Supporting structure for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-wall part
By using a hollowed-out ribbed shape control frame, variable density lattice support, and solid grid dot distribution structure, combined with movable and adjustable components, the problems of deformation and stress concentration caused by thermal stress during the printing process of large-size thin-walled parts in additive manufacturing are solved, achieving a support effect with high precision and high reliability.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-17
AI Technical Summary
The support structure of existing additive manufacturing large-size thin-walled parts generates significant thermal stress during the printing process due to the melting and cooling cycle of the material. This leads to uneven heat conduction, resulting in gaps or stress concentrations between the inner wall of the frame and the support structure, which affects the forming accuracy and mechanical properties.
It adopts a hollow ribbed shape control frame, variable density lattice support and solid grid dot distribution structure, combined with movable components and adjustment components. Through mechanical linkage and thermal expansion adaptive design, it offsets the gaps and stress concentrations caused by thermal expansion, dynamically adjusts the support angle and spacing, and adapts to the needs of thin-walled parts of different shapes and sizes.
It effectively suppresses deformation and warping of thin-walled parts, ensures dimensional accuracy and surface quality, improves the stability and adaptability of the support structure, and reduces material consumption and installation difficulty.
Smart Images
Figure CN121669972A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of additive manufacturing technology, specifically to a support structure for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts. Background Technology
[0002] Additive manufacturing (3D printing) technology, with its advantage in forming complex structures, has been widely used in high-end equipment fields such as aerospace, medical devices, and automobile manufacturing. Large-sized thin-walled parts, as core functional components, directly affect the overall performance of the equipment due to their manufacturing precision. However, large-sized thin-walled parts face many technical challenges in the 3D printing layer-by-layer deposition process due to their thin wall thickness (usually less than 5mm), large span, and low structural rigidity.
[0003] However, existing support structures for large-size thin-walled parts in additive manufacturing have significant technical shortcomings: during the printing process, the material needs to undergo alternating cycles of melting and cooling, which generates significant thermal stress. Furthermore, due to the structural characteristics of large-size thin-walled parts, heat conduction is uneven, causing the hollow rib control frame and the thin-walled part to undergo thermal expansion and deformation simultaneously. This simultaneous thermal expansion can easily create support gaps between the inner wall of the frame and the support structure, or cause local stress concentration, leading to serious defects such as warping, cracking, and dimensional deviations in the thin-walled parts during the printing process. This not only damages the forming accuracy of the parts but also significantly reduces their mechanical properties, failing to meet the high-precision and high-reliability requirements of high-end equipment for large-size thin-walled parts. Summary of the Invention
[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a support structure for additive manufacturing of large-sized thin-walled parts. It solves the problem that existing support structures for additive manufacturing of large-sized thin-walled parts require the material to undergo alternating cycles of melting and cooling during the printing process, which generates significant thermal stress. Furthermore, the structural characteristics of large-sized thin-walled parts lead to uneven heat conduction, causing the hollowed-out rib plate shaping frame and the thin-walled part to undergo thermal expansion and deformation simultaneously.
[0005] (II) Technical Solution To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a support structure for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts, comprising a hollow rib plate shaping frame, a variable density lattice support, and a solid grid dot matrix distribution structure; the hollow rib plate shaping frame is disposed inside the thin-walled part or in an open area, the variable density lattice support is disposed in key parts and easily deformable areas of the thin-walled part, and the solid grid dot matrix distribution structure is disposed in stress concentration areas or abrupt change areas of the thin-walled part, and its contact with the thin-walled part is a sawtooth-cut contact structure; It also includes movable components for abutting the inner wall of the hollowed-out ribbed frame; Adjust the components to adjust the support angle and spacing of the hollow rib control frame; The active component includes: a drive plate, which is installed inside the hollow rib plate control frame; a fixed plate is slidably connected inside the drive plate; a protective frame is installed on the surface of the fixed plate; a toothed plate is installed inside the drive plate and slidably connected inside the fixed plate; a connecting plate is installed on the top of the fixed plate; a gear is rotatably connected to the outside of the connecting plate and meshes with the top of the toothed plate; an abutment rod is installed outside the gear, and an abutment plate is hinged to the surface of the abutment rod.
