A kind of warehouse type electron beam 3D printing device and printing method

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of 3D printing, and aims to solve the problem of complex structure of existing printing equipment and inability to continuously produce. A kind of warehouse type electron beam 3D printing device and printing method are provided, the printing device includes rack and printing warehouse, the bottom of printing warehouse is provided with lower inclined surface connecting flange, the lower side of lower inclined surface connecting flange is provided with first guide rail assembly and jacking mechanism;The mobile plugboard assembly includes mobile lift truck and plugboard valve cavity, one end of plugboard valve cavity is provided with upper inclined surface connecting flange;The lifting end of mobile lift truck is provided with second guide rail assembly for butt joint with first guide rail assembly, multiple sliders at the bottom of plugboard valve cavity drive its radial translation, realize the sealed communication or separation of printing warehouse and plugboard valve cavity;Plugboard valve cavity is provided with plugboard valve mechanism and forming cylinder assembly, the bottom of forming cylinder assembly is provided with pneumatic assembly, pneumatic assembly and jacking mechanism are matched to drive forming cylinder assembly to lift along the axial direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and in particular to a compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing apparatus and printing method. Background Technology

[0002] Electron beam 3D printing is an advanced additive manufacturing technology that uses a high-energy electron beam as a heat source to melt and form metal materials layer by layer in a vacuum environment. It has advantages such as high energy utilization, fast scanning speed, low residual stress in the forming process, and no oxidation pollution. Therefore, it is widely used in aerospace, medical devices, high-end equipment and other fields.

[0003] Currently, electron beam 3D printing equipment generally adopts a single-unit vacuum chamber structure, which is highly tied to the overall forming process and environmental preparation process, resulting in inherent defects in continuous production capability. After a single printing task is completed, the vacuum environment of the chamber must be broken, and the parts must be removed, residual powder cleaned, and the chamber environment prepared in sequence. Then, a long vacuum is required to re-establish the high vacuum environment needed for forming before the next printing task can be started. The high vacuum reconstruction process takes tens of minutes to several hours, and large-sized components require a long vacuum cooling process after printing. The standby time of the whole machine is much longer than the effective forming time, which greatly reduces the effective operating rate and production cycle of the equipment, making it difficult to meet the needs of continuous mass production in industrial production lines.

[0004] To address the inefficiency of single-chamber production, existing technologies employ a dual-chamber switching architecture to achieve alternating operations. However, this approach involves complex chamber switching mechanisms and redundant multi-channel sealing structures, resulting in poor sealing reliability and high equipment maintenance costs during long-term reciprocating switching. Furthermore, chamber switching can easily cause drastic fluctuations in the internal vacuum of the equipment, leading to dust backflow and impurity adhesion, which can contaminate the core components of the electron gun. This directly affects beam stability and equipment lifespan, failing to meet the industrial demands for continuous production, equipment reliability, and forming accuracy.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new technical solution to improve one or more of the problems existing in the above solutions. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this disclosure is to solve the technical problems of existing electron beam 3D printing equipment, such as complex structure, low equipment utilization, poor sealing reliability, and inability to meet the industrialization requirements of continuous production. In order to provide a compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing device and printing method, the disclosure aims to overcome one or more problems caused by the limitations and defects of related technologies to at least a certain extent.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing apparatus is provided, characterized in that: Includes printing components and moving insert components; The printing assembly includes a frame and a printing chamber located on top of the frame. The bottom of the printing chamber is provided with a downward sloping connecting flange, and a lifting mechanism is provided directly below the downward sloping connecting flange. A first guide rail assembly is provided horizontally on the frame located below the printing chamber. The movable slide plate assembly includes a movable lifting vehicle and a slide plate valve cavity disposed at the lifting end of the movable lifting vehicle. One end of the slide plate valve cavity is provided with an upper inclined surface connecting flange for fitting and sealing with the lower inclined surface connecting flange. The lifting end of the mobile lifting vehicle is provided with a second guide rail assembly for docking with the first guide rail assembly to form a through translation track. The bottom of the slide valve cavity is provided with a plurality of sliders adapted to the first guide rail assembly and the second guide rail assembly. The plurality of sliders are used to drive the slide valve cavity to move radially along the through translation track, so that the lower inclined surface connecting flange and the upper inclined surface connecting flange are pressed together to seal or release the seal, thereby realizing the sealed connection or separation of the printing chamber and the slide valve cavity. The insert valve cavity is provided with an insert valve mechanism and a forming cylinder assembly. A pneumatic component is provided at the bottom of the forming cylinder assembly. When the printing chamber is sealed and connected to the insert valve cavity, the pneumatic component cooperates with the lifting mechanism to drive the forming cylinder assembly to move up and down axially. The slide gate valve mechanism is used to control the opening and closing of the bottom opening of the slide gate valve cavity.

