3D printing equipment and 3D printing method

Abstract

The present invention provides a 3D printing device and a 3D printing method, wherein the 3D printing device includes multiple silos, multiple feed screws, a mixing silo, a mixing screw, a heating block, a printing nozzle, a controller, and a wire conveying assembly; the mixing screw is arranged in the mixing silo, and is used to mix and stir multiple elemental banbury materials to form a mixed banbury material, and output the mixed banbury material from a discharge port; the heating block is connected to the discharge port, and is used to melt the mixed banbury material to form a molten fluid material; the printing nozzle is connected to the heating block; the controller is electrically connected to the multiple feed screws, and is used to control the rotation speed of the multiple feed screws to regulate the output ratio of the multiple elemental banbury materials along the printing direction; the wire conveying assembly is connected to the printing nozzle, and the wire conveying assembly is used to convey a specific wire material, which can react with the molten fluid material to generate a structural reinforcement material. The present invention can realize the customization of 3D printing components of any composition by selecting different types of elemental banbury material combinations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of 3D printing, and more particularly to a 3D printing device and a 3D printing method. Background Art

[0002] 3D printing is an advanced additive manufacturing technology capable of producing high-strength and high-rigidity composite components. It is widely used in aerospace, automotive, sporting goods, medical devices, and industrial manufacturing. In aerospace, it is widely used to manufacture lightweight, high-strength structural components, such as drone wings and fuselages. In automotive manufacturing, it is used to manufacture automotive parts, such as body structures and seat frames, to reduce weight and improve fuel efficiency.

[0003] Current 3D printing methods have the disadvantage of low strength of printed structures and cannot meet the printing requirements of structures with specific design forms. Summary of the Invention

[0004] (1) Technical issues to be resolved

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is that the current 3D printing method has a limited variety of printing materials, making it difficult to prepare fiber-reinforced metal or ceramic composite components, the bonding strength between the printed green layers is low, and it cannot meet the printing requirements of structures with specific design forms.

[0006] (2) Technical solution

[0007] To achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0008] In the first aspect, the present invention provides a 3D printing device, comprising multiple silos, multiple feeding screws, a mixing silo, a mixing screw, a heating block, a print nozzle, a controller and a wire conveying assembly; the multiple silos are respectively used to store multiple single element mixed materials; the multiple feeding screws are respectively connected to the outlets of the multiple silos one by one; the feed port of the mixing silo is connected to the multiple feeding screws, and the mixing silo has a discharge port; the mixing screw is arranged in the mixing silo, and is used to mix and stir multiple single element mixed materials to form a mixed mixed material, and output the mixed mixed material from the discharge port; the heating block is connected to the discharge port, and is used to melt the mixed mixed material to form a molten fluid material; the print nozzle is connected to the heating block; the controller is electrically connected to the multiple feeding screws, and is used to control the rotation speed of the multiple feeding screws, so as to regulate the output ratio of multiple single element mixed materials along the printing direction; the wire conveying assembly is connected to the print nozzle, and the wire conveying assembly is used to convey specific wire, and the specific wire can react with the molten fluid material to generate a structural reinforcement material.

[0009] Preferably, there are four silos, the first silo is used to store titanium element densely mixed material, the second silo is used to store aluminum element densely mixed material, the third silo is used to store vanadium element densely mixed material, and the fourth silo is used to store silicon element densely mixed material, and the specific wire material is carbon fiber.

[0010] Preferably, the specific filament comprises a core layer and a polymer material layer wrapped around the core layer.

[0011] Preferably, the core layer includes carbon fiber filaments and polymer material filaments, and the carbon fiber filaments and the polymer material filaments are twisted to form the core layer.

[0012] Preferably, an ultrasonic oscillator is further included, and the ultrasonic oscillator is connected to the heating block.

[0013] Preferably, a cutting assembly is further included, and the cutting assembly is arranged between the wire feeding assembly and the printing nozzle.

[0014] Preferably, it further comprises a moving drive component, wherein the moving drive component is connected to the printing nozzle, and the moving drive component is used to drive the printing nozzle to move along a preset printing trajectory.

[0015] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a 3D printing method, which uses the 3D printing device described in any one of the above technical solutions to perform printing, comprising the following steps:

[0016] Determine the specific composition of multiple elemental mixed materials based on the design materials of the printed components;

[0017] preparing a plurality of single element banbury materials, wherein the single element banbury materials are obtained by banburying and granulating single element powders and multi-component polymers;

[0018] Fill multiple silos with multiple elemental mixing materials in a one-to-one correspondence;

[0019] Start the feeding screw, which conveys the corresponding elemental mixed material to the mixing bin. The controller controls the speed of multiple feeding screws to adjust the ratio of each element.

[0020] Starting the mixing screw to mix and stir the multiple elemental banbury materials to form a mixed banbury material, and outputting the mixed banbury material from the discharge port;

[0021] The heating block melts the mixed material to form a molten fluid material, and the molten fluid material flows out from the printing nozzle;

[0022] The wire feeding assembly feeds specific wires;

[0023] The printing nozzle moves along a preset printing track, and the specific filament combines with the molten fluid material on the preset printing track to obtain a three-dimensional structure green body;

[0024] Degreasing the three-dimensional structure green body to obtain a brown body;

[0025] The brown blank is sintered to obtain a densified component after sintering, wherein during the sintering process, the specific wire reacts with the blank formed by the molten fluid material to generate a structural reinforcement material.

