Ceramic material large solidification thickness photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing device and method

Abstract

The application relates to the field of 3D printing technology and provides a ceramic material large-solidification-thickness photoacoustic cooperative 3D printing device and a use method. The device comprises a printing platform, a material tank is arranged on the printing platform, a film is arranged on the material tank, a lifting type fishing material forming platform is arranged on the printing platform, the fishing material forming platform is arranged below the film or below the film, a leveling assembly is arranged on the printing platform and is in rolling and scraping contact with the upper surface or the lower surface of the film, a ultraviolet light curing light source is arranged above or below the film, a focused ultrasonic assembly is arranged on the printing platform or in the material tank, the focused ultrasonic assembly is located on one side of the fishing material forming platform and emits ultrasonic waves towards the fishing material forming platform. Ultrasonic assisted light curing can effectively improve the solidification thickness, solidification precision and concentrated release of solidification shrinkage stress in the light curing additive manufacturing process, so that the printing product quality is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of 3D printing technology, and more specifically, relates to a photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing device and method for large curing thickness of ceramic materials. Background Technology

[0002] As is widely known, photopolymer 3D printing of intricately structured functional ceramics is widely used in fields such as electronics, biomedicine, and aerospace. Existing photopolymer 3D printers solidify layers of a model by irradiating it with ultraviolet light or other light sources, ultimately producing a complete 3D model. They are characterized by high precision and strong ability to form complex structures.

[0003] Therefore, 3D printing technology has attracted much attention in the field of ceramic additive manufacturing due to its unique working principle and material properties, especially in the forming of complex structures, where it exhibits unique advantages compared to traditional ceramic production processes (such as injection molding and dry pressing) that rely on molds. Functional ceramics (such as dielectric and piezoelectric ceramics) are widely used in electronics, communications, energy, and biomedicine, but their manufacturing faces many challenges, especially the characteristics of deep color, high refractive index, and high light absorption, which make it difficult to form using traditional photopolymerization 3D printing technology. Many functional ceramic powders (such as silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon nitride (Si3N4)) have strong light absorption characteristics in the ultraviolet band, and their refractive index differs greatly from that of photosensitive resin, resulting in strong scattering and attenuation of incident light within the slurry. Specifically, the curing thickness is significantly reduced (usually <50 μm), forcing the slurry solid content to be limited to below 40 vol%, which makes it difficult to meet the densification requirements of high-performance ceramics. At the same time, in order to compensate for the penetration loss, the irradiation energy density needs to be increased, which will aggravate the lateral scattering of ultraviolet light, resulting in blurred forming contours, reduced dimensional accuracy, and insufficient interlayer bonding strength, which easily leads to cracks and delamination defects. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this application is to provide a photoacoustic 3D printing device for ceramic materials with large curing thickness. By utilizing ultrasonic-assisted photocuring, it can effectively improve the curing thickness, curing accuracy, and concentrated release of curing shrinkage stress during photocuring additive manufacturing, thereby improving the quality of printed products.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows: A photoacoustic 3D printing device for large curing thickness of ceramic materials is provided, comprising: a printing platform, a material trough on the printing platform, a stretching membrane on the material trough, a material-lifting and forming platform on the printing platform, the material-lifting and forming platform being positioned below or above the stretching membrane, a leveling component on the printing platform for rolling and scraping against the upper or lower surface of the stretching membrane to level the ceramic slurry on the material-lifting and forming platform, an ultraviolet curing light source being positioned directly above or below the stretching membrane, and a focused ultrasonic component being positioned on the printing platform or within the material trough, the focused ultrasonic component being located on one side of the material-lifting and forming platform and emitting ultrasonic waves toward the material-lifting and forming platform.

[0006] In one embodiment, the focused ultrasound assembly includes: a first column, a first crossbeam, and a self-focusing phased array ultrasound probe. Two first columns are provided and slidably disposed on the printing platform. The two ends of the first crossbeam are respectively fixed to the tops of the two first columns. The self-focusing phased array ultrasound probe is fixed to the first crossbeam by a first bracket.

