Multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment and method

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment and method, it is related to 3D printing technical field, including pedestal, its inside is hollow and is contained with rotary drive assembly, the pedestal is annular arrangement;Center rotary disc, setting in the upper portion of the pedestal, by the rotary indexing rotation of rotary drive assembly around vertical axis;Cantilever execution mechanism;Through the rotary indexing cooperation of pedestal and center rotary disc and the radial uniform arrangement of multiple groups of cantilever execution mechanism, each nozzle independent operation and physical partition does not block each other, so that the motion interference problem of traditional gantry multi-nozzle equipment is eliminated from the root, after the rotary indexing of center rotary disc, the printing nozzle of each group of cantilever execution mechanism vertically faces the corresponding group of linear sliding tooling table below, to form independent operation station, so that each station parallel synchronous printing, under the same printing length, batch output is improved by four times, effectively fill the blank of desktop 3D printing equipment low-cost batch production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and more specifically to a multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment and method. Background Technology

[0002] 3D printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing, is a rapid prototyping technology that builds three-dimensional solids by depositing materials layer by layer. In the field of desktop 3D printing equipment, the mainstream equipment configurations currently include gantry, cantilever, and delta structures. Among these, the gantry-type three-axis motion platform is widely used in dual-nozzle or multi-nozzle equipment due to its structural stability and mature control. Traditional multi-nozzle 3D printing equipment typically uses a design that mounts two or four printing nozzles on a single gantry. All nozzles share the same X / Y / Z motion platform, and switching between different nozzles is achieved through time-sharing control. This multi-nozzle layout scheme with a shared motion platform improves the single-pass printing capacity to a certain extent, providing a hardware foundation for multi-material or multi-color printing.

[0003] However, the aforementioned traditional multi-head printing equipment has a significant drawback: all printheads share a single XY motion platform, making it impossible for each printhead to achieve completely independent spatial positioning control. When one printhead is performing a printing task, the other printheads must move aside or remain in non-working areas, inevitably causing mutual encroachment and interference within their travel range. This prevents true parallel and independent operation of multiple printheads, severely hindering the improvement of mass production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment to solve the problem in the prior art where multiple nozzles share a motion platform, causing nozzle motion interference and making it impossible to achieve truly parallel and independent operation.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment, including a base, which is hollow inside and houses a rotary drive assembly, wherein the base is annular;

[0006] A central rotary table is disposed above the base and is rotated in increments around a vertical axis by the rotary drive assembly;

[0007] A cantilever actuator, wherein multiple cantilever actuators are evenly distributed around the circumference of the central rotary disk and are fixedly arranged radially on the central rotary disk. Each set of cantilever actuators includes a cantilever support, a consumable reel feeding assembly located at the tail of the cantilever, and a printing nozzle and extrusion assembly located at the end of the cantilever. The cantilever support is provided with a feeding channel inside.

[0008] Multiple sets of linear sliding fixtures, corresponding to the number of cantilever actuators, are evenly arranged along the outer circumference of the base. Each set of linear sliding fixtures includes a linear guide rail, a sliding loading platform, and a positioning mechanism. The linear sliding fixtures are used to support the printing substrate.

[0009] A central lifting and leveling mechanism is located in the middle of the central rotary table. It includes a vertical lead screw and a guide rod. The central lifting and leveling mechanism also includes a lifting platform. The lifting platform is rigidly connected to all cantilever supports and drives all cantilever actuators to lift and lower synchronously to uniformly adjust the Z-axis working distance between the printing nozzle and the corresponding linear sliding fixture.

[0010] After the central rotary table rotates and indexes, the printing nozzles of each cantilever actuator are vertically aligned with the corresponding linear sliding fixture below, forming an independent work station.

[0011] Furthermore, the rotary drive assembly includes a servo motor, a reducer, and a positioning and locking mechanism, which is used to lock the position of the central rotary table after the indexing rotation is completed.

[0012] Furthermore, the central rotary table has multiple sets of mounting reference holes for detachably fixing the cantilever bracket.

[0013] Furthermore, the cantilever bracket is provided with weight reduction holes and mounting adjustment slots, and the height and angle of the cantilever bracket can be adjusted through the mounting adjustment slots.

