Machining head with tool and associated cleaning system

Abstract

An apparatus for treating a wax mold to polish the mold to a predetermined smoothness or mold height and fill the mold with a paste. The device has one or more cutting blades and cleaning brushes, and the cutting blades rotate over the wax to grind the wax to a predetermined smoothness or mold height. The cleaning brush is in contact with the cutting blade to remove wax on the cutting blade.

Description

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 435,361, filed on December 27, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Technical field and background of the present invention

[0004] The present invention, in some embodiments, relates to a machining head with a tool and an associated cleaning system, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a tool for a layered additive manufacturing system that forms a layer by 3D printing a mold and then filling the mold with material to form the layer.

[0005] In additive manufacturing, layers are built by printing a mold and then filling it with material. This material can be a metal or ceramic paste, often in a viscous fluid state. This process can produce both metal and ceramic parts, including mechanical components, which typically require very high precision.

[0006] Typically, the shape of the layer is defined by a printing mold, which is then filled, followed by drying and hardening of the layer. Drying is performed to extract binders and other fluids, which may involve applying a vacuum to the layer. The layer can be heated to harden, and once all printed layers are formed, the part can be sintered to fuse the metal or other powder in the paste, forming the part.

[0007] 1 , which illustrates the current state of the art, a machining head 10 for additive manufacturing includes a die cavity 12 , a roller 14 , and a tool 16 .

[0008] Using 3D printing technology and a suitable, typically wax-based, 3D printing material, the mold 18 is printed. After printing the new mold layer 18, the roller 14 (typically a heated cylinder) slightly compresses and flattens the mold surface to make the mold surface more precisely defined.

[0009] The paste is then applied to the defined spaces within the mold through the mold cavity 12. A blade 14, such as a scraper, is used to apply and spread the paste within the mold.

[0010] Then, cutter 14 removes excess paste from the mold surface. When the cutter is operated like this, relative motion is produced between the mold, i.e. the part being built, and the device 10.

[0011] However, the surface quality of molds produced using rollers is less than ideal. During the 3D printing process, variations in mold thickness due to different nozzles or nozzle groups are difficult to control. Furthermore, achieving good mold surface quality is difficult; even after extensive calibration, the quality and accuracy remain subpar.

[0012] Summary of the Invention

[0013] This embodiment uses a cutting head with a blade to polish the mold surface, rather than using a roller to flatten the surface. Therefore, the cutting blade can polish the mold surface. Rollers can actually push material aside and even cause shape distortion because they typically don't remove excess mold material. Therefore, using a cutting blade allows for greater precision.

[0014] However, using cutting blades presents additional problems because the mold material is often soft and waxy, which adheres to the cutting blades, necessitating regular cleaning of the blades.

[0015] Therefore, various embodiments of cleaning cutting blades are provided, for example, using a cleaning brush. In addition, in some embodiments, cooling measures are also provided to make the wax harder, difficult for adhesion, thereby making it easier to work and clean.

[0016] According to one aspect of some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for processing a wax mold to polish the mold to a predetermined smoothness or mold height and fill the mold with a paste, the apparatus comprising at least one cutting blade and a cleaning brush, the at least one cutting blade being configured to rotate over the wax to polish the wax to a predetermined smoothness or mold height, the cleaning brush being configured to contact the at least one cutting blade to clean the wax from the cutting blade.

[0017] In one embodiment, the cutting blade is mounted on or built into a cylinder that is configured to rotate in a first direction while polishing the wax. One embodiment may use a cutting blade mounted on or built into the cylinder.

[0018] In one embodiment, after polishing the wax, the cylinder may be rotated to bring each cutting blade into contact with the cleaning brush.

[0019] In one embodiment, the cylinder is configured to rotate in a second direction when in contact with the cleaning brush.

[0020] In one embodiment, the cleaning brush is configured to move between a waiting position and a cleaning position, wherein the cleaning brush is in contact with the cylindrical body and is withdrawn from the cylindrical body in the waiting position.

[0021] In one embodiment, the cleaning brush is a rotating cleaning brush.

[0022] In one embodiment, the cylindrical body comprising the at least one cutting blade is configured to rotate in the first direction, and the rotating cleaning brush is configured to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of the first direction.

[0023] In one embodiment, the cleaning brush is configured to rotate to generate a linear speed that is faster than the linear speed of the cutting blade.