[0008] Furthermore, airtight sealing rings are provided on the inclined mating surfaces of the lower inclined connecting flange and the upper inclined connecting flange. The inclination angles of the lower inclined connecting flange and the upper inclined connecting flange are matched to fully fit and compress the airtight sealing rings, so that the mating surface of the printing chamber and the slide valve cavity forms a gapless airtight seal.

[0009] Furthermore, the molding cylinder assembly includes a molding cylinder body and a printing substrate that is vertically and retractably disposed within the molding cylinder body; The lifting mechanism includes a lifting drive motor and a lead screw vertically disposed at the drive end of the lifting drive motor. A cylinder assembly is sleeved on the upper end of the lead screw, and a pneumatic flexible positioner docking plate is sleeved on the lower end. The pneumatic assembly includes a pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate and a U-shaped fixing plate. A U-shaped groove is provided on one side of the pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate. When the pneumatic assembly cooperates with the lifting mechanism, the lead screw can pass through the opening end of the U-shaped fixing plate and the U-shaped groove to achieve coaxial and precise alignment of the pneumatic assembly and the lifting mechanism. The lead screw drives the pneumatic flexible positioner docking plate to flexibly fit and connect with the pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate, which is used to provide positioning guidance and flexible buffer for the lifting and lowering action of the forming cylinder assembly. The upper surface of the pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate is provided with multiple printing substrate lifting links. The top of each printing substrate lifting link is connected to the bottom of the printing substrate, and is used to cooperate with the lifting mechanism to realize the lifting of the printing substrate. Each of the printing substrate lifting linkages is fitted with a locking cylinder in the middle. The upper surface of each locking cylinder is connected to the lower surface of the U-shaped fixing plate. The upper surface of the U-shaped fixing plate is provided with multiple forming cylinder lifting linkages. The top of each forming cylinder lifting linkage is connected to the bottom of the forming cylinder, which is used to cooperate with the lifting mechanism to realize the lifting of the forming cylinder.

[0010] Furthermore, the first guide rail assembly includes a first U-shaped guide rail frame disposed below the printing chamber, and first guide rods are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the first U-shaped guide rail frame, and a concave ring is disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the first guide rod at the open end of the first U-shaped guide rail frame. The second guide rail assembly includes a second U-shaped guide rail frame disposed on the lifting end of the mobile lifting vehicle. The second U-shaped guide rail frame is symmetrically provided with second guide rods on opposite sides. A convex ring adapted to the concave ring is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second guide rod at the open end of the second U-shaped guide rail frame. The convex ring is inserted into the concave ring so that the first guide rod and the second guide rod are connected to form a continuous horizontal translation track. The bottom of the slide valve cavity is provided with a plurality of sliders sleeved on the second guide rod. The plurality of sliders are used to drive the slide valve cavity to move radially along the horizontal translation track formed by the docking of the first guide rail assembly and the second guide rail assembly.

[0011] Furthermore, a limit baffle is provided on the lower side of the lower inclined connecting flange, which is used to limit the horizontal translational stroke of the slide valve cavity along the guide rail.

[0012] Furthermore, a locking device is also provided on the side wall of the frame, which is used to lock and fix the insert valve cavity after the printing chamber and the insert valve cavity are sealed and connected.

[0013] Furthermore, the bottom of the mobile lifting vehicle is equipped with omnidirectional rollers and positioning support feet. The omnidirectional rollers are used to move the mobile lifting vehicle, and the positioning support feet are used to fix the position of the mobile lifting vehicle.

[0014] Furthermore, a gas filling and discharging port is provided on the side wall of the slide valve cavity. The gas filling and discharging port is connected to an external vacuum replacement and inert gas supply device for evacuating or replacing the printing chamber and the slide valve cavity with gas.

[0015] Furthermore, a handle assembly is provided on the outer wall of the slide valve cavity for pulling the slide valve cavity to move horizontally.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing method is provided, employing the aforementioned compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing apparatus, comprising the following steps: S1. The mobile lifting vehicle is used to transfer the mobile insert assembly to the docking station of the printing assembly. The height of the mobile lifting vehicle is adjusted so that the second guide rail assembly is precisely aligned with the first guide rail assembly on the frame to form a complete through-track. S2. The multiple sliders drive the slide valve cavity to move radially along the through-track, moving the movable slide assembly to below the printing chamber, so that the lower inclined connecting flange and the upper inclined connecting flange are pressed together to seal, achieving airtight communication between the printing chamber and the slide valve cavity; S3. Start the lifting mechanism to flexibly fit and connect with the pneumatic component. The lifting mechanism drives the pneumatic component to rise and fall, so that the forming cylinder component reaches the printing position for printing. S4. After printing is completed, the lifting mechanism drives the pneumatic component to descend, so that the printing chamber is separated from the forming cylinder assembly, the insert valve mechanism is activated to seal the insert valve cavity, so as to achieve airtight isolation between the printing chamber and the insert valve cavity, and the lower inclined surface connecting flange and the upper inclined surface connecting flange are unsealed. S5. The multiple sliders drive the insert valve cavity to move radially along the through translation track, so that the movable insert assembly moves to the movable lifting vehicle. The movable lifting vehicle moves the second guide rail assembly to disengage from the first guide rail assembly on the frame. The movable lifting vehicle moves and cools the insert valve cavity, thereby completing a single printing job. S6. Using another mobile lifting vehicle, another mobile insert plate assembly is transported as a whole to the docking station of the printing assembly. Repeat steps S1-S5 to achieve continuous beam supply printing by matching a single printing chamber and a single electron beam source with multiple insert plate valve cavities.

