Nozzle device and multi-dimensional printing system

Abstract

The application provides a nozzle device and a multi-dimensional printing system. The nozzle device comprises a heating member and a nozzle assembly. The heating member is used for receiving and heating material. The nozzle assembly is connected with the heating member. A nozzle hole is arranged on the nozzle assembly. The nozzle hole is used for outputting the material heated by the heating member. The nozzle assembly has a target surface facing away from the heating member. The nozzle assembly comprises a positioning mark. The positioning mark is located on the target surface. The positioning mark is used for being recognized by a recognition device to determine the position of the nozzle hole. The positioning mark arranged outside the nozzle and connected with the nozzle can be recognized by the recognition device arranged opposite to the nozzle hole of the nozzle and used as a reference to determine the position of the nozzle hole. The deviation in the process of switching the nozzle device is effectively reduced. The material can be accurately deposited on the specified position. The printing precision is greatly improved. The quality of the printed product is significantly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of multidimensional printing technology, specifically to a nozzle device and a multidimensional printing system. Background Technology

[0002] Multidimensional printing, such as two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D), and four-dimensional (4D) printing, refers to the production method of printing complex geometric models using one or more materials.

[0003] Take 3D printing, a type of multidimensional printing, as an example. 3D printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing technology, has developed into a key technology in the field of rapid prototyping. It allows for the construction of three-dimensional solid objects by adding materials layer by layer.

[0004] With the continuous development of 3D printing technology, in order to manufacture more complex structures, multiple print heads are often needed during the printing process to change the printing material and / or color. When switching print heads, the position of the nozzles on the print head will also change, so coordinate compensation is required for each nozzle.

[0005] In related technologies, nozzle positioning is typically achieved by drawing reference lines on the 3D printer, and the nozzle position is determined by observing the relative position of the nozzle to the reference line with the human eye. The inventors of this application found that this method is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and the accuracy of human eye positioning is low, resulting in poor quality of the final printed product. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments of this application provide a nozzle device and a multi-dimensional printing system, which can improve the technical problem of inconsistent nozzle positions before and after printhead switching in related technologies.

[0007] Firstly, embodiments of this application provide

[0008] A nozzle device for use in a multidimensional printing system, the nozzle device comprising:

[0009] Heating element, used to receive and heat materials;

[0010] The nozzle assembly is connected to the heating element. The nozzle assembly is provided with spray holes for outputting the material heated by the heating element. The nozzle assembly has a target surface facing away from the heating element.

[0011] The nozzle assembly includes a positioning mark located on the target surface; the positioning mark is used by an identification device to identify the position of the nozzle orifice.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, during the actual operation of the multi-dimensional printing system, the identification device can recognize the positioning marks on the nozzle assembly before and after the nozzle device switching, and obtain the position coordinates of the nozzle orifice before and after the switching. If the position coordinates change, the position of the nozzle device after switching can be compensated to ensure that the position of the nozzle orifice before and after switching remains consistent, thus ensuring the accuracy of the material output from the nozzle. This process is completed entirely by the multi-dimensional printing equipment, reducing manual intervention and debugging work, making nozzle position calibration simpler, reducing the difficulty of operation and the probability of errors, greatly improving the positioning accuracy of the nozzle position, effectively reducing possible deviations during nozzle device switching, achieving efficient nozzle position calibration, and ensuring that the nozzle assembly always ensures that the material is accurately deposited in the designated position during the printing process, improving the efficiency and accuracy of multi-dimensional printing, and significantly improving the quality of printed products.

[0013] In some embodiments, the nozzle assembly further includes a nozzle and a mounting member, with a spray hole disposed on the nozzle, one end of the mounting member connected to the end of the nozzle opposite to the spray hole, and the other end of the mounting member connected to a heating element; the mounting member includes a bottom surface near the spray hole, at least one positioning mark is disposed on the bottom surface for identification by an identification device to determine the position of the spray hole, and at least a portion of the projection of the mounting member on the bottom surface is located outside the projection of the nozzle on the bottom surface.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, the positioning mark is placed on the mounting component away from the nozzle, maintaining a large distance between the positioning mark and the nozzle, thereby reducing the risk of the positioning mark being contaminated by material. Furthermore, nozzles may experience wear, blockage, or damage after prolonged use, while the mounting component located between the nozzle and the heating element is less likely to be damaged and requires less frequent replacement. Therefore, placing the positioning mark on the mounting component effectively reduces the recalibration issues caused by nozzle replacement or maintenance, thus improving printing efficiency. Additionally, the mounting component can protrude only partially from the nozzle, meaning that only part of the mounting component's projection on the horizontal plane lies outside the nozzle's projection on the horizontal plane. The positioning mark is placed on the protruding part of the mounting component, thereby reducing the material used in the mounting component and lowering the manufacturing cost of the nozzle assembly.

[0015] In some embodiments, the number of positioning markers is at least two, and each positioning marker is spaced apart from the nozzle.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solutions, the positioning marks can be set to simple shapes, allowing the recognition device to calculate the position of the nozzle by the relative positional relationship between two or more positioning marks and the nozzle. This achieves nozzle correction while reducing the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the positioning marks. Alternatively, by setting the positioning marks to complex patterns, the recognition device can obtain the accurate position of the nozzle by recognizing a single positioning mark. In this case, setting two or more positioning marks allows for multiple calibrations of the nozzle based on positioning marks at different positions, thereby helping the printer to more accurately calculate the relative position and deviation of the nozzle, further improving the accuracy of the material output from the nozzle.

[0017] In some embodiments, the number of positioning markers is at least three, and each positioning marker is spaced apart from the nozzle.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, more positioning references can be provided to confirm the position of the nozzle. The nozzle position can then be calculated more accurately using the geometric relationships between multiple positioning markers, further reducing positioning errors and ensuring precise material output from the nozzle during printing. Furthermore, increasing the number of positioning markers also improves the nozzle assembly's tolerance to external interference. Even if a positioning marker becomes unrecognizable due to material contamination, other markers can still provide sufficient information for position calibration, improving the stability of the nozzle assembly. Moreover, by adding more positioning markers, the recognition device can reduce the probability of misidentification through cross-validation, further improving the accuracy of nozzle positioning.

[0019] In some embodiments, the positioning identifier includes marker points, at least three marker points located on the same circular path on the same horizontal plane, and the center of the circular path overlaps with the projection of the center of the nozzle on the horizontal plane.

[0020] By adopting the above technical solution, the difficulty of setting positioning marks is reduced, and the recognition device can easily and accurately reconstruct the corresponding circular path through three or more marking points. This allows the positioning process of the nozzle to be completed with lower computational complexity, reducing the computational burden and improving the feedback speed of the recognition device, thereby improving the printing efficiency of the multi-dimensional printing system.

[0021] In some embodiments, at least two positioning marks are evenly spaced along the outer periphery of the nozzle.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the positioning marks are evenly distributed around the nozzle, which improves the uniformity of visual recognition. Furthermore, the positional relationship between each positioning mark and the nozzle is the same, which helps reduce the computational workload for obtaining the nozzle position and improves the response speed of the recognition device. Moreover, with four or more positioning marks, even if some are obscured, the corresponding regular polygons can be easily reconstructed, and the nozzle position can be calculated accordingly, achieving precise nozzle positioning and improving printing accuracy.

[0023] In some embodiments, the positioning marker includes a planar marker disposed on the target surface, which can be identified by an identification device to determine the location of the nozzle.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, planar markers, as positioning identifiers, are easier to identify than three-dimensional structures. Their geometric characteristics, such as length, width, and positional relationships, can be quickly identified and processed by the identification device, thus simplifying the identification process and reducing computational complexity. Furthermore, planar markers can be directly printed, etched, or affixed to the target surface, making production and processing simpler and less costly, effectively reducing production costs and time, and improving production efficiency.

[0025] In some embodiments, the planar marking includes at least one QR code mark disposed on the target surface;

[0026] The nozzle assembly has a first state and a second state. In the first state, the end face of the nozzle is parallel to the horizontal plane. In the first state, the nozzle can output material along the direction of gravity, and the shape of the QR code mark is the first shape. In the second state, the end face of the nozzle intersects the horizontal plane. In the second state, the shape of the QR code mark is the second shape. The first shape and the second shape can be identified by an identification device so that the identification device can determine the position of the nozzle by the difference between the second shape and the first shape.

[0027] By adopting the above technical solution, the recognition device can identify distortions in the QR code markings, thereby obtaining changes in the nozzle posture. This allows the multi-dimensional printing system to accurately calibrate the nozzle posture during printing and adjust printing parameters in a timely manner, thus ensuring print quality. Furthermore, because QR codes have high information density—that is, a dense number of lines and corners—even when part of the QR code is damaged or obscured and cannot be recognized, the recognition device can still accurately identify the nozzle posture using the remaining portion of the QR code, enhancing the robustness and stability of the nozzle assembly.

[0028] In some embodiments, the positioning mark includes a three-dimensional mark, which is protruding and / or recessed on the target surface, and the three-dimensional mark is spaced apart from the nozzle.

