage protection port is also provided at the bottom of the box.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the five-axis mobile platform includes a base, a frame, an X-axis linear module, a Y-axis linear module, a Z-axis linear module, a tilt axis motor module, a rotating axis motor module and a printing platform, the frame is vertically arranged on the base, the X-axis linear module is arranged on the frame; the Z-axis linear module is arranged on the X-axis linear module; the print head is arranged on the Z-axis linear module; the Y-axis linear module is arranged on the base and is located below the print head; the tilt axis motor module is arranged on the Y-axis linear module, the rotating axis motor module is arranged on the tilt axis motor module, and the printing platform is connected to the rotating axis motor module.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, a nozzle controller is disposed on the frame, and the nozzle controller is connected to the printing nozzle and is used to control the opening or closing of the printing nozzle and flow control.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, a pressure sensor is provided on the hose near the print head for monitoring the pressure of the ink delivered to the print head.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the tilt axis motor module includes a first bracket, a first servo motor and a first rotating axis, the first bracket is slidably arranged on the Y-axis linear module, the first servo motor is arranged on the first bracket, and the motor shaft of the first servo motor is connected to the rotating axis motor module through the first rotating axis.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the rotating axis motor module includes a second bracket, a second servo motor and a second rotating axis, the second bracket is connected to the first rotating axis, the second servo motor is arranged on the second bracket, the motor shaft of the second servo motor is connected to the printing platform through the second rotating axis, and encoders are provided on the motor shafts of the first servo motor and the second servo motor.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of adsorption holes for adsorbing the substrate to be printed are provided on the surface of the printing platform, and a cavity is provided inside the printing platform, and the cavity is connected to an air pump through a pipeline.

[0016] The above technical solution of the present invention has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art: The present invention discloses a five-axis printer with circulating ink supply, which utilizes a circulating ink supply system mounted on a five-axis mobile platform, so that the print head can efficiently complete large-area printing tasks, can realize more complex printing paths, and can adapt to more printing materials; and the circulating ink supply system can continuously supply ink without interruption, ensuring that during a long printing process, the print head always has sufficient ink supply, effectively avoiding printing interruptions caused by insufficient ink.

[0017] In order to make the content of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below according to specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a circulating ink supply printer in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the circulating ink supply system in the present invention; Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the five-axis moving platform and the printing nozzle in the present invention; Figure 4 for Figure 3 The structural diagram of the Y-axis linear module, the tilt axis motor module, and the rotation axis motor module in the five-axis mobile platform shown; Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the circulating ink supply system in the present invention; Explanation of the reference numerals in the drawings in the specification: 1. Circulating ink supply system; 11. Housing; 12. First ink supply port; 13. First ink return port; 14. Second ink supply port; 15. Second ink return port; 16. Ink supply pump; 17. Ink supply damper; 18. Ink return damper; 19. Ink return pump; 110. Ink leakage protection port; 111. Air release solenoid valve; 2. Five-axis mobile platform; 21. Base; 22. Frame; 23. X-axis linear module; 24. Y-axis linear module; 25. Z-axis linear module; 26. Tilt axis motor module; 27. Rotate axis motor module; 28. Printing platform; 3. Print nozzle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments so that those skilled in the art can better understand the present invention and implement it, but the embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0019] Reference Figure 1 As shown, a circulating ink supply five-axis printer described in the present invention comprises: a circulating ink supply system 1, a five-axis mobile platform 2 and a print head 3, wherein the five-axis mobile platform 2 is provided with a print head 3, and the print head 3 is provided with a plurality of nozzles; the circulating ink supply system 1 is connected to the print head 3 through a hose; the five-axis mobile platform 2 is used in conjunction with the circulating ink supply system 1 to achieve accurate printing of the substrate. Through the cooperation between the five-axis mobile platform 2 and the circulating ink supply system 1, accurate printing of the substrate is achieved, and printing efficiency and accuracy are improved. The circulating ink supply system 1 can continuously supply ink without interruption, ensuring that the print head 3 always has sufficient ink supply during long-term printing, avoiding printing interruption.