[0006] Preferably, a bevel gear one is installed on the inner side of the gear, and a bevel gear two meshes with the outer side of the bevel gear one. The bevel gear two is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the connecting plate. A rotating shaft is installed on the surface of the bevel gear two, and a sliding rod is slidably connected to the surface of the rotating shaft. A limiting plate is installed at the bottom of the sliding rod, and the limiting plate is slidably connected to the top of the drive plate.
[0007] Preferably, the drive plate has a groove on its surface, the fixing plate has a sliding groove on its surface, and the rotating shaft has an arc-shaped sliding groove on its surface.
[0008] Preferably, the adjustment component includes: a ball joint connection node, one end of which is hinged to the side wall of the hollow rib plate shaping frame, and the other end is rotatably connected to the end of the variable density lattice support. A spacing adjustment rod is installed inside the ball joint connection node, and an adjustment spring is installed on the surface of the spacing adjustment rod.
[0009] Preferably, the rib thickness of the hollow rib control frame is 1-5mm, the hollow ratio is 30%-70%, and the hollow ratio is dynamically adjusted according to the material rigidity, external dimensions and expected deformation of the thin-walled component, so as to reduce the additional stress on the thin-walled component by its own weight while ensuring the support strength.
[0010] Preferably, the lattice units of the variable density lattice support are tetrahedral, hexahedral, or hybrid topological structures. The lattice density of key parts is 1.2-2.5 times that of easily deformable regions, and the lattice structure is generated by a topology optimization algorithm to adapt to the stress distribution gradient of different regions of the thin-walled part. The variable density lattice support is integrally formed using the same additive manufacturing material as the thin-walled part, and the minimum wall thickness of the lattice unit is not less than 0.3 mm to ensure the compatibility of the support structure with the thin-walled part 4 and avoid surface scratches or material adhesion during the removal process.
[0011] Preferably, the solid support blocks of the solid grid dot matrix distribution structure are arranged in a matrix, with a spacing of 5-20mm between adjacent support blocks. The tooth height of the sawtooth cutting contact structure is 1-3mm, the tooth pitch is 2-5mm, and the angle between the sawtooth surface and the contact surface of the thin-walled part is 30°-60°, which facilitates the rapid removal of the support by mechanical peeling or vibration. The solid support blocks of the solid grid dot matrix distribution structure are provided with weight reduction holes inside. The diameter of the weight reduction holes is 1 / 3-1 / 2 of the side length of the support block, and the weight reduction holes are set along the central axis of the support block, thereby reducing the consumption of raw materials without reducing the rigidity of the support.
[0012] Preferably, the variable density lattice support, the hollow rib plate shape control frame, and the solid grid dot matrix distribution structure are all detachable connections, and the connection points adopt a snap-fit or threaded structure, which facilitates segmented installation and precise positioning according to the specific structure of the thin-walled part.
[0013] Preferably, the hollow rib plate control frame 1 has a reinforcing node at the intersection of the rib plates. The reinforcing node is a solid structure with a diameter of 2-3 times the thickness of the rib plate. The reinforcing node is fixedly connected to the end of the variable density lattice support to form a collaborative support system.
[0014] (III) Beneficial Effects Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a support structure for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts, which has the following beneficial effects: 1. This support structure for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts utilizes the mechanical linkage and thermal expansion adaptive design of moving components. Through the transmission and cooperation of the drive plate, toothed plate, and gears, combined with the limiting effect of the bevel gear set and the limiting plate, the contact plate is always in contact with the inner wall of the frame, which offsets the gap and stress concentration caused by thermal expansion and maintains the stability and fit of the support.
[0015] 2. This support structure for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts utilizes a synergistic support system of a hollow rib plate shape control frame and a variable density lattice support. By dynamically adjusting the rib plate thickness (1-5mm), the hollow ratio (30%-70%), and the design of reinforced nodes, the support strength is sufficient to resist thermal and structural stresses while reducing additional stress on the frame, effectively suppressing deformation and warping of thin-walled parts, and ensuring dimensional accuracy and surface quality.