[0026] Preferably, the plurality of single element internal mixing materials include a first single element internal mixing material and a second single element internal mixing material, and the single element contained in the first single element internal mixing material is different from the single element contained in the second single element internal mixing material;

[0027] The starting feeding screw conveys the corresponding single element mixed material to the mixing bin, and the controller controls the rotation speed of multiple feeding screws accordingly to adjust the ratio of each single element, including the following steps: initially setting the output ratio of the first single element mixed material to 100%, and in the process of the printing nozzle moving along the preset printing trajectory, gradually reducing the ratio of the first single element mixed material and gradually increasing the ratio of the second single element mixed material along the direction of the preset printing trajectory, and finally making the output ratio of the second single element mixed material 100%.

[0028] Preferably, the plurality of single element internal mixing materials include a main single element internal mixing material and a plurality of auxiliary single element internal mixing materials, wherein the main single element internal mixing material has a main single element, and the plurality of auxiliary single element internal mixing materials have corresponding auxiliary single elements;

[0029] The feeding screw is started to transport the corresponding elemental mixed material to the mixing bin, and the controller controls the speed of the multiple feeding screws to adjust the ratio of each element, including the following steps:

[0030] During the movement of the printing nozzle along the preset printing track, the ratio between the single element mixed material and the multiple auxiliary single element mixed materials is regulated along the preset printing direction to form a component whose strength gradually changes along the preset printing track.

[0031] (3) Beneficial effects

[0032] The above technical solution of the present invention has at least the following advantages:

[0033] 1. The present invention provides a 3D printing device having multiple silos, each of which is used to store a corresponding variety of single element dendritic materials. The corresponding single element dendritic materials are then output through corresponding feeding screws. Finally, the multiple single element dendritic materials are mixed in a mixing silo to form a mixed dendritic material. The mixed dendritic material is heated and melted by a heating block to form a molten fluid material. Finally, the molten fluid material flows out of the printing nozzle along a preset printing trajectory. By stacking the molten fluid materials, a 3D printed component is finally formed. By selecting different types of single element dendritic material combinations, customization of 3D printed components of any composition can be achieved.

[0034] 2. In the present invention, the molten fluid material flows out from the printing nozzle, and the specific filament is output from the filament delivery assembly to the printing nozzle. The molten fluid material and the specific filament are combined along a preset printing trajectory. After the molten fluid material forms a blank of the 3D printed structure, the specific filament can serve as a skeleton to enhance the strength and toughness of the blank.

[0035] 3. In the present invention, the controller is used to control the rotation speed of the plurality of feed screws to regulate the output ratio of the plurality of single element mixed materials along the printing direction, thereby achieving the regulation of the final composition of the blank and preparing a 3D printed component with a gradual strength change along the printing direction.

[0036] 4. In the present invention, the multiple elemental densified materials include silicon densified materials, and the specific wire material is carbon fiber. During the sintering process, the carbon fiber reacts with the blank formed by the molten fluid material (silicon element in the silicon densified material) to generate a structural reinforcement material (silicon carbide); the silicon element reacts with the carbon fiber at the circumferential surface of the carbon fiber to generate silicon carbide material. Silicon carbide enables the carbon fiber to be chemically bonded to the blank part of the densified component, thereby improving the bonding strength of the carbon fiber interface, and further improving the integrity and strength of the densified component.

[0037] 5. In the present invention, the specific filament includes a core layer and a polymer material layer wrapped around the core layer. The core layer includes carbon fiber filaments and polymer material filaments. The carbon fiber filaments and the polymer material filaments are twisted to form the core layer. The polymer material layer wrapped around the core layer can improve the wettability of the specific filament, facilitate the stable output of the specific filament during the 3D printing process, and improve the bonding effect between the specific filament and the molten fluid material. The twisted core layer retains a certain pre-tension, so that the carbon fiber has a certain internal prestress, and thus the carbon fiber implanted in the 3D printed component has a certain internal prestress, so as to improve the bonding effect between the carbon fiber and the molten fluid material, while improving the tensile properties and strength of the final 3D printed component.

[0038] 6. In the present invention, the plurality of single elemental banburying materials include a first single elemental banburying material and a second single elemental banburying material, wherein the single elements contained in the first single elemental banburying material are different from the single elements contained in the second single elemental banburying material; during the 3D printing process, the output ratio of the first single elemental banburying material is initially set to 100%, and as the printing nozzle moves along a preset printing trajectory, the ratio of the first single elemental banburying material is gradually reduced and the ratio of the second single elemental banburying material is gradually increased along the preset printing trajectory, ultimately making the output ratio of the second single elemental banburying material 100%. In order to realize the 3D printed component formed by connecting dissimilar materials, compared with conventional dissimilar material welding technology, the dissimilar material connection area achieved by the present invention has better mechanical properties and fewer internal structural defects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0040] Figure 1 3D printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 2 3D printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 3 3D printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a specific wire material provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the core layer provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] The reference numerals in the figures are:

[0046] 10. 3D printing equipment; 20. Rack; 30. Platform; 1. Material silo; 2. Feed screw; 3. Mixing silo; 4. Mixing screw; 5. Heating block; 6. Print nozzle; 7. Wire feeding assembly; 8. Ultrasonic oscillator; 9. Cutting assembly; 11. First material silo; 12. Second material silo; 13. Third material silo; 14. Fourth material silo; 31. Feed port; 32. Discharge port; 71. Specific filament; 711. Core layer; 712. Polymer material layer; 7111. Carbon fiber filament; 7112. Polymer material filament. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0048] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being “fixed to” or “disposed on” another element, it may be directly located on the other element or indirectly located on the other element. When an element is referred to as being “connected to” another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0049] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention, and do not indicate that the device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0050] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating relative importance or the number of technical features. In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined. The following is a more detailed description of the specific implementation of the present invention in conjunction with specific embodiments:

[0051] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a 3D printing device 10, comprising a plurality of silos 1, a plurality of feeding screws 2, a mixing silo 3, a mixing screw 4, a heating block 5, a printing nozzle 6, a controller and a wire conveying assembly 7; the plurality of silos 1 are respectively used to store a plurality of single element dense mixing materials; the plurality of feeding screws 2 are respectively connected to the outlets of the plurality of silos 1 in a one-to-one correspondence; the feeding port 31 of the mixing silo 3 is connected to the plurality of feeding screws 2, and the mixing silo 3 has a discharge port 32; the mixing screw 4 is arranged in the mixing silo 3 for mixing and stirring a plurality of single element dense mixing materials. The refined materials form a mixed banburying material, and the mixed banburying material is output from the discharge port 32; the heating block 5 is connected to the discharge port 32, and is used to melt the mixed banburying material to form a molten fluid material; the printing nozzle 6 is connected to the heating block 5; the controller is electrically connected to the multiple feeding screws 2, and is used to control the rotation speed of the multiple feeding screws 2 to regulate the output ratio of the multiple element banburying materials along the printing direction; the wire conveying assembly 7 is connected to the printing nozzle 6, and the wire conveying assembly 7 is used to convey a specific wire 71, which can react with the molten fluid material to generate a structural reinforcement material. It should be noted that the single element banburying material is obtained by banburying and granulating single element powder and multi-component polymer, the single element powder includes but is not limited to metal single element powder and ceramic single element powder, and the multi-component polymer includes but is not limited to paraffin material and resin material. For multiple single element banburying materials, the mass fraction of the single element contained in the single element banburying material per unit weight is the same. The controller is built with a corresponding PLC control program, which is a conventional technical means well known to those skilled in the art. The PLC control program can be used to coordinate the rotational speeds of multiple feeding screws 2.

[0052] Specifically, the feeding screw 2 and the mixing screw 4 are both composed of a screw body and a corresponding screw motor. The output shaft of the screw motor is connected to the screw body, and the screw motor can drive the screw body to rotate, thereby outputting the material from the silo 1 / mixing silo 3. Furthermore, when the rotation speed of multiple feeding screws 2 is not enough to accurately control the output ratio of multiple single element mixed materials, the feeding assembly can be set up to accurately feed the corresponding silo 1 to achieve precise control of the output ratio of multiple single element mixed materials. For example, when the main material of the component prepared by 3D printing is TC4, the feeding assembly can be used to feed 90% Ti, 6% aluminum, and 4% vanadium into the corresponding silo 1, respectively, so that the final 3D printed structure can be Ti-6Al-4V, that is, a TC4 component. Specifically, the heating method of the heating block 5 is preferably resistance heating. When current passes through the resistor, the resistor generates heat, and the heat generated by the resistor is transferred to the mixed material in the heating block 5, so that the mixed material forms a molten fluid material.

[0053] In one embodiment, there are four silos 1, the first silo 11 is used to store titanium element densely mixed material, the second silo 12 is used to store aluminum element densely mixed material, the third silo 13 is used to store vanadium element densely mixed material, and the fourth silo 14 is used to store silicon element densely mixed material, and the specific wire material 71 is carbon fiber.

[0054] like Figure 4 As shown in one embodiment, the specific filament 71 includes a core layer 711 and a polymer material layer 712 wrapped around the core layer. The polymer material layer 712 wrapped around the core layer can improve the wettability of the specific filament 71, facilitate stable output of the specific filament 71 during the 3D printing process, and improve the bonding effect between the specific filament 71 and the molten fluid material.

[0055] like Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment, the core layer 711 includes carbon fiber filaments 7111 and polymer material filaments 7112, and the carbon fiber filaments 7111 and the polymer material filaments 7112 are twisted to form the core layer 711. Specifically, the carbon fiber filaments 7111 and the polymer material filaments 7112 are first prepared, and then the carbon fiber filaments 7111 and the polymer material filaments 7112 are twisted using a twisting machine, and a certain pre-tension is given to the carbon fiber filaments 7111, so that the two are entangled to form the core layer 711. During the twisting process, the twisted core layer 711 is soaked in the molten polymer material, and then cooled to obtain the core layer 711 wrapped by the polymer material layer 712. At this time, the core layer retains a certain pre-tension, so that the carbon fiber has a certain internal prestress. The polymer material layer 712 shapes the core layer 711 to fix and retain the pre-tension of the core layer after twisting. Finally, the surface of the polymer material layer 712 is machined to form a specific filament 71 with equal diameter and smooth surface. It should be noted that the polymer material filament 7112 and the polymer material layer 712 can be removed during the degreasing process. After removal, the carbon fiber filament 711 can be combined with the 3D printed structure blank in a form with a certain internal prestress, thereby enhancing the mechanical properties of the 3D printed structure.

[0056] In one embodiment, an ultrasonic oscillator 8 is further included and connected to the heating block 5. The ultrasonic oscillator 8 can oscillate and compact the molten fluid material during the 3D printing process to prevent material breakage at the print nozzle, improve the density of the material during 3D printing, and reduce internal defects in the printed component.

[0057] In one embodiment, a cutting assembly 9 is further included, which is disposed between the wire feeding assembly 7 and the printing nozzle 6. Specifically, the cutting assembly 9 is preferably an electric scissors or a hydraulic shear, which can cut the specific wire 71 to facilitate the laying of the specific wire 71.