[0024] Embodiments may utilize a coolant source to provide coolant to cool the die or cutting blade.In one embodiment, coolant is provided to cool the at least one cutting blade or a surface of the die.

[0025] In one embodiment, the cylindrical body may have an inlet, an outlet, and at least one inner hollow space leading from the inlet to the outlet to transport the coolant from the inlet to the outlet.

[0026] In one embodiment, the at least one interior hollow space is located at a radial distance outward from a central axis of the shaft.

[0027] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for additive manufacturing, comprising:

[0028] printing a mold defining the shape of a layer of the part;

[0029] polishing the mold using a cutting blade to define the upper surface of the mold to predetermined specifications;

[0030] Filling the mold with the paste; and

[0031] Clean the blade.

[0032] In one embodiment of the method, the cutting blade is mounted on a cylinder that rotates in a first direction while polishing the wax.

[0033] The method may include providing a plurality of cutting blades on the cylindrical body. The blades and the cylindrical body may be integrally formed, or the blades may be mounted using accessories.

[0034] The method may include, after polishing the wax, rotating the cylinder so that each cutting blade in turn contacts the brush.

[0035] The method may include rotating the cylindrical body in a second direction while in contact with the cleaning brush.

[0036] The method may include moving the cleaning brush between a waiting position and a cleaning position, wherein the cleaning brush contacts the cylindrical body and is withdrawn from the cylindrical body in the waiting position.

[0037] In one embodiment of the method, the cleaning brush is a rotating cleaning brush.

[0038] The method may include rotating the cylinder in the first direction and rotating the cleaning brush in a direction opposite to the direction of the first direction.

[0039] In one embodiment of the method, the cleaning brush may rotate faster than the cutting blade.

[0040] The method may include providing a coolant to cool the die or cutting blade.

[0041] A coolant may be provided externally to cool the at least one cutting blade or the surface of the die, or, alternatively or additionally, the coolant may be conveyed within the cylinder.

[0042] In some embodiments, the coolant is air.

[0043] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for additive manufacturing, comprising:

[0044] printing a mold defining the shape of a layer of the part;

[0045] providing a coolant to cool at least one of the die and a surface of at least one cutting blade;

[0046] polishing the mold using the at least one cutting blade to define an upper surface of the mold to predetermined specifications; and

[0047] Fill the mold with the paste.

[0048] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for processing a wax mold to polish the mold to a predetermined smoothness or mold height and to fill the mold with a paste, the apparatus comprising at least one cutting blade configured to rotate over the wax to polish the wax to the predetermined smoothness or mold height and a coolant source configured to provide a coolant to cool at least one component of the group comprising the blade and the mold.

[0049] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and / or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to the methods and materials described herein can be used to practice or test embodiments of the present invention, only exemplary methods and / or materials are described below. In the event of a conflict, the patent specification (including definitions) shall prevail. In addition, these materials, methods and examples are for reference only and are not intended to necessarily limit the present invention.

[0050] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] Some embodiments of the present invention have been described herein by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. A detailed description will now be given with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be emphasized that the details shown are merely examples and are intended to provide an illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, the description with reference to the accompanying drawings will provide those skilled in the art with a clear understanding of how to practice the embodiments of the present invention.

[0052] In the attached figure:

[0053] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a processing head including a roller in the prior art;

[0054] Figure 2A A schematic diagram of a cutting tool with a related cleaning brush according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 2B for Figure 2A A variation of the tool shown, which is a one-piece structure;

[0056] Figure 3 for Figure 2A a cross-sectional view of the knife showing a blade of the knife in conjunction with a cleaning brush according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 4 According to another embodiment of the present invention Figure 2A a cross-sectional view of a variation of the tool shown, in which a rotating brush is used;

[0058] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of one side of a tool working with a die slot and a blade according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 6 According to another embodiment of the present invention Figure 2A A schematic diagram of a tool having a hollow interior connectable to a cooling source;

[0060] Figure 7A and 7B for Figure 6 cross-sectional and profile views of the tool, showing the internal passages for coolant;

[0061] Figure 8 is a simplified flowchart of the operation according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 9 is a simplified flow chart of alternative operations according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] Description of specific embodiments of the present invention

[0064] The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to a cutting tool and its associated cleaning system, and more particularly, but not limited to, to a cutting tool for a layered additive manufacturing system that forms a layer by 3D printing a mold and then filling the mold with material that forms the layer.

