Crawler ink-jet lifting type multi-material 3D printing device and printing method

Abstract

The invention discloses a crawler ink-jet lifting type multi-material 3D printing device and a printing method, and belongs to the technical field of 3D printing. The problems that when an existing 3D printing device processes multi-material printing, material switching is inconvenient, and the printing process is complex are solved. The crawler inkjet lifting type multi-material 3D printing device comprises a base, a printing platform system, a plurality of vacuum adsorption recycling systems, a crawler system, a UV light machine system, an inkjet system, a plurality of recycled slurry storage tanks, a system support and a plurality of liquid storage tanks. According to the invention, the corresponding ink-jet units can be controlled to uniformly jet the photocuring slurry made of a specific material onto the crawler belt according to printing requirements, and necessary curing is directly carried out along with the movement of the crawler belt system after printing is completed, so that the performance and the stability of a printed piece are improved. Through the design of the multiple ink-jet heads, simultaneous or alternate printing of multiple materials is achieved, and the function and appearance of a printed piece are enriched. The crawler-type design enables the printing process to be continuously carried out, continuous production can be achieved, the production efficiency is improved, and the production cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a light-curing multi-material 3D printing device and a printing method, belonging to the technical field of 3D printing. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of 3D printing technology, it has gained widespread application in various fields, including manufacturing, healthcare, and education. However, existing 3D printing devices often face challenges when handling multi-material printing, including inconvenient material switching, low printing accuracy, and a complex printing process. In particular, in scenarios where multiple materials must be printed simultaneously to achieve more complex structures and functions, existing technologies struggle to meet the demands for efficient and precise printing. An increasing number of applications require 3D printing using multiple materials. For example, in the biomedical field, tissue engineering scaffolds with varying mechanical properties and biocompatibility need to be printed; in automotive manufacturing, lightweight components composed of multiple materials are required to improve performance and reduce energy consumption. However, existing 3D printing technologies still face challenges in multi-material printing. Most traditional 3D printing technologies were not designed with multi-material printing in mind, and their print heads and feed systems are typically limited to processing a single type or a few similar materials. Multi-material printing often requires frequent replacement of the print head or feed system, which is not only cumbersome but also easily compromises printing efficiency and quality. Traditional 3D printing technology is often limited to the use of a single or a few materials, making it difficult to achieve seamless switching and mixed printing of multiple materials (such as plastics, metals, ceramics, composite materials, etc.), limiting the diversity of product functions and performance improvements. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the inconvenience of switching materials and the complex printing process associated with existing 3D printing devices when printing multiple materials, this invention provides a crawler-type, inkjet, lift-type, multi-material 3D printing device and printing method. This device utilizes a unique crawler-type design and an inkjet system to achieve efficient and precise multi-material printing.

[0004] The crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device of the present invention comprises a base (1), a printing platform system (2), a plurality of vacuum adsorption recovery systems (3), a crawler system (4), a UV light machine system, an inkjet system (6), a plurality of recovered slurry storage tanks (7), a system bracket (8), and a plurality of liquid storage tanks (9); the system bracket (8) is arranged on both sides of the crawler system (4) on the base (1);

[0005] The printing platform system (2) includes a printing platform (21), a printing platform bracket (22), a platform lifting slide rail (23), a platform lifting motor (24), and a platform lifting slider (25); the printing platform bracket (22) is mounted on the system bracket (8); the platform lifting slide rail (23) is vertically arranged on the printing platform bracket (22), the platform lifting slider (25) is slidably mounted on the platform lifting slide rail (23), and the printing platform (21) is fixedly connected to the platform lifting slider (25); the platform lifting motor (24) for driving the platform lifting slider (25) to move up and down is arranged at the bottom of the printing platform bracket (22); a reducer (26) is provided at the power transmission end of the platform lifting motor (24), and a screw rod is connected to the power transmission end of the reducer (26), and a threaded hole matching the screw rod is provided at the center of the platform lifting slider (25), and the screw rod is arranged in the threaded hole; the lower surface of the printing platform (21) is covered with a flexible release film;

[0006] The vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) comprises a scraper (31), a lifting system (12) and a vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35); the vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35) is mounted on the system bracket (8); the upper end of the lifting system (12) in the vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) is fixedly connected to the vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35), and the scraper (31) is fixedly arranged at the lower end of the lifting system (12); the scraper (31) is a horizontally arranged strip-shaped hollow structure, the edge of the scraper (31) is a blade portion, and a plurality of diamond-shaped holes are arranged on two side walls (32) of the blade portion. The scraper (31) is connected to the recovery slurry storage tank (7) through a negative pressure delivery pipe (33), and a recovery slurry delivery pump (34) is arranged on the negative pressure delivery pipe (33);