[0020] like Figure 2 and 3 As shown, the five-axis mobile platform 2 includes a base 21, a frame 22, an X-axis linear module 23, a Y-axis linear module 24, a Z-axis linear module 25, a tilt axis motor module 26, a rotation axis motor module 27 and a printing platform 28, wherein the frame 22 is vertically arranged on the base 21, the X-axis linear module 23 is arranged on the frame 22; the Z-axis linear module 25 is arranged on the X-axis linear module 23; the print head 3 is arranged on the Z-axis linear module 25; the Y-axis linear module 24 is arranged on the base 21 and is located below the print head 3; the tilt axis motor module 26 is arranged on the Y-axis linear module 24, the rotation axis motor module 27 is arranged on the tilt axis motor module 26, and the printing platform 28 is connected to the rotation axis motor module 27.

[0021] The frame 22 is provided with a nozzle controller 29, which is connected to the print nozzle 3 and is used to control the opening or closing and flow control of the print nozzle 3. The setting of the nozzle controller 29 enables the opening or closing and flow control of the print nozzle 3 to be accurately controlled, thereby improving printing quality and efficiency.

[0022] A pressure sensor is provided on the hose near the print head 3 to monitor the pressure of the ink delivered to the print head 3. The pressure sensor can observe the flow rate of the ink in the pipeline and the change of the negative pressure at the print head 3 in real time, and adjust the relevant values ​​in time according to the observation to ensure the stability of the pressure during the whole process of ink delivery, further enhance the continuity of ink jetting, and reduce printing defects caused by pressure problems. In this embodiment, the pressure sensor is installed inside the ink tube above the print head 3.

[0023] like Figure 4 As shown, the tilt axis motor module 26 includes a first bracket, a first servo motor and a first rotating axis. The first bracket is slidably arranged on the Y axis linear module 24, the first servo motor is arranged on the first bracket, and the motor shaft of the first servo motor is connected to the rotating axis motor module through the first rotating axis. The first bracket can slide along the Y axis linear module 24 to adjust the position of the printing platform 28 in the Y direction. When the printing platform 28 moves to the specified position, the first servo motor is responsible for driving the first rotating axis to rotate, thereby driving the rotating axis motor module and the printing platform 28 to rotate, ensuring that the printing platform 28 can be tilted at a predetermined angle. This design allows the print head to make precise angle adjustments according to printing requirements to adapt to different printing tasks and substrate surfaces. In addition, an encoder is provided on the motor shaft of the first servo motor, which is used to provide real-time feedback of the motor's rotation position and speed information to ensure the accuracy and repeatability of the tilt movement.

[0024] The rotating shaft motor module 27 includes a second bracket, a second servo motor and a second rotating shaft. The second bracket is connected to the first rotating shaft, the second servo motor is arranged on the second bracket, the motor shaft of the second servo motor is connected to the printing platform 28 through the second rotating shaft, and an encoder is arranged on the motor shaft of the second servo motor. The second bracket is driven by the first rotating shaft to achieve angle tilting; the second rotating shaft is driven by the second servo motor to rotate, thereby driving the printing platform 28 to rotate around the second rotating shaft. This design allows the printing platform to make precise angle adjustments according to printing requirements to adapt to different printing requirements and improve the flexibility and accuracy of printing. This design enables the printing platform 28 to be accurately positioned and moved in multiple dimensions, thereby achieving high-precision three-dimensional printing. The encoder is designed to provide real-time feedback on the rotation position and speed information of the second servo motor to ensure the accuracy and repeatability of the rotation movement.

[0025] The surface of the printing platform 28 is provided with a plurality of adsorption holes for adsorbing the substrate to be printed, and a cavity is provided inside the printing platform 28, and the cavity is connected to the air pump through a pipeline. The design of the adsorption holes and the cavity on the surface of the printing platform 28 enables the substrate to be adsorbed, and the adsorption strength is controlled by the air pump to improve the stability and accuracy of printing.

