A laser directed energy deposition apparatus and powder recovery device therefor

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of laser directional energy deposition equipment and its powder recovery device, including disc body, barrel, pipeline and filter structure, disc body has for receiving mixed powder receiving surface and disc body outlet, disc body is set with preset inclination angle to make receiving surface along the high end and low end of inclination direction, disc body outlet is located in low end, mixed powder under the action of gravity along receiving surface from high end to automatic flow to the disc body outlet located in low end;Pipeline inlet is communicated with disc body outlet, and pipeline outlet is communicated with barrel;Filter structure is arranged in barrel to separate large particle powder and small particle powder in mixed powder falling into barrel.The application can automatically separate reusable metal powder and not completely melted powder by setting filter structure in the barrel, the separated metal powder can be reused in laser directional energy deposition equipment, improve resource utilization, reduce resource waste, reduce the input of material cost in printing process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of laser directional energy deposition equipment technology, and in particular to a laser directional energy deposition equipment and its powder recovery device. Background Technology

[0002] In the laser-directed energy deposition (LDED) process, due to the dynamic matching characteristics of parameters such as powder delivery rate, laser energy density, and scanning speed, not all metal powder delivered to the laser spot area can be completely melted. In actual production, approximately 20%-40% of the powder will not enter the high-energy laser zone or have insufficient residence time, forming "incompletely melted powder" (partially fused and adhered to the surface of particles) and "unmelted powder" (retaining its original physical form). Among them, the unmelted powder has extremely high recycling value because it has not undergone component oxidation or structural deterioration—after screening and purification, it can be directly reused in production, significantly reducing raw material costs (metal powder accounts for 30%-50% of the LDED manufacturing cost).

[0003] However, existing laser directional energy deposition (laser energy deposition) equipment generally lacks a dedicated powder recovery structure. This results in incompletely melted powder and unmelted powder mixing directly under gravity and falling to the bottom of the equipment cavity or the worktable. The incompletely melted powder, due to surface melting forming adherent particles, exhibits significantly different particle size distribution and flowability compared to the original powder, making it unusable for direct reuse in production. Directly mixing it with recycled materials would severely impact subsequent forming accuracy and component mechanical properties. However, the unmelted powder within this component can be directly reused in production and has reuse value. Discarding this portion along with the incompletely melted powder would waste resources and increase material costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the technical problems existing in the background art, the present invention proposes a laser directional energy deposition device and its powder recovery device.

[0005] This invention proposes a powder recovery device, comprising a disc, a barrel, a pipe, and a filter structure. The disc has a receiving surface for receiving mixed powder and a disc outlet. The disc is set at a preset tilt angle so that the receiving surface forms a high end and a low end along the tilt direction. The disc outlet is located at the low end. Under the action of gravity, the mixed powder flows from the high end to the disc outlet located at the low end along the receiving surface. The barrel is arranged below the disc outlet. The pipe has a pipe inlet and a pipe outlet. The pipe inlet is connected to the disc outlet, and the pipe outlet is connected to the inside of the barrel. The filter structure is arranged inside the barrel to separate large and small powder particles from the mixed powder falling into the barrel.

[0006] Preferably, a plate is arranged above the receiving surface and mounted on the disc. The plate has a central plane and four connected inclined surfaces extending outward and downward from the central plane to the edge of the plate. The projected area of ​​the plate is smaller than that of the disc, so that the mixed powder falling onto the plate slides down the inclined surfaces from the edge of the central plane to the edge of the plate under the action of gravity.

[0007] Preferably, the disc body has a first disc, a second disc, and an output section. The second disc and the first disc are detachably connected. A baffle is provided between the first disc and the second disc to divide the receiving surface into a first surface and a second surface. The first surface and the second surface are both inclined at a preset angle. The lower end of the first surface is higher than the height of the baffle, and the upper end of the second surface is lower than the height of the baffle. The output section is arranged at the outlet of the second disc. The output section has a cavity. The cavity inlet is connected to the outlet of the second disc, and the cavity outlet is connected to the inlet of the pipe. The cavity inlet and the cavity outlet are coaxially arranged, and the flow area of ​​the cavity inlet is larger than the flow area of ​​the cavity outlet.