[0029] By adopting the above technical solution and using 3D markers as positioning markers, the recognition device can more easily identify them due to their three-dimensional structure. The recognition device can be set at a wider range of angles, and the 3D markers exhibit unique shapes and features from different angles, greatly improving the accuracy and stability of recognition. Furthermore, because of their three-dimensional structure, even if stains and scratches appear on the surface of the 3D markers, the impact on their overall shape and features is minimal, thus reducing the probability of recognition errors. In addition, while planar markers generally only provide positional information in a two-dimensional plane, 3D markers can provide richer positioning information for the recognition device through additional dimensions such as height and tilt angle, further improving the positioning accuracy of the nozzles and thus improving print quality. The 3D markers can be protruding from the target surface, facilitating quick installation and removal of the nozzle assembly by operators through touch, and reducing the negative impact on the recognition device in low-light environments. Alternatively, the 3D markers can be recessed into the target surface, reducing the space required for nozzle assembly installation, decreasing the probability of damage from collisions with other structures, and extending their service life.

[0030] In some embodiments, the three-dimensional mark includes at least one feature surface that can be identified by an identification device so that the identification device can determine the position of the nozzle through the feature surface.

[0031] By adopting the above technical solution, the identification device can obtain the specific position of the nozzle by identifying each feature on the feature surface and the relative relationship between these features and the nozzle. Since the three-dimensional mark includes the feature surface, the difficulty of calculating the nozzle position in the multi-dimensional printing system is reduced, the nozzle position can be quickly determined, the time spent on positioning and calibration of the equipment can be reduced, and there is no need to wait for the nozzle positioning to be completed for a long time when changing the nozzle device, so that the printing state can be quickly entered, thereby improving printing efficiency.

[0032] In some embodiments, the positioning identifier includes the outer periphery of the mounting element, and the identification device can identify the outer periphery to determine the location of the nozzle.

[0033] By adopting the above technical solution, the identification device can calculate the position of the nozzle orifice with high accuracy through the positioning of the outer periphery, reducing the requirement to set additional positioning marks on the nozzle assembly, thereby reducing the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the nozzle assembly. Furthermore, as a three-dimensional structure, the mounting component is less affected by the external environment. For example, external interference factors such as dust and light will not significantly affect the accurate identification of the outer periphery. The identification device can still accurately identify the outer periphery even in relatively harsh environments, thus ensuring the accuracy of the nozzle orifice position. The outer periphery of the mounting component can also serve as a reference during nozzle assembly installation, simplifying the operation during the nozzle assembly installation process. For example, a certain feature point on the outer periphery of the mounting component can be used as a reference, and the manufacturing process can be based on this feature point to ensure precise alignment of the nozzle assembly during installation.

[0034] In some embodiments, the outer periphery is circular, and the center of the outer periphery overlaps with the projection of the center of the nozzle onto the horizontal plane.

[0035] By adopting the above technical solution, the mounting component achieves high symmetry. When the recognition device identifies the outer periphery of the mounting component, even if the nozzle assembly rotates to different angles relative to the recognition device, the recognition device can still obtain the same geometric information of the outer periphery. This reduces the recognition error of the recognition device at different angles and improves positioning accuracy. Furthermore, as a regular geometric shape, the circle has significant advantages in image recognition algorithms. Circular detection algorithms in image processing (such as the Hough transform algorithm) are mature and efficient, capable of quickly and accurately identifying the edge of a circle and calculating its center and related parameters. Compared to recognizing other complex shapes (such as polygons and complex curves), recognizing the outer periphery of a circle requires less computation, is faster, and has fewer errors. This significantly reduces the computational complexity in the recognition process and improves the recognition efficiency of the recognition device.

[0036] In some embodiments, the diameter of the outer perimeter is less than or equal to 8 mm.

[0037] By adopting the above technical solution, the size of the mounting component is reduced, which effectively minimizes heat loss from the heating element directly connected to the mounting component. This ensures that the heating element can maintain a sufficient temperature, thereby guaranteeing uniform heating and smooth ejection of the material. Furthermore, the smaller outer perimeter allows for a more compact nozzle assembly, which improves the flexibility of the spray assembly installation and makes it more convenient to use in limited workspaces. In addition, reducing the component size also reduces the weight of the multi-dimensional printing system, enhancing its convenience and adaptability.

[0038] In some embodiments, the nozzle assembly includes a nozzle, at least one positioning mark is disposed on the nozzle, and each positioning mark is spaced apart from the nozzle orifice.

[0039] By adopting the above technical solution, the positioning mark is set on the nozzle, so that the identification device can identify and compare the positioning mark on the nozzle to determine the position of the nozzle. Moreover, by setting the positioning mark only on the nozzle, the position of the nozzle can be confirmed without setting other structures, which further reduces the manufacturing difficulty.

[0040] In some embodiments, the nozzle includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other, with a spray hole disposed at the first end, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the nozzle gradually increases from the first end to the second end.

[0041] By adopting the above technical solution, the identification device can be set directly below the nozzle. At this time, the positioning mark can be located in any direction around the nozzle, and the identification device can identify the positioning mark, which simplifies the nozzle installation steps and improves the printing efficiency of the multi-dimensional printing system.

[0042] In some embodiments, a positioning mark is disposed on the end of the target surface away from the nozzle.

[0043] By adopting the above technical solution, even when problems such as material spreading or residue on the nozzle surface occur, the positioning mark can still be ensured to have a certain degree of clarity, stability and accuracy. This is conducive to improving the recognition accuracy of the identification device and the stability of the nozzle assembly, thereby improving the nozzle calibration efficiency.

[0044] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a multidimensional printing system, comprising:

[0045] At least two nozzle devices as described in the foregoing embodiments; and,

[0046] The identification device is positioned facing the nozzle assembly's nozzle orifice;

[0047] The identification device is used to identify the positioning marks of the nozzle assembly to determine the location of the nozzle orifice.

[0048] By adopting the above technical solution, during the actual operation of the multi-dimensional printing system, the identification device can recognize the positioning marks on the nozzle assembly before and after the nozzle device switching, and obtain the position coordinates of the nozzle orifice before and after the switching. If the position coordinates change, the position of the nozzle device after switching can be compensated to ensure that the position of the nozzle orifice before and after switching remains consistent, thus ensuring the accuracy of the material output from the nozzle. This process is completed entirely by the multi-dimensional printing equipment, reducing manual intervention and debugging work, making nozzle position calibration simpler, reducing the difficulty of operation and the probability of errors, greatly improving the positioning accuracy of the nozzle position, effectively reducing possible deviations during nozzle device switching, achieving efficient nozzle position calibration, and ensuring that the nozzle assembly always ensures that the material is accurately deposited in the designated position during the printing process, improving the efficiency and accuracy of multi-dimensional printing, and significantly improving the quality of printed products.

[0049] In some embodiments, the identification device includes:

[0050] Mounting base; and,

[0051] A camera, disposed on the mounting base, is used to identify the reference element to determine the position of the nozzle.

[0052] By adopting the above technical solution, the mounting base provides a stable mounting platform for the camera, ensuring that the camera maintains a fixed position and posture during operation, avoiding camera displacement or shaking due to factors such as vibration and collision, thereby ensuring that the camera can accurately identify and photograph the reference component.

[0053] In some embodiments, the identification device includes a lidar arranged toward the nozzle orifice of the nozzle assembly, the lidar being used to scan the positioning marker to determine the position of the nozzle orifice.

[0054] By employing the above technical solution, lidar can construct a three-dimensional spatial model of the nozzle and its surrounding area, thereby accurately determining the nozzle's position in three-dimensional space. Even in complex environments, such as those with obstructions, its three-dimensional modeling capabilities can scan and locate markers to identify the nozzle's position.

[0055] In some embodiments, the multidimensional printing system further includes a ring light source disposed between the nozzle assembly and the identification device. The ring light source is used to emit light toward the positioning marker, and when the identification device identifies the positioning marker, the projection of the nozzle on the horizontal plane is located within the projection of the inner ring of the ring light source on the horizontal plane.

[0056] By adopting the above technical solution, the ring light source can provide uniform illumination to the positioning mark. When the nozzle assembly requires rapid and precise positioning, it ensures that light evenly illuminates the positioning mark from all angles, thereby improving the recognition accuracy and stability of the identification device. Furthermore, because the ring light source can surround the positioning mark and illuminate its surrounding area, it can effectively reduce the shadow problems that may occur with traditional point light sources or concentrated light sources, lowering the probability of shadows obscuring the positioning mark and minimizing shadow interference. This ensures that the identification device can clearly and comprehensively detect the shape and position of the positioning mark.