[0065] This tool is used to polish the mold before filling it with slurry. It can also polish wax molds before filling them with slurry to a predetermined smoothness or mold height. As long as the mold height is accurate enough, the slurry can be polished to the required accuracy to form a layer that meets the requirements and is suitable for precision mechanical parts, etc. as needed.

[0066] The tool may include one or more cutting blades mounted on a rotating cylinder. The blades may be separate components mounted on the cylinder or integrally formed with the cylinder. The cylinder is associated with a cleaning brush, and the cutting blades rotate over the wax to polish the upper surface of the wax to a predetermined smoothness or mold height. The cleaning brush then contacts the cutting blades to remove any wax from the blades. Wax residue on the blades can affect the blades' polishing ability and the ability to grind the wax to a precise surface.

[0067] The thickness of wax scraped off the mold surface during polishing is typically about 20 microns. At this thickness, a small amount or residual wax on the cutting blade may cause some deformation during polishing.

[0068] In one embodiment, the cutting blade rotates in one direction when polishing the wax and rotates in a second direction when in contact with the cleaning brush.

[0069] In some embodiments, the cleaning brush can be moved between a waiting position and a cleaning position, in which the cleaning brush contacts the cutting blade and the waiting position is withdrawn from the cutting blade. In this way, the cleaning brush does not contact the cutting blade during the polishing process. In such an embodiment, the cleaning brush can be in the cleaning position when the cutting blade rotates in the second direction (i.e., the non-cleaning direction). Therefore, if the blade cuts when it moves clockwise, it cleans when it moves counterclockwise, and if the blade cuts when it moves counterclockwise, it cleans when it moves clockwise.

[0070] In one embodiment, the cleaning brush can be cleaned during the polishing process.

[0071] In one embodiment, the cleaning brush can rotate faster than the cylinder with the cutting blade, and the two can rotate in the same direction or in opposite directions.

[0072] In one embodiment, the coolant source can provide coolant to cool the wax, making it less viscous and more brittle, thereby causing less fouling on the blade and making wax easier to remove.

[0073] The coolant can be cold air or other fluid.

[0074] Coolant can be supplied to the tool's shaft through an inlet. The shaft can be hollow or include a hollow channel to deliver coolant along part or all of its length to an outlet separate from the inlet. This cools the surface in contact with the wax, i.e., the cutting blade, with the same effect on the wax as described above. In one variation, coolant can alternatively or additionally be supplied to the mold through a nozzle.

[0075] The inner hollow space can simply be the inner hollow area of ​​the cylinder in which the cutting blade is mounted. There can be a hollow ring at a radial distance outwards from the central axis of the shaft.

[0076] Before explaining at least one embodiment of the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the application of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the construction and arrangement details of the components and / or methods set forth in the following description and / or shown in the drawings and / or embodiments. The present invention may have other embodiments or may be practiced or implemented in various ways.

[0077] Now refer to Figure 2A The cylindrical body 20 includes a cutting blade 22, a hollow central shaft 24, and is associated with a cleaning brush 26. The cleaning brush includes a brush head 28 and bristles 30, which are preferably microtubes. The microtubes can be, for example, nylon or other plastics.

[0078] As mentioned above, the 3D printing material used to create the mold is relatively soft, often waxy. Therefore, when the mold material is cut by the various blades 22, the mold material adheres to the blades. Consequently, the blades may need to be cleaned frequently, otherwise the mold quality will be poor. Mold material that adheres to the blades during a previous operation may leave marks on the mold surface during subsequent operations.

[0079] Current systems that use blades on wax can be cleaned manually, but this requires stopping the machine. Additive manufacturing requires leveling each layer, and a single product can be made up of hundreds or even thousands of layers, making manual cleaning impractical.

[0080] During operation, the cylinder 20 rotates and the blade 22 contacts the mold surface in turn, thereby polishing the mold. After contacting the mold, the blade contacts the bristles 30 and removes the residual wax on the mold from the blade 22.

[0081] In an alternative embodiment, the cleaning brush 26 is in a standby position during cutting or polishing. After polishing, the cleaning brush advances from the standby position to the cleaning position.