[0008] Preferably, it also has a filter plate with multiple through holes, and the filter plate is arranged on the baffle of the second disc.

[0009] Preferably, the filter structure has a tapered main body that tapers from top to bottom and a tube body. The tapered main body and the barrel body are arranged coaxially. The tapered main body is made of filter screen. The tapered main body has a first opening and a second opening arranged coaxially. The inner diameter of the first opening is larger than the inner diameter of the second opening. The tube body and the second opening are arranged coaxially.

[0010] Preferably, the barrel body has a first region and a second region formed by a filter structure. The second region is arranged in a ring around the first region. The first region is arranged coaxially with the tube body. The first region is connected to the tube body to collect large particles of powder separated from the mixed powder. The second region is located between the orthographic projection of the outer edge of the conical body sidewall and the orthographic projection of the inner edge of the conical body sidewall to collect small particles of powder separated from the mixed powder.

[0011] Preferably, it also includes a drive mechanism, which is arranged on the filter structure. The drive mechanism has a bracket, a rotating shaft, and a drive component. The bracket and the rotating shaft are arranged coaxially. The bracket is arranged inside the barrel and fixedly connected to the conical body. One end of the rotating shaft is connected to the drive component. By activating the drive component, the rotating shaft, the bracket, and the filter structure are driven to rotate synchronously, so that the filter structure and the mixed powder falling into the filter structure can move relative to each other.

[0012] Preferably, a bucket lid is detachably connected to the bucket body, the bucket lid is provided with a through hole, the pipe outlet is connected to the through hole, the end of the rotating shaft away from the bracket passes through the bucket lid and extends outside the bucket lid, and the driving component is installed on the bucket lid.

[0013] The present invention also includes a laser-directed energy deposition apparatus having the powder recovery device described above.

[0014] In this invention, by designing a plate with a high center and low edges, excess metal powder and incompletely melted powder during the printing process can slide into the barrel under their own gravity, achieving automatic powder delivery and collection without manual intervention. By incorporating a filter structure within the barrel, reusable metal powder and incompletely melted powder can be automatically separated. The separated metal powder can be reused in the laser directional energy deposition (LDED) equipment, improving resource utilization, reducing waste, and lowering material costs during the printing process. Furthermore, this invention can be directly installed on a laser directional energy deposition (LDED) equipment without occupying additional space, featuring a compact structure and high integration, making it highly suitable for retrofitting existing LDED equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a powder recovery device proposed in this invention;

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the present invention installed on a laser-directed energy deposition device;

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the disk body composition of a powder recovery device proposed in this invention;

[0018] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the first disc and plate of a powder recovery device proposed in this invention;

[0019] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the second disc, output section, and filter plate of a powder recovery device proposed in this invention.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the pipes and barrel of a powder recycling device proposed in this invention;

[0021] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the barrel lid and filter structure of a powder recovery device proposed in this invention;

[0022] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the conical body and support of a powder recovery device proposed in this invention;

[0023] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the barrel of a powder recycling device proposed in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Reference Figure 1 The powder recovery device proposed in this invention is mainly used in applications such as... Figure 2In the laser-directed energy deposition (LDED) apparatus 5 shown, a powder feeding system stably delivers metal powder to the laser action area. The laser system then focuses the laser energy into a high-energy spot, precisely melting the metal powder delivered to the laser action area. This causes the powder to melt instantly and deposit onto the substrate surface. Subsequently, the powder is stacked layer by layer along a preset path, ultimately achieving the gradual formation of complex metal components. During this process, some powder may remain in its original physical form because it did not enter the laser action area (i.e., the molten pool on the traditional substrate surface). This portion of powder can be re-input into the powder feeding system for reuse. However, some powder may not remain in the laser action area long enough, causing the powder particles to melt and adhere to each other, forming "incompletely melted powder." This portion of powder, due to surface melting and the formation of adhered particles, has a significantly different particle size distribution and flowability compared to the original powder and cannot be reused.