[0058] In one embodiment, the apparatus further includes a motion drive assembly connected to the print nozzle 6 and configured to drive the print nozzle 6 along a predetermined printing trajectory. Specifically, the motion drive assembly is preferably a multi-axis motion system capable of X, Y, and Z axis motion, which can drive the print nozzle to a designated position in three-dimensional space, thereby printing a structure along the predetermined printing trajectory.

[0059] An embodiment of the present invention provides a 3D printing method, which uses any of the 3D printing devices 10 in the above embodiments to perform printing, including the following steps:

[0060] Determine the specific composition of multiple elemental mixed materials based on the design materials of the printed components;

[0061] Preparation of multiple single element banbury materials, wherein the single element banbury materials are obtained by banburying and granulating single element powders and multi-component polymers;

[0062] Filling multiple single element refining materials into multiple silos 1 one by one;

[0063] Start the feeding screw 2, which feeds the corresponding elemental mixed material to the mixing bin 3. The controller controls the speed of the multiple feeding screws 2 to adjust the ratio of each element.

[0064] The mixing screw 4 is started to mix and stir the multiple elemental banbury materials to form a mixed banbury material, and the mixed banbury material is discharged from the discharge port 32;

[0065] The heating block 5 melts and mixes the batch material to form a molten fluid material, which flows out from the printing nozzle 6;

[0066] The wire feeding assembly 7 feeds a specific wire 71;

[0067] The printing nozzle 6 moves along a preset printing track, and the specific wire material 71 combines with the molten fluid material on the preset printing track to obtain a three-dimensional structure green body;

[0068] Degreasing the three-dimensional structure green body to obtain a brown body;

[0069] The brown blank is sintered to obtain a densified component. During the sintering process, the specific wire material 71 reacts with the blank formed by the molten fluid material to generate a structural reinforcement material.

[0070] In one embodiment, the plurality of elemental internal mixtures include a first elemental internal mixture and a second elemental internal mixture, wherein the elemental elements contained in the first elemental internal mixture are different from the elemental elements contained in the second elemental internal mixture;

[0071] Start the feeding screw 2, and the feeding screw 2 conveys the corresponding single element mixed material to the mixing bin 3. The controller controls the rotation speed of multiple feeding screws 2 accordingly to adjust the ratio of each single element, including the following steps: initially setting the output ratio of the first single element mixed material to 100%, and in the process of the printing nozzle 6 moving along the preset printing trajectory, gradually reducing the ratio of the first single element mixed material and gradually increasing the ratio of the second single element mixed material along the direction of the preset printing trajectory, and finally making the output ratio of the second single element mixed material 100%.

[0072] In one embodiment, the plurality of elemental internal mixing materials include a main elemental internal mixing material and a plurality of auxiliary elemental internal mixing materials, wherein the main elemental internal mixing material has a main elemental element, and the plurality of auxiliary elemental internal mixing materials have corresponding auxiliary elemental elements;

[0073] The feeding screw 2 is started, and the feeding screw 2 conveys the corresponding elemental mixed material to the mixing bin 3. The controller controls the speed of the multiple feeding screws 2 to adjust the ratio of each element, including the following steps:

[0074] When the printing nozzle 6 moves along the preset printing track, the ratio between the single element mixed material and the multiple auxiliary single element mixed materials is regulated along the preset printing direction to form a component whose strength gradually changes along the preset printing track.

[0075] like Figure 3 As shown, further, this embodiment also provides a printing system, which includes multiple 3D printing devices 10. The multiple 3D printing devices 10 are movably connected to the frame 20, and can realize 3D printing of corresponding structures on the platform 30. By setting multiple 3D printing devices 10 to work simultaneously, it is possible to realize simultaneous printing of multiple components, or combined printing of single components, thereby improving the efficiency of 3D printing.

[0076] The following is described with reference to specific embodiments: Example

[0077] This embodiment provides a 3D printing method, comprising the following steps:

[0078] The specific composition of the mixed material of multiple elemental elements is determined based on the design materials of the printed component. In this example, the elemental elements required for the preparation of TC4 components are titanium, aluminum, and vanadium. In addition, an appropriate proportion of silicon is added to enhance other properties of the matrix. Adding 0.1% to 0.6% silicon can improve the strength, stiffness, and wear resistance of the titanium alloy, while also improving its high and low temperature performance. Adding 0.5-2% silicon can improve wear resistance and corrosion resistance.

[0079] Prepare multiple elemental banbury mixes. These are obtained by banburying and granulating elemental powders and multi-component polymers. Specifically, the multi-component polymer is preferably a wax-based material (such as paraffin wax). This banbury mix is ​​prepared using a banbury mixer. When the banbury mixer is in operation, the upper push pin is raised, and the elemental powders and multi-component polymer are added through the feed port. Driven by air pressure, the upper push pin presses the materials into the mixing chamber. During operation, the upper push pin constantly holds the materials in place, exerting a certain force. After mixing is complete, the lower push pin is released, and the elemental banbury mix is ​​discharged through the discharge port. The material plasticated in the banbury mixer is a sticky mass upon discharge, which must be rolled into sheets and cooled with a mixer before proceeding to the next step. The resulting elemental banbury mix is ​​in the form of granules.