[0017] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: (1) A compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure adopts a compartmentalized structural design with a fixed printing chamber and a movable insert valve cavity. The part printing process is separated from the cavity cooling, cylinder changing and material preparation process, so as to realize parallel operation of the process, greatly reduce the equipment standby time, improve the effective operating rate and production cycle of the equipment, reduce production energy consumption and cost, and meet the needs of continuous batch production of industrial production lines. On the other hand, the inclined pressure sealing method of the lower inclined connecting flange and the upper inclined connecting flange effectively ensures the sealing reliability between the printing chamber and the insert valve cavity, suppresses the cavity vacuum fluctuation during the printing process, and avoids vacuum fluctuation and dust backflow, protects the core components of the electron gun, and extends the service life of the equipment. Through the precise docking of the first guide rail assembly and the second guide rail assembly, and the flexible fitting docking of the pneumatic assembly and the lifting mechanism, the mechanical docking impact can be buffered, the cumulative error of part processing and assembly can be offset, and the overall assembly accuracy and operation stability of the equipment can be further improved, ultimately effectively improving the printing accuracy and molding consistency of metal parts.

[0018] (2) The compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing method of this disclosure is simple to operate, has strong process controllability and low implementation difficulty. Through compartmentalized structure design and multi-station parallel operation mode, it realizes the staggered parallel operation of multiple processes such as printing and molding, cavity cooling, part picking and placing, and cavity replacement, which greatly reduces the equipment standby waiting time, improves the effective operation rate and production cycle of the equipment, meets the needs of continuous batch production of industrial production lines, and effectively reduces the difficulty of daily equipment maintenance and operation and maintenance costs, reduces equipment failures caused by assembly deviation, rigid impact, sealing failure and atmosphere fluctuation, and significantly improves the reliability and stability of the entire printing equipment in long-term operation. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the structure of a compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 This illustration shows a front view of a compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the structural schematic of the sealed connection between the printing chamber and the slide valve cavity in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 4 This diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the printing chamber and the slide valve cavity after sealing connection in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 5 This diagram illustrates the structure of the movable insert assembly in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure label: 100. Printing assembly; 110. Frame; 1101. First guide rail assembly; 1102. First guide rod; 120. Printing chamber; 1201. Lower inclined connecting flange; 1202. Lifting mechanism; 1203. Lifting drive motor; 1204. Lead screw; 1205. Cylinder assembly; 1206. Pneumatic flexible positioner docking plate; 130. Locking device; 140. Limiting baffle; 200. Moving insert plate assembly; 210. Moving lifting vehicle; 2101. Second guide rail assembly; 2102. Slider; 220. Insert plate valve cavity; 2201. Upper inclined connecting flange; 2202. Insert plate valve mechanism; 2203. Molding cylinder assembly; 2204. Pneumatic assembly; 2205. Second guide rod; 2206. Pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate; 2207. Printing substrate lifting linkage; 2208. Molding cylinder lifting linkage; 2209. Locking shaft cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be more comprehensive and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0021] This disclosure provides a compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing apparatus, with reference to... Figure 1 As shown, it includes: a printing assembly 100 and a movable insert assembly 200; In some embodiments, the printing component 100 may correspond to multiple movable insert components 200 to achieve continuous printing of the split-type replaceable compartment in parallel with printing and part removal / cooling operations.

[0022] It should be understood that the printing assembly 100 includes a frame 110 and a printing chamber 120 disposed on top of the frame 110. The bottom of the printing chamber 120 is provided with a lower inclined connecting flange 1201, and a lifting mechanism 1202 is disposed directly below the lower inclined connecting flange 1201. A first guide rail assembly 1101 is disposed horizontally on the frame 110 located below the printing chamber 120. It should be understood that the mobile slide plate assembly 200 includes a mobile lifting vehicle 210 and a slide plate valve cavity 220 disposed at the lifting end of the mobile lifting vehicle 210. One end of the slide plate valve cavity 220 is provided with an upper inclined surface connecting flange 2201 for fitting and sealing with the lower inclined surface connecting flange 1201. It should be understood that the lifting end of the mobile lifting vehicle 210 is provided with a second guide rail assembly 2101 for docking with the first guide rail assembly 1101 to form a through translation track. The bottom of the slide valve cavity 220 is provided with multiple sliders 2102 that are adapted to the first guide rail assembly 1101 and the second guide rail assembly 2101. The multiple sliders 2102 are used to drive the slide valve cavity 220 to move radially along the through translation track, so that the lower inclined surface connecting flange 1201 and the upper inclined surface connecting flange 2201 are pressed together to seal or release the seal, thereby realizing the sealed connection or separation of the printing chamber 120 and the slide valve cavity 220. It should be understood that the slide valve cavity 220 is equipped with a slide valve mechanism 2202 and a forming cylinder assembly 2203. The bottom of the forming cylinder assembly 2203 is equipped with a pneumatic assembly 2204. When the printing chamber 120 is sealed and connected to the slide valve cavity 220, the pneumatic assembly 2204 cooperates with the lifting mechanism 1202 to drive the forming cylinder assembly 2203 to move up and down axially.