[0007] The crawler system (4) includes a crawler (41), a driving wheel (42) and a driving wheel bracket (43), wherein the crawler (41) is a ring-shaped transparent film; the crawler (41) is on two driving wheels (42), and the driving wheels (42) are mounted on the base (1) through the driving wheel bracket (43); the crawler (41) is a transparent film;

[0008] The UV light machine system includes a laser head (51) and a UV light machine bracket (52); the UV light machine bracket (52) is fixed below the track (41) on the upper surface of the base (1), and the laser head (51) is installed at the upper end of the UV light machine bracket (52) and is arranged directly below the printing platform (21);

[0009] The inkjet system (6) includes an inkjet system bracket (61) and a plurality of inkjet units, wherein the inkjet units are composed of an inkjet head (62), a guide rod (63), a movable slider (64) and a screw rod (65); the inkjet system bracket (61) is mounted on the system bracket (8); the two guide rods (63) in each inkjet unit are fixed in parallel on the inkjet system bracket (61), the movable slider (64) is slidably arranged on the two guide rods (63), a screw hole is arranged at the center of the movable slider (64), the screw rod (65) is arranged in the screw hole and is parallel to the guide rod (63), and one end of the screw rod (65) is connected to a driving motor for driving the screw rod (65) to rotate; the inkjet head (62) is mounted on the lower surface of the movable slider (64), and the inkjet head (62) is connected to the liquid storage tank (9) through a transmission pipe (66), and a slurry delivery pump (67) is arranged on the transmission pipe (66).

[0010] The method for performing 3D printing using the above-mentioned crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device is carried out according to the following steps:

[0011] 1. Start the crawler system (4) and use the driving wheel (42) to drive the crawler (41) to rotate. At the same time, the light-curing slurry is supplied to the inkjet system (6) through the liquid storage tank (9); different light-curing slurries are stored in different liquid storage tanks (9) and are transmitted to the inkjet heads (62) of different inkjet units; the light-curing slurry is evenly sprayed on the crawler (41) according to the designed thickness and shape to form the first printing layer;

[0012] Second, the driving wheel (42) drives the crawler (41) to rotate until the first printing layer is located between the printing platform (21) and the laser head (51), and the printing platform (21) in the printing platform system (2) descends and the lower surface contacts the light-curing slurry; the laser head (51) emits ultraviolet light through the crawler (41) and irradiates the first printing layer, irradiating the first layer of slurry according to a preset light intensity and illumination time, triggering a light-curing reaction, and causing the slurry to solidify and form;

[0013] 3. After the first printing layer is cured, the printing platform (21) is raised, and the crawler (41) continues to rotate until the first printing layer reaches the scraper (31) position, and the vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) is started to use the scraper (31) to scrape the uncured slurry. The uncured slurry enters the scraper (31), the negative pressure conveying pipe (33) and the recovery slurry storage tank (7) in sequence through the diamond-shaped holes on the scraper (31) to realize the slurry recovery and recycling; multiple vacuum adsorption recovery systems (3) are used to recycle light-cured slurries of different materials;

[0014] 4. After the recovery of the photocurable slurry is completed, the lifting system (12) drives the scraper (31) to rise to the initial position, and the driving wheel (42) drives the crawler (41) to rotate to the first printing layer and return to the inkjet unit position;

[0015] 5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 to complete layer-by-layer printing.

[0016] The principles and beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0017] The crawler inkjet lifting type multi-material 3D printing device of the present invention can control the corresponding inkjet unit to evenly spray the photocurable slurry of a specific material on the crawler according to the printing requirements during the 3D printing process. After the printing is completed, the necessary curing is directly performed as the crawler system moves to improve the performance and stability of the printed part. Through the design of multiple inkjet heads, simultaneous or alternating printing of multiple materials is achieved, enriching the function and appearance of the printed part. The crawler design allows the printing process to be carried out continuously, and there is no need to switch inkjet heads for different materials, ensuring continuous production, improving production efficiency, and reducing production costs. The crawler material conveying system, through the design of a unique crawler material conveying mechanism, realizes the continuous and stable supply of multiple materials, supports rapid switching between different materials, and provides a basis for multi-material mixed printing. The lifting printing method is adopted, that is, the print head is gradually lifted in the vertical direction while the material is sprayed, which effectively reduces the waiting time between layers and speeds up the printing speed.