[0007] Alternatively, the focused ultrasound assembly may include a self-focusing phased array ultrasound probe disposed on the inner wall of the feed trough.

[0008] In one embodiment, the self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe includes multiple frequency band modules of different frequencies, each frequency band module including multiple array elements, and the multiple array elements are arranged in an array.

[0009] In one embodiment, the leveling assembly includes: a second column, a second crossbeam, and a roller cutter. Two second columns are provided and slidably disposed on the printing platform. The two ends of the second crossbeam are respectively fixed to the tops of the two second columns, and the roller cutter is fixed to the lower surface of the second crossbeam. Alternatively, the leveling assembly includes a fixed guide rail, a sliding crossbeam, and a roller cutter. The roller cutter is fixed to the upper surface of the sliding crossbeam, the fixed guide rail is disposed on the lower surface of the printing platform, and the sliding crossbeam is driven by a linear drive to reciprocate on the guide rail.

[0010] In one embodiment, the printing platform is provided with a mounting rail, and the first column and the second column are slidably disposed on the mounting rail. The first column and the second column are respectively driven by corresponding linear drive components to reciprocate on the mounting rail.

[0011] In one embodiment, the linear drive is a cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, an electric actuator, or a lead screw assembly.

[0012] In one embodiment, the printing platform is provided with a lifting assembly, and the material forming platform has a Z-shaped structure, with one end fixed to the lifting slider of the lifting assembly and the other end installed with a product forming platform.

[0013] In one embodiment, the lifting assembly is a lead screw assembly.

[0014] In one embodiment, the first column and the first crossbeam are connected by a first fastening screw, and the second column and the second crossbeam are connected by a second fastening screw.

[0015] Another objective of this application is to provide a method for using a photoacoustic co-printing 3D printing device for large curing thickness of ceramic materials. Based on the photoacoustic co-printing 3D printing device for large curing thickness of ceramic materials as described above, the method of use includes the following steps:

[0016] If the material-collecting and forming platform is located below the stretching membrane, the leveling component is rolled and scraped against the upper surface of the stretching membrane, the ultraviolet curing light source is located directly above the stretching membrane, and it operates using a surface projection method, then proceed with step A series; if the material-collecting and forming platform is located above the stretching membrane, the leveling component is rolled and scraped against the lower surface of the stretching membrane, the ultraviolet curing light source is located directly below the stretching membrane, and it operates using a laser spot scanning method, then proceed with step B series.

[0017] The A series of steps includes the following steps:

[0018] A1. First, add the ceramic slurry to the material tank;

[0019] A2. The material scooping and forming platform first descends below the ceramic slurry level, and then rises again to a position where the ceramic slurry to be cured on the material scooping and forming platform differs from the lower surface of the film by a preset single-layer printing thickness.

[0020] A3. The leveling component reciprocates on the upper surface of the film to level the ceramic slurry to be cured on the material forming platform.

[0021] A4. Use an ultraviolet curing light source to expose the ceramic slurry to be cured in the forming area of ​​the material forming platform with ultraviolet light to form a quasi-cured area. The outline of the quasi-cured area is slightly smaller than the final printed outline.

[0022] A5. Use a focused ultrasonic component to emit focused ultrasonic waves to the quasi-cured area on the material forming platform to gel the ceramic slurry in the quasi-cured area.

[0023] S6. While the focused ultrasound component continues to apply focused ultrasound scanning in the quasi-curing zone, when the ultrasound curing scan is about to end, use an ultraviolet light curing light source to briefly expose the final printing outline of the gelled ceramic slurry for precise plasticization to obtain a cured layer.

[0024] A7. Repeat steps A2-A6 to gradually obtain multiple curing layers until the product of the required thickness is obtained.

[0025] The B series of steps includes the following steps:

[0026] B1. First, add the ceramic slurry to the material tank;

[0027] B2. The material scooping and forming platform descends to a position where the difference between the platform and the upper surface of the stretching film is the preset single-layer printing thickness;

[0028] B3. The scraping and leveling assembly reciprocates against the lower surface of the stretching film to scrape and level the ceramic slurry to be cured between the material forming platform and the stretching film.

