Flange structure and printing method

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of additive manufacturing technology, and aims to solve the problem of how to avoid the difficulty in removing the support structure when printing the flange structure, and to provide a flange structure and a printing method. Among them, the flange structure includes a tube body, a flange plate and a self-supporting structure, the flange plate includes a plate body and a plurality of extensions, the plate body is provided at one end of the tube body, and radially protrudes from the tube body, the plurality of extensions are circumferentially distributed on the periphery of the plate body, and the flange plate is provided with a plurality of mounting holes. The self-supporting structure includes a plurality of support parts distributed along the circumference, the plurality of support parts correspond one-to-one to the plurality of extensions, one side of the support part is connected to the plate body and the corresponding extension, and the other side of the support part is connected to the outer peripheral wall of the tube body. The beneficial effect of the present application is that the process of removing the support structure after printing is avoided, and the use will not be affected by the residual support structure that is difficult to remove on the flange structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of additive manufacturing technology, and in particular to a flange structure and a printing method. Background Art

[0002] A printing method is provided in the related art. When printing a flange structure, the printing method adds an auxiliary support structure to the suspended part of the flange structure, and removes the auxiliary support structure after printing is completed.

[0003] However, when the flange structure is complex or the auxiliary support structure is difficult to remove, part of the support structure is likely to remain on the flange structure, affecting its use. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a flange structure and a printing method to solve the problem of how to avoid the difficulty in removing the support structure when printing the flange structure.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present application, a flange structure is provided. The flange structure is formed by 3D printing and includes a tube body, a flange plate, and a self-supporting structure. The flange plate includes a plate body and multiple extensions. The plate body is disposed at one end of the tube body and radially protrudes from the tube body. The multiple extensions are circumferentially distributed around the outer periphery of the plate body. The flange plate is provided with multiple mounting holes. The self-supporting structure includes multiple support portions distributed along the circumference, the multiple support portions corresponding one-to-one to the multiple extensions. One side of the support portion is connected to the plate body and the corresponding extension, and the other side of the support portion is connected to the outer peripheral wall of the tube body.

[0006] The above-mentioned flange structure includes a self-supporting structure, so there is no need to remove the self-supporting structure after printing is completed, thereby avoiding the process of removing the support structure after printing, saving processing time and process, and will not affect the use due to the residual difficult-to-remove support structure on the flange structure.

[0007] In one embodiment, the orthographic projection of the extension portion on the cross section of the tube body is arcuate. The mounting holes correspond to the extension portions one by one, and the mounting holes and the radially outer side surfaces of the corresponding extension portions are radially opposite and spaced apart.

[0008] In one embodiment, the support portion includes an outer support wall and two side support walls. One axial side of the outer support wall is connected to the radially outer side of the extension portion, and the other axial side of the outer support wall extends obliquely toward the side closer to the tube body and is connected to the outer circumferential wall of the tube body. The two side support walls are respectively connected between the two circumferential edges of the outer support wall and the outer circumferential wall of the tube body. Along the tube body from one end close to the flange to the other end, at least a portion of the outer support wall gradually decreases in width; wherein the width direction is perpendicular to a longitudinal cross-section of the tube body passing through the axis of the corresponding mounting hole.

[0009] In one embodiment, the outer support wall includes a narrowing portion, the size of the narrowing portion gradually decreases along the width direction, the side includes a narrowing section located at the narrowing portion, and the angle between the line connecting the two ends of the narrowing section along the axial direction and the cross-section of the tube body is greater than or equal to 45 degrees; and / or, the outer support wall includes a narrowing portion, the size of the narrowing portion gradually decreases along the width direction, the side includes a narrowing section located at the narrowing portion, and the middle part of the narrowing section along the axial direction is concave toward the other narrowing section at both ends, so that the narrowing section presents an inwardly concave curve.

[0010] In one embodiment, on the longitudinal section of the tube body through the axis of the corresponding mounting hole, the angle between the line connecting the two sides of the outer support wall along the axial direction and the cross-section of the tube body is greater than or equal to 45 degrees; and / or, the middle part of the outer support wall along the axial direction is concave toward the tube body on both sides, so that the outer support wall has an inwardly concave curved surface.

[0011] In one embodiment, a hollow hole is provided on the support portion, and the hollow hole passes through the two side support walls along the width direction.

[0012] In one embodiment, in a cross section perpendicular to the width direction, the shape of the hollow hole is configured as a diamond, an ellipse or a teardrop.