[0057] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application are as follows:

[0058] In the embodiments of this application, by setting a positioning mark outside the nozzle and connecting it to the nozzle, the positioning mark can be identified by an identification device that is set opposite to the nozzle orifice and used as a reference to determine the position of the orifice. This effectively reduces the deviation that may occur during the switching of the nozzle device, ensures that the material can be accurately deposited at the designated position, greatly improves the printing accuracy, and significantly improves the quality of the printed product. Attached Figure Description

[0059] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0060] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the nozzle device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The first bottom view of the nozzle device shown;

[0062] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A second bottom view of the nozzle assembly shown;

[0063] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The third bottom view of the nozzle device shown;

[0064] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another nozzle device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 The fourth bottom view of the nozzle device shown;

[0066] Figure 7This is a bottom view of yet another nozzle device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multidimensional printing system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0068] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another multi-dimensional printing system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0069] The labels in the diagram are as follows:

[0070] 1. Nozzle device; 11. Heating element; 12. Nozzle assembly; 121. Nozzle hole; 122. Target surface; 123. Positioning mark; 1231. Marking point; 1232. 3D mark; 124. Nozzle; 125. Mounting component; 1251. Bottom surface; 1252. Outer perimeter; 2. Identification device; 21. Mounting base; 22. Camera; 3. Ring light source. Detailed Implementation

[0071] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. In addition, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for illustration and explanation of this application and are not intended to limit this application. In this application, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" generally refer to the upper and lower positions of the device in actual use or operation, specifically the drawing directions in the accompanying drawings; while "inner" and "outer" refer to the outline of the device.

[0072] Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a widely used 3D printing technology. In FDM 3D printing, multiple nozzle devices are usually required to change the printing material and / or color. When switching nozzle devices, the position of the nozzles on the nozzle device will also change, so coordinate compensation is required for each nozzle.

[0073] In related technologies, nozzle positioning is typically achieved by drawing reference lines on the 3D printer, and the nozzle position is determined by observing the relative position of the nozzle to the reference line with the human eye. The inventors of this application found that this method is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and the accuracy of human eye positioning is low, resulting in poor quality of the final printed product.

[0074] Based on this, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2The first aspect of this application provides a nozzle device 1 for use in a multi-dimensional printing system. The nozzle device 1 includes a heating element 11 and a nozzle assembly 12. The heating element 11 is used to receive and heat material. The nozzle assembly 12 is connected to the heating element 11 and is provided with a nozzle orifice 121 for outputting the material heated by the heating element 11. The nozzle assembly 12 has a target surface 122 facing away from the heating element 11. The nozzle assembly 12 includes a positioning mark 123 located on the target surface 122. The positioning mark 123 is used to be identified by an identification device 2 to determine the position of the nozzle orifice 121.

[0075] The heating element 11 is used to receive the material conveyed from the extrusion device and heat it to a suitable temperature so that the material can flow out from the nozzle 121 of the nozzle 124 to complete the printing process of the product. The heating element 11 can be selected from suitable electric heating elements, such as resistance wire, ceramic heating plate or PTC heating material, to heat the material to be heated (such as thermoplastic) to a suitable printing temperature, so as to ensure that the material can flow along the channel in the nozzle device 1 and pass smoothly through the nozzle assembly 12 for output.

[0076] The heating element 11 and the nozzle assembly 12 can be connected in a non-detachable manner by means of welding, bonding, hot pressing, etc., to ensure the stability of the connection between the heating element 11 and the nozzle assembly 12; the heating element 11 and the nozzle assembly 12 can also be connected in a detachable manner by means of screwing, snap-fit, etc., to facilitate the cleaning and replacement of the nozzle assembly 12.

[0077] The identification device 2 is typically installed within the multi-dimensional printing system. It can be positioned near the nozzle assembly 12 to facilitate identification of the positioning mark 123 on the target surface 122. For example, the identification device 2 can be a camera. By taking a picture of the positioning mark 123 and identifying the relative relationship between the positioning mark 123 and the nozzle 121 in the photograph, the position of the nozzle 121 can be obtained. It is understood that the identification device 2 can also be a structure capable of identifying the positioning mark 123, such as a laser scanner; this embodiment does not limit this. The multi-dimensional printing system can be a 3D printing system.

[0078] The nozzle assembly 12 is provided with nozzle holes 121 for outputting material. The number and size of the nozzle holes 121 can be set according to actual needs. For example, only a single nozzle hole 121 can be set on the nozzle assembly 12 to ensure the working accuracy of the nozzle hole 121, which is suitable for situations that require printing precision structures; or multiple nozzle holes 121 can be set on the nozzle assembly 12 at the same time, and multiple nozzle holes 121 can output material, thereby improving printing efficiency, which is suitable for situations where the printing accuracy requirement is lower.

[0079] The nozzle assembly 12 has a target surface 122 facing away from the heating element 11, i.e., the target surface 122 faces the nozzle orifice 121, and a positioning mark 123 is provided on the target surface 122. This allows the identification device 2 to be positioned below the nozzle assembly 12 to effectively identify the positioning mark 123, thereby using the positioning mark 123 as a reference to determine the actual position of the nozzle orifice 121 and to compensate for the position of the nozzle orifice 121. For example, if the nozzle assembly 12 only includes a nozzle 124, the nozzle 124 is directly connected to the heating element 11, and the target surface 122 can be the peripheral side of the nozzle 124 facing away from the heating element 11. The size of the positioning mark 123 can be set according to actual needs, so that the size of the positioning mark 123 matches the resolution of the identification device 2, avoiding the positioning mark 123 being too small or too large, making it difficult for the identification device 2 to obtain sufficient details during identification.

[0080] The positioning mark 123 can have various structures, ranging from simple dots or geometric shapes to more complex QR codes or other patterns. The key is to ensure that the positioning mark 123 can be recognized by the identification device 2 to determine the position of the nozzle 121. In addition to identifying the position of the nozzle 121, the positioning mark 123 also simplifies the installation and maintenance of the nozzle assembly 12. When adjustments or replacements are needed within the nozzle assembly 12, the positioning mark 123 provides clear reference positions, helping operators quickly locate the various structures within the nozzle assembly 12. This improves equipment maintenance efficiency and reduces potential errors during installation.

[0081] In some alternative embodiments, the identification device 2 may be positioned directly opposite the nozzle 121, thereby enabling more comprehensive identification of the positioning mark 123 on the nozzle assembly 12 and reducing the probability of the identification device 2 being obstructed.

[0082] In some alternative embodiments, at least a portion of the target surface 122 is a plane or a smooth curved surface, and the positioning mark 123 is disposed on the plane or smooth curved surface. It is understood that if there are obvious undulations or irregular structures in various parts of the target surface 122, it will easily affect the setting of the positioning mark 123 and may interfere with the normal recognition of the recognition device 2, resulting in a large deviation in the recognition result of the nozzle 121 position, thereby affecting the final printing effect of the multi-dimensional printing system.

[0083] In some optional embodiments, the positioning mark 123 has a high contrast with other locations on the target surface 122. For example, the positioning mark 123 may be set to a different color than the target surface 122, such that the positioning mark 123 forms a clear contrast with the target surface 122, thereby improving the visibility of the positioning mark 123 and ensuring that the identification device 2 can clearly detect the mark during scanning. It is understood that the positioning mark 123 can also be distinguished from the target surface 122 by setting a different texture on the positioning mark 123; this embodiment of the application does not limit this.

[0084] During the actual operation of the multi-dimensional printing system, the identification device 2 first identifies the positioning mark 123 on the nozzle assembly 12 in the nozzle device 1 before switching, and obtains the position of the nozzle 121 before switching, storing it as the first coordinate. When it is necessary to change to different printing materials or different printing precision, the multi-dimensional printing system can switch to other nozzle devices 1. Since the position of the nozzle 121 after switching may deviate from the position of the nozzle 121 before switching, the multi-dimensional printing system can control the identification device 2 to identify the positioning mark 123 on the nozzle device 1 after switching, and obtain the position coordinate of the nozzle 121 after switching, storing it as the second coordinate. The first coordinate and the second coordinate are compared. If they are different, the position of the nozzle device 1 after switching can be precisely adjusted according to the deviation value of the first coordinate and the second coordinate, so that the position of the nozzle 121 before and after switching is always consistent, ensuring that the path of the material output by the nozzle 121 conforms to the predetermined trajectory.

[0085] By adopting the above technical solution, during the actual operation of the multi-dimensional printing system, the identification device 2 can identify the positioning mark 123 on the nozzle assembly 12 before and after the nozzle device 1 switches, and obtain the position coordinates of the nozzle orifice 121 before and after the nozzle device 1 switches. If the position coordinates change, the position of the nozzle device 1 after switching can be compensated to ensure that the position of the nozzle orifice 121 before and after switching remains consistent, thus ensuring the accuracy of the material output from the nozzle orifice 121. This process is completed entirely by the multi-dimensional printing equipment, reducing manual intervention and debugging work, making the calibration of the nozzle 124 position simpler, reducing the difficulty of operation and the probability of errors, greatly improving the positioning accuracy of the nozzle 124 position, effectively reducing possible deviations during the switching of the nozzle device 1, achieving efficient nozzle 124 position calibration, and ensuring that the nozzle assembly 12 always ensures that the material is accurately deposited at the designated position during the printing process, improving the efficiency and accuracy of multi-dimensional printing, and significantly improving the quality of the printed products.

