Additive manufacturing system and method based on multi-wire-diameter collaborative wire feeding

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of additive manufacturing, and particularly discloses an additive manufacturing system and method based on multi-wire-diameter cooperative wire feeding, the additive manufacturing system comprises a multi-axis movement unit, a workpiece bearing unit, a wire feeding unit, an additive manufacturing unit, a detection unit and a control module, and the workpiece bearing unit comprises a workpiece bearing table with the posture adjustable; the wire feeding unit comprises a plurality of wire feeding devices with different wire diameters, and the additive manufacturing unit is used for melting wires and stacking the wires on the workpiece bearing table layer by layer; the detection unit is used for collecting molten pool feature information in the forming process; the control module is used for adjusting the motion state of the multi-axis motion unit and the real-time posture of the workpiece bearing table and used for adjusting and controlling one or mixed output of the multi-wire-diameter wires in the wire feeding unit according to preset control logic and real-time molten pool feature information so as to adjust and control the deposition efficiency and forming precision of all manufacturing areas of the three-dimensional component. The additive manufacturing system can give consideration to the forming efficiency and precision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of additive manufacturing technology, and more specifically, relates to an additive manufacturing system and method based on multi-diameter collaborative wire feeding. Background Technology

[0002] Additive manufacturing technology, as a key innovation direction in modern manufacturing, has garnered widespread attention in high-end manufacturing fields such as aerospace, rail transportation, and energy equipment due to its advantages of eliminating the need for molds, high material utilization, and the ability to achieve integrated molding of complex structures. Among these, laser metal additive manufacturing technology melts and deposits metal materials layer by layer using a laser beam, enabling the rapid manufacturing of high-performance metal components and effectively compensating for the shortcomings of traditional machining in manufacturing complex curved surfaces and internal cavities. With the continuous improvement of the size, precision, and performance requirements of high-end equipment, how to improve manufacturing efficiency while ensuring forming accuracy, especially for the efficient and high-precision forming of large-sized, complex curved metal components, has become one of the core directions for the development of laser metal additive manufacturing technology.

[0003] Currently, the mainstream approach in laser metal additive manufacturing is powder feeding, but this method has significant drawbacks: low material utilization, poor molten pool stability, insufficient adaptability to complex structures, and the powder is prone to oxidation. Using a protective gas further reduces material utilization. In contrast, wire feeding strategies offer greater potential due to their precise feeding, high material utilization, and strong stability. However, traditional wire feeding strategies suffer from inherent limitations in balancing forming efficiency and precision, necessitating improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In response to the deficiencies or improvement needs of existing technologies, this application provides an additive manufacturing system and method based on multi-wire diameter collaborative feeding, aiming to improve the problem that traditional additive manufacturing systems have difficulty in balancing forming efficiency and accuracy.

[0005] This application provides an additive manufacturing system based on multi-wire diameter collaborative wire feeding, specifically including a multi-axis motion unit, a workpiece carrying unit, a wire feeding unit, an additive manufacturing unit, a detection unit, and a control module, wherein: The workpiece carrying unit includes an attitude-adjustable workpiece carrying platform; Both the wire feeding unit and the additive manufacturing unit are located at the movable end of the multi-axis motion unit. The wire feeding unit includes multiple wire feeding devices, each with a different wire diameter. The additive manufacturing unit is used to melt the wire output from the wire feeding devices and deposit it layer by layer onto the workpiece support platform to manufacture a three-dimensional component. The detection unit is used to collect molten pool feature information during the forming process of the three-dimensional component; the control module is electrically connected to each unit and is used to adjust the motion state of the multi-axis motion unit and the real-time posture of the workpiece carrier. It is also used to control multiple wire feeding devices to select one or mix multiple wires according to the manufacturing area of ​​the three-dimensional component based on the preset control logic and the real-time molten pool feature information, so as to regulate the deposition efficiency and forming accuracy of each manufacturing area of ​​the three-dimensional component.

[0006] As a further preferred embodiment, the manufacturing area of ​​the three-dimensional component includes a high-precision surface area, an internal filling area, and a transition area connecting the high-precision area and the internal filling area.

[0007] As a further preferred embodiment, three wire feeding devices are provided, and the three wire feeding devices are arranged in a circumferential array around the additive manufacturing unit.