[0016] 3. This support structure for additive manufacturing large-size thin-walled parts utilizes the multi-degree-of-freedom angle adjustment and elastic spacing compensation function of the adjustment components. Through the 360° deflection characteristics of the ball joint connection node and the elastic buffer of the spacing adjustment rod and adjustment spring, it adapts to the support requirements of thin-walled parts of different shapes and sizes, absorbs stress impact, avoids support loosening or local deformation of parts caused by rigid connection, and improves the versatility and adaptability of the support. Attached Figure Description
[0017] Figure 1 This is a front view schematic diagram of a support structure for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts proposed in this invention; Figure 2 This is a front view schematic diagram of a movable support structure component for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts proposed in this invention. Figure 3 This is a front view schematic diagram of a support structure protective frame for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts proposed in this invention. Figure 4 This is a front view schematic diagram of a support structure adjustment component for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts proposed in this invention. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a hollow rib plate control frame structure for supporting large-size thin-walled parts in additive manufacturing, as proposed in this invention. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a variable density lattice support structure for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts, as proposed in this invention. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the solid grid distribution structure of the support structure for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts proposed in this invention.
[0018] In the diagram: 1. Hollowed-out ribbed frame; 2. Variable density lattice support; 3. Solid grid dot distribution structure; 4. Thin-walled component; 5. Movable component; 6. Adjustment component; 51. Drive plate; 52. Fixing plate; 53. Protective frame; 54. Toothed plate; 55. Connecting plate; 56. Gear; 57. Abutting rod; 58. Abutting plate; 59. Bevel gear one; 510. Bevel gear two; 511. Rotating shaft; 512. Sliding rod; 513. Limiting plate; 5100. Groove; 520. Slide groove; 5110. Arc-shaped slide groove; 61. Ball joint connection node; 63. Spacing adjustment rod; 64. Adjustment spring. Detailed Implementation
[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0020] Please see Figure 1 - Figure 7As shown, a support structure for additive manufacturing of large-size thin-walled parts includes: a hollow rib plate shape control frame 1, a variable density lattice support 2, and a solid grid dot matrix distribution structure 3; the hollow rib plate shape control frame 1 is disposed inside the thin-walled part 4 or in the opening area, the variable density lattice support 2 is disposed in the key parts and easily deformable areas of the thin-walled part 4, and the solid grid dot matrix distribution structure 3 is disposed in the stress concentration area or abrupt change area of the thin-walled part 4, and the contact point between it and the thin-walled part 4 is a sawtooth cut contact structure; It also includes an active component 5, which is used to abut against the inner wall of the hollowed-out ribbed control frame 1; Adjust component 6 to adjust the support angle and spacing of the hollow rib plate control frame 1; First, the active component 5 includes: a drive plate 51, which is installed inside the hollow ribbed control frame 1. A fixed plate 52 is slidably connected inside the drive plate 51. A protective frame 53 is installed on the surface of the fixed plate 52. A toothed plate 54 is installed inside the drive plate 51 and slidably connected inside the fixed plate 52. A connecting plate 55 is installed on the top of the fixed plate 52. A gear 56 is rotatably connected to the outside of the connecting plate 55. The gear 56 meshes with the top of the toothed plate 54. An abutment rod 57 is installed on the outside of the gear 56. An abutment plate 58 is hinged to the surface of the abutment rod 57. The sliding cooperation between the drive plate 51 and the fixed plate 52 provides the basic motion trajectory. The meshing transmission between the toothed plate 54 and the gear 56 converts the linear motion into rotational motion, causing the abutment rod 57 and the abutment plate 58 to precisely abut against the inner wall of the frame, thereby achieving adaptive reinforcement of the inner wall of the hollow ribbed control frame 1 and avoiding the generation of support gaps.
[0021] Secondly, a bevel gear 59 is installed inside the gear 56, and a bevel gear 510 meshes with the outer side of the bevel gear 59. The bevel gear 510 is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the connecting plate 55. A rotating shaft 511 is installed on the surface of the bevel gear 510, and a sliding rod 512 is slidably connected to the surface of the rotating shaft 511. A limiting plate 513 is installed at the bottom of the sliding rod 512, and the limiting plate 513 is slidably connected to the top of the drive plate 51. Through the meshing linkage of the bevel gear 59 and the bevel gear 510, the rotational motion of the gear 56 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 511. With the sliding engagement of the sliding rod 512 and the limiting plate 513, the drive plate 51 is precisely limited, preventing excessive sliding of the drive plate 51 and resulting in support offset. This forms an integrated "transmission + limiting" structure, improving the support positioning accuracy of the movable component 5 and avoiding local stress concentration in the thin-walled component 4 due to support offset.
