3D printing sand mold sand cleaning device and sand cleaning method

Abstract

The invention relates to a 3D printing sand mold cleaning device which is characterized by comprising an automatic sand cleaning room, a roller shutter door arranged at an inlet of the sand cleaning room, an automatic transfer trolley used for bearing and transferring a sand mold, a sand cleaning mechanism, an air supply system and a control unit. The sand cleaning mechanism comprises a plurality of sand cleaning actuators and a driving mechanism used for driving the sand cleaning actuators to do linear movement independently. An automatic sensing device is arranged on each sand cleaning actuator and is used for detecting the distance between the automatic sensing device and the surface of the sand mold in real time in the moving process; the control unit is in signal connection with the driving mechanism, the automatic induction device and the air supply system. The invention further relates to a sand cleaning method for the 3D printing sand mold. According to the scheme, the problem that a traditional automatic sand cleaning device cannot treat sand molds with complex inner cavities, deep cavities or special-shaped structures can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of 3D printing sand cleaning equipment technology, and in particular to a 3D printing sand mold sand cleaning device and sand cleaning method. Background Technology

[0002] 3D printing (additive manufacturing) sand mold technology, with its superior flexibility and digital capabilities, is revolutionizing the traditional foundry industry. This technology uses special sand powder as the printing material. By controlling the position and spray speed of the printing nozzle, binder is precisely sprayed layer by layer onto a printing platform where the sand powder is laid flat. Based on the information from the thin films generated after slicing the 3D model, these layers are superimposed to ultimately create a three-dimensional solid sand mold. Its core advantage lies in its near-unrestricted geometric shape, enabling the direct production of sand molds including complex flow channels, deep cavities, and irregular structures, realizing the manufacturing philosophy that "the more complex, the better for printing."

[0003] However, this "shape freedom" gained in the manufacturing process faces serious challenges in the subsequent cleaning stage. Currently, mainstream automatic sand cleaning devices (such as fixed air knives or high-flow spray guns) are limited by their structure and working principle, and can only effectively handle sand molds with regular shapes and simple, shallow internal cavities. For sand molds with complex internal curved surfaces and deep, narrow gaps, which 3D printing technology excels at, the rigid airflow of existing devices cannot adaptively penetrate and cover all areas to be cleaned, resulting in incomplete cleaning and a large number of dead corners.

[0004] Therefore, most complex 3D printed sand molds, after initial automated sand removal, still require manual sand removal, relying on workers to perform prolonged and intensive auxiliary cleaning using handheld air guns and tools. This not only significantly reduces overall production efficiency, severely negating the efficiency advantages of 3D printing in the sand removal process, but also significantly increases the labor intensity and occupational health risks for workers (such as dust inhalation). Furthermore, the uncontrollability of manual sand removal can easily lead to mold damage or residue due to improper operation, causing product quality problems or even mold scrapping. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a 3D printed sand mold cleaning device and cleaning method to address the problem that traditional automatic sand cleaning devices cannot handle sand molds with complex internal cavities, deep cavities, or irregular structures.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention disclose a 3D printing sand mold cleaning device, comprising an automatic sand cleaning chamber, a roller shutter door disposed at the entrance of the sand cleaning chamber, an automatic transfer trolley for carrying and transferring sand molds, a sand cleaning mechanism, an air supply system, and a control unit; the sand cleaning mechanism includes multiple sand cleaning actuators and a drive mechanism for driving each of the sand cleaning actuators to move linearly independently; each of the sand cleaning actuators is provided with an automatic sensing device, the automatic sensing device being used to detect the distance between itself and the surface of the sand mold in real time during the movement; The control unit is connected to the drive mechanism, the automatic sensing device and the air supply system. Based on the feedback from the automatic sensing device, it controls each sand cleaning actuator to move independently to a position at a preset working distance from the sand mold surface, and then controls the air supply system to supply air to the sand cleaning actuator to perform sand cleaning.

[0007] In one embodiment, at least part of the sand-cleaning actuator is a rotatable nozzle, and the driving mechanism further includes a rotary driving component disposed on the sand-cleaning actuator for driving the rotatable nozzle to rotate around its own axis or swing within a certain angle range during the sand-cleaning process.

[0008] In one embodiment, the sand-cleaning actuator array is configured to be located on opposite sides of the sand mold to perform sand-cleaning operations on the sand mold simultaneously from multiple directions.

[0009] In one embodiment, the sand-cleaning actuator includes a needle-shaped nozzle or a flat air knife, and the drive mechanism is a small cylinder or an electric linear module.