[0013] In one embodiment, the shape of the hollow hole is constructed as a diamond, and the angle of the hollow hole along the axial direction close to one end of the flange is less than or equal to 90 degrees; or, the shape of the hollow hole is constructed as an ellipse, and the diameter of the hollow hole along the axial direction close to one end of the flange is less than or equal to 4 mm; or, the shape of the hollow hole is constructed as a teardrop shape, and the diameter of the hollow hole along the axial direction close to one end of the flange is less than or equal to 4 mm.

[0014] In one embodiment, each support portion is provided with a plurality of hollow holes, and the plurality of hollow holes are staggered and distributed on a plane perpendicular to the width direction.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present application, a printing method is provided for printing a flange structure as described in any of the above embodiments, the printing method comprising: printing along a forming direction to obtain the flange structure; wherein the forming direction is parallel to the axial direction of the tube body and points from an end away from the flange plate to the flange plate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0017] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the flange structure in one embodiment of the present application.

[0018] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Front view of the flange structure in the illustrated embodiment.

[0019] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A top view of the flange structure in the illustrated embodiment.

[0020] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial structural cross-sectional view of the flange structure in the illustrated embodiment.

[0021] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A partial front view of the flange structure in the illustrated embodiment.

[0022] Figure 6 for Figure 1 Front view of the outer support wall and portion of the flange in the illustrated embodiment.

[0023] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A partial structural cross-sectional view of the flange structure in the illustrated embodiment.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a hollow hole in another embodiment of the present application.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a hollow hole in another embodiment of the present application.

[0026] Description of main component symbols:

[0027] Flange structure 100

[0028] Tube body 10

[0029] Flange 20

[0030] Mounting hole 20a

[0031] Disk 21

[0032] Extension 22

[0033] Self-supporting structure 30

[0034] Support portion 31

[0035] Hollow hole 31a

[0036] Outer support wall 311

[0037] Narrowing part 3111

[0038] Extension 3112

[0039] Side support wall 312

[0040] Side 313

[0041] Narrowing section 3131

[0042] Extension 3132

[0043] Forming direction Z

[0044] Width direction X

[0045] The following specific implementation methods will further illustrate this application in conjunction with the above-mentioned drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments.

[0047] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may also be an element centered therein. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may also be an element centered therein. When an element is considered to be "set on" another element, it may be directly set on the other element or there may also be an element centered therein. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only.

[0048] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used herein in the specification of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The term "or / and" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0049] Some embodiments of the present application are described in detail. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features of the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0050] Example

[0051] Metal 3D printing technology is a manufacturing technology that creates three-dimensional solid parts by accumulating metal materials layer by layer. For example, Selective Laser Melting (SLM) is one of the technologies of metal 3D printing technology. Its principle is to use a high-energy laser beam to melt metal powder layer by layer, and then stack and shape it according to the three-dimensional model designed by computer, and finally produce metal parts with complex structures.

[0052] When using metal 3D printing technology to print parts with overhanging portions (such as flange structures), the parts cannot be directly printed into shape. To address this issue, related art offers a printing method that requires adding auxiliary support structures beneath the overhanging portions of the part, which then need to be removed after printing. However, when the flange structure is complex or the auxiliary support structures are difficult to remove, these printing methods can easily leave some of the support structure remaining on the flange, hindering its use.

[0053] This embodiment provides a flange structure and a printing method, which can solve the above-mentioned problem and avoid the problem that the support structure is difficult to remove when the flange structure is printed. The following will be illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0054] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional diagram of a flange structure 100 in one embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A front view of the flange structure 100 in the illustrated embodiment; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A top view of the flange structure 100 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0055] See also Figures 1 to 3 This embodiment provides a flange structure 100 , which is formed by 3D printing. The flange structure 100 includes a tube body 10 , a flange plate 20 and a self-supporting structure 30 .

[0056] The flange 20 comprises a body 21 and multiple extensions 22. The body 21 is disposed at one end of the tubular body 10 and radially protrudes from the tubular body 10. The multiple extensions 22 are circumferentially distributed around the outer periphery of the body 21. The flange 20 is provided with multiple mounting holes 20a. The self-supporting structure 30 comprises multiple support portions 31 distributed along the circumference, corresponding one-to-one with the multiple extensions 22. One side of each support portion 31 is connected to the body 21 and the corresponding extension 22, while the other side of each support portion 31 is connected to the outer peripheral wall of the tubular body 10.