[0029] B4. Use an ultraviolet curing light source to perform ultraviolet laser scanning on the ceramic slurry to be cured in the forming area of ​​the material forming platform to form a quasi-cured area. The outline of the quasi-cured area is slightly smaller than the final printed outline.

[0030] B5. Use a focused ultrasonic component to scan the quasi-cured area on the material forming platform with focused ultrasonic waves to gel the ceramic slurry in the quasi-cured area.

[0031] B6. While the focused ultrasound component continues to load focused ultrasound scanning, an ultraviolet light curing light source is used to scan the following acoustic focal point. The light focal point always follows the acoustic focal point as it moves.

[0032] B7. Use an ultraviolet curing light source to scan and precisely shape the final printed outline to obtain a cured layer;

[0033] B8. Repeat steps B2-B7 to gradually obtain multiple cured layers until the desired product thickness is obtained.

[0034] The beneficial effects of the photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment and method for large curing thickness of ceramic materials provided in this application are as follows:

[0035] The efficient and high-precision curing of ceramic materials is achieved through the synergistic effect of two energy fields. The working principle is a photoacoustic synergistic mechanism, which focuses acoustic energy into the deep slurry. The focused acoustic energy generates high temperatures, triggering the decomposition of the thermal initiator and initiating the free radical chain polymerization reaction of the resin monomers until polymerization and gelation. Compared to a single photocuring mechanism, this extends the gelation time and slows down the polymerization process, thus effectively suppressing the concentrated release of shrinkage stress caused by curing and ensuring the uniformity of deep curing. The ultraviolet light field achieves micron-level precision shaping in the pre-gelled matrix. The restricted molecular motion of gelation significantly reduces oxygen resistance and energy dissipation caused by light scattering. Simultaneously, the synergistic application of an ultrasonic field ultimately achieves high-precision manufacturing of functional ceramic materials with large cured thicknesses. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a simplified overall structural diagram of the photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials provided in Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a simplified cross-sectional view of the photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials provided in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a simplified three-dimensional structural diagram of the leveling component in the photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials provided in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a simplified three-dimensional structural diagram of the photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials provided in Embodiment 2 of this application;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a simplified cross-sectional view of the photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials provided in Embodiment 2 of this application;

[0042] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the oblique upward structure of the photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials provided in Embodiment 2 of this application;

[0043] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the first arrangement of arrays in different frequency band modules of a self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the second arrangement of the arrays in different frequency band modules of the self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe provided in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0045] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the third arrangement of the arrays in different frequency band modules of the self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe provided in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0046] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the fourth arrangement of the arrays in different frequency band modules of the self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe provided in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0047] Figure 11 A schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe provided in this application when the internal structure is a two-dimensional area array;

[0048] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe provided in this application embodiment when the internal structure is a one-dimensional linear array.

[0049] The following are the labeling elements in the figure:

[0050] 1. Printing platform; 2. Material trough; 3. Film stretching; 31. Rectangular frame; 4. Material scooping and forming platform; 5. Leveling assembly; 51. Second column; 52. Second crossbeam; 53. Roller cutter; 54. Second fastening screw; 55. Sliding crossbeam; 56. Fixed guide rail; 6. Ultraviolet curing light source; 7. Focusing ultrasonic assembly; 71. First column; 72. First crossbeam; 73. Self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe; 74. First fastening screw; 8. Lifting assembly; 81. Lifting slider; 82. Third fastening screw; 9. Mounting guide rail. Detailed Implementation

[0051] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects to be solved by this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0052] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0053] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0054] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0055] Example 1:

[0056] like Figures 1-3 As shown, this application provides a photoacoustic co-curing 3D printing device for ceramic materials with large curing thickness. This device mainly utilizes the principle of DLP (Digital Laser Processing) for photocuring.