[0018] The printing platform (21) in the printing platform system (2) of the present invention can rise from the bottom as the 3D printing process is carried out. The printing platform (21) descends to the lower surface to contact the slurry, at which time UV light laser irradiation and curing are performed, and then the 3D printing platform rises. The parts remain on the lower surface of the 3D printing platform to complete layer-by-layer printing. The sample molding method is suspended, which can reduce support requirements and reduce support material consumption. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a crawler inkjet lift-type multi-material 3D printing device;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the side structure of the crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the printing platform system structure;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the vacuum adsorption recovery system structure;

[0023] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a scraper (31) in a vacuum adsorption recovery system;

[0024] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the lifting system structure;

[0025] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the lifting system;

[0026] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the inkjet system (6). DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The technical solution of the present invention is not limited to the specific implementation methods listed below, but also includes any reasonable combination of the specific implementation methods.

[0028] Specific embodiment 1: The crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device of this embodiment includes a base (1), a printing platform system (2), multiple vacuum adsorption recovery systems (3), a crawler system (4), a UV light machine system, an inkjet system (6), multiple recycled slurry storage tanks (7), a system bracket (8), and multiple liquid storage tanks (9); the system bracket (8) is arranged on both sides of the crawler system (4) on the base (1);

[0029] The printing platform system (2) includes a printing platform (21), a printing platform bracket (22), a platform lifting slide rail (23), a platform lifting motor (24), and a platform lifting slider (25); the printing platform bracket (22) is mounted on the system bracket (8); the platform lifting slide rail (23) is vertically arranged on the printing platform bracket (22), the platform lifting slider (25) is slidably mounted on the platform lifting slide rail (23), and the printing platform (21) is fixedly connected to the platform lifting slider (25); the platform lifting motor (24) for driving the platform lifting slider (25) to move up and down is arranged at the bottom of the printing platform bracket (22); a reducer (26) is provided at the power transmission end of the platform lifting motor (24), and a screw rod is connected to the power transmission end of the reducer (26), and a threaded hole matching the screw rod is provided at the center of the platform lifting slider (25), and the screw rod is arranged in the threaded hole; the lower surface of the printing platform (21) is covered with a flexible release film;

[0030] The vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) comprises a scraper (31), a lifting system (12) and a vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35); the vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35) is mounted on the system bracket (8); the upper end of the lifting system (12) in the vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) is fixedly connected to the vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35), and the scraper (31) is fixedly arranged at the lower end of the lifting system (12); the scraper (31) is a horizontally arranged strip-shaped hollow structure, the edge of the scraper (31) is a blade portion, and a plurality of diamond-shaped holes are arranged on two side walls (32) of the blade portion. The scraper (31) is connected to the recovery slurry storage tank (7) through a negative pressure delivery pipe (33), and a recovery slurry delivery pump (34) is arranged on the negative pressure delivery pipe (33);

[0031] The crawler system (4) includes a crawler (41), a driving wheel (42) and a driving wheel bracket (43), wherein the crawler (41) is a ring-shaped transparent film; the crawler (41) is on two driving wheels (42), and the driving wheels (42) are mounted on the base (1) through the driving wheel bracket (43); the crawler (41) is a transparent film;

[0032] The UV light machine system includes a laser head (51) and a UV light machine bracket (52); the UV light machine bracket (52) is fixed below the track (41) on the upper surface of the base (1), and the laser head (51) is installed at the upper end of the UV light machine bracket (52) and is arranged directly below the printing platform (21);

[0033] The inkjet system (6) includes an inkjet system bracket (61) and a plurality of inkjet units, wherein the inkjet units are composed of an inkjet head (62), a guide rod (63), a movable slider (64) and a screw rod (65); the inkjet system bracket (61) is mounted on the system bracket (8); the two guide rods (63) in each inkjet unit are fixed in parallel on the inkjet system bracket (61), the movable slider (64) is slidably arranged on the two guide rods (63), a screw hole is arranged at the center of the movable slider (64), the screw rod (65) is arranged in the screw hole and is parallel to the guide rod (63), and one end of the screw rod (65) is connected to a driving motor for driving the screw rod (65) to rotate; the inkjet head (62) is mounted on the lower surface of the movable slider (64), and the inkjet head (62) is connected to the liquid storage tank (9) through a transmission pipe (66), and a slurry delivery pump (67) is arranged on the transmission pipe (66).