[0023] The aforementioned compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing device adopts a compartmentalized structure with a fixed printing chamber 120 and a movable insert valve cavity 220. Through the airtight compression docking of the upper and lower inclined flanges, precise insertion and alignment of the guide rails, pneumatic flexible positioning and buffer docking, independent atmosphere replacement in each compartment, and two-stage airtight isolation, it achieves high-vacuum, low-oxygen, and pollution-free molding during the printing process. After printing, the molding cylinder assembly 2203 can be isolated and the part removed in an oxygen-free environment, which greatly improves the printing quality and equipment operating efficiency.

[0024] Below, for reference Figures 1 to 5 The following will provide a more detailed description of the compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing apparatus in this example embodiment.

[0025] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 As shown, the printing assembly 100, as the core printing unit, includes a frame 110 and a printing chamber 120 fixed on the top of the frame 110. The printing chamber 120 is a sealed processing cavity for electron beam melting printing, which can provide a stable sealed working space for electron beam molding. The bottom of the printing chamber 120 is fixedly equipped with a lower inclined surface connecting flange 1201. The lower inclined surface connecting flange 1201 is a wedge-shaped inclined surface flange structure with an inclination angle of 45°. An airtight sealing ring is embedded on the inclined mating surface of the flange. The airtight sealing ring is made of fluororubber material that is resistant to high and low temperatures, resistant to inert gas corrosion, and has high resilience, which can achieve a gapless airtight seal after the inclined surface is mated.

[0026] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the lifting mechanism 1202 directly below the lower inclined connecting flange 1201 includes a lifting drive motor 1203 and a lead screw 1204 vertically arranged at the driving end of the lifting drive motor 1203. The upper end of the lead screw 1204 is fitted with a cylinder assembly 1205, and the lower end is fitted with a pneumatic flexible positioner docking plate 1206. The precise vertical transmission of the lifting drive motor 1203 driving the lead screw 1204 can realize the high-precision axial lifting of the forming cylinder assembly 2203, meeting the layer thickness accuracy control requirements of layer-by-layer printing.

[0027] In some embodiments, a first guide rail assembly 1101 is fixed horizontally on the frame 110 located below the printing chamber 120. The first guide rail assembly 1101 includes a first U-shaped guide rail frame. First guide rods 1102 are symmetrically fixed on opposite sides of the first U-shaped guide rail frame. A concave ring is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the first guide rod 1102 at the open end of the first U-shaped guide rail frame, which is used to accurately insert and limit the second guide rail assembly 2101 on the lifting end of the mobile lifting vehicle 210, and provide a fixed track reference for the translation of the slide valve cavity 220.

[0028] In some embodiments, a locking device 130 is also provided on the side wall of the frame 110. After the printing chamber 120 is sealed and connected with the slide valve cavity 220, the locking device 130 is used to lock and fix the slide valve cavity 220 to prevent the slide valve cavity 220 from moving during the printing process, thus ensuring the stability and accuracy of printing. By mechanically locking and fixing the slide valve cavity 220 with the locking device 130, the problems of cavity loosening and sealing failure caused by printing vibration and airflow impact can be effectively avoided.

[0029] In some embodiments, reference Figure 5 As shown, the movable insert plate assembly 200 is a molded carrier unit that can be transported, sealed, and independently ventilated, including a movable lifting vehicle 210 and an insert plate valve cavity 220 assembled on the lifting end of the movable lifting vehicle 210.

[0030] In some embodiments, the bottom of the mobile lifting vehicle 210 is equipped with universal rollers and adjustable positioning support feet, which can realize flexible transportation and alignment of the whole vehicle. After docking at the work station, the support feet are locked on the ground to complete the leveling and fixing of the vehicle body, prevent the vehicle body from shifting and shaking during the printing process, and ensure docking accuracy and sealing stability. The lifting end of the mobile lifting vehicle 210 can be a scissor fork lifting mechanism.