[0057] This photoacoustic 3D printing equipment for large-thickness curing of ceramic materials includes: a printing platform 1, a material tank 2 on the printing platform 1 for holding ceramic slurry, the material tank 2 being made of aluminum alloy, which is lightweight, high-strength, and has good processing performance. In this embodiment, the ceramic slurry comprises at least ceramic and photosensitive resin; a membrane 3 is provided on the top of the material tank 2, the membrane 3 being fixed to the top of the material tank 2 by a rectangular frame 31; a lifting and forming platform 4 is provided on the printing platform 1, positioned below the membrane 3, and can be raised and lowered within the material tank 2; a leveling component 5 is provided on the printing platform 1 to roll and scrape against the upper surface of the membrane 3 to level the ceramic slurry on the lifting and forming platform 4; an ultraviolet curing light source 6 is provided directly above the membrane 3, the ultraviolet curing light source 6 being mounted on a frame (not shown in the figure); a focused ultrasonic component 7 is provided on the printing platform 1, located on one side of the lifting and forming platform 4 and emitting ultrasonic waves toward the lifting and forming platform 4.

[0058] In one specific embodiment, the focused ultrasound assembly 7 includes: a first column 71, a first crossbeam 72, and a self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe 73. Two first columns 71 are provided and slidably mounted on the printing platform 1. The two ends of the first crossbeam 72 are respectively fixed to the tops of the two first columns 71 by first fastening screws 74. The first crossbeam 72 spans across the top of the material tank 2. The self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe 73 is fixed to the first crossbeam 72 by a first bracket, extending into the material tank 2 and positioned above the ceramic slurry. The self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe 73 employs a non-linear focusing method, featuring a small focal point.

[0059] Specifically, in this embodiment, the self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe 73 is a probe with an adjustable frequency of 2.05-6.86 MHz, composed of multiple array elements. It supports electronic focusing and dynamic scanning, and can optimize the sound pressure distribution through a nonlinear acoustic model, compressing the focal size to the sub-millimeter level. Specifically, as... Figure 4-7 As shown, the self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe 73 internally includes multiple frequency band modules of different frequencies, such as n band 1 modules, n band 2 modules, n band 3 modules, etc. Each frequency band module includes multiple array elements, which are arranged in an array, such as... Figure 7-10Cuboids of different lengths represent different array elements; when operating at a certain frequency, the corresponding frequency band module is used to control the excitation time, generating initial sound wave transmission and focusing on the quasi-fixed region; utilizing nonlinear acoustic effects, the waveform of the sound wave will be distorted, generating new frequency components such as harmonics, while the energy will be more concentrated in the focal region, such as... Figure 11 and 12 As shown, multiple array elements are arranged in a two-dimensional plane array, and each element can perform scanning and printing operations independently.

[0060] Alternatively, multiple array elements can be arranged in a one-dimensional linear array, in conjunction with other mechanical linear drive structures to drive the self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe 73 to move as a whole for scanning and printing operations. This achieves a smaller focal size, enabling precise curing of deep slurry; at the same time, due to the high focusing of acoustic energy, a greater acoustic-thermal effect is generated, pre-curing the deep slurry and forming a stable gel matrix.

[0061] Among them, the self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe 73 uses a preset control program to accurately calculate the time for each array element's ultrasonic waves to reach the focal point using the formula: time equals the ratio of distance to sound speed (s=v×t). By using phase delay optimization, array elements at different distances from the focal point emit ultrasonic waves sequentially, thereby achieving synchronous focusing of ultrasonic energy from array elements with different working frequencies onto the target point. Through electronic focusing and dynamic scanning, the sound pressure distribution is optimized, significantly improving manufacturing efficiency.

[0062] In this embodiment, the UV curing light source 6 is a mature existing technology, employing Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology and equipped with a high-resolution micromirror array and a low-power UV light source. The UV curing light source 6 controls the projection of light patterns through layered slicing data, precisely curing the surface contour of the slurry, and uses an adaptive exposure algorithm to dynamically adjust the energy density and suppress UV lateral scattering. The UV light source uses a highly uniform UV LED light source (wavelength 405nm, power 80-150W). It integrates a collimating lens and a light homogenizer, achieving light intensity uniformity ≥90% and edge attenuation ≤5%. During operation, the UV curing light source remains stationary, and the slurry solidifies according to the shape of the pattern by changing different patterns on the projector, accumulating layer by layer to form the final product.