[0010] In one embodiment, the preset working distance is 5-15mm.

[0011] In one embodiment, the air supply system includes a pressure regulating device and a timing device, and the control unit is configured to control the air pressure during sand removal to be no greater than 0.6 MPa and the sand removal duration to be between 60 and 90 seconds.

[0012] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for cleaning sand from 3D printed sand molds, applied to the 3D printed sand mold cleaning device described above, comprising the following steps: The sand mold is transported into the automatic sand cleaning room by an automatic transfer trolley and the roller shutter door is closed. The sand cleaning actuators of the control sand cleaning mechanism move towards the sand mold. The distance is detected in real time by an automatic sensing device, so that each sand cleaning actuator moves independently and stops at a position at a preset working distance from the surface of the sand mold, thereby forming a sand cleaning array that adapts to the outer contour of the sand mold. Compressed air is introduced into the sand-cleaning actuator that has been positioned to clean the sand mold by blowing sand. After the sand removal is completed, stop the air supply and control all sand removal actuators to move and reset to their initial positions.

[0013] In one embodiment, during the sand removal step, at least a portion of the sand removal actuators are controlled to rotate or oscillate while air is being sprayed.

[0014] In one embodiment, the method further includes, prior to the sand removal step, the control unit planning the movement paths of each sand removal actuator and / or the movement trajectory of the rotatable nozzle based on a 3D model of the sand pattern.

[0015] The technical solution adopted in this invention can achieve the following beneficial effects: The 3D printed sand mold cleaning device disclosed in this invention achieves precise three-dimensional adaptive positioning through an array of cleaning actuators with "multiple independent drives + automatic sensing." This allows each airflow nozzle to move to the most effective cleaning position, forming a matching cleaning network regardless of the complexity of the sand mold's shape. Secondly, the device achieves full automation and intelligence in the sand cleaning process. From sand mold transfer, spatial enclosure, array positioning to sand blowing and resetting, everything is automatically completed by the control unit without manual intervention. This not only completely liberates operators from the harsh working environment of high dust and high intensity, significantly reducing labor costs and labor intensity, but also eliminates quality problems such as sand mold damage or incomplete cleaning caused by improper manual sand cleaning operations. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the 3D printed sand mold cleaning device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100 - Automatic sand cleaning room, 200 - Automatic transfer trolley, 300 - Air supply system, 400 - Sand cleaning actuator. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the invention.

[0019] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "end," "top," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0021] like Figure 1 As shown in the figure, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a 3D printing sand mold cleaning device. The disclosed 3D printing sand mold cleaning device includes an automatic sand cleaning room 100, a roller shutter door set at the entrance of the sand cleaning room, an automatic transfer trolley 200 for carrying and transferring sand molds, a sand cleaning mechanism, an air supply system 300, and a control unit.

[0022] The automatic sand cleaning chamber 100 forms a closed working space, with a roller shutter door at the entrance to seal the space during operation, preventing dust from escaping and reducing noise. An automatic transfer trolley 200 is responsible for smoothly transporting the sand molds to be cleaned into and out of the sand cleaning chamber 100. The sand cleaning mechanism includes multiple sand cleaning actuators 400 and a drive mechanism for driving each actuator 400 to move independently in a linear fashion. Each actuator 400 is equipped with an automatic sensing device to detect its distance from the sand mold surface in real time during movement. The control unit is connected to the drive mechanism, automatic sensing device, and air supply system 300. Based on feedback from the automatic sensing device, it controls each sand-cleaning actuator 400 to move independently to a position a preset working distance from the sand mold surface, and then controls the air supply system 300 to supply air to the sand-cleaning actuator 400 for sand cleaning. In the specific working process, the operator may fix the sand mold on the automatic transfer trolley 200 from the previous process. The trolley enters the automatic sand-cleaning room 100 along the track, and then the roller shutter door closes.

[0023] The control unit activates the drive mechanism, propelling all sand-cleaning actuators 400 toward the sand mold. During this process, the automatic sensing device at the front end of each sand-cleaning actuator 400 continuously monitors its distance from the sand mold surface. Once an actuator detects that its distance from the sand mold has reached a preset working distance (e.g., 10mm), the control unit immediately instructs its corresponding drive mechanism to stop. Actuators that have not yet contacted the complex recessed areas or deep cavity entrances of the sand mold will continue to advance until they also reach the same preset distance. Ultimately, the ends of all the sand-cleaning actuators 400 together form a "negative-shape" sand-cleaning array that precisely conforms to the complex outer contour of the sand mold in three-dimensional space.