[0022] Furthermore, the surface of the drive plate 51 is provided with a groove 5100, the surface of the fixed plate 52 is provided with a slide groove 520, and the surface of the rotating shaft 511 is provided with an arc-shaped slide groove 5110. The groove 5100 provides a stable sliding space for the limiting plate 513, the slide groove 520 provides a directional guide for the movement of the drive plate 51, and the arc-shaped slide groove 5110 is adapted to the rotation trajectory of the rotating shaft 511. The three work together to ensure smooth movement of each component, avoid jamming, offset or structural interference during movement, and improve the transmission reliability and service life of the moving component 5.
[0023] Furthermore, the adjustment component 6 includes: a ball joint connection node 61, one end of which is hinged to the side wall of the hollow rib plate shaping frame 1, and the other end is rotatably connected to the end of the variable density lattice support 2. A spacing adjustment rod 63 is installed inside the ball joint connection node 61, and an adjustment spring 64 is installed on the surface of the spacing adjustment rod 63. Through the multi-degree-of-freedom rotational characteristics of the ball joint connection node 61, the support angle can be flexibly adjusted 360° to adapt to the needs of irregular thin-walled parts 4 or inclined support surfaces. The spacing adjustment rod 63 and the adjustment spring 64 form an elastic buffer structure, which can adaptively compensate for the dynamic changes in the support spacing, absorb the stress impact during the printing process, and avoid support loosening or part damage caused by rigid connection.
[0024] Furthermore, the rib thickness of the hollow rib control frame 1 is 1-5mm, and the hollow ratio is 30%-70%. The hollow ratio is dynamically adjusted according to the material rigidity, shape and expected deformation of the thin-walled component 4. While ensuring the support strength, it reduces the additional stress on the thin-walled component 4 due to its own weight. By dynamically adjusting the rib thickness and hollow ratio, the support strength and lightweight requirements are balanced, and it can be adapted to thin-walled components 4 of different materials and sizes. It avoids secondary deformation of parts due to additional stress caused by excessive weight of the support structure, while reducing raw material consumption and improving economic efficiency.
[0025] The lattice units of the variable density lattice support 2 are tetrahedral, hexahedral, or hybrid topologies. The lattice density in key areas is 1.2-2.5 times that of easily deformable regions. The lattice structure is generated through a topology optimization algorithm to adapt to the stress distribution gradient in different regions of the thin-walled part 4. The variable density lattice support 2 is integrally formed using the same additive manufacturing material as the thin-walled part 4. The minimum wall thickness of the lattice unit is not less than 0.3mm, ensuring the compatibility between the support structure and the thin-walled part 4 and avoiding surface scratches or material adhesion during removal. The variable density lattice structure is designed through a topology optimization algorithm to ensure that the support strength accurately matches the stress distribution of the part, thereby strengthening the support in key areas. The integral forming design of the same material ensures the compatibility between the support and the part, avoids damage to the surface of the part during support removal, and reduces the difficulty of post-processing.
[0026] The solid support blocks of the solid grid dot matrix distribution structure 3 are arranged in a matrix, with a spacing of 5-20mm between adjacent support blocks. The tooth height of the serrated contact structure is 1-3mm and the tooth pitch is 2-5mm. The angle between the serrated surface and the contact surface of the thin-walled part 4 is 30°-60°, which facilitates the rapid removal of the support by mechanical peeling or vibration. The solid support blocks of the solid grid dot matrix distribution structure 3 have weight-reducing holes inside. The diameter of the weight-reducing holes is 1 / 3-1 / 2 of the side length of the support block, and the weight-reducing holes are set along the central axis of the support block. This reduces the consumption of raw materials without reducing the support stiffness. The matrix arrangement of the solid support blocks strengthens the support in areas of stress concentration, and the serrated contact structure reduces the contact area, enabling rapid and non-destructive removal of the support. The internal weight-reducing hole design saves raw materials while ensuring the support stiffness, balancing the support effect and economy.