[0014] Furthermore, the consumable reel feeding assembly is installed with a detachable bushing, and its rotating shaft is equipped with a damping buffer structure; the print head side at the end of the cantilever is equipped with a servo motor for driving the print head to deflect in order to achieve support-free printing.

[0015] Furthermore, the cantilever bracket and the lifting platform are rigidly connected by a flange seat, and multiple cantilever brackets share the same central lifting and leveling mechanism to achieve synchronous lifting.

[0016] Furthermore, the central lifting and leveling mechanism also includes a limit switch and a mechanical limit block disposed at the top or bottom of the lead screw, and its lifting drive motor is integrated in the middle of the central rotary table and rotates synchronously with the central rotary table.

[0017] Furthermore, the sliding loading platform of the linear sliding tooling table is a structure that can be quickly disassembled and replaced, and its side is provided with a spring-loaded positioning structure for automatic centering after the workpiece is placed; the base is provided with a wiring groove.

[0018] Furthermore, the print head and extrusion assembly are independent feeding modules. The consumable reel feeding assembly and extrusion assembly of each cantilever actuator are independent of each other, supporting the simultaneous loading of different types of consumables.

[0019] A multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing method, employing the aforementioned multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment, includes the following steps:

[0020] Multiple printing substrates are placed on each linear sliding fixture, and all cantilever actuators are driven to lift synchronously through the central lifting and leveling mechanism to complete the unified calibration of the Z-axis reference of all stations.

[0021] Each cantilever actuator is activated to independently perform 3D printing operations, and workpieces are formed simultaneously at each workstation.

[0022] The 3D printing operation includes mass production mode or four-color customization mode. In mass production mode, the printing parameters of the four cantilever actuators are completely consistent, the filament reel feeding components of each set are loaded with the same filament, and the four printing nozzles synchronously replicate the same part. In four-color customization mode, the four cantilever actuators are loaded with four different colors or different materials of filament, and each printing nozzle is fixed to one color or one material. Each set of linear sliding fixtures executes the printing path of the color or material area of ​​the current printing layer printing nozzle.

[0023] After all printheads have finished printing their current area, the drive center rotary table rotates 90 degrees, causing each cantilever actuator to align sequentially with the next set of linear sliding fixtures to print the color or material area of ​​the current layer for another part. After all printheads have finished printing the color or material area of ​​the current layer for the four parts on the four linear sliding fixtures, the height is raised by one layer, and the process continues to print the next layer. After all layers have been printed, the process stops and the printhead rises to a preset height, then the finished product is removed, completing the batch 3D printing.

[0024] Compared with existing technologies, this invention eliminates the motion interference problem of traditional gantry multi-nozzle equipment by using the rotation indexing of the base and the central rotary table and the radially evenly arranged multiple sets of cantilever actuators. Each nozzle operates independently and the physical partitions do not obstruct each other. After the central rotary table rotates and indexes, the printing nozzles of each set of cantilever actuators are vertically aligned with a set of linear sliding fixtures below to form an independent working station. This allows each station to print in parallel and synchronously, increasing batch output by four times under the same printing time, effectively filling the gap in low-cost mass production of desktop 3D printing equipment.

[0025] The vertical lead screw and guide rod in the central lifting and leveling mechanism are rigidly connected to the lifting platform and all cantilever brackets, driving all cantilever actuators to lift and lower synchronously to uniformly adjust the Z-axis working distance between the printing nozzle and the corresponding linear sliding fixture table. The benchmark calibration of all workstations is completed at one time, which greatly reduces the debugging threshold and maintenance time for operators, and eliminates common problems of inconsistent height, layer thickness error and edge curling and bed adhesion among multiple nozzles.

[0026] Each cantilever actuator is independently configured with a consumable reel feeding component and an extrusion component. The independent feeding system supports the simultaneous loading of different types of consumables, enabling the equipment to simultaneously replicate the same part with four sets of printheads in mass production mode, and to print four different colors or different materials of workpieces at the same time in customization mode. This takes into account the diversified production needs of both batch orders and individual customized orders. At the same time, the consumable paths are separated from each other, avoiding the problems of multiple consumables tangling and feeding jams.