[0086] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figures 1 to 3The nozzle assembly 12 also includes a nozzle 124 and a mounting member 125. A nozzle orifice 121 is disposed on the nozzle 124. One end of the mounting member 125 is connected to the end of the nozzle 124 away from the nozzle orifice 121, and the other end of the mounting member 125 is connected to the heating element 11. The mounting member 125 includes a bottom surface 1251 near the nozzle orifice 121. At least one positioning mark 123 is disposed on the bottom surface 1251 for identification by the identification device 2 to determine the position of the nozzle orifice 121. At least a portion of the projection of the mounting member 125 on the bottom surface 1251 is located outside the projection of the nozzle 124 on the bottom surface 1251.

[0087] In this embodiment, the nozzle assembly 12 consists of a nozzle 124 and a mounting member 125. The target surface 122 includes the bottom surface 1251 of the mounting member 125 and the peripheral surface of the nozzle 124. The nozzle 124 is the key part for material output and is located at the front end of the nozzle assembly 12. The spray hole 121 is provided on the nozzle 124 so that the heated material can be accurately delivered to the appropriate position through the spray hole 121. The shape and size of the nozzle 124 can be set according to actual needs. For example, the nozzle 124 can be frustum-shaped or conical. The spray hole 121 is set at the narrower end of the nozzle 124, and the narrower end is set away from the mounting member 125. If the positioning mark 123 is set on the peripheral side of the nozzle 124, the identification device 2 located below the nozzle assembly 12 can also identify the positioning mark 123 well, thereby achieving accurate positioning of the spray hole 121. At this time, the positioning mark 123 is set on both the outer periphery of the nozzle 124 and the bottom surface 1251 of the mounting member 125, so that the identification device 2 can calculate the position of the spray hole 121 multiple times. Even if the positioning mark 123 on the nozzle 124 is contaminated or cannot be used normally due to deformation, the positioning mark 123 on the mounting member 125 can still be used to position the spray hole 121, thereby improving the stability of the nozzle assembly 12. The nozzle 124 can also be cylindrical, with the nozzle orifice 121 located at the end of the nozzle 124 facing away from the mounting member 125. Since placing the positioning mark 123 on the circumferential surface of the nozzle 124 would make identification by the identification device 2 more difficult, the positioning mark 123 can be placed only on the mounting member 125, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the nozzle assembly 12. The diameter of the nozzle orifice 121 can be set according to actual needs; this embodiment does not impose any limitations on this.

[0088] The mounting component 125 can be made of high-temperature resistant materials, such as ceramic matrix composites or stainless steel, to maintain its temperature during use. This reduces the probability of deformation of the positioning mark 123 on the mounting component 125, ensuring that the identification device 2 can correctly identify the positioning mark 123, thereby improving the accuracy of the positioning nozzle 121. Furthermore, when the nozzle 124 outputs material, the molten material easily rises from the nozzle 121 under capillary action. If the positioning mark 123 is placed close to the nozzle 121, it is prone to contamination, preventing the identification device 2 from functioning properly and reducing the stability of the nozzle assembly 12. Therefore, placing the positioning mark 123 on the mounting component 125 maintains a larger distance between the positioning mark 123 and the nozzle 121, thus reducing the risk of contamination of the positioning mark 123 by the material. Furthermore, after prolonged use, the nozzle 124 may experience wear, blockage, or damage, while the mounting part 125 typically does not require frequent replacement. Therefore, placing the positioning mark 123 on the mounting part 125 can effectively reduce the recalibration issues caused by the replacement or maintenance of the nozzle 124, thereby improving printing efficiency.

[0089] The shape and size of the mounting component 125 can be set according to actual needs. For example, since the identification device 2 is usually located below the nozzle 124, the size of the mounting component 125 can be set to be larger than the nozzle 124 and smaller than the heating element 11. That is, the projection of the mounting component 125 on the horizontal plane is larger than the projection of the nozzle 124 on the horizontal plane and smaller than the projection of the heating element 11 on the horizontal plane. This makes it less likely for the positioning mark 123 to be blocked by the nozzle 124, while the size of the mounting component 125 is smaller, making it easier for the nozzle assembly 12 to cooperate with other parts in the multi-dimensional printing system. It can be understood that the mounting component 125 can only partially protrude from the nozzle 124, that is, only part of the projection of the mounting component 125 on the horizontal plane is located outside the projection of the nozzle 124 on the horizontal plane. The positioning mark 123 is set on the protruding part of the mounting component 125, thereby reducing the material used for the mounting component 125 and reducing the manufacturing cost of the nozzle assembly 12.

[0090] In some embodiments, the melting point of the mounting component 125 may be set to be greater than that of the nozzle 124, and the material used to make the mounting component 125 may be able to withstand higher temperatures, thereby reducing the probability of deformation of the mounting component 125 during use and improving the stability of the positioning mark 123 set on its bottom surface 1251.

[0091] In some embodiments, the identification device 2 can be positioned directly opposite the nozzle 121 to ensure that the identification device 2 has a better field of view and can more comprehensively identify the positioning mark 123 on the bottom surface 1251 of the mounting component 125, thereby reducing the probability that the identification device 2 will be obstructed.

[0092] By adopting the above technical solution, the positioning mark 123 is positioned on the mounting component 125, which is far from the nozzle 121, maintaining a large distance between the positioning mark 123 and the nozzle 121, thereby reducing the risk of the positioning mark 123 being contaminated by material. Furthermore, after prolonged use, the nozzle 124 may experience wear, blockage, or damage. The mounting component 125, located between the nozzle 124 and the heating element 11, has a lower probability of damage and requires less frequent replacement. Therefore, placing the positioning mark 123 on the mounting component 125 effectively reduces the recalibration issues caused by nozzle 124 replacement or maintenance, thereby improving printing efficiency.

[0093] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 2 The number of positioning marks 123 is at least two, and each positioning mark 123 is spaced apart from the nozzle 121.

[0094] Since there are two or more positioning markers 123, the positioning markers 123 can be set to a relatively simple shape to achieve the calibration of the position of the nozzle 121. For example, if there are two positioning markers 123, the positioning markers 123 can be set as marker points 1231, with the two marker points 1231 set at intervals, and the midpoint between the two marker points 1231 is controlled to overlap with the projection of the position of the nozzle 121 on the horizontal plane. At this time, the identification device 2 can obtain the position of the nozzle 121 by identifying the two marker points 1231, thereby correcting the nozzle 121 while reducing the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the positioning markers 123.

[0095] Understandably, the positioning marker 123 can also be set to a more complex pattern, allowing the recognition device 2 to obtain the accurate position of the nozzle 121 by recognizing a single positioning marker 123. In this case, setting two or more positioning markers 123 allows for multiple calibrations of the nozzle 121 based on the positioning markers 123 at different positions, thereby helping the printer to more accurately calculate the relative position and deviation of the nozzle 121, thus correcting positional errors and ensuring that the position of the material output from the nozzle 121 is always accurate. Furthermore, if there is only one positioning marker 123, it may be affected by external environmental factors such as excessive light, stains, or physical damage, leading to inaccurate results from the recognition device 2; multiple positioning markers 123 can mutually verify and compensate, reducing the impact of external interference and ensuring that the device can accurately identify the position of the nozzle 124. Moreover, if one positioning marker 123 is interfered with or damaged, the other positioning markers 123 can continue to function, helping the recognition device 2 to locate the position of the nozzle 124, improving the robustness of the nozzle assembly 12. Furthermore, the positioning marks 123 at different locations also reduce the installation difficulty of the identification device 2, allowing the identification device 2 to be installed in multiple locations, thereby improving the environmental adaptability of the nozzle assembly 12.

[0096] By adopting the above technical solution, the positioning mark 123 can be set to a simple shape, so that the recognition device 2 can calculate the position of the nozzle 121 by the relative positional relationship between two or more positioning marks 123 and the nozzle 121. This achieves the correction of the nozzle 121 while reducing the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the positioning mark 123. Alternatively, by setting the positioning mark 123 to a complex pattern, the recognition device 2 can also obtain the accurate position of the nozzle 121 by recognizing a single positioning mark 123. In this case, setting two or more positioning marks 123 allows for multiple calibrations of the nozzle 121 for positioning marks 123 at different positions, thereby helping the printer to more accurately calculate the relative position and deviation of the nozzle 121 and further improve the accuracy of the material output from the nozzle 121.

[0097] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 3 The number of positioning markers 123 is at least three, and each positioning marker 123 is spaced apart from the nozzle 121.

[0098] By increasing the number of positioning markers 123, more positioning references can be provided for the position of the nozzle 121. The position of the nozzle 121 can then be calculated more accurately using the geometric relationship between multiple positioning markers 123, further reducing positioning errors. For example, taking positioning markers 123 as marker points 1231, the center position of the nozzle 124 can be calculated using the geometric relationship of a triangle, rather than relying solely on the linear relationship between two marker points 1231. This significantly improves the positioning accuracy of the nozzle 124, ensuring that the nozzle 121 can accurately output material during the printing process.