[0034] This embodiment has the following beneficial effects:

[0035] The crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device of this embodiment can control the corresponding inkjet unit to evenly spray the photocurable slurry of a specific material on the crawler according to the printing requirements during the 3D printing process. After the printing is completed, the necessary curing is directly carried out as the crawler system moves to improve the performance and stability of the printed part. Through the design of multiple inkjet heads, simultaneous or alternating printing of multiple materials is achieved, enriching the function and appearance of the printed part. The crawler design allows the printing process to be carried out continuously, and there is no need to switch inkjet heads for different materials, ensuring continuous production, improving production efficiency and reducing production costs. The crawler material conveying system, through the design of a unique crawler material conveying mechanism, realizes the continuous and stable supply of multiple materials, supports rapid switching between different materials, and provides a basis for multi-material mixed printing. The lifting printing method is adopted, that is, the print head is gradually lifted in the vertical direction while spraying materials, which effectively reduces the waiting time between layers and speeds up the printing speed.

[0036] In this embodiment, the printing platform (21) in the printing platform system (2) can rise from the bottom as the 3D printing process is carried out. The printing platform (21) descends to the lower surface to contact the slurry. At this time, UV light laser irradiation and curing are carried out, and then the 3D printing platform rises. The parts remain on the lower surface of the 3D printing platform to complete the layer-by-layer printing. The sample molding method is suspended, which can reduce the support demand and reduce the consumption of support materials.

[0037] Specific embodiment 2: This embodiment differs from specific embodiment 1 in that a scraper protection cover plate (35) is provided on the upper portion of the scraper (31).

[0038] Specific embodiment three: This embodiment differs from specific embodiments one or two in that the scraper (31) is made of alloy steel or ceramic.

[0039] Specific embodiment 4: This embodiment differs from any one of specific embodiments 1 to 3 in that the stroke of the lifting system (12) is 0.1-100 mm, with an accuracy of ±0.05 mm.

[0040] Specific embodiment 5: This embodiment differs from any one of specific embodiments 1 to 4 in that the lifting system (12) includes a lifting shaft (13) and a lifting shell (14), and the lifting shell (14) is sleeved on the outside of the lifting shaft (13) and is connected to the lifting shaft (13) in an upward and downward sliding manner.

[0041] Specific embodiment six: This embodiment differs from any one of specific embodiments one to five in that: the lifting shaft (13) is a hollow structure, a driving motor (16) is fixedly provided inside the lifting shaft (13), a screw rod (17) is provided on the output shaft of the driving motor (16), a slider (18) is sleeved on the screw rod (17), and a threaded hole matching the screw rod (17) is provided on the slider (18); the slider (18) is connected to the lifting shell (14) through a connecting block, the lifting shell (14) is provided with a vertical strip opening (19), and the connecting block slides up and down in the strip opening (19).

[0042] Specific embodiment seven: This embodiment is different from any one of the specific embodiments one to six in that: a flexible release film such as a polyimide film or Polyether ether ketone film , easy to peel and cure.

[0043] Specific embodiment eight: This embodiment differs from any one of specific embodiments one to seven in that: the printing platform (21) is an aluminum alloy flat plate.

[0044] Specific embodiment 9: The method of performing 3D printing using a crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device in this embodiment is performed according to the following steps:

[0045] 1. Start the crawler system (4) and use the driving wheel (42) to drive the crawler (41) to rotate. At the same time, the light-curing slurry is supplied to the inkjet system (6) through the liquid storage tank (9); different light-curing slurries are stored in different liquid storage tanks (9) and are transmitted to the inkjet heads (62) of different inkjet units; the light-curing slurry is evenly sprayed on the crawler (41) according to the designed thickness and shape to form the first printing layer;

[0046] Second, the driving wheel (42) drives the crawler (41) to rotate until the first printing layer is located between the printing platform (21) and the laser head (51), and the printing platform (21) in the printing platform system (2) descends and the lower surface contacts the light-curing slurry; the laser head (51) emits ultraviolet light through the crawler (41) and irradiates the first printing layer, irradiating the first layer of slurry according to a preset light intensity and illumination time, triggering a light-curing reaction, and causing the slurry to solidify and form;