[0027] By creating weight-reduction holes and installing adjustment slots on the cantilever bracket to reduce motion inertia, and rigidly connecting the cantilever bracket and the lifting platform through flange seats, multiple cantilever brackets can share the same central lifting drive. If a single cantilever actuator fails, it can be disassembled and repaired separately while the remaining workstations continue to operate normally, significantly improving the stability of continuous operation and the convenience of maintenance of the equipment. The printing nozzle at the end of the cantilever is equipped with a servo motor to drive the nozzle deflection, so that no additional support structure is needed when printing in the suspended area, effectively saving materials and reducing post-processing steps. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at the vertical lead screw provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at the printing substrate provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at the central carbon brush provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0035] 1. Base; 11. Rotary drive assembly; 2. Central rotary table; 3. Cantilever actuator; 31. Consumable reel feeding assembly; 32. Printing nozzle; 4. Linear sliding fixture; 41. Linear guide rail; 42. Sliding loading platform; 43. Printing substrate; 5. Vertical lead screw; 51. Guide rod. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] As attached Figure 1 To be continued Figure 5 As shown:

[0038] Example 1:

[0039] This invention provides a multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment, including a base 1, which is hollow inside and houses a rotary drive assembly 11, and the base 1 is ring-shaped.

[0040] The central rotary table 2 is located above the base 1 and is driven by the rotary drive assembly 11 to rotate in increments around the vertical axis.

[0041] Cantilever actuator 3, multiple cantilever actuators 3 are evenly distributed around the circumference of the central rotary table 2 and are fixedly arranged radially on the central rotary table 2. Each set of cantilever actuators 3 includes a cantilever bracket, a consumable reel feeding assembly 31 set at the tail of the cantilever, a printing nozzle 32 set at the end of the cantilever, and an extrusion assembly. The cantilever bracket is provided with a feeding channel inside.

[0042] Multiple linear sliding fixtures 4, corresponding to the number of cantilever actuators 3, are evenly arranged along the outer circumference of the base 1. Each linear sliding fixture 4 includes a linear guide rail 41, a sliding material loading platform 42 and a positioning mechanism. The linear sliding fixture 4 is used to support the printing substrate 43.

[0043] The central lifting and leveling mechanism is located in the middle of the central rotary table 2. It includes a vertical lead screw 5 and a guide rod 51. The central lifting and leveling mechanism also includes a lifting platform 52. The lifting platform 52 is rigidly connected to all the cantilever supports and drives all the cantilever actuators 3 to lift and lower synchronously to uniformly adjust the Z-axis working distance between the printing nozzle 32 and the corresponding linear sliding fixture table 4.

[0044] After the central rotary table 2 rotates and indexes, the printing nozzles 32 of each group of cantilever actuators 3 are vertically aligned with the corresponding group of linear sliding fixtures 4 below, forming an independent work station.

[0045] Furthermore, the rotary drive assembly includes a servo motor, a reducer, and a positioning and locking mechanism, which is used to lock the position of the central rotary table 2 after the indexing rotation is completed.

[0046] The central rotary table 2 has multiple sets of mounting reference holes for detachable fixing of the cantilever bracket.

[0047] Specifically, the cantilever bracket is equipped with weight reduction holes and mounting adjustment slots, and the height and angle of the cantilever bracket can be adjusted through the mounting adjustment slots.

[0048] It should be noted that the consumable reel feeding assembly 31 adopts a detachable bushing type installation, and its rotating shaft is equipped with a damping buffer structure; the print head 32 at the end of the cantilever is equipped with a servo motor on its side, which is used to drive the print head to deflect in order to achieve support-free printing.

[0049] Furthermore, the cantilever bracket and the lifting platform 52 are rigidly connected by a flange seat, and multiple sets of cantilever brackets share the same central lifting and leveling mechanism to achieve synchronous lifting.

[0050] The central lifting and leveling mechanism also includes limit switches and mechanical limit blocks located at the top or bottom of the lead screw, and its lifting drive motor is integrated in the middle of the central rotary table 2 and rotates synchronously with the central rotary table 2.

[0051] In addition, the sliding loading platform 42 of the linear sliding tooling table 4 is a structure that can be quickly disassembled and replaced. Its side is provided with a spring clamping positioning structure for automatic centering positioning after the workpiece is placed; the base 1 is provided with a wiring groove.