[0026] like Figure 5 As shown, the circulating ink supply system 1 includes a box body 11, one side of which is provided with a first ink supply port 12 and a first ink return port 13, and the other side is provided with a second ink supply port 14 and a second ink return port 15; the box body 11 is provided with an ink supply pump 16, an ink supply damper 17, an ink return damper 18 and an ink return pump 19, the ink supply pump 16 extracts ink from the external ink container through the second ink supply port 14, and the ink is transported to the print head 3 through the ink supply damper 17 and the first ink supply port 12 in sequence under the action of the ink supply pump 16; the ink return pump 19 is used to recover the ink at the ink return end of the print head 3 to the external ink container; under the action of the ink return pump 19, the ink at the ink return end of the print head 3 is returned to the external ink container through the first ink return port 13, the ink return damper 18 and the second ink return port 15 in sequence to form a circulation; the ink supply damper 17 and the ink return damper 18 are used to control the speed of ink flow and reduce pulsation during the liquid flow process.

[0027] The ink enters the pipeline from the external ink container through the ink supply pump 16, flows through the ink supply damper 17 and the pressure sensor through the ink supply pipeline, and finally flows to the print head 3. The ink supply damper 17 is used to control the speed of ink flow, reduce the pulsation during the liquid flow process, and improve the stability of ink supply. After confirming that the values ​​in the circulating ink supply system are stable, the subsequent printing operation is carried out. The flow of ink inside the print head 3 will form a negative pressure at the nozzle, which helps to enhance the fluidity of the ink and ensure that the print head can continuously absorb and push ink.

[0028] The ink supply pump 16 is also provided with a shock absorber to reduce the vibration and noise of the ink supply pump 16. The shock absorber effectively reduces the vibration and noise of the ink supply pump 16, improves the working environment, and prolongs the service life of the equipment.

[0029] The box 11 is also provided with an air release solenoid valve 111 for delivering air into the ink pipeline to drain the liquid in the ink pipeline. The air release solenoid valve 11 is opened when the pipeline needs to be drained, and air is introduced into the pipeline to push the ink out, thereby achieving rapid draining and facilitating subsequent cleaning or maintenance work. The use of the air release solenoid valve 11 enables the system to respond quickly when the liquid in the pipeline needs to be drained, facilitates cleaning and maintenance, and improves the convenience and safety of the system.

[0030] The bottom of the box 11 is also provided with an ink leakage protection port 110. The ink leakage protection port 110 is designed to discharge ink quickly when it leaks, prevent the ink from damaging the device, and protect the device safety. When ink leakage is detected, the ink leakage protection port is quickly opened to discharge the leaked ink out of the system to prevent ink accumulation from damaging the device.

[0031] It also includes a control system for controlling the circulating ink supply system 1, the five-axis moving platform 2 and the printing nozzle 3.

[0032] Based on the above structure, the circulating ink supply printer takes printing of battery shell as an example, and its working process is as follows: Before printing, confirm that the ink viscosity is between 10-29cps at room temperature, connect the circulating ink supply system 1 to the print head 3 with a hose, set the positive and negative pressure difference to 100 on the control system of the circulating ink supply system 1, the meniscus at the print head to -25, and set the printing temperature to 25°C. Start the circulating ink supply system 1 through the switch button on the control panel. The ink enters the pipeline from the external ink container, flows through the ink supply pipe through the ink supply damper 17 and the pressure sensor, and finally flows to the print head 3. The ink supply damper 17 is used to control the speed of ink flow, reduce the pulsation during the liquid flow process, and improve the stability of ink supply. The ink begins to circulate in the circulating ink supply system 1, and the real-time positive and negative pressure data trend chart can be seen according to the trend chart in the control system software. Different pressure differences and negative pressures of the meniscus can be set according to the different viscosities of the ink to achieve stable circulating ink supply. After each value reaches the set value and stabilizes, subsequent printing operations can be performed.

[0033] Start the printing program, and the circulating ink supply system 1 will automatically supply ink according to the settings. Import the required BMP format graphics into the printing software, set the encoder and print start trigger signal to external trigger in the settings, and print the test to verify the feasibility. Place a 5*5*5cm battery shell on the printing platform 28, and use the adsorption function of the printing platform 28 to adsorb the cube on the platform surface.