[0008] As a further preferred embodiment, the wires in the three wire feeding devices are small-diameter wires, medium-diameter wires, and large-diameter wires, wherein the diameter of the small-diameter wire is 0.6mm-0.8mm, the diameter of the medium-diameter wire is 1.0mm-1.2mm, and the diameter of the large-diameter wire is 1.4mm-1.6mm.

[0009] As a further preferred embodiment, the additive manufacturing system is configured as follows: When forming high-precision areas on the surface of three-dimensional components, wire deposition is performed using small-diameter wires; When filling the internal region of a three-dimensional component, large-diameter filaments are used for filament deposition. In the transition region of forming a three-dimensional component, two types of wires with different diameters are fed simultaneously, and the feeding speed of each wire is adjusted in real time so that the deposition amount of the two types of wires per unit time varies proportionally along the deposition direction.

[0010] As a further preferred embodiment, the wire feeding speed is calculated using the following formula when forming the transition region of the three-dimensional component: ; ; in, Indicates the total length of the sedimentary direction in the transition zone. x This represents the position coordinates of any point along the depositional direction in the transition zone. , Indicates the position coordinates of the two types of filaments x The wire feeding speed at the point, This represents the known volumetric deposition rate. This indicates the diameter of the two types of filaments.

[0011] As a further preferred embodiment, the additive manufacturing unit includes: A laser generator, used to output laser light; The accompanying protective head is positioned around the laser generator to provide a protective environment for the laser's operation.

[0012] As a further preferred embodiment, the accompanying protective head includes an annular gas channel and a spiral water-cooling channel. The annular gas channel is connected to an external gas source and is used to continuously supply inert protective gas to the laser's effective area. The spiral water-cooling channel is connected to an external cooling system and is used to dissipate heat from the additive manufacturing unit.

[0013] The additive manufacturing method provided in the second aspect of this application adopts the following technical solution: An additive manufacturing method, based on any of the additive manufacturing systems described in the first aspect, includes the following steps: S1. Perform zoning planning on the 3D model of the 3D component to determine the high-precision surface area, internal filling area, and transition area of ​​the 3D component; S2. Based on the deposition requirements of different manufacturing areas of the three-dimensional component, determine the wire diameter and wire combination method used in each manufacturing area; S3. The control module adjusts the motion state of the multi-axis motion unit and the real-time posture of the workpiece carrier, and based on the real-time molten pool feature information detected by the detection unit, controls multiple wire feeding devices to manufacture and form the three-dimensional component in each manufacturing area according to the wire selection result in step S2 and the preset control logic, so as to obtain the three-dimensional component.

[0014] The third aspect of this application provides a three-dimensional component manufactured using the additive manufacturing method described in the second aspect.

[0015] In summary, compared with the prior art, the technical solutions conceived in this application have the following main technical advantages: 1. This application is the first to propose and realize the synergistic deposition of multiple filament diameters in the same molten pool, which scientifically solves the contradiction between high efficiency of coarse filaments and precision of fine filaments, and is conducive to achieving a dynamic balance between efficiency and precision. In particular, the system can also adapt multiple filaments to different material compositions on the basis of multiple filament diameters, realize the dual gradient manufacturing of filament diameter and filament composition, further expand the preparation of functional structural materials, and has excellent engineering practicality.

[0016] 2. This application employs a design that coordinates multi-axis motion units and workpiece bearing units, achieving high-precision attitude adjustment for complex curved surface components. This breaks through the limitations of a single-arm machining range, enabling the machining of large-sized ring-shaped parts and complex curved surfaces, thus improving both machining range and flexibility. Furthermore, the thermal management strategy of the accompanying protective head in the system designed in this application contributes to the stability of the energy field during wire switching, reducing the probability of defect generation and ensuring molten pool stability and quality assurance. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an additive manufacturing system based on multi-wire diameter collaborative wire feeding provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a front view of the additive manufacturing unit and wire feeding unit provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the additive manufacturing unit and the wire feeding unit provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the accompanying protective head provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the additive manufacturing method provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0018] In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements or structures, wherein: 1. Multi-axis motion unit; 2. Workpiece carrying unit; 3. Wire feeding unit; 31. Wire feeding device; 4. Additive manufacturing unit; 41. Laser generator; 42. Traveling protective head; 421. Annular gas channel; 422. Spiral water cooling channel; 5. Wire material. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0020] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1-5 This application will be described in further detail.