[0080] A plurality of single elemental dense-mixed materials are filled in a one-to-one correspondence in a plurality of silos 1; specifically, in the present embodiment, there are four silos 1, and the four silos 1 are respectively a first silo 11, a second silo 12, a third silo 13 and a fourth silo 14. The first silo 11 is used to store titanium element dense-mixed material, the second silo 12 is used to store aluminum element dense-mixed material, the third silo 13 is used to store vanadium element dense-mixed material, and the fourth silo 14 is used to store silicon element dense-mixed material. The specific wire material is carbon fiber.

[0081] Start the feeding screw 2, which will convey the corresponding single element refined material to the mixing bin 3. The controller will control the rotation speed of multiple feeding screws 2 accordingly to adjust the ratio of each single element. Specifically, the feeding screw 2 in the first bin 11 can output a titanium refined material with a proportion of 89%-91%, the feeding screw 2 in the second bin 12 can output an aluminum refined material with a proportion of 5.5%-6.8%, the feeding screw 2 in the third bin 13 can output a vanadium refined material with a proportion of 3.5%-4.5%, and the feeding screw 2 in the fourth bin 14 can output a silicon refined material with a proportion of 0.1%-2%.

[0082] The mixing screw 4 is started to mix and stir the titanium element banbury material, the aluminum element banbury material, the vanadium element banbury material, and the silicon element banbury material to form a mixed banbury material, and the mixed banbury material is discharged from the discharge port 32;

[0083] After the mixed material enters the heating block 5, the heating block 5 melts the mixed material to form a molten fluid material, and the molten fluid material flows out from the printing nozzle 6; at this time, the molten fluid material includes a multi-component polymer in a molten flow state and the single element powder contained therein.

[0084] The wire delivery assembly 7 delivers a specific wire 71 . In this embodiment, the specific wire 71 is preferably carbon fiber, which is output from the wire delivery assembly 7 and combined with the molten fluid material.

[0085] The print nozzle 6 moves along a preset printing path, where the specific filament 71 combines with the molten fluid material to form a three-dimensional green body. Specifically, the flowing molten fluid material and the specific filament 71 converge at the print nozzle. The molten fluid material encapsulates the elemental powder (which can be metal powder, ceramic powder, or composite material powder; in this embodiment, titanium powder, aluminum powder, vanadium powder, and silicon powder), further uniformly coating the specific filament 71, and is then extruded from the print nozzle. The distance between the print nozzle and the base plate is adjusted, and the material extruded from the print nozzle is evenly applied to the base plate. The print nozzle 6 moves along the preset printing path, and the materials are stacked layer by layer, forming a complex three-dimensional green body.

[0086] The three-dimensional green body is degreased to produce a brown body. The specific degreasing process and method depends on the polymer components and can include solvent extraction degreasing, thermal degreasing, and catalytic degreasing. After degreasing, a brown body is formed. This brown body has a porous structure and its dimensions are similar to those of the green body, with little shrinkage.

[0087] The brown blank is sintered to obtain a densified component. During the sintering process, the specific wire material 71 reacts with the blank formed by the molten fluid material to generate a structural reinforcement material. The sintering process is a densification process. The size of the brown blank changes significantly, shrinking significantly to between 75% and 85% of its original size, while the specific wire material 71 is evenly distributed inside the product, greatly improving the toughness and strength of the product. In addition, during the sintering process, the specific wire material 71 (carbon fiber) reacts with the blank formed by the molten fluid material (silicon element in the silicon element densified material) to generate a structural reinforcement material (silicon carbide); the silicon element reacts with the carbon fiber at the circumferential surface of the carbon fiber to generate silicon carbide material. Silicon carbide enables the carbon fiber to chemically bond with the blank portion of the densified component, thereby improving the bonding strength of the carbon fiber interface, and further improving the integrity and strength of the densified component. Example

[0088] This embodiment provides a 3D printing method, comprising the following steps:

[0089] The specific composition of the multiple single element refined materials is determined according to the design material of the printing component; the multiple single element refined materials include a main single element refined material and a plurality of auxiliary single element refined materials, wherein the main single element refined material has a main single element, and the multiple auxiliary single element refined materials have corresponding auxiliary single elements; the main single elements include titanium and aluminum, and the auxiliary single elements include vanadium and silicon.

[0090] Prepare multiple elemental banbury mixes. These are obtained by banburying and granulating elemental powders and multi-component polymers. Specifically, the multi-component polymer is preferably a wax-based material (such as paraffin wax). This banbury mix is ​​prepared using a banbury mixer. When the banbury mixer is in operation, the upper push pin is raised, and the elemental powders and multi-component polymer are added through the feed port. Driven by air pressure, the upper push pin presses the materials into the mixing chamber. During operation, the upper push pin constantly holds the materials in place, exerting a certain force. After mixing is complete, the lower push pin is released, and the elemental banbury mix is ​​discharged through the discharge port. The material plasticated in the banbury mixer is a sticky mass upon discharge, which must be rolled into sheets and cooled with a mixer before proceeding to the next step. The resulting elemental banbury mix is ​​in the form of granules.

[0091] A plurality of single elemental dense-mixed materials are filled in a one-to-one correspondence in a plurality of silos 1; specifically, in the present embodiment, there are four silos 1, and the four silos 1 are respectively a first silo 11, a second silo 12, a third silo 13 and a fourth silo 14. The first silo 11 is used to store titanium element dense-mixed material, the second silo 12 is used to store aluminum element dense-mixed material, the third silo 13 is used to store vanadium element dense-mixed material, and the fourth silo 14 is used to store silicon element dense-mixed material. The specific wire material is carbon fiber.