[0082] Now refer to Figure 2B , the figure shows Figure 2AAn alternative to the tool shown. The tool 31 is a one-piece construction, with the blade 33 built into the shaft 35, i.e., integrally formed with the shaft. The hollow interior 37 has an insert 39 embedded in the shaft for positioning.

[0083] Figure 3 yes Figure 2A A simplified schematic cross-section of the cylinder and cleaning brush is shown. The same reference numerals are used throughout the figure and are only referenced again where necessary to understand the figure.

[0084] The cylindrical body 20 is generally circular and has a plurality of cutouts formed around its periphery. Each cutout receives a blade 22, a blade assembly 32, and a bolt 34. In one embodiment, the blade assembly can be resilient and inserted after the blade is inserted, thereby securing it between the blade and the bolt, thereby abutting the blade against the bolt. The blade assembly can then be removed, for example, using a suitably shaped wrench to replace the blade.

[0085] Now refer to Figure 4 , which is a simplified cross-sectional view showing the same cylindrical body, but with a rotating brush. Components of the cylindrical body that are identical to those in the previous figure are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again unless necessary for understanding this figure. The cylindrical body 20 has blades extending outwardly to a radius R1.

[0086] like Figure 4 As shown, the cleaning brush 26 is replaced by a rotating brush 40. The rotating brush 40 has bristles 42 extending outward to a radius R2. The radius R2 is selected so that the bristles can clean the cutting edge of the blade 22. The rotating brush 40 and the cutting cylinder 20 can rotate in opposite directions.

[0087] The outer edge of the blade moves at a linear velocity of R1*W1. The outer edge of the cleaning brush moves at a linear velocity of R2*W2. The linear velocity of the blade or cleaning brush mentioned in this article refers to the linear velocity of its outer edge.

[0088] In an embodiment, the linear speed of the cleaning brush is set to be greater than the linear speed of the blade.

[0089] Now refer to Figure 5 , which is a simplified diagram showing a side view of a cutter 50 (not shown here for simplicity), and a die or paste applicator 52. Note that, compared to FIG1 , the die does not include a roller, although this may be retained in embodiments. However, the die does include a blade 54, commonly referred to as a scraper, for applying the paste. The cutter 50 is positioned above the die 56 to cut or polish the surface of the die, and the die then fills the paste into the spaces defined by the die.

[0090] The mold can be printed on top of a previous mold layer or directly onto the print tray 58.

[0091] Now refer to Figure 6 This simplified diagram shows a variation 60 of the cylindrical body 20, which is mounted so that the hollow space within the cylindrical body is connected to a fluid inlet 62 and a fluid outlet 64. A source of cool air or other fluid (not shown) provides cool air to the fluid inlet 62, which flows from the inlet 62 through the hollow space to the outlet 64, thereby cooling the cylindrical body. This cools the blade, making the wax in contact with the blade more brittle. Consequently, the wax smears less on the blade and is more easily scraped off by a cleaning brush.

[0092] The cold air source may be, for example, a cold air vortex cooling tool.

[0093] Additionally or alternatively, cold air can be supplied directly to the wax from the mold cavity or nozzle. This means the mold surface can be cooled directly, either simultaneously or independently of the internal cooling of the cylinder. Directly cooling the wax prevents wax buildup on the inserts, eliminating the need for cleaning.

[0094] Therefore, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the cutting blade is not combined with a cleaning brush, but with an outlet that directs a coolant onto the wax in order to cool the wax before the polishing process. The coolant can be cold air or provided by a cold air vortex device.

[0095] Now refer to Figure 7A and 7B , which are Figure 6 Cross-sectional and sectional views of the middle cylinder 60.

[0096] As mentioned above, the cylindrical portion 60 is hollow. The inner shaft 70 includes an air inlet 74 and an air outlet 76. The shaft 72 is hollow. As mentioned above, air from a cooling air source or any other fluid can be used as a coolant. The coolant enters the air inlet 74 and flows through the shaft 72 from the air inlet 74 to the air outlet 76, thereby cooling the cutter head and blade and reducing the viscosity of wax that comes into contact with the blade.

[0097] As shown, the air inlet 74 opens into a hollow ring 78 which is radially away from the center of the shaft. Thus, the cooling air (or other fluid) is closer to the circumference of the shaft, thereby cooling the blades.

[0098] Figure 7B FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the cutter head of this embodiment, showing the shaft 72 , the air inlet 74 , the air outlet 76 and the hollow ring 78 again.