[0063] In one specific embodiment of this example, the leveling component 5 includes: a second column 51, a second crossbeam 52, and a roller cutter 53. Two second columns 51 are provided and slidably mounted on the printing platform 1. The two ends of the second crossbeam 52 are respectively fixed to the tops of the two second columns 51 by second fastening screws 54. The roller cutter 53 is fixed to the lower surface of the second crossbeam 52. The leveling component 5 is used to level the surface of the ceramic slurry on the material forming platform 4 before each layer is printed, ensuring a smooth and uniform surface, removing air bubbles and excess slurry, and improving printing quality and accuracy. The roller cutter 53 is made of hard stainless steel (with a diamond-like carbon coating) with an edge roughness Ra ≤ 0.4 μm. After each layer has cured, the resin surface is scraped smooth to ensure uniform layer thickness and surface flatness.

[0064] Specifically, the printing platform 1 is equipped with a mounting rail 9, and the first column 71 and the second column 51 are both slidably mounted on the mounting rail 9. The first column 71 and the second column 51 are each driven to reciprocate on the mounting rail 9 by corresponding linear drive components. The linear drive components are cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, electric push rods, or lead screw assemblies.

[0065] Specifically, in this embodiment, the printing platform 1 is equipped with a lifting assembly 8, and the material-collecting and forming platform 4 has a Z-shaped structure, with one end fixed to the lifting slider 81 of the lifting assembly 8, and the other end serving as the product forming platform. The material-collecting and forming platform 4 is made of stainless steel with sufficient strength, rigidity, and corrosion resistance, with tolerances controlled within ±0.02mm and a surface roughness Ra ≤0.2µm. The material-collecting and forming platform 4 is fixed to the lifting slider 81 by multiple third fastening screws 82. The lifting assembly 8 is a lead screw assembly, and the lifting slider 81 is threadedly connected to the lead screw of the lead screw assembly. When the motor of the lead screw assembly drives the lead screw to rotate forward and backward, the lifting slider 81 can be raised and lowered, thereby raising and lowering the material-collecting platform.

[0066] Example 2:

[0067] like Figures 4-6 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 is that the positions of the stretching film 3, the leveling component 5, and the ultraviolet curing light source 6 are different.

[0068] The large-curing-thickness photoacoustic 3D printing equipment for ceramic materials in this embodiment mainly utilizes the principle of SLA equipment for photocuring.

[0069] Specifically, in this embodiment, the stretching membrane 3 is located in the lower middle part of the material tank 2, the material forming platform 4 is located above the stretching membrane 3, the leveling component 5 is located at the lower part of the printing platform 1 and rolls and scrapes against the lower surface of the stretching membrane 3, the printing platform 1 is mounted on a support to suspend it, and the ultraviolet curing light source 6 is positioned directly below the stretching membrane 3 via the support. In this embodiment, the focusing ultrasound component 7 may only include a self-focusing phased array ultrasound probe 73, which is located on the inner sidewall of the material tank 2. Specifically, the leveling component 5 includes a fixed guide rail 56, a sliding crossbeam 55, and a roller cutter 53. The roller cutter 53 is fixed on the upper surface of the sliding crossbeam 55 and rolls against the lower surface of the stretching membrane. The fixed guide rail 54 is located on the lower surface of the printing platform 1, and the two ends of the sliding crossbeam 55 are connected to sliders on the fixed guide rail 54. The lower surface of the printing platform 1 is also provided with a linear drive component, which drives the sliding crossbeam 55 to slide back and forth on the fixed guide rail 549.

[0070] In this embodiment, the ultraviolet curing light source 6 is a mature existing technology. It employs stereolithography (SLA) technology and is equipped with a high-precision galvanometer system and a low-divergence ultraviolet laser source. The ultraviolet laser stereo scanning light source controls the laser beam path through layered slicing data, scanning the slurry surface point by point to accurately cure the slurry contour. The ultraviolet laser source uses a high-stability UV laser diode (wavelength 355 nm, single-point power 50-100 mW, peak power adjustable). It integrates an F-Theta lens and beam shaping module, with a spot diameter ≤70 μm, positioning accuracy ±10 μm, and a scanning speed of up to 10 m / s. The light intensity stability is ≥95%. During operation, the ultraviolet curing light source 6 relies on the galvanometer system to control the laser spot for scanning. The laser beam outlines the shape of the object on the slurry surface, forming a solid model from points to lines and from lines to surfaces, and then scanning and curing layer by layer.