[0092] Start the feeding screw 2, which will feed the corresponding single element refined material to the mixing bin 3. The controller will control the rotation speed of multiple feeding screws 2 accordingly to adjust the ratio of each single element. Specifically, in the initial state, the feeding screw 2 in the first bin 11 can output a titanium refined material with a proportion of 89%-91%, the feeding screw 2 in the second bin 12 can output an aluminum refined material with a proportion of 5.5%-6.8%, the feeding screw 2 in the third bin 13 can output a vanadium refined material with a proportion of 3.5%-4.5%, and the feeding screw 2 in the fourth bin 14 can output a silicon refined material with a proportion of 0.1%-2%. During the 3D printing process, the output ratio of the titanium element mixed material in the first hopper 11 gradually changes from 89%-91% to 0, the output ratio of the aluminum element mixed material in the second hopper 12 gradually changes from 5.5%-6.8 to 94%-95.5%, the output ratio of the vanadium element mixed material in the third hopper 13 gradually changes from 3.5%-4.5% to 0, and the output ratio of the silicon element mixed material in the fourth hopper 14 gradually changes from 0.1%-2% to 4.5-6.0%. The rate of reduction of the ratio of each element mixed material can be the same or different, wherein the rate of reduction of the output ratio of the titanium element mixed material is controlled to be substantially the same as the rate of reduction of the output ratio of the aluminum element mixed material, so as to achieve a gradual change of the component material from TC4 titanium alloy to 4A01 aluminum alloy along the printing direction, thereby achieving a gradient change of the component along the printing direction.

[0093] The mixing screw 4 is started to mix and stir the titanium element banbury material, the aluminum element banbury material, the vanadium element banbury material, and the silicon element banbury material to form a mixed banbury material, and the mixed banbury material is discharged from the discharge port 32;

[0094] After the mixed material enters the heating block 5, the heating block 5 melts the mixed material to form a molten fluid material, and the molten fluid material flows out from the printing nozzle 6; at this time, the molten fluid material includes a multi-component polymer in a molten flow state and the single element powder contained therein.

[0095] The wire conveying assembly 7 conveys a specific wire 71; in this embodiment, the specific wire 71 preferably includes a core layer 711 and a polymer material layer 712 wrapped around the core layer, the core layer 711 includes carbon fiber wire 7111 and polymer material wire 7112, and the carbon fiber wire 7111 and the polymer material wire 7112 are twisted to form the core layer 711.

[0096] The print nozzle 6 moves along a preset printing path, where the specific filament 71 combines with the molten fluid material to form a three-dimensional green body. Specifically, the flowing molten fluid material and the specific filament 71 converge at the print nozzle. The molten fluid material envelops the elemental powder, further uniformly coating the specific filament 71 before being extruded from the print nozzle. The distance between the print nozzle and the base plate is carefully controlled, and the material extruded from the print nozzle is evenly applied to the base plate. The print nozzle 6 moves along the preset printing path, with the materials stacked layer by layer, thus forming a complex three-dimensional green body.

[0097] The three-dimensional green body is degreased to obtain a brown body. Specifically, the degreasing process and method are related to the polymer components and include solvent extraction degreasing, thermal degreasing, and catalytic degreasing. After degreasing, a brown body is formed. This brown body is now a porous structure with minimal shrinkage and no significant change in size from the green body. At this point, the polymer material layer 712 and polymer material filaments 7112 are removed during the degreasing process, leaving only carbon fibers with appropriate preload as a framework for implantation into the structure.

[0098] The brown blank is sintered to produce a densified component. During the sintering process, the specific filaments 71 react with the blank formed by the molten fluid material to form a structural reinforcement material. Specifically, the sintering process is a densification process, and the brown blank undergoes a significant change in size, shrinking significantly to between 75% and 85% of its original size. The specific filaments 71 are evenly distributed within the product, greatly improving its toughness and strength. Furthermore, during the sintering process, the specific filaments 71 (carbon fibers) react with the blank formed by the molten fluid material (silicon in the silicon elemental mix) to form a structural reinforcement material (silicon carbide). Silicon reacts with the carbon fibers on their circumferential surfaces to form silicon carbide. Silicon carbide enables the carbon fibers to chemically bond with the blank portion of the densified component, thereby increasing the bonding strength of the carbon fiber interface and further enhancing the integrity and strength of the densified component. Furthermore, twisting increases the internal prestress of the carbon fibers, further enhancing the strength of the structure. Example

[0099] This embodiment provides a 3D printing method, comprising the following steps:

[0100] The specific composition of the multiple elemental densities is determined according to the design material of the printed component. This embodiment is used to realize the connection between tungsten metal and copper metal (i.e., dissimilar material connection), and the required elemental elements are tungsten and copper.

[0101] Prepare multiple elemental banbury mixes. These are obtained by banburying and granulating elemental powders and multi-component polymers. Specifically, the multi-component polymer is preferably a wax-based material (such as paraffin wax). This banbury mix is ​​prepared using a banbury mixer. When the banbury mixer is in operation, the upper push pin is raised, and the elemental powders and multi-component polymer are added through the feed port. Driven by air pressure, the upper push pin presses the materials into the mixing chamber. During operation, the upper push pin constantly holds the materials in place, exerting a certain force. After mixing is complete, the lower push pin is released, and the elemental banbury mix is ​​discharged through the discharge port. The material plasticated in the banbury mixer is a sticky mass upon discharge, which must be rolled into sheets and cooled with a mixer before proceeding to the next step. The resulting elemental banbury mix is ​​in the form of granules. Specifically, the multiple single element banburying materials include a first single element banburying material and a second single element banburying material. The single elements contained in the first single element banburying material are different from the single elements contained in the second single element banburying material. The first single element banburying material is a tungsten element banburying material, which contains tungsten single element. The second single element banburying material is a copper element banburying material, which contains copper single element.