[0021] This application discloses an additive manufacturing system based on multi-filament diameter collaborative wire feeding, referring to... Figure 1 and Figure 2The additive manufacturing system includes a multi-axis motion unit 1, a workpiece carrier unit 2, a wire feeding unit 3, an additive manufacturing unit 4, a detection unit, and a control module. The workpiece carrier unit 2 includes an attitude-adjustable workpiece carrier platform. The wire feeding unit 3 and the additive manufacturing unit 4 are both located at the movable end of the multi-axis motion unit 1. The wire feeding unit 3 includes multiple wire feeding devices 31, each containing wires 5 with different diameters. The additive manufacturing unit 4 melts the wires 5 output from the wire feeding devices 31 and deposits them layer by layer onto the workpiece carrier platform to manufacture a three-dimensional component. The detection unit collects molten pool characteristic information during the three-dimensional component forming process. The control module is electrically connected to each unit and is used to adjust the motion state of the multi-axis motion unit 1 and the real-time attitude of the workpiece carrier platform. Based on preset control logic and real-time molten pool characteristic information, the module controls the multiple wire feeding devices 31 to selectively or mix and output wires 5 of different diameters according to the manufacturing area of ​​the three-dimensional component, thereby regulating the deposition efficiency and forming accuracy of each manufacturing area of ​​the three-dimensional component.

[0022] Furthermore, in some embodiments, three wire feeding devices 31 are provided, arranged in a circumferential array around the additive manufacturing unit 4. The wires 5 in the three wire feeding devices 31 are respectively small-diameter wires, medium-diameter wires, and large-diameter wires. The diameter of the small-diameter wire is preferably 0.6mm-0.8mm, the diameter of the medium-diameter wire is preferably 1.0mm-1.2mm, and the diameter of the large-diameter wire is preferably 1.4mm-1.6mm.

[0023] It is understood that in other embodiments, the number of filament feeding devices 31 can be expanded to four or other numbers according to actual forming requirements; and the diameter range of the filament 5 can be flexibly adjusted to adapt to more complex forming requirements. Generally speaking, in additive manufacturing, small-diameter filaments are used for printing high-precision areas of three-dimensional components, large-diameter filaments are used for printing internal filling areas of three-dimensional components with lower precision requirements, and medium-diameter filaments are used for graded transition between small-diameter and large-diameter filaments, or for deposition forming in areas of three-dimensional components where the local feature dimensions change relatively slowly.

[0024] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the wire feeding unit 3 also includes a conduit device. The wire 5 fed by the wire feeding device 31 enters the conduit device through a conduit, so that multiple wires 5 with different diameters are further guided to the same molten pool area below the accompanying protective head 42, so as to cooperate with the additive manufacturing unit 4 to achieve multi-diameter collaborative melting and forming. The multiple wires 5 with different diameters can be quickly switched under the coordination of the control module. Preferably, the conduit device is provided with a wire unwinding buffer and guiding mechanism to prevent wire jamming and residual ends from entering the molten pool when the wires 5 are switched, thereby ensuring the continuity of deposition.

[0025] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the additive manufacturing unit 4 includes a laser generator 41 and a protective head 42. The laser generator 41 outputs laser light; the protective head 42 is disposed around the laser generator 41 to provide a protective environment for the laser's operation.

[0026] In some embodiments, the accompanying protective head 42 includes a protective housing covering the circumferential surface of the laser generator 41. The protective housing has an annular gas channel 421 and a spiral water-cooling channel 422. The annular gas channel 421 is connected to an external gas source for continuously supplying inert protective gas to the laser's effective area. The spiral water-cooling channel 422 is connected to an external cooling system for dissipating heat from the additive manufacturing unit 4. In some other embodiments, the accompanying protective head may also include any other feasible existing temperature regulation structure with temperature regulation function.

[0027] In some embodiments, the annular airflow channel includes an annular main pipe formed within the protective housing and centered on the axis of the laser generator 41. This annular main pipe is connected to an external inert gas source. Additionally, the bottom of the protective housing (i.e., on the same side as the output end of the laser generator 41) is provided with multiple annular nozzles. These nozzles are arranged radially from the inside out and are all connected to the annular main pipe. These nozzles are used to uniformly spray inert gas around the molten pool, forming a stable gas curtain to isolate air, thereby preventing oxidation of the three-dimensional component and improving the forming quality.