[0099] Now refer to Figure 8 , which is a simplified flow chart illustrating an additive manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method 90 is performed for each layer of the part or product being manufactured.

[0100] 92: For each layer, a mold is printed to define the outer shape of that layer. After printing, the upper surface of the mold is not precise. This may be due to a malfunctioning print nozzle or the use of different print heads with different characteristics when printing different parts of the mold. Therefore, 94: a blade is used to grind the upper portion of the mold to the desired specifications. Unlike roller grinding, blade grinding involves the actual polishing of the wax surface. Therefore, polishing is more precise than roller grinding, which simply squeezes and spreads the wax. Typically, about 20 microns of wax are scraped off during this polishing operation.

[0101] 96: The paste is then filled into the smooth mold. The paste contains the material from which the part will be made, such as metal or ceramic powder. After the paste flows out of the mold cavity, the scraper discussed above can spread the paste into the hollow space inside the mold.

[0102] The blade is cleaned in stage 100. While shown as a separate stage, this is only true in certain embodiments. In other embodiments, cleaning occurs simultaneously with cutting. While shown as occurring after the filling stage, cleaning typically occurs before or simultaneously with the filling stage, and the diagram should be interpreted accordingly.

[0103] In other embodiments, the cleaning phase is performed separately from the polishing phase.

[0104] In some embodiments, the cleaning brush and the cutting cylinder can rotate in opposite directions. In another embodiment, the scraper can rotate in one direction when cutting the mold wax and rotate in a second direction when in contact with the cleaning brush during the cleaning phase.

[0105] As described in the previous embodiment, the cleaning phase may include moving the cleaning brush between a waiting position, in which the cleaning brush contacts the cutting blade, and a cleaning position, in which the cleaning brush is held at a distance from the waiting position.

[0106] During cleaning, the cutting blade may rotate in the opposite direction to that during cutting.

[0107] During the cutting process, when the cutting blade rotates in the first direction and cuts the wax, the cleaning brush can remain in the waiting position and be withdrawn from the cutting blade.

[0108] Alternatively, the cutting blade rotates along a first direction to cut the wax in the mold for cleaning, while the cleaning brush rotates along a second direction for cleaning. In this case, cutting and cleaning can be carried out simultaneously.

[0109] In some embodiments, the linear speed of the cleaning brush rotation is faster than the linear speed of the cutting blade.These embodiments are also applicable to cutting and cleaning at the same time.

[0110] Coolant may be supplied to a shaft of the machining head through an inlet, the shaft containing internal hollow spaces that deliver the coolant to an outlet separate from the inlet.

[0111] Now refer to Figure 9 , which illustrates an alternative embodiment in which a coolant source may provide coolant to externally cool a die or cutting blade - method 102 .

[0112] The coolant may be air or any other suitable fluid.

[0113] exist Figure 9 In , stage 104 involves printing a mold that defines the shape of the current layer.

[0114] In stage 106, a coolant (typically air), such as from a vortex device, is provided through the die cavity or nozzles to cool one or both of the die and the cutting blade.

[0115] Stage 108 involves polishing the mold using the cutting blades described above to define the upper surface of the mold to predetermined specifications. The mold is then filled with the paste in stage 110.

[0116] exist Figure 9 In the embodiment shown, the coolant is introduced into the mold and / or the blade from the outside. This embodiment can be used as Figure 8 An alternative to the embodiment, but another alternative is to use a combination of the two.

[0117] As each layer is created, a drying process is performed to extract binders and other fluids, which may involve applying a vacuum to the coating. The layers can be hardened by heating, and the part can then be sintered, fusing the metal or other powders in the paste to form the component.

[0118] The terms "including", "comprising", "having" and the like mean "including but not limited to".

[0119] The term "consisting of" means "including but not limited to."

[0120] The term "consisting essentially of" means that the composition, method or structure may include other ingredients, steps and / or components, but only if these other ingredients, steps and / or components do not materially change the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition, method or structure.

[0121] As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0122] It should be understood that certain features of the invention, for the sake of clarity, are described in the context of separate embodiments; these features may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment, and this description should be understood as if such embodiments were explicitly set forth herein. Conversely, various features of the invention described in the context of a single embodiment for the sake of brevity may also be provided separately, in any suitable subcombination, or as modifications of any other described embodiment of the invention, and this description should be understood as if such separate embodiments, subcombinations, and modifications were explicitly set forth herein. Certain features described in the context of individual embodiments should not be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment cannot be implemented without these elements.