[0031] In some embodiments, the lifting end of the mobile lifting vehicle 210 is provided with a second guide rail assembly 2101 for docking with the first guide rail assembly 1101 to form a through translational track. The second guide rail assembly 2101 includes a second U-shaped guide rail frame disposed on the lifting end of the mobile lifting vehicle 210. Second guide rods 2205 are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the second U-shaped guide rail frame. A convex ring adapted to a concave ring is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the second guide rod 2205 at the open end of the second U-shaped guide rail frame. The convex ring is inserted into the concave ring so that the first guide rod 1102 and the second guide rod 2205 dock to form a continuous through horizontal translational track, eliminating guide rail docking gaps and steps. The docking method of the first guide rail assembly 1101 and the second guide rail assembly 2101 can ensure the stability and accuracy of the slide valve cavity 220 during the translation process, avoiding jamming and deviation.

[0032] In some embodiments, multiple sliders 2102 adapted to the first guide rod 1102 and the second guide rod 2205 are fixedly assembled at the bottom of the slide valve cavity 220. The sliders 2102 are sleeved on the outside of the first guide rod 1102 and the second guide rod 2205, and can carry the entire slide valve cavity 220 to move radially along the through horizontal translation track, so as to realize the precise insertion, docking and separation of the slide valve cavity 220.

[0033] In some embodiments, a handle assembly is provided on the outer wall of the slide gate valve cavity 220 for pulling the slide gate valve cavity 220 to move in the horizontal direction, which facilitates the operation and movement of the slide gate valve cavity 220.

[0034] In some embodiments, the upper inclined flange 2201 at one end of the slide valve cavity 220 is a wedge-shaped inclined flange structure adapted to the lower inclined flange 1201, with a perfectly matched inclination angle. An airtight sealing ring is also embedded on the inclined mating surface of the flange. The inclination angles of the lower inclined flange 1201 and the upper inclined flange 2201 are matched to fully fit and compress the airtight sealing ring. A vacuum seal is formed by the wedge action of the inclined surface, so that the mating surface forms a gapless airtight seal. This achieves precise coaxial compression sealing between the upper inclined flange 2201 and the lower inclined flange 1201, ensuring high airtightness after the printing chamber 120 and the slide valve cavity 220 are mated. This inclined compression sealing method can achieve a more reliable sealing effect with a smaller force, effectively preventing vacuum fluctuations and dust backflow.

[0035] In some embodiments, a limit baffle 140 is fixedly provided on the lower side of the lower inclined connecting flange 1201. The limit baffle 140 is used to limit the horizontal translational stroke of the slide valve cavity 220 along the guide rail, so as to avoid excessive movement of the slide valve cavity 220, which may lead to inaccurate docking or damage to the equipment, and further improve the docking accuracy.

[0036] It should be understood that the position and size of the limit baffle 140 can be adjusted according to actual needs to ensure that the slide valve cavity 220 can accurately and smoothly dock with the printing chamber 120.

[0037] In some embodiments, the slide valve cavity 220 is provided with a slide valve mechanism 2202 and a molding cylinder assembly 2203. The slide valve mechanism 2202 is an electrically operated sealed gate structure that can independently block or open the top opening of the cavity, thereby achieving two-stage airtight isolation between the printing chamber 120 and the slide valve cavity 220. When the cavity is separated and the part is taken out, it can effectively isolate the outside air and maintain an oxygen-free environment inside the cavity. The slide gate valve mechanism 2202 is used to control the opening and closing of the bottom opening of the slide gate valve cavity 220.

[0038] In some embodiments, the slide gate valve mechanism 2202 is a manual vacuum slide gate valve, and the valve plate moves in a direction perpendicular to the electron beam axis. In some embodiments, the molding cylinder assembly 2203 includes a molding cylinder body and a printing substrate that is vertically and retractably disposed within the molding cylinder body; In some embodiments, a pneumatic component 2204 is provided at the bottom of the forming cylinder assembly 2203. The pneumatic component 2204 includes a pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate 2206 and a U-shaped fixing plate. A U-shaped groove is provided on one side of the pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate 2206. When the pneumatic component 2204 cooperates with the lifting mechanism 1202, the lead screw 1204 can pass through the opening end of the U-shaped fixing plate and the U-shaped groove to achieve the initial alignment of the pneumatic component 2204 and the lifting mechanism 1202. The pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate 2206 and the pneumatic flexible positioner docking plate 1206 are flexibly connected to form a positioning guide and flexible buffer for the lifting and lowering action of the forming cylinder assembly 2203. This can effectively offset mechanical assembly errors, buffer the hard impact of lifting and docking, protect the transmission structure and sealing structure, improve the stability of equipment operation, effectively avoid the impact and vibration that may be generated by rigid docking, and ensure the stability of equipment operation and forming accuracy. In some embodiments, the upper surface of the pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate 2206 is provided with a plurality of printing substrate lifting links 2207, the top of each printing substrate lifting link 2207 being connected to the bottom of the printing substrate, for use in conjunction with the lifting mechanism 1202 to achieve independent lifting of the printing substrate. In some embodiments, a locking cylinder 2209 is sleeved in the middle of each printing substrate lifting link 2207. The locking cylinder 2209 can lock and unlock the printing substrate lifting link 2207, lock and fix the substrate position during transportation to prevent the substrate from shaking and shifting, and realize the lifting and lowering of the molding cylinder by transmitting the lifting power of the lead screw 1204. The upper surface of each locking cylinder 2209 is connected to the lower surface of the U-shaped fixing plate. The upper surface of the U-shaped fixing plate is provided with multiple molding cylinder lifting links 2208. The top of each molding cylinder lifting link 2208 is connected to the bottom of the molding cylinder, and is used to cooperate with the lifting mechanism 1202 to realize the lifting and lowering of the molding cylinder.