[0027] The variable density lattice support 2, the hollow rib plate shape control frame 1, and the solid grid dot distribution structure 3 are all detachable connections. The connection points adopt a snap-fit or threaded structure, which facilitates segmented installation and precise positioning according to the specific structure of the thin-walled component 4. Through the snap-fit or threaded detachable connection method, the segmented installation and precise positioning of each support structure can be realized, adapting to the support requirements of thin-walled components 4 with different structures; reducing the difficulty of installation and disassembly, improving the convenience of operation, and facilitating the reuse of the support structure.
[0028] The hollow ribbed frame 1 has a reinforcing node at the intersection of the ribs. The reinforcing node is a solid structure with a diameter 2-3 times the thickness of the rib. The reinforcing node is fixedly connected to the end of the variable density lattice support 2 to form a collaborative support system. The solid reinforcing node strengthens the structural strength at the intersection of the frame ribs and avoids stress concentration that could lead to support failure. The fixed connection between the frame and the variable density lattice support 2 is achieved, constructing a collaborative support system and improving the load-bearing capacity and stability of the overall support structure.
[0029] The working principle of this support structure for large-sized thin-walled parts manufactured by additive manufacturing is based on a perforated ribbed frame 1 as the core load-bearing foundation. Its design revolves around three core objectives: precise fit, strength assurance, and lightweighting. The rib thickness of the frame is strictly controlled between 1 and 5 mm, and the perforation ratio is set between 30% and 70%. This parameter range can be dynamically adjusted according to the material stiffness, dimensions, and expected deformation of the thin-walled part 4. For example, for thin-walled parts 4 with low stiffness, large span, and easy deformation, the perforation ratio can be reduced to 30%-40%, and 5 mm thick ribs can be used to strengthen the support. For thin-walled parts 4 with high stiffness and relatively stable structure, the perforation ratio can be increased to 50%-70%, combined with 1-3 mm thick ribs, maximizing the reduction of the frame's self-weight while meeting support requirements. To prevent support failure due to stress concentration at rib intersections, solid reinforcing nodes are set at the rib intersections. The diameter of these nodes is 2-3 times the thickness of the ribs, forming a localized reinforcement structure. Meanwhile, the end fixing connection between the nodes and the variable density lattice support 2 is strengthened, so that the hollow rib plate shaping frame 1 and the variable density lattice support 2 form a collaborative support system: the frame provides full-area basic support for the interior or opening area of the thin-walled part 4 through the overall structure, and disperses the overall stress; the variable density lattice support 2 provides precise reinforcement for local key parts. The two are stressed in coordination and cooperate with each other, which not only ensures that the support strength is sufficient to resist the thermal stress and structural stress generated by the layer-by-layer accumulation of materials during 3D printing, effectively suppressing the deformation and warping of the thin-walled part 4, but also significantly reduces the additional stress on the thin-walled part 4 caused by the weight of the frame itself through reasonable hollow design and lightweight strengthening nodes, avoiding secondary deformation of the thin-walled part 4 due to additional stress, and ensuring the dimensional accuracy and surface quality of the printed parts.
[0030] The core function of the active component 5 is to precisely reinforce the inner wall of the hollow ribbed control frame 1, adapting to the internal support requirements of the frame. During 3D printing, the material is accumulated layer by layer, generating high temperatures, causing the hollow ribbed control frame 1 and the thin-walled part 4 to expand synchronously. This can easily lead to gaps or stress concentration between the inner wall of the frame and the support structure. At this time, the drive plate 51 and the fixed plate 52 of the active component 5 slide together through the sliding groove 520, providing displacement compensation space for thermal expansion. During thermal expansion, the drive plate 51 slides on the surface of the fixed plate 52 through the contact force. When the drive plate 51 slides, it will simultaneously drive the inner toothed plate 54 to slide smoothly inside the fixed plate 52. The toothed plate 54 and the gear on the outer side of the connecting plate 55 The gear 56 meshes and drives the linear motion of the gear 56, which in turn drives the outer contact rod 57 of the gear 56 to rotate synchronously. The contact plate 58, which is hinged to the surface of the contact rod 57, expands outward with the rotation, always in close contact with the inner wall of the hollow rib control frame 1 after thermal expansion, avoiding support gaps caused by frame expansion. At the same time, the bevel gear 1 59 and bevel gear 2 510 on the inner side of the gear 56 mesh and drive the rotating shaft 511 to rotate along the arc-shaped slide groove 5110. The sliding engagement between the rotating shaft 511 and the slide rod 512 drives the limiting plate 513 to slide synchronously within the groove 5100 of the driving plate 51, achieving precise displacement limiting and preventing excessive sliding of the driving plate 51 from causing support displacement. The protective frame 53 isolates dust and molten debris during the printing process, ensuring smooth operation of the transmission structure. Finally, the mechanical linkage adaptively offsets the stress concentration caused by thermal expansion, maintaining the stability and fit of the support structure.