[0025] Therefore, to recover the metal powder that still retains its original physical form, it needs to be separated from the other part, the "incompletely melted powder." Based on this, the powder recovery device proposed in this invention can be as follows: Figure 2 The powder recovery device shown is directly mounted on the laser-directed energy deposition equipment 5, and its structure is as follows: Figure 1 The diagram shows a disc 1, a barrel 3, a pipe 2, and a filter structure 32. The disc 1 is located directly below the laser head of the laser-directed energy deposition equipment and is used to receive the mixed powder, which contains large particles of "incompletely melted powder" and small particles of raw powder, that spills from the laser head. The disc 1 has a receiving surface for receiving the mixed powder and a disc 1 outlet. The disc 1 is set at a preset tilt angle so that the receiving surface forms a high end and a low end along the tilt direction. The disc 1 outlet is located at the low end. Under the action of gravity, the mixed powder flows from the high end of the receiving surface to the low end of the disc 1 outlet.

[0026] A plate 4 is arranged above the receiving surface and mounted on the disk 1. The plate 4 is generally trapezoidal, with a central plane and four connected inclined surfaces extending outward and downward from the central plane to the edge of the plate 4. During printing, the substrate in contact with the workpiece can be placed directly on the central plane of the plate 4. Under the action of the laser, the metal powder forms a "molten pool" on the substrate. Metal powder that does not fall into the molten pool will slide along the edge of the central plane of the plate 4 onto the inclined surfaces of the plate 4, and then fall into the disk 1 along the inclined surfaces. The projected area of ​​the plate 4 is smaller than that of the disk 1, indicating that the length and width of the plate 4 are smaller than those of the disk 1. This design allows the mixed powder falling onto the plate 4 to slide along the inclined surfaces from the central plane to the edge of the plate 4 under the action of gravity, and then fall into the disk 1.

[0027] The aforementioned center-high, edge-low configuration allows unmelted or splashed powder to fall onto the support plate during printing and naturally slide towards the edge under gravity, achieving a non-powered powder delivery effect. An annular gap is formed between the edge of the plate 4 and the disk 1. Powder sliding towards the edge falls through this gap into the flat moving cavity formed between the plate 4 and the disk 1. This moving cavity provides initial temporary storage and guiding space for the powder to be transported to the next stage. Furthermore, the height between the plate 4 and the disk 1 can be adjusted using studs, making it suitable for printing different workpieces and ensuring the powder flow direction and efficiency.

[0028] Specifically, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown: The disk body 1 has a first disk 11, a second disk 12 and an output part 13. The second disk 12 and the first disk 11 are detachably connected: the side wall of the first disk 11 facing the second disk 12 is provided with a pin hole 141, and the side wall of the second disk 12 facing the first disk 11 is provided with a pin shaft 142. The installation between the first disk 11 and the second disk 12 can be completed by inserting the pin shaft 142 into the pin hole 141. This detachable setting makes it convenient to inspect or replace the first disk 11 or the second disk 12 separately.

[0029] A baffle 122 is provided between the first plate 11 and the second plate 12 to divide the receiving surface into a first surface 111 and a second surface 121. The plate 4 is installed on the first plate 11. The first surface 111 and the second surface 121 are both inclined at a preset angle. The height of the lower end of the first surface 111 is greater than the height of the baffle 122, and the height of the upper end of the second surface 121 is lower than the height of the baffle 122. The output part 13 is arranged at the outlet of the second plate 12. The output part 13 has a cavity. The cavity inlet 131 is connected to the outlet of the second plate 12, and the cavity outlet 132 is connected to the inlet of the pipe 2. The cavity inlet 131 and the cavity outlet 132 are arranged coaxially, and the flow area of ​​the cavity inlet 131 is greater than the flow area of ​​the cavity outlet 132. During the printing process, unmelted or splashed powder will first fall along the surface of the plate 4 into the moving cavity between the plate 4 and the first surface 111 on the first disk 11. Then, it will move towards the second disk 12 along the inclined direction of the first surface 111 until it moves onto the second surface 121. Then, it will flow into the cavity of the output section 13 along the inclined direction of the second surface 121 from the cavity inlet 131, and finally be discharged through the cavity outlet 132.

[0030] In this invention, plate 4 is responsible for the "collection and initial guidance" of the mixed powder, while disc 1 is responsible for the "convergence and directional transport" of the mixed powder. The two are seamlessly connected through a highly matched geometric structure and a formed moving cavity, transforming the scattered mixed powder from collection in a two-dimensional plane to controlled flow within a one-dimensional channel. This converts gravitational potential energy into kinetic energy for the directional flow of the powder, achieving the most simple and reliable non-powered transformation of the powder from a dispersed state to centralized transport, and providing a stable and uniform material flow for subsequent fine screening. It also prevents the mixed powder from accumulating on the worktable, helping to maintain the cleanliness of the processing area.