[0028] In some embodiments, the bottom of the protective housing is first provided with a large annular opening, and then the annular opening is separated by several annular structures to form multiple annular nozzles. The annular structures can be fixedly connected to the housing by supporting crossbars to maintain the stability of the annular structures. When multiple annular structures are provided, the multiple annular structures should be arranged sequentially and spaced apart from the inside to the outside, and the annular gaps formed between adjacent annular structures are the annular nozzles. With the design of the annular structure, the coverage range of the airflow can be expanded, and a guiding and accelerating effect can be formed on the airflow, thereby achieving full circumferential anti-oxidation protection for the three-dimensional components during the cooling process, ensuring the surface quality and performance stability of the three-dimensional components.

[0029] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 The spiral water-cooling channel 422 is spirally formed inside the shell, and is isolated from the annular gas channel 421. The inlet and outlet of the spiral water-cooling channel 422 are connected to the external cooling system through pipes. The spiral water-cooling channel 422 is configured to provide real-time heat exchange and cooling for the accompanying protective head 42 to prevent thermal deformation of the accompanying protective head 42 due to long-term operation in a high-temperature environment.

[0030] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the workpiece support platform is used as the clamping and mounting base for the three-dimensional component. Its movement and the movement of the multi-axis motion unit 1 are linked and interpolated by the control module to work together to achieve the forming of complex curved surfaces in the three-dimensional component. The workpiece support platform includes, but is not limited to, a servo turntable.

[0031] In some embodiments, when a servo turntable is selected as the workpiece carrier, the servo turntable is configured such that it can rotate about a central axis and tilt up to an angle of up to 15 degrees. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the workpiece carrier may be a servo turntable that supports other tilt angle ranges or other existing carrier devices.

[0032] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the multi-axis motion unit 1 includes, but is not limited to, a six-axis industrial robot, and the metal additive manufacturing unit 4 is connected to the end effector of the six-axis industrial robot.

[0033] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the wire feeding unit 3 is a detachable structure, preferably a wire feeding device 31 with clamping mechanisms for different numbers of wires 5. In actual use, the prepared wires of different diameters are first placed into the corresponding wire feeding devices 31 of the wire feeding unit 3. Then, parameters are set in the additive manufacturing system. The additive manufacturing system automatically changes the metal wires of different diameters and uses lasers of different powers in different areas according to the amount of material required in different areas of the model.

[0034] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the control module is connected to the multi-axis motion unit 1, the workpiece carrying unit 2, the wire feeding unit 3, and the additive manufacturing unit 4, etc., and is used to start and stop the wire feeding device 31, adjust the wire feeding speed, and dynamically switch or proportionally mix wires of different diameters, based on the molten pool characteristics (including temperature information, molten pool width information, and molten pool brightness information) monitored by the detection unit, so as to achieve synergistic optimization of deposition efficiency and forming accuracy. The proportional parameter for proportional mixing wire feeding is a pre-set process parameter or a function parameter that varies along the manufacturing path. The detection results of the detection unit are used to stabilize the molten pool state, rather than for real-time calculation of the proportional parameter.

[0035] In this design, the additive manufacturing system, through the combined use of laser filament additive manufacturing process, multi-diameter wire feeding unit 3, and servo turntable, can not only achieve rapid manufacturing of large parts, but also improve material utilization and achieve the forming of complex curved surfaces, thereby reducing the time required for part manufacturing, which has significant progressive significance.

[0036] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the manufacturing area of ​​the 3D component includes a high-precision surface area, an internal filling area, a transition area connecting the high-precision area and the internal filling area. These three types of areas are identified by partitioning the target 3D model based on accuracy requirements, spatial positioning, and functional positioning. The specific partitioning is as follows: 1) High-precision surface area, namely the fine structure area where the outer contour surface and detailed feature dimensions and geometric tolerances of the 3D model meet the preset standards. This area has high requirements for molding accuracy and surface quality.

[0037] 2) High-efficiency filling area, which is the material filling area of ​​the non-functional core inside the model. It has lower requirements for molding accuracy and the core is to balance filling efficiency and material economy.