[0047] 3. After the first printing layer is cured, the printing platform (21) is raised, and the crawler (41) continues to rotate until the first printing layer reaches the scraper (31) position, and the vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) is started to use the scraper (31) to scrape the uncured slurry. The uncured slurry enters the scraper (31), the negative pressure conveying pipe (33) and the recovery slurry storage tank (7) in sequence through the diamond-shaped holes on the scraper (31) to realize the slurry recovery and recycling; multiple vacuum adsorption recovery systems (3) are used to recycle light-cured slurries of different materials;

[0048] 4. After the recovery of the photocurable slurry is completed, the lifting system (12) drives the scraper (31) to rise to the initial position, and the driving wheel (42) drives the crawler (41) to rotate to the first printing layer and return to the inkjet unit position;

[0049] 5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 to complete layer-by-layer printing.

[0050] This embodiment of the crawler inkjet lift-type multi-material 3D printing device can control the corresponding inkjet unit to evenly spray the photocurable slurry of a specific material onto the crawler according to the printing requirements. After printing is completed, the necessary curing is directly carried out as the crawler system moves to improve the performance and stability of the printed part. The design of multiple inkjet heads enables simultaneous or alternating printing of multiple materials, enriching the function and appearance of the printed part. The crawler design allows the printing process to be continuous, without switching inkjet heads for different materials, ensuring continuous production, improving production efficiency, and reducing production costs.

[0051] In this embodiment, the printing platform (21) in the printing platform system (2) can rise from the bottom as the 3D printing process is carried out. The printing platform (21) descends to the lower surface to contact the slurry. At this time, UV light laser irradiation and curing are carried out, and then the 3D printing platform rises. The parts remain on the lower surface of the 3D printing platform to complete the layer-by-layer printing. The sample molding method is suspended, which can reduce the support demand and reduce the consumption of support materials.

[0052] Specific embodiment 10: This embodiment differs from specific embodiment 9 in that the laser head (51) emits ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 365-425nm after startup, and the light intensity range is 10-100mW / cm 2 , the illumination time is 1-30s.

[0053] Example 1

[0054] Combine Figures 1-8 This embodiment is described. The crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device of this embodiment includes a base (1), a printing platform system (2), multiple vacuum adsorption recovery systems (3), a crawler system (4), a UV light machine system, an inkjet system (6), multiple recycled slurry storage tanks (7), a system bracket (8), and multiple liquid storage tanks (9); the base (1) serves as a supporting structure for the entire device to ensure the stability and rigidity of the device; the system bracket (8) is arranged on both sides of the crawler system (4) on the base (1);

[0055] The printing platform system (2) includes a printing platform (21), a printing platform bracket (22), a platform lifting slide rail (23), a platform lifting motor (24), and a platform lifting slider (25); the printing platform bracket (22) is mounted on the system bracket (8); the platform lifting slide rail (23) is vertically arranged on the printing platform bracket (22), the platform lifting slider (25) is slidably mounted on the platform lifting slide rail (23), and the printing platform (21) is fixedly connected to the platform lifting slider (25); the platform lifting motor (24) for driving the platform lifting slider (25) to move up and down is arranged at the bottom of the printing platform bracket (22); The transmission end of the lowering motor (24) is provided with a reducer (26), the transmission end of the reducer (26) is connected to a screw, and the center of the platform lifting slider (25) is provided with a threaded hole matching the screw, and the screw is set in the threaded hole; the printing platform (21) is made of an aluminum alloy flat plate, and the lower surface of the printing platform (21) is covered with a flexible release film; the flexible release film is such as a polyimide film, which is easy to peel and solidify; the platform lifting rail (23) and the platform lifting slider (25) are used to accurately control the vertical movement of the printing platform (21) during the printing process. After each layer of printing is completed, the printing platform (21) is raised once, and each rise is usually 0.05-0.3 mm. By lifting the printing platform (21) layer by layer, it is ensured that each layer of material is evenly stacked;

[0056] The vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) comprises a scraper (31), a lifting system (12) and a vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35); the vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35) is mounted on the system bracket (8); the upper end of the lifting system (12) in the vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) is fixedly connected to the vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35), and the scraper (31) is fixedly arranged at the lower end of the lifting system (12); the scraper (31) is a horizontally arranged strip-shaped hollow structure, the edge of the scraper (31) is a blade portion, and a plurality of diamond-shaped holes are arranged on two side walls (32) of the blade portion. The scraper (31) is connected to the recovery slurry storage tank (7) through a negative pressure delivery pipe (33), and a recovery slurry delivery pump (34) is arranged on the negative pressure delivery pipe (33); a scraper protection cover plate (35) is arranged on the upper part of the scraper (31) to prevent the slurry from splashing onto other parts during adsorption;