[0052] Furthermore, the print head 32 and the extrusion assembly are independent feeding modules. The consumable reel feeding assembly 31 and the extrusion assembly of each cantilever actuator 3 are independent of each other, supporting the simultaneous loading of different types of consumables.

[0053] In mass production mode, the printing parameters of the four cantilever actuators 3 are completely identical. The consumable reel feeding components 31 of each group are loaded with the same consumable, and the four printheads 32 synchronously replicate the same part, achieving mass production. In four-color customization mode, the four cantilever actuators 3 are loaded with four different colors of the same consumable or four different materials of consumable. Each cantilever actuator 3 executes its own independent slicing G code. Each station prints a single part of a different color or material. The number of colors for a single part can reach four without changing consumables during the printing process. That is, each printhead 32 is fixed to one color or material. The complete forming of four-color parts can be completed in one printing stroke without the need to set up a material changing mechanism or pause for material changing in the middle. This takes into account the diversified production needs of batch orders and scattered customized orders with multiple materials and colors.

[0054] Furthermore, the hollow interior of the base accommodates the rotary drive assembly and features cable routing channels, coupled with a central carbon brush power supply, effectively preventing messy and tangled external cables. The sliding loading platform of the linear sliding fixture is designed for quick disassembly and replacement, and features a spring-loaded positioning structure on the side to achieve automatic centering of the workpiece. Combined with the intermittent rotation and indexing function of the central rotary table, this enables continuous production line operations with uninterrupted unloading and loading after printing, significantly improving equipment space utilization and continuous production efficiency.

[0055] Working Principle: The base 1 has an overall annular disc-shaped structure with a hollow interior housing the rotary drive assembly 11. The base 1 serves as the fixed support foundation for the entire machine, remaining stationary on the worktable. The rotary drive assembly 11 includes a servo motor, a reducer, and a positioning and locking mechanism. The servo motor drives the central rotary disk 2 to rotate indexed around the vertical axis via the reducer. The positioning and locking mechanism locks the position of the central rotary disk 2 after the indexed rotation is complete. The central rotary disk 2 is positioned above the base 1 and is driven by the rotary drive assembly 11 to rotate indexed around the vertical axis. Multiple sets of mounting reference holes are pre-drilled on the central rotary disk 2 for detachable fixing of the cantilever bracket. The cantilever actuator 3 is configured into four groups. The four groups of cantilever actuator 3 are evenly distributed around the circumference of the central rotary disk 2 and are fixedly arranged radially on the central rotary disk 2. The included angle between adjacent cantilever actuator 3 is 90°. Each group of cantilever actuator 3 includes a cantilever support, a consumable reel feeding assembly 31 set at the tail of the cantilever, a printing nozzle 32 set at the end of the cantilever, and an extrusion assembly. The cantilever support has a feeding channel inside. The consumable is transported from the tail reel to the end printing nozzle 32 through the feeding channel. The cantilever support has weight reduction holes and installation adjustment slots. The height and angle of the cantilever support can be adjusted by the installation adjustment slots. Four sets of linear sliding fixtures 4 correspond to the number of four sets of cantilever actuators 3, and are evenly arranged along the outer circumference of the base 1. Each set of linear sliding fixtures 4 includes a linear guide rail 41, a sliding loading platform 42 and a positioning mechanism. The linear sliding fixtures 4 are used to support the printing substrate 43. The sliding loading platform 42 is a structure that can be quickly disassembled and replaced. Its side is provided with a spring-loaded positioning structure for automatic centering after the workpiece is placed. The base 1 is provided with a cable tray for storing cables. The central lifting and leveling mechanism is located in the middle of the central rotary table 2, including a vertical lead screw 5 and a guide rod 51. The mechanism also includes a lifting platform 52, which is rigidly connected to all cantilever supports via flange seats. A lifting drive motor is integrated in the middle of the central rotary table 2 and rotates synchronously with it, driving the vertical lead screw 5 to rotate. The lifting platform 52 rises and falls vertically along the guide rod 51, thereby driving all cantilever actuators 3 to rise and fall synchronously to uniformly adjust the Z-axis working distance between the printhead 32 and the corresponding linear sliding fixture 4. The Z-axis is the vertical direction perpendicular to the bearing plane of the linear sliding fixture 4. The central lifting and leveling mechanism also includes limit switches and mechanical limit blocks located at the top or bottom of the lead screw to prevent overtravel. After the central rotary table 2 rotates and indexes, the printhead 32 of each group of cantilever actuators 3 is vertically aligned with the corresponding group of linear sliding fixtures 4 below, forming an independent working station. The physical partitions between these stations do not obstruct each other.The print head 32 and the extrusion assembly are independent feeding modules. The consumable reel feeding assembly 31 and the extrusion assembly of each cantilever actuator 3 are independent of each other, supporting the simultaneous loading of different types of consumables. The consumable reel feeding assembly 31 adopts a detachable bushing type installation, and its rotating shaft is equipped with a damping buffer structure. The print head 32 at the end of the cantilever is equipped with a servo motor on its side to drive the print head to deflect in order to achieve support-free printing.