[0099] Increasing the number of positioning markers 123 can further improve the tolerance of the nozzle assembly 12 to external interference. For example, if a positioning marker 123 cannot be identified due to material contamination or other reasons, other positioning markers 123 can still provide sufficient information for the identification device 2 to perform position calibration.

[0100] By adopting the above technical solution, more positioning references can be provided to confirm the position of the nozzle 121. The position of the nozzle 121 can then be calculated more accurately using the geometric relationship between multiple positioning markers 123, further reducing positioning errors and ensuring that the nozzle 121 can accurately output material during printing. Furthermore, increasing the number of positioning markers 123 further improves the tolerance of the nozzle assembly 12 to external interference. Even if a positioning marker 123 cannot be identified due to material contamination, other positioning markers 123 can still provide sufficient information for position calibration to the identification device 2, improving the stability of the nozzle assembly 12. Moreover, by adding more positioning markers 123, the identification device 2 can reduce the probability of misidentification through cross-validation, further improving the accuracy of nozzle 121 positioning.

[0101] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 3 The positioning mark 123 includes marker points 1231. On the same horizontal plane, at least three marker points 1231 are located on the same circular path, and the center of the circular path overlaps with the projection of the center of the nozzle 121 on the horizontal plane.

[0102] Each marker point 1231 can be designed as a simple geometric shape, such as a small dot or a square, to facilitate identification by the recognition device 2 using technologies such as optical sensors or laser scanning. The color or surface material of the marker point 1231 can be set to have a significant difference from the target surface 122 to facilitate identification by the recognition device 2. For example, the marker point 1231 can be made of a material with high reflectivity or fluorescent properties, or a coating with contrast, thereby enhancing the visibility of the marker point 1231 and facilitating accurate identification by the recognition device 2.

[0103] The center of the circular path coincides with the center of the nozzle 121, ensuring that the distribution of the marker points 1231 accurately reflects the position of the nozzle 121. At this time, the recognition device 2 only needs to recognize the marker points 1231 and reconstruct the corresponding circular path, without having to deal with complex coordinate transformations or nonlinear relationships. This allows the positioning process of the nozzle 121 to be completed with lower computational complexity, reducing the computational burden and improving the feedback speed of the recognition device 2, thereby improving the printing efficiency of the multidimensional printing system.

[0104] Alternatively, a greater number of marker points 1231 can be set, such as four, five, or six marker points 1231. This ensures that even if some marker points 1231 become unrecognizable due to contamination or obstruction, the remaining marker points 1231 can still be used to locate the nozzle 121, thereby ensuring the quality of the printed product. Understandably, the number of marker points 1231 can be set according to actual needs. A greater number of marker points 1231 allows the identification device 2 to still identify the position of the nozzle 121 even if some marker points 1231 are obstructed or contaminated, thus improving the stability of the nozzle assembly 12. The marker points 1231 can be set on the nozzle 124 or on the mounting component 125; this application does not limit this.

[0105] By adopting the above technical solution, the difficulty of setting the positioning mark 123 is reduced, and the recognition device 2 can easily and accurately restore the corresponding circular path through three or more mark points 1231. Thus, the positioning process of the nozzle 121 can be completed with lower computational complexity, reducing the computational burden and improving the feedback speed of the recognition device 2, thereby improving the printing efficiency of the multidimensional printing system.

[0106] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figures 2 to 4 At least two positioning markers 123 are evenly spaced along the outer periphery of the nozzle 121. The evenly distributed positioning markers 123 improve the uniformity of visual recognition, reduce the computational load for obtaining the nozzle 121's position, and lower the difficulty of recognizing the positioning markers 123. For example, if two positioning markers 123 are provided, and the positioning markers 123 are relatively complex graphics, although the nozzle 121 can be located by recognizing a single positioning marker 123, the recognition device 2 can also choose to determine the position of the nozzle 121 by recognizing the midpoint of the two positioning markers 123, thereby reducing the computational power used by the recognition device 2 and improving its response speed. If four positioning markers 123 are provided, and the positioning markers 123 are simple marker points 1231, the four marker points 1231 can be set as the four vertices of a square. Even if one or two of the four marker points 1231 are covered, the original square can still be reconstructed based on the remaining vertices, and the position of the nozzle 121 can be calculated accordingly.

[0107] By adopting the above technical solution, the positioning marks 123 are evenly distributed around the outer periphery of the nozzle 121, which is beneficial to the uniformity of visual recognition. Furthermore, the positional relationship between each positioning mark 123 and the nozzle 121 is the same, which helps reduce the computational load for obtaining the position of the nozzle 121 and improves the response speed of the recognition device 2. Moreover, when four or more positioning marks 123 are set, even if some positioning marks 123 are covered, the corresponding regular polygons can be easily restored, and the position of the nozzle 121 can be calculated accordingly, achieving precise positioning of the nozzle 121 and improving printing accuracy.

[0108] In one embodiment, the positioning mark 123 includes a planar mark disposed on the target surface 122, which can be identified by the identification device 2 to determine the position of the nozzle 121.

[0109] The planar marker can take various shapes. For example, it can be set as multiple concentric circles. Since circles have high symmetry, the recognition device 2 can quickly identify the center of the concentric circles, thereby reducing the computational complexity. Furthermore, by comparing the centers of multiple concentric circles, the stability of recognition can be improved, avoiding positioning errors caused by deviations. The planar marker can also be designed as a rectangle with regular lines and vertices. The recognition device 2 can easily find the various features of the rectangular planar marker, making the positioning of the nozzle 121 more stable and less susceptible to noise interference. The planar marker can also be designed as a cross, which can form obvious symmetrical intersecting lines in two mutually perpendicular directions, providing positioning references in two directions. The recognition device 2 can quickly determine the direction and position of the planar marker, and thus quickly determine the position of the nozzle 121.

[0110] The planar positioning mark 123 can be set on the nozzle assembly 12 by etching, spraying, or adhesive. A high-contrast material can be used to make the positioning mark 123 to ensure that it can still be clearly captured by the identification device 2 in low-light environments, thereby achieving accurate positioning of the nozzle 121. Since planar marks typically have simple geometric shapes or structures, the identification device 2 can determine the position of the nozzle 124 through simple geometric calculations (such as distance calculation, angle measurement, edge detection, etc.), thus improving positioning efficiency. Furthermore, due to the simple structure and low manufacturing cost of the planar positioning mark 123, it is suitable for widespread application and promotion.

[0111] By adopting the above technical solution, compared with three-dimensional structures, planar markers 123 are easier to identify, and their geometric characteristics, such as length, width, and positional relationships, can be quickly identified and processed by the identification device 2, thereby simplifying the identification process and reducing computational complexity. Furthermore, planar markers can be directly printed, etched, or affixed to the target surface 122, making production and processing simpler and less costly, effectively reducing production costs and time, and improving production efficiency.

[0112] In one embodiment, the planar marking includes at least one QR code mark disposed on the target surface 122; the nozzle assembly 12 has a first state and a second state, the first state being that the end face of the nozzle 121 is parallel to the horizontal plane, in which the nozzle 121 can output material along the direction of gravity, and the shape of the QR code mark is the first shape; the second state being that the end face of the nozzle 121 intersects the horizontal plane, in which the shape of the QR code mark is the second shape; the first shape and the second shape can be identified by the identification device 2, so that the identification device 2 can determine the position of the nozzle 121 by the difference between the second shape and the first shape.

[0113] The QR code mark has a unique encoding rule. When the nozzle 124 is in different postures, the posture of the QR code mark will also change accordingly. For example, the degree of deformation of each edge and line in the QR code or the angle change of each corner. Based on this, we can obtain how the QR code mark has changed compared to the initial state, thereby deriving the current posture of the nozzle 124 and calibrating the posture of the nozzle 124.

[0114] By adopting the above technical solution, the recognition device 2 can identify the distortion of the QR code mark, thereby obtaining the change in the posture of the nozzle 124. This allows the multi-dimensional printing system to accurately calibrate the posture of the nozzle 124 during the printing process and adjust the printing parameters in a timely manner, thus ensuring print quality. Furthermore, because the QR code has a high information density, meaning the number of lines and corners within the QR code is relatively dense, even when part of the QR code is damaged or obscured and cannot be recognized, the recognition device 2 can still accurately identify the posture of the nozzle 121 through the remaining part of the QR code, enhancing the robustness and stability of the nozzle assembly 12.

[0115] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 5 The positioning mark 123 includes a three-dimensional mark 1232, which is protruding and / or recessed on the target surface 122, and the three-dimensional mark 1232 is spaced apart from the nozzle 121.