[0102] Multiple single elemental refined materials are filled in a one-to-one correspondence in multiple silos 1; specifically, in this embodiment, there are two silos 1, which are a first silo 11 and a second silo 12. The first silo 11 is used to store tungsten element refined materials, and the second silo 12 is used to store copper element refined materials.

[0103] Feed screw 2 is activated, conveying the corresponding elemental mixed material to mixing bin 3. The controller controls the speed of multiple feed screws 2 to adjust the ratio of each element. Specifically, in the initial state, the output of tungsten mixed material accounts for 100%. As the print nozzle moves along the preset print path, the ratio of tungsten mixed material is gradually reduced and the ratio of copper mixed material is gradually increased along the preset print path, ultimately achieving 100% output of copper mixed material. This achieves the dissimilar connection between tungsten metal and barrel metal.

[0104] The mixing screw 4 is started to mix and stir the tungsten element banburying material and the copper element banburying material to form a mixed banburying material, and the mixed banburying material is discharged from the discharge port 32;

[0105] After the mixed material enters the heating block 5, the heating block 5 melts the mixed material to form a molten fluid material, and the molten fluid material flows out from the printing nozzle 6; at this time, the molten fluid material includes a multi-component polymer in a molten flow state and the single element powder contained therein.

[0106] The wire delivery assembly 7 delivers a specific wire 71 . In this embodiment, the specific wire 71 is preferably carbon fiber, which is output from the wire delivery assembly 7 and combined with the molten fluid material.

[0107] The print nozzle 6 moves along a preset printing path, where the specific filament 71 combines with the molten fluid material to form a three-dimensional green body. Specifically, the flowing molten fluid material and the specific filament 71 converge at the print nozzle. The molten fluid material encapsulates the elemental powder (which can be metal powder, ceramic powder, or composite powder; in this embodiment, tungsten powder and copper powder), further uniformly coating the specific filament 71, and is then extruded from the print nozzle. The distance between the print nozzle and the base plate is carefully controlled, and the material extruded from the print nozzle is evenly applied to the base plate. The print nozzle 6 moves along the preset printing path, and the materials are stacked layer by layer, forming a complex three-dimensional green body.

[0108] The three-dimensional green body is degreased to produce a brown body. The specific degreasing process and method depends on the polymer components and can include solvent extraction degreasing, thermal degreasing, and catalytic degreasing. After degreasing, a brown body is formed. This brown body has a porous structure and its dimensions are similar to those of the green body, with little shrinkage.

[0109] The brown blank is sintered to obtain a densified component. Example

[0110] The specific composition of the multiple elemental mixed materials is determined according to the design material of the printed component; this embodiment is used to realize 3D printing of metal and ceramic materials, and the required elemental elements are tungsten and alumina ceramics.

[0111] A multi-element banbury mix is ​​prepared. This mix is ​​obtained by banburying and granulating the element powders and a multi-component polymer. Specifically, the multi-component polymer is preferably a wax-based material (such as paraffin wax). The banbury mix is ​​prepared using a banbury mixer. When the banbury mixer is in operation, the upper push pin is raised, and the element powders and multi-component polymer are added through the feed port. Driven by air pressure, the upper push pin presses the materials into the mixing chamber. During operation, the upper push pin constantly presses the materials, exerting a certain force. After mixing is complete, the lower push pin is opened, and the banbury mix is ​​discharged through the discharge port. The material plasticated in the banbury mixer is a sticky mass upon discharge. It must be rolled into sheets and cooled by an open mixer before proceeding to the next step. The resulting banbury mix is ​​in granular form. Specifically, the multi-element banbury mix includes tungsten banbury mix and alumina ceramic banbury mix.

[0112] Multiple single element densely mixed materials are filled in a one-to-one correspondence in multiple silos 1; specifically, in this embodiment, there are two silos 1, the two silos 1 are a first silo 11 and a second silo 12, the first silo 11 is used to store tungsten element densely mixed material, and the second silo 12 is used to store alumina ceramic densely mixed material.

[0113] The feeding screw 2 is started, and the feeding screw 2 conveys the corresponding single element mixed material to the mixing bin 3. The controller controls the rotation speed of multiple feeding screws 2 accordingly to adjust the ratio of each single element.

[0114] The mixing screw 4 is started to mix and stir the tungsten element banburying material and the alumina ceramic banburying material to form a mixed banburying material, and the mixed banburying material is discharged from the discharge port 32;

[0115] After the mixed material enters the heating block 5, the heating block 5 melts the mixed material to form a molten fluid material, and the molten fluid material flows out from the printing nozzle 6; at this time, the molten fluid material includes a multi-component polymer in a molten flow state and the single element powder contained therein.

[0116] The wire delivery assembly 7 delivers a specific wire 71 . In this embodiment, the specific wire 71 is preferably carbon fiber, which is output from the wire delivery assembly 7 and combined with the molten fluid material.

[0117] The print nozzle 6 moves along a preset printing path, where the specific filament 71 combines with the molten fluid material to form a three-dimensional green body. Specifically, the flowing molten fluid material and the specific filament 71 converge at the print nozzle. The molten fluid material encapsulates the elemental powder (which can be metal powder, ceramic powder, or a composite material powder; in this embodiment, tungsten powder and alumina ceramic particles), further uniformly coating the specific filament 71, and is then extruded from the print nozzle. The distance between the print nozzle and the base plate is carefully controlled, and the material extruded from the print nozzle is evenly applied to the base plate. The print nozzle 6 moves along the preset printing path, with the materials stacked layer by layer, to form a complex three-dimensional green body.