[0038] 3) Transition region, which is the connecting region between the high-precision region and the high-efficiency filling region on the surface, is used to achieve a smooth transition of the precision gradient between the two types of regions to prevent defects such as stress concentration and interface peeling.

[0039] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the additive manufacturing system is configured to: When forming high-precision areas on the surface of three-dimensional components, filament deposition is performed using small-diameter filaments. These high-precision areas include outer contours and thin-walled feature regions; by using small-diameter filaments and matching them with low feed rates and high scanning speeds, dimensional accuracy ≤ ±0.1 mm is achieved.

[0040] When filling the internal regions of a three-dimensional component, a large-diameter filament is used for deposition. During additive manufacturing in this region, a deposition efficiency of ≥30 g / min is preferably achieved by matching the large-diameter filament with a high-power laser.

[0041] In the transition region between the high-precision surface area and the internal filling area of ​​the formed three-dimensional component, two types of wires 5 with different diameters are fed simultaneously, and the feeding speed of each wire 5 is adjusted in real time. This ensures that the deposition amount of the two types of wires 5 changes according to a preset ratio per unit time, achieving a smooth transition in molten pool size and deposition capacity. Preferably, during this coordinated wire feeding process, multiple parameters such as laser power, wire feeding speed, and detection scanning speed are coordinated to achieve a stable transition in molten pool heat input and avoid porosity and cracks caused by sudden energy changes. At the same time, by limiting the rate of change of the total deposition amount of wires with different diameters during the coordinated wire feeding process, the volume of metal entering the molten pool per unit time can be kept to change continuously, thereby maintaining the stability of the molten pool size.

[0042] Furthermore, when forming the transition region of a three-dimensional component, the wire feeding speed is calculated using the following formula: ; ; in, Indicates the total length of the sedimentary direction in the transition zone. x The coordinates of any point along the depositional direction in the transition zone are represented, and their range is as follows: 0≤x≤ ; Indicates the position coordinates of one type of filament x The wire feeding speed at the point, Indicates the position coordinates of one of the filaments. x The wire feeding speed at the point, This represents the known volumetric deposition rate. This indicates the diameter of the two types of filaments.

[0043] The logic behind calculating the wire feeding speed using the formula above mainly includes: first determining the target position in the transition zone. x The required proportion of silk material Based on the proportion of silk Determine the volumetric deposition rates of the two filaments. The coordinates of the two filaments at the target location are also considered. x The volumetric deposition rate at this point is not arbitrarily set, but is based on the target total deposition rate of the corresponding manufacturing path segment in this transition region, proportional to the filament material. The allocation is determined; the target total deposition rate is pre-set based on the laser power, scanning speed, and molten pool stability process window matched to this manufacturing path segment, and is used to characterize the total volume of metal material entering the molten pool per unit time. Based on this, according to the position coordinates... x The determined filament deposition ratio a(x) The target total deposition rate is decomposed into the volumetric deposition rates corresponding to each of the two filaments, thus ensuring the continuity of melt pool heat input and deposition efficiency while satisfying the proportional relationship. Then, based on the filament diameters of the two filaments currently used... and target location x The volumetric deposition rate at each location is used to deduce the respective wire feed rate. , So that the system can calculate , By adjusting the corresponding filament feeding device, the ratio of the two filament deposition amounts can be controlled, thereby achieving smooth printing of the transition area between the high-precision surface area and the internal filling area.

[0044] It is understandable that the total length of the deposition direction in the transition region refers to the total length of the deposition and printing trajectory formed when the high-precision surface region transitions to the in-situ filling region (or the in-situ filling region transitions to the high-precision surface region) in the current printing layer.

[0045] In some embodiments, the control logic of the additive manufacturing system includes: when transitioning from the internal filling region to the high-precision surface region through the transition region, firstly, based on the output deposition operation of a single large-diameter filament in the internal filling region, a medium-diameter filament deposition operation is incorporated, and the output deposition ratio of the medium-diameter filament is gradually increased to replace the output deposition ratio of the large-diameter filament. During this process, the two types of filaments are mixed and output. After the large-diameter filament is completely replaced by the medium-diameter filament, small-diameter filaments are simultaneously and gradually incorporated (i.e., the large-diameter filament is withdrawn, and a mixture of small-diameter filaments and medium-diameter filaments is used for output). Then, the output ratio of small-diameter filaments is gradually increased until only small-diameter filaments are output. At this point, the deposition and forming of the high-precision surface region is achieved.