[0071] This embodiment also provides a method for using a photoacoustic co-printing 3D printing device for large curing thickness of ceramic materials. Based on the photoacoustic co-printing 3D printing device for large curing thickness of ceramic materials as described above, the method of use includes the following steps:

[0072] If the material forming platform 4 is located below the stretching membrane 3, the leveling component 5 is rolled and scraped against the upper surface of the stretching membrane 3, and the ultraviolet curing light source 6 is located directly above the stretching membrane 3 and works using surface projection, then step A series is executed; that is, if the DLP equipment principle is used, then step A series is executed. If the material forming platform 4 is located above the stretching membrane 3, the leveling component 5 is rolled and scraped against the lower surface of the stretching membrane 3, and the ultraviolet curing light source 6 is located directly below the stretching membrane 3 and works using laser spot scanning, then step B series is executed; that is, if the SLA equipment principle is used, then step B series is executed.

[0073] Step A includes the following steps:

[0074] A1. First, add the ceramic slurry to the material tank 2;

[0075] A2. The material scooping and forming platform 4 first descends below the ceramic slurry level, and then the material scooping and forming platform 4 rises again to a position where the ceramic slurry to be cured on the material scooping and forming platform 4 and the lower surface of the film 3 differ by a preset single-layer printing thickness.

[0076] A3. The leveling component 5 reciprocates against the upper surface of the stretching film 3 to level the ceramic slurry to be cured on the material forming platform 4.

[0077] A4. Use UV curing light source 6 to light-cur the ceramic slurry to be cured in the forming area on the forming platform 4, and expose the UV surface contour to form a quasi-cured area. The contour of the quasi-cured area is slightly smaller than the final printed contour. When it is working, the UV curing light source remains stationary. By changing different patterns on the projector, the slurry solidifies according to the shape of the pattern and is accumulated layer by layer to form the shape.

[0078] A5. Using the focused ultrasound component 7, focused ultrasound energy is emitted to the quasi-cured area on the material forming platform 4. The quasi-cured area is rapidly scanned to focus the acoustic energy into the deep slurry. The focused acoustic energy generates high temperature, triggering the decomposition of the thermal initiator and initiating the free radical chain polymerization reaction of the resin monomer in the ceramic slurry until polymerization and gelation, thus obtaining a gel matrix.

[0079] A6. While the focused ultrasound component 7 continues to load the focused ultrasound scan, when the ultrasound curing scan is about to end, the ultraviolet light curing light source 6 is used to briefly expose the final printing outline of the gelled ceramic slurry for precision plasticization in order to obtain a cured layer.

[0080] A7. Repeat steps A2-A6 to gradually obtain multiple cured layers until the desired product thickness is obtained.

[0081] Step B includes the following steps:

[0082] B1. First, add the ceramic slurry to the material tank 2;

[0083] B2. The material forming platform 3 descends to a position where the difference between the material forming platform 3 and the upper surface of the stretching film 4 is a preset single-layer printing thickness;

[0084] B3. The scraping and leveling assembly 5 reciprocates against the lower surface of the stretching film 4 to scrape and level the ceramic slurry to be cured between the material forming platform 3 and the stretching film 4.

[0085] B4. Use ultraviolet curing light source 6 to perform ultraviolet laser scanning on the ceramic slurry to be cured in the forming area on the material forming platform 4 to form a quasi-cured area. The outline of the quasi-cured area is slightly smaller than the final printed outline.

[0086] B5. Focused ultrasonic component 7 is used to scan the quasi-cured area on the material forming platform 4 with focused ultrasonic waves to gel the ceramic slurry in the quasi-cured area. When it is working, the ultraviolet curing light source 6 relies on the galvanometer system to control the laser spot to scan. The laser beam outlines the shape of the object on the surface of the slurry, forming a solid model from point to line and from line to surface, and then scanning and curing layer by layer.