[0039] The pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate 2206 and the pneumatic flexible positioner docking plate 1206 are flexibly attached inside the insertion plate valve cavity 220 to flexibly position and guide the printing substrate or forming cylinder, ensuring the flatness, levelness and alignment of the printing substrate with the electron beam scanning center during the lifting process. At the same time, it can also provide controllable flexible clamping force through air pressure adjustment, which can compensate for the position deviation caused by the replacement of the printing chamber 120 and absorb the stress caused by thermal deformation.

[0040] In some embodiments, a gas charging and discharging port is provided on the side wall of the slide valve cavity 220, which can be connected to a vacuum unit and an inert gas supply device. In some embodiments, a gas filling and emptying port is provided on the side wall of the slide valve cavity 220. The gas filling and emptying port is connected to an external vacuum replacement and inert gas supply device. When connected, the printing chamber 120 and the cavity as a whole can be evacuated and filled with inert gas to create an oxygen-free printing atmosphere. When the cavity is separated, the slide valve cavity 220 can be vented and depressurized separately to achieve oxygen-free removal of the forming cylinder assembly 2203 and the printed product. This completely avoids the problem of oxidation of active metal powder and high-temperature finished product when in contact with air, ensuring that the printing process is carried out in a high vacuum and low oxygen environment, thus improving the printing quality.

[0041] This disclosure also provides a compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing method, employing the aforementioned compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing apparatus, including: S1. The mobile insert plate assembly 200 is transferred to the preset docking position of the frame 110 by the universal rollers at the bottom of the mobile lifting vehicle 210. The positioning support feet are adjusted to level and lock the mobile lifting vehicle 210. The height of the mobile insert plate assembly 200 is adjusted by the lifting mechanism of the mobile lifting vehicle 210 so that the upper inclined connecting flange 2201 and the lower inclined connecting flange 1201 are at the same horizontal height and opposite each other. The second guide rod 2205 of the second guide rail assembly 2101 is aligned with the first guide rod 1102 of the first guide rail assembly 1101. The convex ring and concave ring are inserted and limited to form a continuous through translation track. S2. Manually push the slide gate valve cavity 220. Multiple sliders 2102 drive the slide gate valve cavity 220 to move radially along the through-track, so that the upper inclined connecting flange 2201 and the lower inclined connecting flange 1201 are inclined to fit together and press the airtight sealing ring, so as to achieve precise coaxial airtight docking between the upper inclined connecting flange 2201 and the lower inclined connecting flange 1201. One end of the slide gate valve cavity 220 abuts against the limiting baffle 140 to complete the translation limit. The locking device 130 on the side wall of the frame 110 mechanically locks the slide gate valve cavity 220, fixing the slide gate valve cavity 220 at the docking position on the frame 110, so as to avoid displacement, loosening and sealing failure during the printing process. At the same time, the lead screw 1204 of the lifting mechanism 1202 passes through the U-shaped groove opening end of the U-shaped fixed plate and the pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate 2206, completing the coaxial pre-alignment of the lifting mechanism 1202 and the pneumatic component 2204. S3. Through the gas filling and emptying interface of the slide valve cavity 220, a vacuum is applied to the entire interconnected printing chamber 120 and slide valve cavity 220 to achieve a sealed connection between the printing chamber 120 and slide valve cavity 220, allowing the two cavities to quickly reach 10... - A vacuum of ³Pa or higher creates a stable, sealed, oxygen-free molding environment for the two cavities. S4. Start the lifting drive motor 1203 to drive the lead screw 1204 to move vertically. Through the flexible mating of the pneumatic flexible positioner docking plate 1206 and the pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate 2206, the bottom of the forming cylinder assembly 2203 is flexibly docked, positioned and guided. The flexible docking structure offsets the accumulated errors of mechanical assembly, avoids the impact of hard docking, ensures the smoothness of lifting operation, and maintains the flatness, levelness and alignment of the printing substrate with the electron beam scanning center. At the same time, the pneumatic flexible positioner with adjustable air pressure provides controllable flexible clamping force, which can compensate for assembly deviations and thermal deformation stress of the equipment. The lifting mechanism 1202 works in conjunction with the pneumatic component 2204 to drive the printing substrate and the forming cylinder to rise axially through the printing substrate lifting link 2207 and the forming cylinder lifting link 2208 respectively, until the forming cylinder reaches the set position. Each locking cylinder 2209 is locked, and the forming cylinder assembly 2203 remains fixed in its initial position. S5. Unlock each locking cylinder 2209, and tighten and fix the forming cylinder body through the cylinder assembly 1205 at the upper end of the lead screw 1204. The lifting drive motor 1203 drives the lead screw 1204 to continue to move upward, and drives the printing substrate to be lifted step by step through the printing substrate lifting linkage 2207, so that the printing substrate reaches the initial printing height inside the printing chamber 120. S6. Start the electron beam printing equipment. The electron beam generated by the electron beam generator penetrates the printing chamber 120 and the opening of the insert valve mechanism 2202, irradiates the powder bed in the cavity, and melts the metal powder according to the preset scanning path to form a single-layer printing layer. After each layer is printed, the lifting mechanism 1202 moves down precisely by one printing layer thickness. During the printing process, the pneumatic flexible positioner mechanism remains in a close and locked state, effectively resisting the influence of vacuum negative pressure and gravity, preventing the printing substrate from drifting, and ensuring the forming accuracy. S7. After the printing operation is completed, the lifting mechanism 1202 drives the forming cylinder and the printing substrate to fall back and reset to the inside of the insert valve cavity 220. The locking cylinder 2209 controls the printing substrate lifting linkage 2207 to lock the overall position of the forming cylinder assembly 2203. The insert valve mechanism 2202 is activated to block the top opening of the insert valve cavity 220, realizing two-stage airtight isolation between the printing chamber 120 and the insert valve cavity 220, and preventing air leakage from the printing chamber 120 and the intrusion of outside air. S8. Release the locking device 130 from locking the slide valve cavity 220, manually push the slide valve cavity 220, and multiple sliders 2102 drive the slide valve cavity 220 to move radially along the through-track, so that the upper inclined flange 2201 and the lower inclined flange 1201 are released from the pressure seal, realizing the airtight separation of the printing chamber 120 and the slide valve cavity 220; move the slide valve cavity 220 as a whole away from the docking station, and transfer the slide valve cavity 220 with the finished product by the mobile lifting vehicle 210 for independent cooling, completing a single complete compartmentalized electron beam printing operation; In some embodiments, there is also step S9, where another mobile lifting vehicle 210 carries another mobile insert assembly 200 to be transported as a whole to the docking station of the printing assembly 100, and steps S1-S8 are repeated to realize that a single printing chamber 120 and a single electron beam source are matched with multiple sets of insert valve cavities 220 for rotational operation, and continuous printing is achieved, which significantly improves equipment utilization and batch production efficiency.