[0057] The lifting system (12) includes a lifting shaft (13) and a lifting shell (14), the lifting shell (14) is sleeved on the outside of the lifting shaft (13) and is connected to the lifting shaft (13) in an upward and downward sliding manner; the lifting shaft (13) is a hollow structure, a driving motor (16) is fixedly arranged in the lifting shaft (13), a screw rod (17) is arranged on the output shaft of the driving motor (16), a slider (18) is sleeved on the screw rod (17), and a threaded hole matching the screw rod (17) is arranged on the slider (18); the slider (18) is connected to the lifting shell (14) through a connecting block, the lifting shell (14) is provided with a vertical strip opening (19), and the connecting block slides up and down in the strip opening (19); the scraper (31) is made of alloy steel; the stroke of the lifting system (12) is 0.1-100 mm, and the accuracy is ±0.05 mm;

[0058] The crawler system (4) includes a crawler (41), a driving wheel (42) and a driving wheel bracket (43), wherein the crawler (41) is a ring-shaped transparent film; the crawler (41) is arranged on two driving wheels (42), and the driving wheels (42) are mounted on the base (1) through the driving wheel bracket (43); the crawler (41) is a transparent film; the crawler system (4) is used to carry and move the printing material, and to carry the inkjet layer to move smoothly to complete the subsequent light curing process;

[0059] The UV light machine system includes a laser head (51) and a UV light machine bracket (52); the UV light machine bracket (52) is fixed below the track (41) on the upper surface of the base (1), and the laser head (51) is installed at the upper end of the UV light machine bracket (52) and is arranged directly below the printing platform (21);

[0060] The inkjet system (6) comprises an inkjet system support (61) and a plurality of inkjet units, which are composed of an inkjet head (62), a guide rod (63), a moving slider (64) and a screw rod (65); the inkjet system support (61) is installed on the system support (8); the two guide rods (63) in each inkjet unit are fixed in parallel on the inkjet system support (61), the moving slider (64) is slidingly arranged on the two guide rods (63), the moving slider (64) is provided with a screw hole in the center, the screw rod (65) is arranged in the screw hole and is parallel to the guide rod (63), one end of the screw rod (65) is connected with a driving motor for driving the screw rod (65) to rotate; the inkjet head (62) is installed on the lower surface of the moving slider (64), the inkjet head (62) is connected with the liquid storage tank (9) through a transmission pipeline (66), and the transmission pipeline (66) is provided with a slurry conveying pump (67); the inkjet system (6) comprises a plurality of independent inkjet units, each unit corresponds to one printing material, which is convenient for adjusting the type of material according to the printing requirement and realizing multi-material 3D printing.

[0061] The method for 3D printing by using the above-mentioned track inkjet lifting type multi-material 3D printing device is carried out according to the following steps:

[0062] I. Start the track system (4) to drive the track (41) to rotate by using the driving wheel (42), and at the same time supply the photocuring slurry to the inkjet system (6) through the liquid storage tank (9); different photocuring slurries are stored in different liquid storage tanks (9) and are conveyed into the inkjet heads (62) of different inkjet units; the photocuring slurry is uniformly sprayed on the track (41) to form a first layer of printing layer according to the designed thickness and shape;

[0063] II. Drive the track (41) to rotate by using the driving wheel (42) until the first layer of printing layer is located between the printing platform (21) and the laser head (51), the printing platform (21) in the printing platform system (2) is lowered and the lower surface contacts the photocuring slurry; the laser head (51) emits ultraviolet light to irradiate on the first layer of printing layer through the track (41), irradiates the first layer of slurry according to the preset light intensity and light irradiation time, initiates the photocuring reaction, and makes the slurry solidified; the laser head (51) can emit ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 365-425nm after being started, the light intensity ranges from 10-100mW / cm 2 , the light irradiation time is 1-30s, and the light intensity and the light irradiation time can be accurately adjusted according to the actual requirement to meet the diversified printing requirements;

[0064] 3. After the first printing layer is cured, the printing platform (21) is raised, and the crawler (41) continues to rotate until the first printing layer reaches the scraper (31) position, and the vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) is started to use the scraper (31) to scrape the uncured slurry. The uncured slurry enters the scraper (31), the negative pressure conveying pipe (33) and the recovery slurry storage tank (7) in sequence through the diamond-shaped holes on the scraper (31) to realize the slurry recovery and recycling; multiple vacuum adsorption recovery systems (3) are used to recycle light-cured slurries of different materials;

[0065] 4. After the recovery of the photocurable slurry is completed, the lifting system (12) drives the scraper (31) to rise to the initial position, and the driving wheel (42) drives the crawler (41) to rotate to the first printing layer and return to the inkjet unit position;

[0066] 5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 to complete layer-by-layer printing.