[0087] B6. While the focused ultrasound component 7 continues to load focused ultrasound scanning, the ultraviolet light curing light source 6 is used to scan the following acoustic focal point. The light focal point always follows the acoustic focal point as it moves.

[0088] B7. Use ultraviolet light curing light source 6 to scan and precisely shape the final printed outline to obtain a cured layer;

[0089] B8. Repeat steps B2-B7 to gradually obtain multiple cured layers until the desired product thickness is achieved.

[0090] This method uses a self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe 73 to focus acoustic energy into a deep slurry, initiating a polymerization reaction in the ceramic slurry through acoustic-thermal effects until it gels. At this point, a UV light field is applied to the gel matrix by a UV curing light source 6 for micron-level precision shaping. Simultaneously, the self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe 73 collaboratively applies an ultrasonic field, overcoming the low precision issues caused by acoustic flow disturbances and thermal diffusion effects in traditional single ultrasonic curing mechanisms. It also avoids the microcracks, deformation, and warping defects caused by shrinkage stress in traditional single photocuring mechanisms, ultimately achieving high-precision manufacturing of functional ceramic materials with large cured thicknesses.

[0091] The photoacoustic 3D printing equipment for large-thickness curing of ceramic materials provided in this embodiment overcomes the bottlenecks of insufficient depth in traditional single photopolymerization and low precision in single ultrasonic curing, offering an efficient and high-precision solution for the fine-structure manufacturing of high-absorbency, high-refractive-index ceramic materials. In terms of social benefits, it promotes the development of additive manufacturing technology, provides a new method for the fine-structure manufacturing of high-absorbency, high-refractive-index ceramic materials, and can be widely applied in electronics, aerospace, biomedicine, and other fields, contributing to industrial technology upgrading.

[0092] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A photoacoustic 3D printing device for large curing thickness of ceramic materials, comprising: A printing platform (1) is provided with a material trough (2) and a stretching membrane (3) on the material trough (2). A material-collecting and forming platform (4) is provided on the printing platform (1) in a lifting manner. The material-collecting and forming platform (4) is located below or above the stretching membrane (3). A leveling component (5) is provided on the printing platform (1) to roll and scrape against the upper or lower surface of the stretching membrane (3) to level the ceramic slurry on the material-collecting and forming platform (4). An ultraviolet curing light source (6) is provided directly above or below the stretching membrane (3). The printing platform (1) is characterized by further including a focused ultrasonic component (7), which is located on one side of the material-collecting and forming platform (4) and emits ultrasonic waves toward the material-collecting and forming platform (4). If the material forming platform (4) is located below the stretching membrane (3), the leveling component (5) is rolled and scraped against the upper surface of the stretching membrane (3), the ultraviolet curing light source (6) is located directly above the stretching membrane (3) and works in a surface projection manner, then step A series is executed; if the material forming platform (4) is located above the stretching membrane (3), the leveling component (5) is rolled and scraped against the lower surface of the stretching membrane (3), the ultraviolet curing light source (6) is located directly below the stretching membrane (3) and scans with a laser spot, then step B series is executed; The A series of steps includes the following steps: A1. First, add the ceramic slurry into the material tank (2); A2. The material scooping and forming platform (4) first descends below the ceramic slurry level, and then the material scooping and forming platform (4) rises again to a position where the ceramic slurry to be cured on the material scooping and forming platform (4) and the lower surface of the film (3) differ by a preset single-layer printing thickness. A3. The leveling component (5) reciprocates against the upper surface of the stretching film (3) to level the ceramic slurry to be cured on the material forming platform (4); A4. Use an ultraviolet curing light source (6) to expose the ceramic slurry to be cured in the forming area on the material forming platform (4) with ultraviolet light to form a quasi-cured area. The quasi-cured area outline is slightly smaller than the final printed outline. A5. Using the focused ultrasonic component (7), focus ultrasonic waves are emitted to scan the quasi-cured area on the material forming platform (4) to gel the ceramic slurry in the quasi-cured area. A6. On the basis of continuing to load focused ultrasound scanning in the quasi-curing area with focused ultrasound component (7), when the ultrasound curing scan is about to end, use ultraviolet light curing light source (6) to briefly expose the final printing outline of the gelled ceramic slurry for precision plasticization in order to obtain a cured layer. A7. Repeat steps A2-A6 to gradually obtain multiple curing layers until the product of the required thickness is obtained. The B series of steps includes the following steps: B1. First, add the ceramic slurry into the material tank (2); B2. The material forming platform (4) descends to a position where the difference between the material forming platform (4) and the upper surface of the film stretching (3) is a preset single-layer printing thickness. B3. The scraping and leveling assembly (5) reciprocates against the lower surface of the stretching film (3) to scrape and level the ceramic slurry to be cured between the material forming platform (4) and the stretching film (3). B4. Use an ultraviolet curing light source (6) to perform ultraviolet laser scanning on the ceramic slurry to be cured in the forming area on the material forming platform (4) to form a quasi-cured area. The outline of the quasi-cured area is slightly smaller than the final printed outline. B5. Use the focused ultrasonic component (7) to scan the quasi-cured area on the material forming platform (4) with focused ultrasonic waves to gel the ceramic slurry in the quasi-cured area. B6. While the focused ultrasound component (7) continues to load focused ultrasound scanning, the ultraviolet light curing light source (6) is used to scan the following acoustic focal point. The light focal point always follows the acoustic focal point as it moves. B7. Use an ultraviolet curing light source (6) to scan and precisely shape the final printed outline to obtain a cured layer; B8. Repeat steps B2-B7 to gradually obtain multiple cured layers until the desired product thickness is obtained.