[0057] The above-mentioned flange structure 100, because the flange structure 100 includes a self-supporting structure 30, can be supported by the suspended portion of the flange 20 that radially protrudes from the tube body 10 during the printing process to avoid collapse or deformation, and there is no need to remove the self-supporting structure 30 after printing is completed, thereby avoiding the process of removing the support structure after printing, saving processing time and process, and will not affect the use of the flange structure 100 due to the remaining difficult-to-remove support structure. The self-supporting structure 30 also improves the strength of the flange structure 100, thereby improving the reliability of the flange structure 100. By providing multiple extensions 22 on the outer periphery of the disk body 21, the radial size of the flange 20 is increased, and one side of the support structure is respectively connected to the disk body 21 and the extension 22, thereby increasing the support area of ​​the self-supporting structure 30 on the flange 20, thereby further improving the strength and reliability of the flange structure 100.

[0058] It should be noted that in 3D printing technology, a self-supporting structure refers to a structural design that can maintain a stable shape during the printing process without the need for additional support materials, and avoid deformation or collapse due to gravity or insufficient adhesion between printed layers.

[0059] During printing, the flange structure 100 can be printed using metal 3D printing technology (such as SLM). This allows the design of the flange structure 100 to break through the limitations of traditional processing methods, allowing the design of flange plates 20 or self-supporting structures 30 with special shapes. During the printing process, the forming direction Z of the flange structure 100 is parallel to the axial direction of the tube body 10 and points from the end away from the flange plate 20 to the flange plate 20. The forming direction Z refers to the main direction of the flange structure 100 during the additive manufacturing process, such as the vertical upward direction.

[0060] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown, the extension 22 is on the tube body 10 (see Figure 1 ) has an orthographic projection on a cross-section that is arcuate. Mounting holes 20a correspond one-to-one with extensions 22, and are radially opposed and spaced apart from each other on the radially outer side of the corresponding extension 22. This ensures a more uniform distance between the radially outer side of the extension 22 and the corresponding mounting hole 20a, thereby reducing printing material and printing time without compromising flange strength or reliability. Optionally, mounting holes 20a are provided on the disk body 21.

[0061] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial structural cross-sectional view of the flange structure 100 in the illustrated embodiment; Figure 5 for Figure 1 A partial front view of the flange structure 100 in the illustrated embodiment; Figure 6 for Figure 1A front view of the outer support wall 311 and a portion of the flange 20 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0062] In some embodiments, as Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the support portion 31 includes an outer support wall 311 and two side support walls 312. One axial side of the outer support wall 311 is connected to the radially outer side of the extension portion 22. The other axial side of the outer support wall 311 extends obliquely toward the side closest to the tube body 10 and is connected to the outer circumferential wall of the tube body 10. The two side support walls 312 are respectively connected between two circumferential edges 313 of the outer support wall 311 and the outer circumferential wall of the tube body 10. Along the direction from one end of the tube body 10 near the flange 20 to the other end, at least a portion of the outer support wall 311 gradually decreases in width along the width direction X, where the width direction X is perpendicular to a longitudinal cross-section of the tube body 10 passing through the axis of the corresponding mounting hole 20a. By providing the outer support wall 311 with an oblique extension and at least a portion of the outer support wall 311 with a gradually decreasing width along the width direction X, the contact support area between the end of the support portion 31 near the flange 20 and the flange 20 is ensured, improving the stability of the printing process and helping to reduce the amount of printing material required for the support portion 31, thus saving printing time. It can be understood that the width direction X refers to the width direction of the support portion 31 , and the width directions X of adjacent support portions 31 are arranged at an angle.

[0063] In some embodiments, as Figure 6 As shown, the outer support wall 311 includes a narrowed portion 3111, the size of the narrowed portion 3111 gradually decreases along the width direction X, the side 313 includes a narrowed section 3131 located at the narrowed portion 3111, and the line connecting the two ends of the narrowed section 3131 along the axial direction is aligned with the tube body 10 (see FIG. Figure 4 ) has a cross-sectional angle a greater than or equal to 45 degrees. This prevents newly molten metal from lacking support from below due to gravity and increases the contact area between the upper metal layer and the lower, cooled metal layer, thereby improving the stability of the support portion 31 during the printing process. Furthermore, the inverted triangular structure of the support portion 31 at the narrowed portion 3111 further enhances the structural stability of the support portion 31, thereby increasing the stress-bearing strength of the flange structure 100.

[0064] In some embodiments, as Figure 6 As shown, the two opposite ends of the middle portion of the narrowing section 3131 along the axial direction are concave toward the other narrowing section 3131, so that the narrowing section 3131 is a concave curve, thereby further reducing printing materials and printing time.