[0046] In some specific embodiments, TC4 titanium alloy wire is selected as the filament, with diameters of 0.6mm, 1.0mm, and 1.6mm, corresponding to laser powers of 0.8kW, 1.6kW, and 2.5kW, respectively. The wire feed speed is 1.5m / s. Preferably, nitrogen is used as the protective gas at a flow rate of 10L / min. In a certain printing operation, the system uses only 0.6mm diameter filament in the fine-forming outer contour area and only 1.6mm diameter filament in the high-efficiency filling inner area. In the transition area between these two types of areas, 0.6mm and 1.0mm diameter filaments, or 1.0mm and 1.6mm diameter filaments, are used simultaneously, and their respective wire feed speeds are adjusted in real time, so that the deposition ratio of different filaments per unit time gradually changes along the manufacturing path. Under this design, the melt pool width and deposition height can remain continuously varied during area switching, thereby obtaining a dense three-dimensional component with stable forming quality.

[0047] Furthermore, in some embodiments, this additive manufacturing system adapts multiple filaments to different material compositions based on multiple filament diameters to achieve dual-gradient manufacturing of filament diameter and filament composition, further expanding the capability to prepare functional structural materials. It can be understood that dual gradient refers to simultaneously introducing a gradient of filament diameter variation and a gradient of filament chemical composition variation along the three-dimensional component manufacturing path during the additive manufacturing process, thereby achieving coordinated and continuous control of deposition efficiency, forming accuracy, and material properties within the same molten pool.

[0048] This application also discloses an additive manufacturing method based on any of the additive manufacturing systems described above. (Refer to...) Figure 5 The additive manufacturing method includes the following steps: S1. Perform zoning planning on the 3D model of the 3D component to determine the high-precision surface area, internal filling area, and transition area of ​​the 3D component.

[0049] Specifically, the 3D model of the relevant 3D components is divided into three types of areas based on accuracy requirements, spatial positioning, and functional positioning: 1) High-precision surface area, which is the fine structure area where the outer contour surface and detailed feature dimensions and geometric tolerances of the 3D model meet the preset standards. This area has strict requirements for molding accuracy and surface quality; 2) High-efficiency filling area, which is the material filling area inside the model that is not a functional core. It has lower requirements for molding accuracy, and the core is to balance filling efficiency and material economy; 3) Transition area, which is the connecting area between the high-precision surface area and the high-efficiency filling area. It is used to achieve a smooth transition of the accuracy gradient between the two types of areas to prevent defects such as stress concentration and interface peeling.

[0050] S2. Based on the deposition requirements of different manufacturing areas of the 3D component, determine the filament diameter type or filament combination method used for the corresponding manufacturing path segment. For example, determine the printing parameters used for the additive manufacturing path segment corresponding to each area, and match small-diameter filaments for high-precision surface areas, large-diameter filaments for high-efficiency filling areas, and at least two different diameter filaments for transition areas.

[0051] S3. The control module adjusts the motion state of the multi-axis motion unit and the real-time posture of the workpiece carrier, and based on the real-time molten pool feature information detected by the detection unit, controls multiple wire feeding devices to manufacture and form each manufacturing area of ​​the three-dimensional component according to the wire selection result in step S2 and the preset control logic, so as to regulate the deposition efficiency and forming accuracy of each manufacturing area of ​​the three-dimensional component, thereby manufacturing the three-dimensional component.

[0052] Specifically, the control module coordinates the multi-axis motion unit, workpiece bearing unit, and designated wire feeding device to work together. During the deposition process, it switches or mixes wires of different diameters based on real-time monitoring results. Especially in the transition region, based on a preset logic algorithm, it determines the wire feeding speed ratio of each wire according to the volume deposition rate relationship of different diameter wires to maintain melt pool stability and achieve optimal matching of efficiency and accuracy. Then, after completing several layers of additive manufacturing, a 3D scan is performed to compare the solid manufactured structure with the 3D model, and path deviations and dimensional errors are corrected in a timely manner to ensure forming accuracy. The above additive manufacturing process continues until the entire 3D component is completely formed. Data from the entire additive manufacturing process is recorded in a database for traceability and analysis.