[0118] The three-dimensional green body is degreased to produce a brown body. The specific degreasing process and method depends on the polymer components and can include solvent extraction degreasing, thermal degreasing, and catalytic degreasing. After degreasing, a brown body is formed. This brown body has a porous structure and its dimensions are similar to those of the green body, with little shrinkage.

[0119] The brown blank is sintered to obtain a densified component.

[0120] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A 3D printing device, characterized in that: include: Multiple silos, each used to store a variety of single element banburying materials, which are obtained by banburying and granulating single element powder and multi-component polymer; There are four silos, the first silo is used to store titanium element refining material, the second silo is used to store aluminum element refining material, the third silo is used to store vanadium element refining material, and the fourth silo is used to store silicon element refining material. The specific wire material is carbon fiber; A plurality of feeding screws are connected to the outlets of the plurality of silos respectively and one by one; A mixing bin, wherein the feeding port of the mixing bin is connected to the plurality of feeding screws, and the mixing bin has a discharging port; A mixing screw is provided in the mixing bin, and is used to mix and stir multiple elemental banbury materials to form a mixed banbury material, and output the mixed banbury material from the discharge port; a heating block connected to the discharge port, for melting the mixed batch material to form a molten fluid material; a printing nozzle connected to the heating block; A controller electrically connected to the plurality of feed screws, for controlling the rotational speed of the plurality of feed screws to adjust the output ratio of the plurality of single element mixed materials along the printing direction; A wire feeding assembly connected to the printing nozzle, the wire feeding assembly is used to feed a specific wire, the specific wire comprising a core layer and a polymer material layer wrapped around the core layer, the core layer comprising carbon fiber wires and polymer material wires, the carbon fiber wires and the polymer material wires being twisted to form the core layer; The printing nozzle moves along a preset printing trajectory, and the specific filament is combined with the molten fluid material on the preset printing trajectory to obtain a three-dimensional structure green body; the three-dimensional structure green body is degreased to obtain a brown body after degreasing; the brown body is sintered to obtain a densified component after sintering, wherein the polymer material filament and the polymer material layer can be removed during the degreasing process. After removal, the carbon fiber filament can be combined with the green body of the printed structure in a form with a certain internal prestress. During the sintering process, the carbon fiber reacts with the silicon element in the silicon element mixing material to generate silicon carbide.

2. The 3D printing device according to claim 1, wherein: It also includes an ultrasonic oscillator, which is connected to the heating block.

3. The 3D printing device according to claim 1, wherein: It also includes a cutting component, which is arranged between the wire feeding component and the printing nozzle.

4. The 3D printing device according to claim 1, wherein: It also includes a moving drive component, which is connected to the printing nozzle and is used to drive the printing nozzle to move along a preset printing trajectory.

5. A 3D printing method, comprising: printing using the 3D printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The following steps are involved: Determine the specific composition of multiple elemental mixed materials based on the design materials of the printed components; preparing a plurality of single element banbury materials, wherein the single element banbury materials are obtained by banburying and granulating single element powders and multi-component polymers; Fill multiple silos with multiple elemental mixing materials in a one-to-one correspondence; Start the feeding screw, which conveys the corresponding elemental mixed material to the mixing bin. The controller controls the speed of multiple feeding screws to adjust the ratio of each element. Starting the mixing screw to mix and stir the multiple elemental banbury materials to form a mixed banbury material, and outputting the mixed banbury material from the discharge port; The heating block melts the mixed material to form a molten fluid material, and the molten fluid material flows out from the printing nozzle; The wire feeding assembly feeds specific wires; The printing nozzle moves along a preset printing track, and the specific filament combines with the molten fluid material on the preset printing track to obtain a three-dimensional structure green body; Degreasing the three-dimensional structure green body to obtain a brown body; The brown blank is sintered to obtain a densified component after sintering, wherein during the sintering process, the specific wire reacts with the blank formed by the molten fluid material to generate a structural reinforcement material.

6. The 3D printing method according to claim 5, wherein: The plurality of single element internal mixing materials include a first single element internal mixing material and a second single element internal mixing material, wherein the single element contained in the first single element internal mixing material is different from the single element contained in the second single element internal mixing material; The starting feeding screw conveys the corresponding single element mixed material to the mixing bin, and the controller controls the rotation speed of multiple feeding screws accordingly to adjust the ratio of each single element, including the following steps: initially setting the output ratio of the first single element mixed material to 100%, and in the process of the printing nozzle moving along the preset printing trajectory, gradually reducing the ratio of the first single element mixed material and gradually increasing the ratio of the second single element mixed material along the direction of the preset printing trajectory, and finally making the output ratio of the second single element mixed material 100%.

7. The 3D printing method according to claim 5, wherein: The plurality of single element internal mixing materials include a main single element internal mixing material and a plurality of auxiliary single element internal mixing materials, wherein the main single element internal mixing material has a main single element, and the plurality of auxiliary single element internal mixing materials have corresponding auxiliary single elements; The feeding screw is started to transport the corresponding elemental mixed material to the mixing bin, and the controller controls the speed of the multiple feeding screws to adjust the ratio of each element, including the following steps: During the movement of the printing nozzle along the preset printing track, the ratio between the single element mixed material and the multiple auxiliary single element mixed materials is regulated along the preset printing direction to form a component whose strength gradually changes along the preset printing track.

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