[0067] The crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device of this embodiment can control the corresponding inkjet unit to evenly spray the photocurable slurry of a specific material on the crawler according to the printing requirements during the 3D printing process. After the printing is completed, the necessary curing is directly performed as the crawler system moves to improve the performance and stability of the printed part. Through the design of multiple inkjet heads, simultaneous or alternating printing of multiple materials is achieved, enriching the function and appearance of the printed part. The crawler design allows the printing process to be carried out continuously, and there is no need to switch inkjet heads for different materials, ensuring continuous production, improving production efficiency and reducing production costs. The crawler material conveying system, through the design of a unique crawler material conveying mechanism, realizes the continuous and stable supply of multiple materials, supports rapid switching between different materials, and provides a basis for multi-material mixed printing. The lifting printing method is adopted, that is, the print head is gradually lifted in the vertical direction while spraying materials, which effectively reduces the waiting time between layers and speeds up the printing speed. In this embodiment, the printing platform (21) in the printing platform system (2) can rise from the bottom as the 3D printing process is carried out. The printing platform (21) descends to the lower surface to contact the slurry. At this time, UV light laser irradiation and curing are carried out, and then the 3D printing platform rises. The parts remain on the lower surface of the 3D printing platform to complete the layer-by-layer printing. The sample molding method is suspended, which can reduce the support demand and reduce the consumption of support materials.

Claims

1. A crawler inkjet lift-type multi-material 3D printing device, characterized by: The crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device comprises a base (1), a printing platform system (2), multiple vacuum adsorption recovery systems (3), a crawler system (4), a UV light machine system, an inkjet system (6), multiple recycled slurry storage tanks (7), a system bracket (8), and multiple liquid storage tanks (9); the system bracket (8) is arranged on both sides of the crawler system (4) on the base (1); The printing platform system (2) includes a printing platform (21), a printing platform bracket (22), a platform lifting slide rail (23), a platform lifting motor (24), and a platform lifting slider (25); the printing platform bracket (22) is mounted on the system bracket (8); the platform lifting slide rail (23) is vertically arranged on the printing platform bracket (22), the platform lifting slider (25) is slidably mounted on the platform lifting slide rail (23), and the printing platform (21) is fixedly connected to the platform lifting slider (25); the platform lifting motor (24) for driving the platform lifting slider (25) to move up and down is arranged at the bottom of the printing platform bracket (22); a reducer (26) is provided at the power transmission end of the platform lifting motor (24), and a screw rod is connected to the power transmission end of the reducer (26), and a threaded hole matching the screw rod is provided at the center of the platform lifting slider (25), and the screw rod is arranged in the threaded hole; the lower surface of the printing platform (21) is covered with a flexible release film; The vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) comprises a scraper (31), a lifting system (12) and a vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35); the vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35) is mounted on the system bracket (8); the upper end of the lifting system (12) in the vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) is fixedly connected to the vacuum adsorption recovery system bracket (35), and the scraper (31) is fixedly arranged at the lower end of the lifting system (12); the scraper (31) is a horizontally arranged strip-shaped hollow structure, the edge of the scraper (31) is a blade portion, and a plurality of diamond-shaped holes are arranged on two side walls (32) of the blade portion. The scraper (31) is connected to the recovery slurry storage tank (7) through a negative pressure delivery pipe (33), and a recovery slurry delivery pump (34) is arranged on the negative pressure delivery pipe (33); The crawler system (4) includes a crawler (41), a driving wheel (42) and a driving wheel bracket (43), wherein the crawler (41) is a ring-shaped transparent film; the crawler (41) is on two driving wheels (42), and the driving wheels (42) are mounted on the base (1) through the driving wheel bracket (43); the crawler (41) is a transparent film; The UV light machine system includes a laser head (51) and a UV light machine bracket (52); the UV light machine bracket (52) is fixed below the track (41) on the upper surface of the base (1), and the laser head (51) is installed at the upper end of the UV light machine bracket (52) and is arranged directly below the printing platform (21); The inkjet system (6) includes an inkjet system bracket (61) and a plurality of inkjet units, wherein the inkjet units are composed of an inkjet head (62), a guide rod (63), a movable slider (64) and a screw rod (65); the inkjet system bracket (61) is mounted on the system bracket (8); the two guide rods (63) in each inkjet unit are fixed in parallel on the inkjet system bracket (61), the movable slider (64) is slidably arranged on the two guide rods (63), a screw hole is arranged at the center of the movable slider (64), the screw rod (65) is arranged in the screw hole and is parallel to the guide rod (63), and one end of the screw rod (65) is connected to a driving motor for driving the screw rod (65) to rotate; the inkjet head (62) is mounted on the lower surface of the movable slider (64), and the inkjet head (62) is connected to the liquid storage tank (9) through a transmission pipe (66), and a slurry delivery pump (67) is arranged on the transmission pipe (66).