[0116] The 3D marker 1232 can be a regular shape such as a hemisphere, a triangular pyramid, or a cylinder. Various irregular shapes can also be designed according to design requirements and application scenarios, such as constructing a 3D shape with a unique curve as the 3D marker 1232, to better reflect the relative relationship between the 3D marker 1232 and the nozzle 121. Understandably, the size and position of the 3D marker 1232 can be selected based on the placement angle of the recognition device 2 and the size of other structures in the nozzle device 1, as long as it ensures that the recognition device 2 can identify the position of the nozzle 121 based on the 3D marker 1232.

[0117] Compared to planar signs, 3D signs 1232, due to their three-dimensional structure and protruding and / or recessed target surface 122, make it easier for the recognition device 2 to identify them. The recognition device 2 can be set to a wider range of angles, and the 3D signs 1232 exhibit unique shapes and features from different angles, significantly improving the accuracy and stability of recognition. Furthermore, because of their three-dimensional structure, even if stains or scratches appear on the surface of the 3D signs 1232, the impact on their overall shape and features is minimal, thus reducing the probability of recognition errors by the recognition device 2. Moreover, planar signs generally only provide positional information within a two-dimensional plane, while 3D signs 1232 can provide richer positioning information for the recognition device 2 through additional dimensions such as height and tilt angle, further improving the positioning accuracy of the nozzle 121 and thus enhancing print quality.

[0118] The 3D mark 1232 can be protruding onto the target surface 122, making it easy for staff to quickly install and remove the nozzle assembly 12 by touch, and reducing the negative impact on the identification device 2 in low-light environments. Alternatively, the 3D mark 1232 can be recessed onto the target surface 122, reducing the space required to install the nozzle assembly 12, reducing the probability of damage caused by collisions between the 3D mark 1232 and other structures, and extending its service life.

[0119] In one embodiment, the three-dimensional mark 1232 includes at least one feature surface that can be identified by the identification device 2 so that the identification device 2 can determine the position of the nozzle 121 through the feature surface.

[0120] The feature surface can be set as a plane or curved surface with a fixed shape and position. The recognition device 2 can identify the various features on the feature surface and obtain the specific position of the nozzle 121 based on the relative relationship between these features and the nozzle 121. Since the stereoscopic mark 1232 includes the feature surface, the difficulty of calculating the position of the nozzle 121 in the multi-dimensional printing system is reduced, thereby improving printing efficiency. Specifically, measurements can be taken during the design and manufacturing stage of the stereoscopic mark 1232 or after manufacturing to obtain the geometric parameters of each feature surface and its relative positional relationship with the nozzle 121, including plane equations, normal vectors, and coordinates of specific points on the feature surface. During actual measurement, the recognition device 2 receives the light reflected from the feature surface and collects an image containing the stereoscopic mark 1232, which facilitates the extraction of the geometric parameters of the feature surface in the image. Finally, based on the predetermined geometric parameters of the feature surface and the relative positional relationship between the stereoscopic mark 1232 and the nozzle 121, the position of the nozzle 121 relative to the feature surface is determined.

[0121] By adopting the above technical solution, the identification device 2 can identify the various features on the feature surface and obtain the specific position of the nozzle 121 based on the relative relationship between these features and the nozzle 121. Since the three-dimensional mark 1232 includes the feature surface, the difficulty of the multi-dimensional printing system in calculating the position of the nozzle 121 is reduced, and the position of the nozzle 121 can be determined quickly. This reduces the time spent on positioning and calibration of the equipment. When changing the nozzle device 1, there is no need to wait for the positioning of the nozzle 121 to be completed for a long time, and the printing state can be entered quickly, thereby improving printing efficiency.

[0122] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 4 and Figure 6 The positioning mark 123 includes the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting part 125, and the identification device 2 can identify the outer periphery 1252 to determine the position of the nozzle 121.

[0123] The outer periphery 1252 of the mounting member 125 can also serve as a basis for identifying the position of the nozzle 121, and can be compared with the position of the nozzle 121 obtained by the identification positioning mark 123, thereby improving the accuracy of the identification result. The outer periphery 1252 of the mounting member 125 is the part of the mounting member 125 along the edge contour, and usually has a relatively simple and regular geometric shape. For example, the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting member 125 can be a triangle, a rectangle or other common geometric shapes. Through this outer periphery 1252, the identification device 2 can determine the relative position of the nozzle assembly 12 by comparing and identifying the features of the geometric shape. For example, the identification device 2 can acquire an image or contour data of the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting member 125, and extract the specific contour of the outer periphery 1252 through an image processing algorithm (such as Canny edge detection) to determine the shape and position of the outer periphery 1252; then, based on the geometric features of the outer periphery 1252 and the known relative positional relationship between the nozzle 121 and the outer periphery 1252, the position of the nozzle 121 can be calculated.

[0124] Since the outer perimeter 1252 typically has a clear and regular geometric shape (such as a rectangle), the recognition device 2 can obtain high-precision positioning information through a precise edge extraction algorithm. This allows the position of the nozzle 121 to be calculated with high accuracy based on the positioning of the outer perimeter 1252, thereby improving the accuracy of the printing process. Furthermore, as a three-dimensional structure, the mounting component 125 is less affected by the external environment. For example, external dust, light, and other interference factors will not significantly affect the accurate identification of the outer perimeter 1252. The recognition device 2 can still accurately identify the outer perimeter 1252 even in relatively harsh environments, thus ensuring the accuracy of the nozzle 121 position.

[0125] Furthermore, the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting member 125 can also serve as a reference when installing the nozzle assembly 12, thereby simplifying the operation during the installation of the nozzle device 1. For example, by using a certain feature point in the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting member 125 as a reference, the nozzle assembly 12 can be precisely aligned during installation based on this feature point during manufacturing.

[0126] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The outer perimeter 1252 is circular, and the center of the outer perimeter 1252 overlaps with the projection of the center of the nozzle 121 onto the horizontal plane.

[0127] The circle possesses high symmetry, which allows the recognition device 2 to acquire the same geometric information of the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting component 125 even when the nozzle assembly 12 is rotated to different angles relative to the recognition device 2. This reduces the recognition error of the recognition device 2 at different angles and improves positioning accuracy. Furthermore, as a regular geometric shape, the circle has significant advantages in image recognition algorithms. Circular detection algorithms in image processing (such as the Hough transform algorithm) are mature and efficient, capable of quickly and accurately identifying the edge of a circle and calculating its center and related parameters. Compared to recognizing other complex shapes (such as polygons and complex curves), recognizing the outer periphery 1252 of a circle requires less computation, is faster, and has fewer errors, thus significantly reducing the computational complexity in the recognition process and improving the recognition efficiency of the recognition device 2.

[0128] In actual assembly, the circular outer periphery 1252 also exhibits high tolerance for errors. Even if it deviates slightly from the ideal position during assembly, the circular outer periphery 1252 can still provide consistent positioning information. Compared to other irregular shapes, the circle can better adapt to assembly errors and tolerance variations in actual production, thereby reducing positional deviations of the nozzle 121 caused by errors. Furthermore, the high machining accuracy and low cost of the circle during production make the manufacturing difficulty of the circular mounting part 125 easier. Therefore, using the circular outer periphery 1252 as the positioning mark 123 for the nozzle assembly 12 simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces costs, facilitates mass production and quality control, and improves production efficiency.

[0129] The position of the nozzle 121 can be obtained by identifying the center of the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting part 125 through the identification device 2. By comparing it with the position of the nozzle 121 obtained by the identification positioning mark 123, the positioning accuracy of the nozzle 121 can be further improved, thereby further improving the printing quality.

[0130] In one embodiment, the diameter of the outer perimeter 1252 is less than or equal to 8 mm.

[0131] In FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printing, the heating temperature of the nozzle 124 directly affects the molten state of the printing material. Too low a temperature leads to uneven material ejection, affecting print quality. If the diameter of the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting part 125 is greater than 8mm, the size of the mounting part 125 will become excessive. Since the mounting part 125 is connected to the heating element 11, it absorbs heat from the heating element 11. As the size of the outer periphery 1252 increases, more of the mounting part 125 surface will be exposed to the external environment, increasing the area for heat loss. Excessive heat loss will result in ineffective heating by the heating element 11, affecting the material's heating temperature and consequently its flowability and printing quality.

[0132] Therefore, controlling the diameter of the outer perimeter 1252 to be less than or equal to 8 mm can effectively reduce heat loss, ensuring that the heating element 11 can maintain a sufficient temperature, thereby ensuring that the material can be heated evenly and sprayed out smoothly. Examples include 8 mm, 7.8 mm, 7.6 mm, 7.4 mm, 7.2 mm, 7.0 mm, 6.8 mm, 6.6 mm, 6.4 mm, 6.2 mm, 6.0 mm, 5.8 mm, 5.6 mm, 5.4 mm, 5.2 mm, and 5.0 mm. As the diameter of the outer perimeter 1252 decreases, the surface area of ​​the mounting part 125 decreases, which helps to reduce the degree of heat loss, allowing the heating element 11 to heat the material more efficiently. A smaller outer perimeter 1252 diameter can effectively concentrate the heat from the heating source, preventing excessive heat from being absorbed by the mounting part 125 and radiated to the surrounding environment, thereby improving heating efficiency and reducing the energy required during the heating process. Furthermore, the smaller outer perimeter 1252 allows for a more compact nozzle assembly 12, which improves the flexibility of the printhead assembly installation and makes it more convenient to use in limited workspaces. In addition, reducing the component size also reduces the weight of the multi-dimensional printing system, enhancing its convenience and adaptability.