[0042] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0043] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise expressly specified.

[0044] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0045] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0046] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this disclosure. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0047] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing device, characterized in that: Includes printing components and moving insert components; The printing assembly includes a frame and a printing chamber located on top of the frame. The bottom of the printing chamber is provided with a downward sloping connecting flange, and a lifting mechanism is provided directly below the downward sloping connecting flange. A first guide rail assembly is provided horizontally on the frame located below the printing chamber. The movable slide plate assembly includes a movable lifting vehicle and a slide plate valve cavity disposed at the lifting end of the movable lifting vehicle. One end of the slide plate valve cavity is provided with an upper inclined surface connecting flange for fitting and sealing with the lower inclined surface connecting flange. The lifting end of the mobile lifting vehicle is provided with a second guide rail assembly for docking with the first guide rail assembly to form a through translation track. The bottom of the slide valve cavity is provided with a plurality of sliders adapted to the first guide rail assembly and the second guide rail assembly. The plurality of sliders are used to drive the slide valve cavity to move radially along the through translation track, so that the lower inclined surface connecting flange and the upper inclined surface connecting flange are pressed together to seal or release the seal, thereby realizing the sealed connection or separation of the printing chamber and the slide valve cavity. The insert valve cavity is provided with an insert valve mechanism and a forming cylinder assembly. A pneumatic component is provided at the bottom of the forming cylinder assembly. When the printing chamber is sealed and connected to the insert valve cavity, the pneumatic component cooperates with the lifting mechanism to drive the forming cylinder assembly to move up and down axially. The molding cylinder assembly includes a molding cylinder body and a printing substrate that can be lifted and lowered within the molding cylinder body. The lifting mechanism includes a lifting drive motor and a lead screw vertically disposed at the drive end of the lifting drive motor. A cylinder assembly is sleeved on the upper end of the lead screw, and a pneumatic flexible positioner docking plate is sleeved on the lower end. The pneumatic assembly includes a pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate and a U-shaped fixing plate. A U-shaped groove is provided on one side of the pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate. When the pneumatic assembly cooperates with the lifting mechanism, the lead screw can pass through the opening end of the U-shaped fixing plate and the U-shaped groove to achieve coaxial and precise alignment of the pneumatic assembly and the lifting mechanism. The lead screw drives the pneumatic flexible positioner docking plate to flexibly fit and connect with the pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate, which is used to provide positioning guidance and flexible buffer for the lifting and lowering action of the forming cylinder assembly. The upper surface of the pneumatic flexible positioner insertion plate is provided with multiple printing substrate lifting links. The top of each printing substrate lifting link is connected to the bottom of the printing substrate, and is used to cooperate with the lifting mechanism to realize the lifting of the printing substrate. Each of the printing substrate lifting linkages is fitted with a locking cylinder in the middle. The upper surface of each locking cylinder is connected to the lower surface of the U-shaped fixing plate. The upper surface of the U-shaped fixing plate is provided with multiple forming cylinder lifting linkages. The top of each forming cylinder lifting linkage is connected to the bottom of the forming cylinder, which is used to cooperate with the lifting mechanism to realize the lifting of the forming cylinder. The slide gate valve mechanism is used to control the opening and closing of the bottom opening of the slide gate valve cavity.