[0031] The core function of the adjustment component 6 is to flexibly adjust the support angle and spacing of the hollow rib plate shaping frame 1 to adapt to the support requirements of thin-walled parts 4 of different shapes and sizes, while offsetting the impact of stress fluctuations during printing on the support stability. The ball joint connection node 61 of the adjustment component 6 adopts a multi-degree-of-freedom rotation design. One end is hinged to the side wall of the hollow rib plate shaping frame 1, and the other end is rotatably connected to the end of the variable density lattice support 2. This ball joint structure can achieve 360° multi-directional angle deflection. When the thin-walled part 4 is an irregular structure or the support surface has an inclination angle, the ball joint connection node 61 can rotate flexibly according to the support requirements, driving the hollow rib plate shaping frame 1 to adjust the support posture, ensuring that the frame support surface and the inner wall of the thin-walled part 4, and the variable density lattice support 2 and the key parts of the thin-walled part 4 are precisely fitted, avoiding point contact or uneven local force. The spacing adjustment rod 63 installed on the inner side of the ball joint connection node 61 and the adjustment spring 64 on the surface form an elastic buffer structure. During 3D printing, the thermal stress generated by the layer-by-layer accumulation of material and the slight deformation of the thin-walled part 4 cause dynamic changes in the support spacing requirements: when the support spacing needs to be increased, the spacing adjustment rod 63 extends under the action of external force, and the adjustment spring 64 stretches synchronously and stores elastic potential energy; when the support spacing needs to be reduced, the adjustment spring 64 releases elastic potential energy, driving the spacing adjustment rod 63 to retract and reset. This elastic adjustment mechanism can accurately match the spacing requirements of thin-walled parts 4 of different sizes, and absorb the stress impact during the support process, avoiding the loosening of the support structure or the local pressure deformation of the thin-walled part 4 caused by rigid connection. The adjustment component 6, through its dual design of rotatable angle and adjustable spacing, enables the hollow rib plate shaping frame 1 and the variable density lattice support 2 to form a dynamically adaptable connection relationship. By combining the reinforcing nodes at the intersection of the hollow rib control frame 1 with the fixed connection of the variable density lattice support 2, a synergistic system of "rigid support + elastic adjustment" is constructed. This system not only ensures the load-bearing strength of the overall support structure, but also effectively suppresses the deformation and warping of the thin-walled part 4 during the printing process by flexibly adjusting to adapt to complex working conditions, thereby improving the versatility and adaptability of the support structure.
[0032] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.
Claims
1. A support structure for additive manufacturing of large size thin-walled parts, characterized in that It includes a hollow ribbed slab control type frame (1), a variable density lattice support (2) and a solid grid lattice distribution structure (3); the hollow ribbed slab control type frame (1) is arranged in the thin-walled part (4) or the opening area, the variable density lattice support (2) is arranged in the key part and the easy deformation area of the thin-walled part (4), the solid grid lattice distribution structure (3) is arranged in the stress concentration area or the abrupt surface area of the thin-walled part (4), and the contact part between the solid grid lattice distribution structure (3) and the thin-walled part (4) is a zigzag cutting contact structure; It also includes a movable assembly (5) for resisting the inner wall of the hollow ribbed slab control type frame (1); An adjusting assembly (6) adjusts the support angle and spacing of the hollow ribbed slab control type frame (1); The movable assembly (5) comprises a driving plate (51), the driving plate (51) is installed on the inner side of the hollow ribbed slab control type frame (1), a fixed plate (52) is slidably connected in the driving plate (51), a protection frame (53) is installed on the surface of the fixed plate (52), a toothed plate (54) is installed on the inner side of the driving plate (51), the toothed plate (54) is slidably connected in the fixed plate (52), a connecting plate (55) is installed on the top of the fixed plate (52), a gear (56) is rotatably connected on the outer side of the connecting plate (55), the gear (56) is engaged on the top of the toothed plate (54), a resisting rod (57) is installed on the outer side of the gear (56), and a resisting plate (58) is hinged on the surface of the resisting rod (57).