[0053] In this design, the detection unit detects molten pool characteristics including temperature, width, and brightness. The control module can start / stop the wire feeding device, adjust the wire feeding speed, and dynamically switch or proportionally mix wires of different diameters based on the detection results. This achieves synergistic optimization of deposition efficiency and forming accuracy, resulting in a smooth transition between molten pool size and deposition capacity. The proportional parameter for mixed wire feeding is a pre-set process parameter or a function parameter that varies along the manufacturing path (as shown in the formula above). The detection results from the detection unit are used for stable control of the molten pool state by the system, rather than for real-time calculation of relevant deposition proportional parameters.

[0054] Understandably, the detection results from the detection unit are primarily used for stabilizing the molten pool state, rather than for real-time calculation of proportional parameters. Generally, the control module judges the molten pool state based on pre-set thresholds for molten pool temperature, molten pool width, and / or molten pool brightness. When the detection results exceed the threshold range, while keeping the deposition ratio parameters of different wires constant, the absolute value of the wire feeding speed and / or laser power of each wire participating in the coordinated wire feeding are synchronously adjusted to stabilize the molten pool state within the preset range.

[0055] Under this design, the manufacturing method of this application forms a unique multi-wire diameter switching process through steps such as three-dimensional model area partitioning, path allocation, real-time switching and deposition control. It can improve the deposition efficiency by about 40% on typical titanium alloy components, indicating that this design is scientifically and engineeringally feasible.

[0056] In reality, the inherent drawback of traditional wire feeding strategies in balancing forming efficiency and precision lies primarily in the fact that most systems in traditional laser metal additive manufacturing technology use single-diameter wires for deposition. This approach inherently struggles to achieve both forming efficiency and precision. While using fine-diameter wires can achieve high contour forming precision with a smaller molten pool size, meeting the requirements for component surface quality and detailed structure, the limited amount of metal material delivered per unit time leads to low overall manufacturing efficiency. This is especially problematic in the internal filling areas of large-sized components, significantly extending the manufacturing cycle and increasing production costs. Conversely, using coarse-diameter wires can improve manufacturing efficiency by increasing the material delivery per unit time, making it suitable for large-area filling areas within components. However, the larger molten pool size makes it difficult to precisely control contour forming precision, easily resulting in excessive surface roughness and inaccurate forming of detailed structures, failing to meet the precision requirements of high-end components. The limitation of single-diameter wires has become a key bottleneck restricting the large-scale application of laser metal additive manufacturing technology.

[0057] When dealing with the additive manufacturing needs of large-sized, complex curved metal components, traditional technical solutions have significant shortcomings in terms of equipment linkage performance and forming range. Some additive manufacturing systems use fixed worktables with single-axis or multi-axis motion mechanisms, which have limited effective forming stroke and cannot cover the overall forming requirements of large-sized components. Although some systems introduce industrial robots to expand the range of motion, most do not achieve precise linkage control between the robot and the servo turntable. When processing complex curved components, they cannot adjust the robot end effector's posture and the turntable's rotation angle in real time according to the curvature changes of the component surface. This can easily lead to unstable angles between the laser beam and the workpiece surface, and displacement of the molten pool position, which in turn causes problems such as poor bonding between forming layers, stress concentration, and out-of-tolerance surface contours. It is difficult to guarantee the overall forming quality and performance consistency of large-sized, complex curved components.

[0058] In contrast, this application establishes a collaborative control system by integrating multi-wire diameter collaborative feeding with a multi-axis motion unit and an attitude-adjustable workpiece carrying unit, achieving dynamic matching between wire diameter switching and spatial motion trajectory. During the forming process, the system can automatically select an appropriate wire diameter for contour finishing or efficient internal filling based on the 3D model's partitioning strategy, thereby achieving a dynamic balance between efficiency and accuracy, which is of significant progressive importance.

[0059] It should be understood that expressions such as "comprising" and "may include" as used in this application indicate the existence of the disclosed functions, operations, or constituent elements, and do not limit one or more additional functions, operations, and constituent elements. In this application, terms such as "comprising" and / or "having" may be interpreted as indicating a specific characteristic, number, operation, constituent element, component, or combination thereof, but should not be interpreted as excluding the existence or possibility of adding one or more other characteristics, numbers, operations, constituent elements, components, or combinations thereof.