2. The photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The focused ultrasound assembly (7) includes: a first column (71), a first crossbeam (72), and a self-focusing phased array ultrasound probe (73). The first column (71) has two columns and is slidably mounted on the printing platform (1). The two ends of the first crossbeam (72) are respectively fixed to the tops of the two first columns (71). The self-focusing phased array ultrasound probe (73) is fixed to the first crossbeam (72) by a first bracket. Alternatively, the focused ultrasound assembly (7) may include a self-focusing phased array ultrasound probe (73) disposed on the inner wall of the feed trough.

3. The photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The self-focusing phased array ultrasonic probe (73) includes multiple frequency band modules of different frequencies. Each frequency band module includes multiple array elements, and the multiple array elements are arranged in an array.

4. The photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The leveling component (5) includes: a second column (51), a second crossbeam (52) and a roller (53). Two second columns (51) are provided and slidably disposed on the printing platform (1). The two ends of the second crossbeam (52) are respectively fixed to the top of the two second columns (51). The roller (53) is fixed to the lower surface of the second crossbeam (52). Alternatively, the leveling assembly (5) includes a fixed guide rail (56), a sliding crossbeam (55), and a roller (53). The roller (53) is fixed on the upper surface of the sliding crossbeam (55), the fixed guide rail (56) is disposed on the lower surface of the printing platform (1), and the sliding crossbeam (55) is driven by a linear drive to slide back and forth on the fixed guide rail (56).

5. The photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The printing platform (1) is provided with an installation guide rail (9). The first column (71) and the second column (51) are slidably mounted on the installation guide rail (9). The first column (71) and the second column (51) are respectively driven by corresponding linear drive components to slide back and forth on the installation guide rail (9).

6. The photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The linear drive component is a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, electric push rod, or lead screw assembly.

7. The photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: The printing platform (1) is equipped with a lifting assembly (8), and the material forming platform (4) has a Z-shaped structure. One end is fixed on the lifting slider (81) of the lifting assembly (8), and the other end is equipped with a product forming platform.

8. The photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The lifting assembly (8) is a lead screw assembly.

9. The photoacoustic synergistic 3D printing equipment for large curing thickness of ceramic materials as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The first column (71) and the first crossbeam (72) are connected by a first fastening screw (74), and the second column (51) and the second crossbeam (52) are connected by a second fastening screw (54).

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