[0133] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 7 The nozzle assembly 12 includes a nozzle 124, at least one positioning mark 123 is disposed on the nozzle 124, and each positioning mark 123 is spaced apart from the nozzle orifice 121.

[0134] The positioning mark 123 is set on the nozzle 124, so that the identification device 2 can identify and compare the positioning mark 123 on the nozzle 124 to determine the position of the nozzle 121. Furthermore, by setting the positioning mark 123 only on the nozzle 124, the position of the nozzle 121 can be confirmed without other structures, further reducing the manufacturing difficulty. The method of setting the positioning mark 123 on the nozzle 124 is similar to that in the previous embodiment and will not be described again here.

[0135] In some embodiments, the nozzle 124 includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other, the nozzle orifice 121 is disposed at the first end, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the nozzle 124 gradually increases from the first end to the second end.

[0136] By adopting the above technical solution, the identification device 2 can be set directly below the nozzle 124. At this time, the positioning mark 123 is located in any direction around the nozzle 124, and the identification device 2 can identify the positioning mark 123. This simplifies the installation steps of the nozzle 124 and improves the printing efficiency of the multi-dimensional printing system.

[0137] In one embodiment, a positioning mark 123 is disposed at the end of the nozzle 124 away from the nozzle orifice 121.

[0138] During 3D printing, the nozzle 121 continuously outputs material. This material has a certain viscosity and fluidity, and under capillary action, it tends to spread along the surface of the nozzle 124. If the positioning mark 123 is placed near the nozzle 121, the spread of material may cover or contaminate the mark, thus affecting the accurate identification by the identification device 2. Therefore, this embodiment of the application, by placing the positioning mark 123 at the end of the nozzle 124 away from the nozzle 121, can effectively prevent the spread of material on the surface of the nozzle 124 from directly affecting the position and clarity of the mark, thereby improving the recognizability and accuracy of the mark.

[0139] Furthermore, material may remain on the surface of the nozzle 124 during the printing process, especially in the part of the nozzle 124 that has come into contact with the material. Due to the stickiness of the material, these residues are often difficult to remove. Therefore, setting the positioning mark 123 at the end away from the nozzle 121 can effectively reduce the obstruction of the mark by the material residue, so that the mark is always clear and the identification device 2 can identify stably and accurately.

[0140] The positioning mark 123 is set at the end of the nozzle 124 away from the nozzle hole 121, so that when problems such as material spreading or residue on the surface of the nozzle 124 occur, the positioning mark 123 can still be clear, stable and accurate. This is conducive to improving the recognition accuracy of the identification device 2 and the stability of the nozzle assembly 12, and improving the calibration efficiency of the nozzle 124.

[0141] According to a second aspect of this application, a multidimensional printing system is provided, referring to... Figure 1 and Figure 8 The system includes: at least two nozzle devices 1 as described in the preceding embodiments; an identification device 2, which is disposed facing the nozzle orifice 121 of the nozzle assembly 12; the identification device 2 is used to identify the positioning mark 123 of the nozzle device 1 to determine the position of the nozzle orifice 121. Since this multi-dimensional printing system includes the aforementioned nozzle assembly 12, it possesses all the beneficial effects of the aforementioned nozzle assembly 12, which will not be elaborated further in this application embodiment. The identification device 2 may include a camera, laser scanner, etc., for acquiring an image of the positioning mark 123.

[0142] In one embodiment, the identification device 2 includes a mounting base 21 and a camera 22, wherein the camera 22 is disposed on the mounting base 21 and is used to identify the positioning mark 123 to determine the position of the nozzle 121.

[0143] By adopting the above technical solution, the mounting base 21 provides a stable mounting platform for the camera 22, ensuring that the camera 22 maintains a fixed position and posture during operation, avoiding displacement or shaking of the camera 22 due to factors such as vibration and collision, thereby ensuring that the camera 22 can accurately identify and photograph the positioning mark 123. It is understood that by adjusting the position of the mounting base 21 in the system, the positional relationship of the camera 22 relative to the positioning mark 123 and the entire system can be accurately determined, thereby optimizing the shooting angle and field of view of the camera 22, enabling it to better capture image information of the positioning mark 123, so as to accurately identify the positioning mark 123 and determine the position of the nozzle 121.

[0144] In some embodiments, the identification device 2 includes a lidar that is positioned toward the nozzle orifice 121 of the nozzle assembly and is used to scan the positioning mark 123 to determine the position of the nozzle orifice 121.

[0145] By employing the above technical solution, the lidar can construct a three-dimensional spatial model of the nozzle 121 and its surrounding area, thereby accurately determining the position of the nozzle 121 in three-dimensional space. Even in complex environments, such as those with obstructions, its three-dimensional modeling capabilities can scan and locate the marker 123, thereby identifying the position of the nozzle 121.

[0146] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 8 The multidimensional printing system also includes a ring light source 3, which is disposed between the nozzle assembly 12 and the identification device 2. The ring light source 3 is used to emit light to the positioning mark 123. When the identification device 2 identifies the positioning mark 123, the projection of the nozzle 121 on the horizontal plane is located within the projection of the inner ring of the ring light source 3 on the horizontal plane.

[0147] Traditional point or line light sources can easily lead to concentrated or uneven light, which may affect the accurate identification of the positioning mark 123 by the identification device 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, a ring light source 3 is used to provide uniform illumination to the positioning mark 123. When the nozzle assembly 12 needs to be positioned quickly and accurately, this ensures that the light shines evenly on the positioning mark 123 from all angles, thereby improving the identification accuracy and stability of the identification device 2. Furthermore, since the ring light source 3 can surround the positioning mark 123 and illuminate its surrounding area, it can effectively reduce the shadow problems that may be caused by traditional point or concentrated light sources, reduce the probability of shadows obscuring the positioning mark 123, and minimize the interference of shadows, ensuring that the identification device 2 can clearly and comprehensively detect the shape and position of the positioning mark 123.

[0148] Meanwhile, the design of the ring light source 3 makes the emitted light more uniform, avoiding the situation where the light is concentrated on a small part of the traditional light source, resulting in local over-brightness or under-brightness of the marking. This light distribution ensures that the recognition of the positioning marking 123 remains consistent and stable in various environments, thereby improving the environmental adaptability of the nozzle assembly 12 and ensuring the accuracy of the recognition device 2.

[0149] The three-dimensional positioning mark 123 is a protruding three-dimensional structure that provides richer positional information. For example, a triangular prism set around the outer periphery of the nozzle 124 can be used as the positioning mark 123. Each face of the prism can serve as a reference face, and the specific position of the nozzle 121 can be deduced from this reference. Due to the three-dimensional nature of the prism, it provides sufficient reference information at different angles, allowing for more flexible installation of the identification device 2. Even when part of the prism is obstructed, positioning can still be achieved by identifying the edges, vertices, and other structures of the unobstructed prism, thus improving the reliability of positioning. While the manufacturing process of the three-dimensional positioning mark 123 is more complex and costly, it provides richer information and can still achieve accurate positioning of the nozzle 121 even in complex working environments with interference or obstruction.

[0150] The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to specific examples.

[0151] Example 1:

[0152] Nozzle device 1, applicable to multi-dimensional printing systems, see reference. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The nozzle device 1 includes a heating element 11 and a nozzle assembly 12. The heating element 11 is used to receive and heat materials; the nozzle assembly 12 is connected to the heating element 11, and the nozzle assembly 12 is provided with a spray hole 121 for outputting the materials heated by the heating element 11. The nozzle assembly 12 has a target surface 122 facing away from the heating element 11; the nozzle assembly 12 includes a positioning mark 123 located on the target surface 122; the positioning mark 123 is used to be identified by the identification device 2 to determine the position of the spray hole 121.

[0153] The nozzle assembly 12 further includes a nozzle 124 and a mounting member 125. The heating element 11, the mounting member 125, and the nozzle 124 are connected in sequence, and a portion of the surfaces of the mounting member 125 and the nozzle 124 together form a target surface 122 for identification by the identification device 2 located below the nozzle assembly 1. At least one positioning mark 123 is provided on the bottom surface 1251 of the mounting member 125. Because the mounting member 125 is far from the nozzle orifice, the positioning mark 123 is not easily affected by the material output from the nozzle orifice 121.