[0123] Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it is apparent that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present invention is intended to encompass all alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

[0124] It is the applicant's intention that all publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned in this specification be incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, as if each publication, patent, or patent application were expressly and individually indicated as being incorporated herein by reference when cited. In addition, the citation or identification of any reference in this application should not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art for the present invention. With respect to section headings, they should not be construed as necessarily limiting. In addition, any priority documents of this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Claims

1. A device for processing a wax mold to polish the mold to a predetermined smoothness or mold height and fill the mold with a paste, the device comprising a cleaning brush and at least one cutting blade, the at least one cutting blade being configured to rotate over the wax to polish the wax to the predetermined smoothness or mold height, and the cleaning brush being configured to contact the at least one cutting blade to remove the wax from the cutting blade.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein The cutting blade is mounted on or built into a cylindrical body, and the cylindrical body is configured to rotate in a first direction while polishing the wax.

3. The device according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of cutting blades mounted on or built into the cylindrical body.

4. The device according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein: After said polishing of said wax, said cylinder can be rotated so as to bring each cutting blade into contact with said brush.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein The cylinder is configured to rotate in a second direction when in contact with the cleaning brush.

6. The device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein: The cleaning brush is configured to move between a waiting position and a cleaning position, wherein the cleaning brush contacts the cylindrical body at the cleaning position and is withdrawn from the cylindrical body at the waiting position.

7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The cleaning brush is a rotating cleaning brush.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein The cylindrical body including the at least one cutting blade is configured to rotate in the first direction, and the rotating cleaning brush is configured to rotate in a direction opposite to that of the first direction.

9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The cleaning brush is configured to rotate to generate a linear speed faster than a linear speed of the cutting blade.

10. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a coolant source for providing a coolant to cool the die or the cutting blade.

11. The device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein The coolant is provided to cool the at least one cutting blade or a surface of the die.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein The cylindrical body includes an inlet, an outlet, and at least one inner hollow space leading from the inlet to the outlet for conveying the coolant from the inlet to the outlet.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein The at least one interior hollow space is located at a radial distance outward from a central axis of the shaft.

14. A method of additive manufacturing, comprising: printing a mold defining the shape of a layer of the part; polishing the mold using a cutting blade to define an upper surface of the mold to predetermined specifications; filling the mold with a paste; and Clean the blade.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein The cutting blade is mounted on a cylindrical body that rotates in a first direction while polishing the wax.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising providing a plurality of cutting blades on the cylindrical body.

17. A method according to claim 15 or claim 16, comprising, after polishing of the wax, rotating the cylinder so that each cutting blade in turn comes into contact with the brush.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising rotating the cylinder in a second direction while in contact with the cleaning brush.

19. A method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, comprising moving the cleaning brush between a waiting position and a cleaning position, wherein the cleaning brush is in contact with the cylindrical body and wherein the cleaning brush is withdrawn from the cylindrical body.

20. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein The cleaning brush is a rotating cleaning brush.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising rotating the cylinder in the first direction and rotating the cleaning brush in a direction opposite to the first direction.

22. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 21, wherein The cleaning brush is configured to rotate faster than the cutting blade.

23. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 22, comprising providing a coolant to cool the die or the cutting blade.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising providing the coolant externally to cool the at least one cutting blade or a surface of the die.

25. The method of claim 23, comprising delivering the coolant within the cylinder.

26. A method according to any one of claims 23 to 25 or an apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein The coolant is air.

27. A method of additive manufacturing, comprising: printing a mold defining the shape of a layer of the part; providing a coolant to cool at least one of the die and a surface of at least one cutting blade; polishing the mold using the at least one cutting blade to define an upper surface of the mold to predetermined specifications; and The mold is filled with paste.

28. An apparatus for processing a wax mold to polish the mold to a predetermined smoothness or mold height and to fill the mold with a paste, the apparatus comprising at least one cutting blade configured to rotate over the wax to polish the wax to the predetermined smoothness or mold height and a coolant source configured to provide a coolant to cool at least one component of the group comprising the cutting blade and the mold.

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