2. The crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A scraper protection cover plate (35) is provided on the upper portion of the scraper (31).

3. The crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The scraper (31) is made of alloy steel or ceramic.

4. The crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stroke of the lifting system (12) is 0.1-100 mm, with an accuracy of ±0.05 mm.

5. The crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting system (12) comprises a lifting shaft (13) and a lifting shell (14), wherein the lifting shell (14) is sleeved on the outside of the lifting shaft (13) and is connected to the lifting shaft (13) in an upward and downward sliding manner.

6. The crawler inkjet lifting multi-material 3D printing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The lifting shaft (13) is a hollow structure. A driving motor (16) is fixedly arranged in the lifting shaft (13). A screw rod (17) is arranged on the output shaft of the driving motor (16). A slider (18) is sleeved on the screw rod (17). The slider (18) is provided with a threaded hole matching the screw rod (17). The slider (18) is connected to the lifting shell (14) through a connecting block. The lifting shell (14) is provided with a vertical strip opening (19). The connecting block slides up and down in the strip opening (19).

7. The crawler inkjet lift-type multi-material 3D printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Flexible release film such as polyimide film or polyetheretherketone film.

8. The crawler inkjet lift-type multi-material 3D printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The printing platform (21) is made of an aluminum alloy flat plate.

9. A method for performing 3D printing using the crawler inkjet lift-type multi-material 3D printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method proceeds as follows:

1. Start the crawler system (4) and use the driving wheel (42) to drive the crawler (41) to rotate. At the same time, the light-curing slurry is supplied to the inkjet system (6) through the liquid storage tank (9); different light-curing slurries are stored in different liquid storage tanks (9) and are transmitted to the inkjet heads (62) of different inkjet units; the light-curing slurry is evenly sprayed on the crawler (41) according to the designed thickness and shape to form the first printing layer; Second, the driving wheel (42) drives the crawler (41) to rotate until the first printing layer is located between the printing platform (21) and the laser head (51), and the printing platform (21) in the printing platform system (2) descends and the lower surface contacts the light-curing slurry; the laser head (51) emits ultraviolet light through the crawler (41) and irradiates the first printing layer, irradiating the first layer of slurry according to a preset light intensity and illumination time, triggering a light-curing reaction, and causing the slurry to solidify and form; 3. After the first printing layer is cured, the printing platform (21) is raised, and the crawler (41) continues to rotate until the first printing layer reaches the scraper (31) position, and the vacuum adsorption recovery system (3) is started to use the scraper (31) to scrape the uncured slurry. The uncured slurry enters the scraper (31), the negative pressure conveying pipe (33) and the recovery slurry storage tank (7) in sequence through the diamond-shaped holes on the scraper (31) to realize the slurry recovery and recycling; multiple vacuum adsorption recovery systems (3) are used to recycle light-cured slurries of different materials; 4. After the recovery of the photocurable slurry is completed, the lifting system (12) drives the scraper (31) to rise to the initial position, and the driving wheel (42) drives the crawler (41) to rotate to the first printing layer and return to the inkjet unit position; 5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 to complete layer-by-layer printing.

10. The 3D printing method according to claim 9, characterized in that: After the laser head (51) is started, it emits ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 365-425nm and a light intensity range of 10-100mW / cm 2 , the illumination time is 1-30s.

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