[0065] In some embodiments, as Figure 6 As shown, the outer support wall 311 further includes an extension portion 3112, one end of which is connected to the narrowed portion 3111 and is axially away from the flange 20 (see FIG. Figure 4), and the other end of the extension portion 3112 extends axially away from the flange 20. Thus, because the narrowing section 3131 is an inwardly concave curve, the connection between the narrowing section 3111 and the extension portion 3112 is smooth, thereby avoiding stress concentration and improving the aesthetic appearance of the connection between the narrowing section 3111 and the extension portion 3112. Optionally, the side edge 313 further includes an extension section 3132 located within the extension portion 3112, one end of which is connected to the end of the narrowing section 3131 axially away from the flange 20.

[0066] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A partial structural cross-sectional view of the flange structure 100 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0067] In some embodiments, as Figure 7 As shown, the tube body 10 passes through the corresponding mounting hole 20a (see Figure 4 ), the angle b between the line connecting the two axial sides of the outer support wall 311 and the cross section of the tube body 10 is greater than or equal to 45 degrees. This prevents the newly molten metal from lacking support from below due to gravity, increases the contact area between the upper metal layer and the lower, cooled metal layer, and thus improves the stability of the support portion 31 during printing.

[0068] In some embodiments, as Figure 7 As shown, the outer support wall 311 is recessed toward the tube body 10 on both sides of the middle portion along the axial direction, so that the outer support wall 311 is a concave curved surface, thereby further reducing printing materials and printing time, and reducing the angle between the tangent line of the end where the outer support wall 311 is connected to the flange 20 and the cross section of the tube body 10, thereby improving the stability of the printing process and the aesthetic appearance of the support portion 31.

[0069] In some embodiments, as Figure 4 As shown, the support portion 31 is provided with a hollow hole 31a, and the hollow hole 31a is along the width direction X (see Figure 5 ) passes through the two side support walls 312 to reduce the weight of the support portion 31.

[0070] In some embodiments, as Figure 7 As shown, in the direction perpendicular to the width direction X (see Figure 5), the shape of the hollow hole 31a is constructed as a diamond, so that the structure of the hollow hole 31a is a self-supporting structure, that is, the hole wall of the hollow hole 31a can bear the weight of the molten metal by itself during the printing process, avoiding sagging or collapse, while reducing cooling shrinkage stress. Optionally, the angle c of the hollow hole 31a along the axial direction close to the end of the flange 20 is less than or equal to 90 degrees to avoid the appearance of a low-angle area at the position of the hollow hole 31a. It should be noted that in metal 3D printing, the low-angle area of ​​the hollow part refers to a suspended feature in the hollow structure with a small angle to the horizontal plane. Such areas are prone to defects due to gravity, insufficient surface tension or thermal stress concentration during the molding process.

[0071] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of a hollow hole 31 a in another embodiment of the present application.

[0072] In some embodiments, as Figure 8 As shown, in the direction perpendicular to the width direction X (see Figure 5 ) in the cross section, the shape of the hollow hole 31a is configured as an ellipse, so that the hole wall of the hollow hole 31a can bear the weight of the molten metal during the printing process, avoid sagging or collapse, and reduce the cooling shrinkage stress. Optionally, the hollow hole 31a is axially close to the flange 20 (see Figure 7 ) The diameter of one end is less than or equal to 4 mm to improve the stability of the printing process and avoid warping, which may cause obvious slag and missing on the hole wall of the hollow hole 31a near the flange 20 after printing.

[0073] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of a hollow hole 31a in another embodiment of the present application.

[0074] In some embodiments, as Figure 9 As shown, in the direction perpendicular to the width direction X (see Figure 5 ) in the cross section, the shape of the hollow hole 31a is configured as a water drop shape, so that the hole wall of the hollow hole 31a can bear the weight of the molten metal during the printing process, avoid sagging or collapse, and reduce the cooling shrinkage stress. Optionally, the hollow hole 31a is axially close to the flange 20 (see Figure 7 ) The diameter of one end is less than or equal to 4 mm to improve the stability of the printing process and avoid warping, which may cause obvious slag and missing on the hole wall of the hollow hole 31a near the flange 20 after printing.

[0075] In some embodiments, as Figure 7 As shown, each support portion 31 is provided with a plurality of hollow holes 31 a. The plurality of hollow holes 31 a are staggered in a plane perpendicular to the width direction X to further reduce the weight of the flange structure 100. In this embodiment, each support portion 31 is provided with three hollow holes 31 a.