[0154] When the multi-dimensional printing system is running, it first acquires the relative positional relationship between the nozzles 121 and the positioning marks 123 in each nozzle device 1. Then, the multi-dimensional printing system is started, and the identification device 2 is controlled to identify the positioning marks 123 on the nozzle assembly 12 in the first nozzle device 1. Based on the previously acquired relative positional relationship, the position of the nozzle 121 in the first nozzle device 1 is calculated. After printing for a period of time, if different printing materials or different printing precisions are used as needed, the multi-dimensional printing system controls the switching to a suitable nozzle device 1. After the switching is completed, the multi-dimensional printing system again controls the identification device 2 to identify the positioning marks 123 on the nozzle assembly 12 in the second nozzle device 1. Based on the previously acquired relative positional relationship, the position of the nozzle 121 in the switched nozzle device 1 is obtained. Based on the difference in the position of the nozzle 121 before and after the switching, the position of the second nozzle device 1 is compensated to ensure that the positions of the nozzles 121 before and after the switching remain consistent, thus improving printing precision. If the nozzle device 1 still needs to be changed in subsequent processes, the steps after the switching are repeated to ensure that the position of the nozzle 121 remains consistent throughout the printing process.

[0155] Example 2:

[0156] Nozzle device 1, applicable to multi-dimensional printing systems, see reference. Figure 2 The nozzle device 1 includes a heating element 11 and a nozzle assembly 12. The difference between this embodiment and embodiment one is that the positioning mark 123 includes two marking points 1231, and the midpoint between the two marking points 1231 overlaps with the projection of the center of the nozzle 121 on the horizontal plane.

[0157] At this point, the relative positional relationship between the nozzles 121 and the positioning marks 123 in each nozzle device 1 is fixed. Once this relative positional relationship is input into the multi-dimensional printing system, it does not need to be changed, thus reducing storage requirements and lowering the manufacturing cost of the multi-dimensional printing system. Furthermore, when identifying the position of the nozzles 121, since the relative positional relationship between the nozzles 121 and the positioning marks 123 is simple and clear, the identification device 2 can quickly complete the positioning of the nozzles 121, thereby improving printing efficiency.

[0158] Example 3:

[0159] The nozzle device 1, applicable to a multi-dimensional printing system, includes a heating element 11 and a nozzle assembly 12. This embodiment differs from Embodiment 2 in that the positioning mark 123 includes a triangular shape.

[0160] When the multi-dimensional printing system is running, it first obtains the relative positional relationship between the triangular shapes in each nozzle device 1 and the nozzle 121. This relative positional relationship can include the distance between the center of the nozzle 121 and each side and vertex of the triangular shape. When the recognition device 2 recognizes the triangular shape on the nozzle assembly 12 in the first nozzle device 1 used, the position of the nozzle 121 can be calculated through this relative positional relationship. Since the triangular shape has multiple features that can be aligned with the center of the nozzle 121, even if some triangular shapes are obscured when switching nozzle devices 1, it does not affect the recognition device 2's positioning of the nozzle 121, thereby further reducing the possibility of human intervention, thus reducing labor costs and improving printing efficiency.

[0161] Understandably, if an error occurs during the switching process of nozzle device 1, causing nozzle device 1 to tilt, the tilt status of the triangular figure can be used to determine the position and orientation of the nozzle 121, which is convenient for timely adjustment.

[0162] Example 4:

[0163] Nozzle device 1, applicable to multi-dimensional printing systems, see reference. Figure 4 The nozzle device 1 includes a heating element 11 and a nozzle assembly 12. This embodiment differs from Embodiment 1 in that the positioning mark 123 includes the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting member 125.

[0164] When the multi-dimensional printing system is running, it first obtains the relative positional relationship between the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting part 125 in each nozzle device 1 and the nozzle hole 121. This relative positional relationship can include the distances between each edge and corner of the outer periphery 1252 and the nozzle hole 121. Subsequently, when the identification device 2 identifies the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting part 125 in each nozzle device 1, it can confirm the position of the nozzle hole 121 through this relative relationship. This reduces the process of setting additional positioning marks 123 on the nozzle 124 or mounting part 125, reducing manufacturing difficulty and cost.

[0165] Example 5:

[0166] Nozzle device 1, applicable to multi-dimensional printing systems, see reference. Figure 4 and Figure 6The nozzle device 1 includes a heating element 11 and a nozzle assembly 12. This embodiment differs from Embodiment 4 in that the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting member 125 is circular, and the center of the outer periphery 1252 overlaps with the projection of the center of the nozzle 121 onto the horizontal plane. In this case, after the identification device 2 identifies the outer periphery 1252 of the mounting member 125 in each nozzle device 1, the multi-dimensional printing system only needs to calculate the center position of the outer periphery 1252 to obtain the position of the nozzle 121, reducing the difficulty of calculating the position of the nozzle 121 and improving the response speed and printing efficiency of the identification device 2.

[0167] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A nozzle device, characterized in that, The nozzle device, used in a multidimensional printing system, includes: A heating element, wherein the heating element is used to receive and heat materials; A nozzle assembly connected to the heating element, the nozzle assembly having a spray hole for outputting material heated by the heating element, and the nozzle assembly having a target surface facing away from the heating element; The nozzle assembly includes a positioning mark located on the target surface; the positioning mark is used to be identified by an identification device to determine the position of the nozzle orifice.

2. The nozzle device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nozzle assembly further includes a nozzle and a mounting member. The spray hole is disposed on the nozzle. One end of the mounting member is connected to the end of the nozzle opposite to the spray hole, and the other end of the mounting member is connected to the heating element. The mounting member includes a bottom surface near the spray hole. At least one positioning mark is disposed on the bottom surface for identification by the identification device to determine the position of the spray hole. At least a portion of the projection of the mounting member on the bottom surface is located outside the projection of the nozzle on the bottom surface.

3. The nozzle device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The number of positioning markers is at least two, and each positioning marker is spaced apart from the nozzle.

4. The nozzle device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The number of positioning markers is at least three, and each positioning marker is spaced apart from the nozzle.

5. The nozzle device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The positioning markers include marker points, and at least three of the marker points are located on the same circular path on the same horizontal plane, and the center of the circular path overlaps with the projection of the center of the nozzle on the horizontal plane.

6. The nozzle device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The at least two positioning marks are evenly spaced along the outer periphery of the nozzle.

7. The nozzle device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The positioning mark includes a planar mark, which is disposed on the target surface and can be identified by the identification device to determine the position of the nozzle.

8. The nozzle device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The planar marking includes at least one QR code mark, which is disposed on the target surface; The nozzle assembly includes a first state and a second state. In the first state, the end face of the nozzle is parallel to the horizontal plane. In the first state, the nozzle can output material along the direction of gravity, and the shape of the QR code mark is a first shape. In the second state, the end face of the nozzle intersects the horizontal plane. In the second state, the shape of the QR code mark is a second shape. The first shape and the second shape can be recognized by the identification device, so that the identification device can determine the position of the nozzle by the difference between the second shape and the first shape.

9. The nozzle device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The positioning mark includes a three-dimensional mark, which is protruding and / or recessed on the target surface, and the three-dimensional mark is spaced apart from the nozzle.

10. The nozzle device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The three-dimensional mark includes at least one feature surface, which can be recognized by the recognition device so that the recognition device can determine the position of the nozzle through the feature surface.

11. The nozzle device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning mark includes the outer periphery of the mounting component, and the identification device can identify the outer periphery to determine the position of the nozzle.

12. The nozzle device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The outer perimeter is circular, and the center of the outer perimeter overlaps with the projection of the center of the nozzle onto the horizontal plane.

13. The nozzle device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The diameter of the outer perimeter is less than or equal to 8 mm.

14. The nozzle device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nozzle assembly includes a nozzle, at least one of the positioning marks is disposed on the nozzle, and each of the positioning marks is spaced apart from the nozzle orifice.

15. The nozzle device according to claim 14, characterized in that, The nozzle includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other. The spray hole is disposed at the first end, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the nozzle gradually increases from the first end to the second end.

16. The nozzle device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that, The positioning mark is located on the end of the target surface away from the nozzle.

17. A multidimensional printing system, characterized in that, include: At least two nozzle devices as described in any one of claims 1 to 16; and, A recognition device is disposed toward the nozzle orifice of the nozzle assembly; The identification device is used to identify the positioning mark of the nozzle device to determine the position of the nozzle orifice.

18. The multidimensional printing system according to claim 17, characterized in that, The identification device includes: Mounting base; and, A camera, which is mounted on the mounting base, is used to identify the positioning mark to determine the position of the nozzle.

19. The multidimensional printing system according to claim 17, characterized in that, The identification device includes a lidar, which is positioned toward the nozzle orifice of the nozzle assembly, and is used to scan the positioning mark to determine the position of the nozzle orifice.

20. The multidimensional printing system according to claim 17, characterized in that, The multidimensional printing system also includes a ring light source, which is disposed between the nozzle assembly and the identification device. The ring light source is used to emit light to the positioning marker, and when the identification device identifies the positioning marker, the projection of the nozzle on the horizontal plane is located within the projection of the inner ring of the ring light source on the horizontal plane.

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