[0031] In this embodiment, a filter plate 122 is also installed on the second disk 12. The filter plate 122 is provided with multiple through holes. The filter plate 122 is arranged on the baffle 122 of the second disk 12. The filter plate 122 can filter out larger particle size powder in the metal powder moving from the first disk 11 in advance to achieve primary filtration. The filter plate 122 is placed on the second surface 121. Then the powder after primary filtration passes through the through holes on the filter plate 122 and falls onto the second surface 121 of the second disk 12.

[0032] Next, the mixed powder flowing down along disc 1 is separated, such as Figure 2 , Figure 6 The barrel 3 is positioned below the outlet of the disc 1. The pipe 2 has an inlet and an outlet; the inlet connects to the outlet of the disc 1, and the outlet connects to the inner cavity of the barrel 1. The mixed powder received on the disc 1 can be directly fed into the barrel 3 via the pipe 2, where a filter structure 32 located within the barrel 3 separates large and small particles. The inner wall of the pipe 2 is smooth, and its inner diameter is significantly larger than the particle size of the mixed powder, effectively preventing blockage and adhesion during transport. The length of the pipe 2 can be flexibly adjusted according to actual layout requirements, allowing the mixed powder to flow smoothly and continuously from the disc 1 into the barrel 1 under gravity, achieving efficient material transfer.

[0033] Specifically, such as Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the above-mentioned filter structure 32 has a tapered body 321 that tapers from top to bottom and a tube 322. The tapered body 321 is coaxially arranged with the barrel 3. The tapered body 321 has a first opening and a second opening arranged coaxially. The inner diameter of the first opening is larger than the inner diameter of the second opening. The tube 322 is coaxially arranged with the second opening. The filter structure 32 divides the inner cavity of the barrel 3 into a first region 34 and a second region 35. The second region 35 is arranged in a ring around the first region 34. The first region 34 is coaxially arranged with the tube 322. The tube 322 extends into the first region 34. The second region 35 is located between the orthographic projection of the outer edge of the side wall of the tapered body 321 and the orthographic projection of the inner edge of the side wall of the tapered body 321. The tapered body 321 of the filter structure 32 is made of a filter screen, indicating that powder passing through the side wall of the tapered body 321 can fall into the second region 35. This setup allows the mixed powder flowing out through pipe 2 to first fall into the conical body 321. Small powder particles will pass through the filter screen and fall into the second region 35 of the barrel 3, while large powder particles will roll down the inclined surface of the conical body 321 into the tube 322 under the interception of the filter screen, and then pass through the tube 322 into the first region 34 of the barrel 3, so as to achieve the separation of the large "incompletely melted powder" and the small original powder in the mixed powder.

[0034] In the above separation process, to prevent particles from clogging the sieve holes and affecting the sieving efficiency, a drive mechanism 33 is also installed on the filter structure 32, such as... Figure 7 As shown, a bucket lid 31 is detachably connected to the bucket body 3. The bucket lid 31 has a through hole 311, through which a pipe outlet communicates. The drive mechanism 33 includes a bracket 331, a transmission shaft 332, and a drive component 333. The bracket 331 and the transmission shaft 332 are arranged coaxially. One end of the transmission shaft 332 is connected to the drive component 333, and the end of the transmission shaft 332 away from the bracket 331 passes through the bucket lid 31 and extends outside the bucket lid 31. The drive component 333 is mounted on the bucket lid 31. In this embodiment, the drive component 333 can be a motor; by connecting the motor output shaft to the transmission shaft 332, the transmission shaft 332 can be driven to rotate.