[0060] It should be understood that the terms “center,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “inner,” “outer,” “clockwise,” “counterclockwise,” “axial,” “radial,” and “circumferential” indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0061] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0062] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0063] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An additive manufacturing system based on multi-filament diameter collaborative filament feeding, characterized in that, It includes a multi-axis motion unit (1), a workpiece carrying unit (2), a wire feeding unit (3), an additive manufacturing unit (4), a detection unit, and a control module, wherein: The workpiece carrying unit (2) includes an attitude-adjustable workpiece carrying platform; The wire feeding unit (3) and the additive manufacturing unit (4) are both located at the movable end of the multi-axis motion unit (1). The wire feeding unit (3) includes multiple wire feeding devices (31), and the wire diameters of the wires (5) in the multiple wire feeding devices (31) are different. The additive manufacturing unit (4) is used to melt the wires (5) output by the wire feeding devices (31) and stack them layer by layer on the workpiece support platform to manufacture a three-dimensional component. The detection unit is used to collect the molten pool feature information during the forming process of the three-dimensional component; the control module is electrically connected to each unit and is used to adjust the motion state of the multi-axis motion unit (1) and the real-time posture of the workpiece carrier, and to control multiple wire feeding devices (31) to select or mix the output of multi-diameter wires (5) according to the manufacturing area partition of the three-dimensional component, so as to regulate the deposition efficiency and forming accuracy of each manufacturing area of ​​the three-dimensional component.

2. The additive manufacturing system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The manufacturing area of ​​the three-dimensional component includes a high-precision surface area, an internal filling area, and a transition area connecting the high-precision area and the internal filling area.

3. The additive manufacturing system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, There are three wire feeding devices (31), which are arranged in a circumferential array around the additive manufacturing unit (4).

4. The additive manufacturing system as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The wires (5) in the three wire feeding devices (31) are small-diameter wires, medium-diameter wires and large-diameter wires, respectively. The diameter of the small-diameter wire is 0.6mm-0.8mm, the diameter of the medium-diameter wire is 1.0mm-1.2mm, and the diameter of the large-diameter wire is 1.4mm-1.6mm.

5. The additive manufacturing system as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The additive manufacturing system is configured as follows: When forming high-precision areas on the surface of three-dimensional components, wire deposition is performed using small-diameter wires; When filling the internal region of a three-dimensional component, large-diameter filaments are used for filament deposition. When forming the transition area of ​​the three-dimensional component, two types of wires (5) with different diameters are fed simultaneously, and the feeding speed of each wire (5) is adjusted in real time so that the deposition amount of the two types of wires (5) changes proportionally along the deposition direction per unit time.

6. The additive manufacturing system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, When forming the transition region of a three-dimensional component, the wire feeding speed is calculated using the following formula: ； ； in, Indicates the total length of the sedimentary direction in the transition zone. x This represents the position coordinates of any point along the deposition direction in the transition region. , Indicates the position coordinates of the two types of filaments x The wire feeding speed at the point, This represents the known volumetric deposition rate. This indicates the diameter of the two types of filaments.

7. The additive manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The additive manufacturing unit (4) includes: A laser generator (41) is used to output laser light; A protective head (42) is positioned around the laser generator (41) to provide a protective environment for the laser's operation.

8. The additive manufacturing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the accompanying protective head (42) includes an annular gas channel (421) and a spiral water-cooling channel (422), the annular gas channel (421) being connected to an external gas source for continuously supplying inert protective gas to the laser's effective area, and the spiral water-cooling channel (422) being connected to an external cooling system for dissipating heat from the additive manufacturing unit (4).

9. An additive manufacturing method, based on the additive manufacturing system according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Perform zoning planning on the 3D model of the 3D component to determine the high-precision surface area, internal filling area, and transition area of ​​the 3D component; S2. Based on the deposition requirements of different manufacturing areas of the three-dimensional component, determine the wire diameter and wire combination method used in each manufacturing area; S3. The control module adjusts the motion state of the multi-axis motion unit (1) and the real-time posture of the workpiece carrier, and controls multiple wire feeding devices (31) to manufacture and form the three-dimensional component in each manufacturing area according to the wire selection result in step S2 and the preset control logic based on the real-time molten pool feature information detected by the detection unit, so as to obtain the three-dimensional component.

10. A three-dimensional component, characterized in that, It is manufactured using the additive manufacturing method described in claim 9.

Images