[0034] Start the camera mode in the printing software, and move the print head 3 to the top of the battery shell through the X, Y, and Z axis linear motor modules until the lens in the software interface can clearly show the upper left corner of the battery shell. Start the calibration program in the software, and the system automatically aligns the print head 3 with the upper left corner of the battery shell. Click to confirm the calibration, view the calibration results in the software interface and save the relevant parameters. After the calibration is completed, start adjusting the printing path. According to the cross calibration that appears in the software, move the Y-axis linear module 24, and the printing track can cover the first surface. Move the tilt axis motor module 26 and the Y-axis linear module 24, and the printing track can cover the second surface. Similarly, after the remaining three surfaces are covered by manual calibration, the software will save the printing track based on the feedback of the camera. Before formal printing, you can pre-print to test whether the printing height, printing speed, and printing track deviate from the set value. If there is no deviation, you can start printing.

[0035] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation methods. For those skilled in the art, other different forms of changes or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is not necessary and impossible to list all the implementation methods here. The obvious changes or modifications derived from these are still within the protection scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A five-axis printer with circulating ink supply, characterized in that: include: A circulating ink supply system, a five-axis mobile platform and a printing nozzle, wherein the five-axis mobile platform is provided with a printing nozzle, and the circulating ink supply system is connected to the printing nozzle through a hose; the five-axis mobile platform and the circulating ink supply system are used in conjunction to achieve accurate printing of the substrate, In which, the circulating ink supply system includes a box body, one side of the box body is provided with a first ink supply port and a first ink return port, and the other side is provided with a second ink supply port and a second ink return port; the box body is provided with an ink supply pump, an ink supply damper, an ink return damper and an ink return pump, the ink supply pump draws ink from an external ink container through the second ink supply port, and the ink is transported to the print head through the ink supply damper and the first ink supply port in sequence under the action of the ink supply pump; the ink return pump is used to recover the ink at the ink return end of the print head to the external ink container; under the action of the ink return pump, the ink at the ink return end of the print head is returned to the external ink container through the first ink return port, the ink return damper and the second ink return port in sequence to form a circulation.

2. A five-axis printer with circulating ink supply according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ink supply pump is also provided with a shock absorber for reducing the vibration of the ink supply pump and lowering the noise.

3. The circulating ink supply system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The box body is also provided with an air release solenoid valve for conveying air into the ink pipeline to drain the liquid in the ink pipeline.

4. A circulating ink supply system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The bottom of the box body is also provided with an ink leakage protection port.

5. The five-axis printer with circulating ink supply according to claim 1, characterized in that: The five-axis mobile platform includes a base, a frame, an X-axis linear module, a Y-axis linear module, a Z-axis linear module, a tilt axis motor module, a rotation axis motor module and a printing platform. The frame is vertically arranged on the base, the X-axis linear module is arranged on the frame; the Z-axis linear module is arranged on the X-axis linear module; The print head is arranged on the Z-axis linear module; the Y-axis linear module is arranged on the base and is located below the print head; the tilt axis motor module is arranged on the Y-axis linear module, the rotating axis motor module is arranged on the tilt axis motor module, and the printing platform is connected to the rotating axis motor module.

6. A five-axis printer with circulating ink supply according to claim 5, characterized in that: The frame is provided with a nozzle controller, which is connected to the printing nozzle and is used to control the opening or closing of the printing nozzle and flow control.

7. A five-axis printer with circulating ink supply according to claim 6, characterized in that: A pressure sensor is provided on the hose near the print head for monitoring the pressure of the ink delivered to the print head.

8. A five-axis printer with circulating ink supply according to claim 7, characterized in that: The tilt axis motor module includes a first bracket, a first servo motor and a first rotating shaft. The first bracket is slidably arranged on the Y-axis linear module. The first servo motor is arranged on the first bracket. The motor shaft of the first servo motor is connected to the rotating axis motor module through the first rotating shaft.

9. A five-axis printer with circulating ink supply according to claim 8, characterized in that: The rotating axis motor module includes a second bracket, a second servo motor and a second rotating axis. The second bracket is connected to the first rotating axis. The second servo motor is arranged on the second bracket. The motor shaft of the second servo motor is connected to the printing platform through the second rotating axis. Encoders are provided on the motor shafts of the first servo motor and the second servo motor.

10. The five-axis printer with circulating ink supply according to claim 9, characterized in that: The surface of the printing platform is provided with a plurality of adsorption holes for adsorbing the substrate to be printed, and a cavity is provided inside the printing platform, and the cavity is connected with an air pump through a pipeline.

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