[0076] According to another aspect of the present application, a printing method is provided for printing the flange structure 100 as described in any of the above embodiments, the printing method comprising:

[0077] The flange structure 100 is obtained by printing along a forming direction Z. The forming direction Z is parallel to the axial direction of the tube body 10 and points from the end away from the flange 20 to the flange 20 .

[0078] In the above printing method, since the flange structure 100 includes the self-supporting structure 30, it can be supported by the suspended portion of the flange plate 20 that radially protrudes from the tube body 10 during the printing process, preventing collapse or deformation. Furthermore, the self-supporting structure 30 does not need to be removed after printing, thereby avoiding the need to remove the support structure after printing, saving processing time and process, and preventing the use of the flange structure 100 due to residual support structures that are difficult to remove. The self-supporting structure 30 also increases the strength of the flange structure 100, thereby improving the reliability of the flange structure 100.

[0079] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the above preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent replacements of the technical solutions of the present application should not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present application.

Claims

1. A flange structure, characterized in that: The flange structure is formed by 3D printing, and the flange structure includes: tube body; A flange comprising a disc body and a plurality of extensions, wherein the disc body is provided at one end of the tube body and radially protrudes from the tube body, the plurality of extensions are circumferentially distributed around the outer periphery of the disc body, and the flange is provided with a plurality of mounting holes; and The self-supporting structure includes a plurality of support portions distributed along the circumferential direction, wherein the plurality of support portions correspond one to one with the plurality of extension portions, one side of the support portion is connected to the disc body and the corresponding extension portion, and the other side of the support portion is connected to the outer peripheral wall of the tube body; The support portion has an outer support wall and two side support walls; One side of the outer support wall along the axial direction is connected to the radial outer side of the extension portion, and the other side of the outer support wall along the axial direction is inclined and extends toward the side close to the tube body and is connected to the outer peripheral wall of the tube body; The two side support walls are respectively connected between two side edges of the outer support wall along the circumferential direction and the outer peripheral wall of the tube body; Along the direction from one end of the tube body close to the flange to the other end, the size of at least part of the outer support wall along the width direction gradually decreases; wherein, the width direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal section of the tube body passing through the axis of the corresponding mounting hole.

2. The flange structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The orthographic projection of the extension portion on the cross section of the tube body is arcuate; The mounting holes correspond to the extension parts one by one, and the mounting holes and the radial outer side surfaces of the corresponding extension parts are radially opposite and spaced apart.

3. The flange structure according to claim 1, wherein: The outer supporting wall includes a narrowed portion, the dimension of the narrowed portion gradually decreases along the width direction, the side includes a narrowed section located at the narrowed portion, and the angle between the line connecting the two ends of the narrowed section in the axial direction and the cross section of the tube body is greater than or equal to 45 degrees; and / or, The outer support wall includes a narrowed portion, the size of which gradually decreases along the width direction, and the side includes a narrowed section located at the narrowed portion. The opposite ends of the middle portion of the narrowed section along the axial direction are concave toward the other narrowed section, so that the narrowed section presents an inwardly concave curve.

4. The flange structure according to claim 1, wherein: On a longitudinal section of the tube body passing through the axis of the corresponding mounting hole, an angle between a line connecting two axial sides of the outer support wall and a cross section of the tube body is greater than or equal to 45 degrees; and / or, The middle portion of the outer supporting wall along the axial direction is concave toward the tube body at two opposite sides, so that the outer supporting wall presents an inwardly concave curved surface.

5. The flange structure according to claim 1, wherein: The support portion is provided with a hollow hole, and the hollow hole passes through the two side support walls along the width direction.

6. The flange structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: In a cross section perpendicular to the width direction, the hollow hole is configured in a rhombus, an ellipse or a teardrop shape.

7. The flange structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The shape of the hollow hole is configured as a rhombus, and the angle of the hollow hole in the axial direction close to one end of the flange is less than or equal to 90 degrees; or, The shape of the hollow hole is configured to be elliptical, and the diameter of the hollow hole in the axial direction close to the end of the flange is less than or equal to 4 mm; or, The hollow hole is configured in a teardrop shape, and the diameter of the hollow hole in the axial direction close to one end of the flange is less than or equal to 4 mm.

8. The flange structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: Each of the support parts is provided with a plurality of hollow holes; On a plane perpendicular to the width direction, the plurality of hollow holes are staggered and distributed.

9. A printing method, characterized in that: Used for printing the flange structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the printing method comprising: The flange structure is obtained by printing along a forming direction, wherein the forming direction is parallel to the axial direction of the tube body and points from an end away from the flange plate toward the flange plate.

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