[0035] like Figure 8As shown, an annular plate 323 is also provided on the conical body 321. The bracket 331 is fixed to the annular plate 323 by bolts to achieve fixation between the bracket and the conical body 321. Thus, when the drive component 333 is activated, the drive component 333 drives the transmission shaft 332 and the bracket 331 to rotate, and then the bracket 331 drives the entire filter structure 32 to rotate within the barrel 3, causing relative movement between the mixed powders falling into the filter structure 32. During the rotation, the centrifugal force generated by the rotation causes the powder (especially larger and stickier agglomerated particles) to tend to move towards the outside of the conical body 321, reducing the long-term residence of the powder in a single position; at the same time, the powder rolls and slides on the inclined surface of the filter screen, forming a "scraping" and "scouring" effect on the sieve holes, making it easier for particles stuck at the edge of the holes to be ejected or carried away. Furthermore, since the initial landing point of the mixed powder falling from pipe 2 is fixed, the rotation of the conical body 321 causes the powder to be immediately and evenly scattered across the entire annular surface of the filter screen, which can also avoid local accumulation and give each powder particle multiple opportunities to pass through the sieve holes at different angles, increasing the probability of effective sieving.

[0036] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A powder recycling device, characterized in that, The system includes a disc, a barrel, pipes, and a filter structure. The disc has a receiving surface for receiving mixed powder and a disc outlet. The disc is set at a preset tilt angle so that the receiving surface forms a high end and a low end along the tilt direction. The disc outlet is located at the low end. Under the action of gravity, the mixed powder flows from the high end to the disc outlet located at the low end along the receiving surface. The barrel is arranged below the disc outlet. The pipe has a pipe inlet and a pipe outlet. The pipe inlet is connected to the disc outlet, and the pipe outlet is connected to the inside of the barrel. The filter structure is arranged inside the barrel to separate large and small particles of mixed powder falling into the barrel.

2. The powder recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A plate is arranged above the receiving surface and is mounted on the disc. The plate has a central plane and four connected inclined surfaces extending outward and downward from the central plane to the edge of the plate. The projected area of ​​the plate is smaller than that of the disc, so that the mixed powder falling onto the plate slides down the inclined surfaces from the edge of the central plane to the edge of the plate under the action of gravity.

3. The powder recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The disc body has a first disc, a second disc, and an output section. The second disc and the first disc are detachably connected. A baffle is provided between the first disc and the second disc to divide the receiving surface into a first surface and a second surface. The first surface and the second surface are both inclined at a preset angle. The lower end of the first surface is higher than the height of the baffle, and the upper end of the second surface is lower than the height of the baffle. The output section is arranged at the outlet of the second disc. The output section has a cavity. The cavity inlet is connected to the outlet of the second disc, and the cavity outlet is connected to the inlet of the pipe. The cavity inlet and the cavity outlet are coaxially arranged, and the flow area of ​​the cavity inlet is larger than the flow area of ​​the cavity outlet.

4. The powder recovery device according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also has a filter plate with multiple through holes, and the filter plate is arranged on the baffle of the second disc.

5. The powder recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filter structure has a tapered main body that tapers from top to bottom and a tube body. The tapered main body and the barrel body are arranged coaxially. The tapered main body is made of filter screen. The tapered main body has a first opening and a second opening arranged coaxially. The inner diameter of the first opening is larger than the inner diameter of the second opening. The tube body and the second opening are arranged coaxially.

6. The powder recovery device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The barrel has a first region and a second region separated by a filter structure. The second region is arranged in a ring around the first region. The first region is arranged coaxially with the tube. The first region is connected to the tube to collect large particles separated from the mixed powder. The second region is located between the orthographic projection of the outer edge of the conical main body sidewall and the orthographic projection of the inner edge of the conical main body sidewall to collect small particles separated from the mixed powder.

7. The powder recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a drive mechanism, which is arranged on the filter structure. The drive mechanism has a bracket, a rotating shaft and a drive component. The bracket and the rotating shaft are arranged coaxially. The bracket is arranged inside the barrel and fixedly connected to the conical body. One end of the rotating shaft is connected to the drive component. By activating the drive component, the rotating shaft, the bracket and the filter structure are driven to rotate synchronously, so that the filter structure and the mixed powder falling into the filter structure can move relative to each other.

8. The powder recovery device according to claim 7, characterized in that, A bucket lid is detachably connected to the bucket body. The bucket lid has a through hole, and the pipe outlet is connected to the through hole. The end of the rotating shaft away from the bracket passes through the bucket lid and extends outside the bucket lid. The driving component is installed on the bucket lid.

9. A laser-directed energy deposition apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the powder recovery device as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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