[0024] Once the sand-cleaning array is formed, the control unit sends a command to the air supply system 300 to activate compressed air. Compressed air is delivered through pipelines to each positioned sand-cleaning actuator 400 and blown onto the sand mold surface at a pressure of 0.4-0.6 MPa for 60-90 seconds. Because each nozzle is extremely close to the sand mold surface, the airflow is concentrated and has high kinetic energy, effectively removing loose sand from complex cavities and narrow gaps. After the sand-cleaning time is up, the control unit controls the air supply system 300 to stop supplying air and instructs all drive mechanisms to move the sand-cleaning actuators 400 back to their initial positions. The roller shutter door opens, and the automatic transfer trolley 200 carries the cleaned sand mold out, ready for the next work cycle.

[0025] As described above, the 3D printing sand mold cleaning device disclosed in this invention achieves precise three-dimensional adaptive positioning through an array of cleaning actuators with "multiple independent drives + automatic sensing." This ensures that each airflow nozzle can move to the most effective cleaning position, forming a matching cleaning network regardless of the complexity of the sand mold's shape. Furthermore, the device achieves full automation and intelligence in the sand cleaning process. From sand mold transfer, spatial enclosure, array positioning to sand blowing and resetting, everything is automatically completed by the control unit without manual intervention. This not only completely liberates operators from the harsh working environment of high dust and high intensity, significantly reducing labor costs and labor intensity, but also eliminates quality problems such as sand mold damage or incomplete sand cleaning caused by improper manual cleaning operations.

[0026] Furthermore, at least part of the sand-cleaning actuator 400 is a rotatable nozzle, and the drive mechanism also includes a rotary drive component mounted on the sand-cleaning actuator 400, used to drive the rotatable nozzle to rotate around its own axis or swing within a certain angle range during the sand-cleaning process. In this case, for sand mold cavities with special structures such as curved pipes or concave spherical surfaces, fixed-direction airflow may create dead zones. The rotatable nozzle, moving while airflowing, generates a sweeping airflow that covers a larger cleaning area, effectively removing sand adhering to the sidewalls and back, ensuring that even the most complex internal structures can be cleaned thoroughly.

[0027] Furthermore, the sand-cleaning actuator array 400 is configured to be located on opposite sides of the sand mold to simultaneously clean the sand mold from multiple directions. Arranging the sand-cleaning actuator array on both sides of the sand mold enables multi-angle, three-dimensional, synchronous sand cleaning. This layout allows for simultaneous cleaning of two or more sides of the sand mold, avoiding the need for secondary operations such as flipping the sand mold after cleaning one side, greatly shortening the sand cleaning cycle and further improving overall operational efficiency.

[0028] Furthermore, the sand-cleaning actuator 400 includes a needle-shaped nozzle or a flat air knife, with a drive mechanism consisting of a small cylinder or an electric linear module. The needle-shaped nozzle is suitable for penetrating narrow gaps and performing precise point blowing; while the flat air knife generates a wide, fan-shaped airflow, suitable for cleaning larger planar areas. Users can select or combine different types of actuators according to the common structural characteristics of the sand mold to achieve optimal sand-cleaning effect and energy efficiency.

[0029] Furthermore, the preset working distance is 5-15mm. At this distance, the compressed air can still maintain a high speed and kinetic energy when it reaches the sand mold surface after being ejected, ensuring the sand cleaning force. At the same time, a safety buffer is provided between the actuator and the sand mold, avoiding collision accidents that may occur due to positioning errors or uneven sand mold surfaces, thus protecting the expensive finished sand mold and the device itself.

[0030] Furthermore, the air supply system 300 includes a pressure regulating device and a timing device. The control unit is configured to control the air pressure during sand cleaning to not exceed 0.6 MPa, and the sand cleaning duration to be between 60 and 90 seconds. In this case, different sand mold sizes and structural complexities may require different sand cleaning intensities and times. Operators can preset the optimal parameters to ensure the consistency and repeatability of the sand cleaning effect, while avoiding problems such as damage to the sand mold due to excessive pressure or incomplete sand cleaning due to insufficient pressure, as well as wasted or insufficient time, thus achieving a balance between energy saving and high quality.