[0056] The output shaft of the servo motor is fixedly connected to the print head 32. The servo motor directly drives the print head 32 to deflect around the horizontal axis through the rotation of its output shaft. The rotation angle range of the servo motor is 0 to 90°. The control system calculates the required deflection angle in real time according to the geometric characteristics of the suspended area of ​​the current printing layer and outputs the corresponding PWM signal to drive the servo motor to rotate. When the rotation angle of the servo motor is 0°, the print head 32 is in a vertical state, i.e., the normal printing posture. When the rotation angle of the servo motor is greater than 0°, the print head 32 deflects towards the suspended area, causing the extruded consumables to accumulate along an inclined path. The deflection angle is dynamically adjusted according to the span of the suspended area, and can be deflected up to 90°, i.e., the print head is completely horizontal. When the model slicing software detects a suspended area in the current layer, the control system drives the servo motor to deflect the print head 32 to a preset angle before printing that area. This causes the filament extruded from the print head to accumulate layer by layer in an inclined manner, forming a self-supporting inclined transition layer in the suspended area. After the layer solidifies, the control system gradually reduces the deflection angle of the servo motor to return the print head 32 to the center and continue printing the next layer. By driving the print head 32 to deflect dynamically within the range of 0 to 90°, the suspended area does not require additional soluble support material or mechanical support structure. It achieves supportless molding entirely by relying on the overlap of the material itself during the inclined accumulation process.

[0057] An external power supply is connected to the circuit board on the central rotary table 2 via a central carbon brush power supply. The cable leading out of the circuit board supplies power to the print head 32 and the servo motor on the side of the print head via a lead tube. The drive motors of the four linear sliding fixture tables 4 and the rotary drive assembly 11 are connected to the external board. The carbon brush power supply component includes a carbon brush holder fixedly set inside the base 1 and carbon brushes installed on the carbon brush holder, and a conductive slip ring fixedly set at the bottom of the central rotary table 2 and coaxially set with the central rotary table 2. The carbon brush and the annular conductive rail of the conductive slip ring always maintain sliding contact. The external power cable is connected to the carbon brush holder. The current is transmitted to the conductive slip ring through the carbon brush, and then to the circuit board on the central rotary table 2 through the wires leading out of the conductive slip ring. Since the conductive slip ring rotates synchronously with the central rotary table 2 while the carbon brush remains stationary, the two achieve dynamic conductivity through sliding contact. This allows the central rotary table 2 to obtain a continuous and stable power supply in any rotation angle state, fundamentally solving the problem of power supply cable entanglement when the central rotary table 2 rotates continuously.