2. The compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the lower and upper inclined connecting flanges are provided with airtight sealing rings on their inclined mating surfaces. The inclination angles of the lower and upper inclined connecting flanges are matched to fully fit and compress the airtight sealing rings, so that the mating surfaces of the printing chamber and the slide valve cavity form a gapless airtight seal.

3. The compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first guide rail assembly includes a first U-shaped guide rail frame disposed below the printing chamber. The first U-shaped guide rail frame has first guide rods symmetrically disposed on opposite sides. A concave ring is disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the first guide rod at the open end of the first U-shaped guide rail frame. The second guide rail assembly includes a second U-shaped guide rail frame disposed on the lifting end of the mobile lifting vehicle. The second U-shaped guide rail frame is symmetrically provided with second guide rods on opposite sides. A convex ring adapted to the concave ring is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second guide rod at the open end of the second U-shaped guide rail frame. The convex ring is inserted into the concave ring so that the first guide rod and the second guide rod are connected to form a continuous horizontal translation track. The bottom of the slide valve cavity is provided with a plurality of sliders sleeved on the second guide rod. The plurality of sliders are used to drive the slide valve cavity to move radially along the horizontal translation track formed by the docking of the first guide rail assembly and the second guide rail assembly.

4. The compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: A limit baffle is provided on the lower side of the inclined connecting flange, which is used to limit the horizontal translational stroke of the slide valve cavity along the guide rail.

5. The compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: A locking device is also provided on the side wall of the frame, which is used to lock and fix the insert valve cavity after the printing chamber and the insert valve cavity are sealed and connected.

6. The compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The mobile lifting vehicle is equipped with omnidirectional rollers and positioning support feet at the bottom. The omnidirectional rollers are used to move the mobile lifting vehicle, and the positioning support feet are used to fix the position of the mobile lifting vehicle.

7. The compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: A gas filling and discharging port is provided on the side wall of the slide valve cavity. The gas filling and discharging port is connected to an external vacuum replacement and inert gas supply device for evacuating or replacing the printing chamber and the slide valve cavity with gas.

8. The compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: A handle assembly is provided on the outer wall of the slide valve cavity for pulling the slide valve cavity to move horizontally.

9. A compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing method, characterized in that, The compartmentalized electron beam 3D printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1-8 includes the following steps: S1. The mobile lifting vehicle is used to transfer the mobile insert assembly to the docking station of the printing assembly. The height of the mobile lifting vehicle is adjusted so that the second guide rail assembly is precisely aligned with the first guide rail assembly on the frame to form a complete through-track. S2. The multiple sliders drive the slide valve cavity to move radially along the through-track, moving the movable slide assembly to below the printing chamber, so that the lower inclined connecting flange and the upper inclined connecting flange are pressed together to seal, achieving airtight communication between the printing chamber and the slide valve cavity; S3. Start the lifting mechanism to flexibly fit and connect with the pneumatic component. The lifting mechanism drives the pneumatic component to rise and fall, so that the forming cylinder component reaches the printing position for printing. S4. After printing is completed, the lifting mechanism drives the pneumatic component to descend, so that the printing chamber is separated from the forming cylinder assembly, the insert valve mechanism is activated to seal the insert valve cavity, so as to achieve airtight isolation between the printing chamber and the insert valve cavity, and the lower inclined surface connecting flange and the upper inclined surface connecting flange are unsealed. S5. The multiple sliders drive the insert valve cavity to move radially along the through translation track, so that the movable insert assembly moves to the movable lifting vehicle. The movable lifting vehicle moves the second guide rail assembly to disengage from the first guide rail assembly on the frame. The movable lifting vehicle moves and cools the insert valve cavity, thereby completing a single printing job. S6. Using another mobile lifting vehicle, another mobile insert plate assembly is transported as a whole to the docking station of the printing assembly. Repeat steps S1-S5 to achieve continuous beam supply printing by matching a single printing chamber and a single electron beam source with multiple insert plate valve cavities.

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