[0031] Based on the 3D printing sand mold cleaning device disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention, the present invention also discloses a 3D printing sand mold cleaning method, applied to the 3D printing sand mold cleaning device described in any of the above embodiments, including the following steps: The sand mold is transported into the automatic sand cleaning chamber 100 by an automatic transfer trolley 200, and the roller shutter door is closed. The sand cleaning actuators 400 of the sand cleaning mechanism are controlled to move towards the sand mold. An automatic sensing device detects the distance in real time, allowing each sand cleaning actuator 400 to move independently and stop at a preset working distance from the sand mold surface, thus forming a sand cleaning array adapted to the outer contour of the sand mold. Compressed air is introduced into the positioned sand cleaning actuators 400 to blow sand and clean the sand mold. After sand cleaning is completed, the air supply is stopped, and all sand cleaning actuators 400 are controlled to move back to their initial positions. This method incorporates the concept of dynamic sand cleaning into the process. By giving the nozzle an additional dimension of motion, the airflow can actively "find" and clean dead corners, rather than statically waiting for the airflow to diffuse. This active sand cleaning strategy, compared to static blowing, can achieve a more thorough sand cleaning effect in the same or shorter time, and is especially suitable for sand molds with extremely complex internal structures.

[0032] Furthermore, in the sand-cleaning step, at least part of the sand-cleaning actuator 400 is controlled to rotate or oscillate while air is being sprayed.

[0033] Furthermore, before the sand cleaning step, the method also includes: based on the 3D model of the sand pattern, the control unit plans the movement path of each sand cleaning actuator 400 and / or the movement trajectory of the rotatable nozzle. This not only significantly shortens the positioning stage time, because the actuator no longer needs to "blindly explore" and can move directly to the vicinity of the target position, but also makes the movement path more scientific and efficient, further avoiding the risk of collision and achieving optimal control of the sand cleaning process.

[0034] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sand cleaning device for 3D printed sand molds, characterized in that, The system includes an automatic sand cleaning room (100), a roller shutter door at the entrance of the sand cleaning room, an automatic transfer trolley (200) for carrying and transferring sand molds, a sand cleaning mechanism, an air supply system (300), and a control unit; the sand cleaning mechanism includes multiple sand cleaning actuators (400) and a drive mechanism for driving each of the sand cleaning actuators (400) to move linearly independently; each of the sand cleaning actuators (400) is equipped with an automatic sensing device, which is used to detect the distance between itself and the surface of the sand mold in real time during the movement. The control unit is connected to the drive mechanism, the automatic sensing device and the air supply system (300) by signal. Based on the feedback of the automatic sensing device, it controls each sand cleaning actuator (400) to move independently to a position at a preset working distance from the sand mold surface, and then controls the air supply system (300) to supply air to the sand cleaning actuator (400) for sand cleaning.

2. The 3D printing sand mold cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least part of the sand-cleaning actuator (400) is a rotatable nozzle, and the driving mechanism further includes a rotary driving component disposed on the sand-cleaning actuator (400) for driving the rotatable nozzle to rotate around its own axis or swing within a certain angle range during the sand-cleaning process.

3. The 3D printing sand mold cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The array of sand-cleaning actuators (400) is configured to be located on opposite sides of the sand mold to perform sand-cleaning operations on the sand mold simultaneously from multiple directions.

4. The 3D printing sand mold cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sand-cleaning actuator (400) includes a needle-shaped nozzle or a flat air knife, and the driving mechanism is a small cylinder or an electric linear module.

5. The 3D printing sand mold cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset working distance is 5-15mm.

6. The 3D printing sand mold cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air supply system (300) includes a pressure regulating device and a timing device. The control unit is configured to control the air pressure during sand removal to be no greater than 0.6 MPa and the sand removal duration to be between 60 and 90 seconds.

7. A method for cleaning sand from 3D printed sand molds, applied to the sand cleaning device for 3D printed sand molds according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The sand mold is transported into the automatic sand cleaning room (100) by an automatic transfer trolley (200) and the roller shutter door is closed; Each sand-cleaning actuator (400) of the sand-cleaning mechanism moves toward the sand mold. The distance is detected in real time by an automatic sensing device, so that each sand-cleaning actuator (400) moves independently and stops at a position at a preset working distance from the surface of the sand mold, thereby forming a sand-cleaning array that adapts to the outer contour of the sand mold. Compressed air is introduced into the sand cleaning actuator (400) that has been positioned to clean the sand mold by blowing sand. After the sand removal is completed, stop the air supply and control all sand removal actuators (400) to move and reset to their initial positions.

8. The sand-removing method according to claim 7, characterized in that, In the sand cleaning step, at least a portion of the sand cleaning actuator (400) is controlled to rotate or oscillate while air is being sprayed.

9. The sand-removing method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method further includes, prior to the sand cleaning step, the following: based on a 3D model of the sand pattern, the control unit plans the movement path of each sand cleaning actuator (400) and / or the movement trajectory of the rotatable nozzle.

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