2. The support structure for additive manufacturing of large size thin-walled parts according to claim 1, characterized in that: A bevel gear one (59) is installed on the inner side of the gear (56), a bevel gear two (510) is engaged on the outer side of the bevel gear one (59), the bevel gear two (510) is rotatably connected on the outer wall of the connecting plate (55), a rotating shaft (511) is installed on the surface of the bevel gear two (510), a sliding rod (512) is slidably connected on the surface of the rotating shaft (511), a limiting plate (513) is installed on the bottom of the sliding rod (512), and the limiting plate (513) is slidably connected on the top of the driving plate (51).
3. The support structure for additive manufacturing of large size thin-walled parts according to claim 2, characterized in that: A groove (5100) is formed on the surface of the driving plate (51), a sliding groove (520) is formed on the surface of the fixed plate (52), and an arc-shaped sliding groove (5110) is formed on the surface of the rotating shaft (511).
4. The support structure for additive manufacturing of large size thin-walled parts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjusting assembly (6) comprises a ball hinge connection node (61), one end of the ball hinge connection node (61) is hinged with the side wall of the hollow ribbed slab control type frame (1), the other end is rotatably connected with the end of the variable density lattice support (2), a spacing adjusting rod (63) is installed on the inner side of the ball hinge connection node (61), and an adjusting spring (64) is installed on the surface of the spacing adjusting rod (63).
5. The support structure for additive manufacturing of large size thin-walled parts according to claim 4, characterized in that: The rib plate thickness of the hollow ribbed slab control type frame (1) is 1-5mm, the hollow ratio is 30%-70%, and the hollow ratio is dynamically adjusted according to the material rigidity, shape size and expected deformation of the thin-walled part (4), so as to reduce the additional stress of the self weight of the thin-walled part (4) while ensuring the support strength.
6. The support structure for additive manufacturing of large size thin-walled parts according to claim 5, characterized in that: The lattice unit of the variable density lattice support (2) is a regular tetrahedron, a regular hexahedron or a mixed topology structure, the lattice density of the key part is 1.2-2.5 times that of the easy-to-deform area, and the lattice structure is generated by a topology optimization algorithm, which is adapted to the stress distribution gradient of different areas of the thin-walled part (4). The variable density lattice support (2) is integrally formed with the same additive manufacturing material as the thin-walled part (4), and the minimum wall thickness of the lattice unit is not less than 0.3mm, which ensures the compatibility of the support structure and the thin-walled part (4) and avoids surface scratches or material adhesion during the removal process.
7. The support structure for additive manufacturing of large size thin-walled parts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The solid support blocks of the solid grid lattice distribution structure (3) are arranged in a matrix, the spacing between adjacent support blocks is 5-20mm, the tooth height of the zigzag cutting contact structure is 1-3mm, the tooth pitch is 2-5mm, and the contact angle between the zigzag surface and the surface of the thin-walled part (4) is 30°-60°, which facilitates the removal of the support by mechanical peeling or vibration. The solid support blocks of the solid grid lattice distribution structure (3) are provided with weight reduction holes inside, the aperture of the weight reduction hole is 1 / 3-1 / 2 of the side length of the support block, and the weight reduction hole is arranged along the central axis of the support block, which reduces the consumption of raw materials without reducing the support stiffness.
8. The support structure for additive manufacturing of large size thin-walled parts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The variable density lattice support (2), the hollow rib plate control frame (1) and the solid grid lattice distribution structure (3) are all detachably connected, and the connection part is provided with a buckle or a screw thread structure, which facilitates the segmented installation and precise positioning according to the specific structure of the thin-walled part (4).
9. The support structure for additive manufacturing of large size thin-walled parts according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rib plate intersection of the hollow rib plate control frame (1) is provided with a reinforcing node, the reinforcing node is a solid structure, the diameter is 2-3 times the thickness of the rib plate, and the reinforcing node is fixedly connected with the end of the variable density lattice support (2), forming a collaborative support system.