[0058] The cables leading from the circuit board converge in the take-up tube located in the middle of the central rotary table 2. The take-up tube is a vertically arranged hollow tubular structure. Its lower end is fixed to the circuit board of the central rotary table 2, and its upper end extends to the convergence area of ​​the cantilever bracket. The power supply lines and signal lines of all cantilever actuators 3 are led out from the circuit board, run upward through the inside of the take-up tube, and then disperse from the outlet at the upper end of the take-up tube to the print head 32 and servo motor of each group of cantilever actuators 3. When the central lifting and leveling mechanism drives the lifting platform 52 to move all the cantilever actuators 3 synchronously up and down, the relative position between each group of cantilever actuators 3 and the central rotary table 2 remains unchanged. The cable length connecting the circuit board and the cantilever actuator 3 is fixed. When the cable moves up and down as a whole with the cantilever actuator 3, it only slides longitudinally in the take-up tube and will not bend, twist or entangle. Therefore, the lifting movement will not pull or damage the cable. All the power supply lines and signal lines led out from the circuit board on the central rotary table 2 are first collected and organized by the cable bundle ring set in the middle of the central rotary table 2. The cable bundle ring is a ring hollow component. After each cable is led out from the circuit board, it passes into the ring cavity of the cable bundle ring to complete the initial collection. Then it is laid along the preset feeding channel or specially set cable groove inside each group of cantilever brackets to the printing nozzle 32 and servo motor at the end of the cantilever. The cables corresponding to each group of cantilever actuators 3 are evenly distributed radially in space, and the cables of adjacent cantilever actuators 3 do not cross or overlap. The vertically arranged take-up tube in the center of the central rotary table 2, also known as the aforementioned lead tube, serves to constrain and protect the bundled cables. Both the upper and lower ends of the take-up tube are equipped with arc-shaped protective structures to prevent the cable insulation layer from being cut by the tube opening. All cables run vertically inside the take-up tube. When the central lifting and leveling mechanism drives the lifting platform 52 to synchronously lift all the cantilever supports and cantilever actuators 3, each cable only undergoes axial relative sliding inside the take-up tube. A reasonable gap is left between the inner diameter of the take-up tube and the outer diameter of the cable bundle to provide sufficient sliding space, ensuring that the cables always move within the constraint range of the inner cavity of the take-up tube during the lifting process. They will not bend, twist, or interfere with other moving parts due to the lifting of the cantilever, thereby effectively protecting the cables and ensuring the long-term stability of power supply and signal transmission.

[0059] Example 2:

[0060] This embodiment is basically the same as the previous embodiment, except that a multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing method using the above-mentioned multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment includes the following steps:

[0061] Multiple sets of printing substrates 43 are placed on each set of linear sliding fixtures 4, and all cantilever actuators 3 are driven to lift synchronously through the central lifting and leveling mechanism to complete the unified calibration of the Z-axis reference of all stations.

[0062] Each cantilever actuator is activated to independently perform 3D printing operations, and the workpiece is formed simultaneously at each station.

[0063] The 3D printing operation includes mass production mode or four-color customization mode. In mass production mode, the printing parameters of the four cantilever actuators 3 are completely consistent, the filament reel feeding components 31 of each group are loaded with the same filament, and the four printing nozzles 32 synchronously replicate the same part. In four-color customization mode, the four cantilever actuators 3 are loaded with four different colors or different materials of filament, and each cantilever actuator 3 executes its own independent slicing file. Each printing nozzle 32 is fixed to one color or one material. The complete molding of multi-color or multi-material parts can be completed in one printing stroke without changing the filament.

[0064] 3D printing operations include mass production mode or four-color customization mode. In mass production mode, the printing parameters of the four cantilever actuators 3 are completely consistent, the same type of filament reel feeding assembly 31 is loaded in each group, and the four printing nozzles 32 synchronously replicate the same part. In four-color customization mode, the four cantilever actuators 3 are loaded with four different colors or different materials of filament, and each printing nozzle 32 is fixed to one color or one material. Each linear sliding fixture 4 executes the printing path of the color or material area of ​​the current printing layer printing nozzle 32.

[0065] After all the printheads 32 have finished printing the current area, the drive center rotary table 2 rotates 90 degrees, so that each cantilever actuator 3 is aligned with the next set of linear sliding fixtures 4 in sequence, to print the color or material area of ​​the current layer of the printhead 32 for another part; after all the printheads 32 have finished printing the color or material area of ​​the current layer of the four parts on the four linear sliding fixtures 4 in sequence, the height is raised by one layer, and the process of printing the next layer continues; after all layers have been printed, the work stops and the finished product is removed after the preset height is raised synchronously, thus completing the batch 3D printing.

[0066] Working principle: First, multiple printing substrates 43 are placed on each linear sliding fixture 4. A central lifting and leveling mechanism drives all cantilever actuators 3 to move synchronously up and down along the Z-axis, which is the vertical direction perpendicular to the bearing plane of the linear sliding fixture 4. This ensures uniform calibration of the vertical working distance between all printing nozzles 32 and their corresponding linear sliding fixtures 4, completing the unified calibration of the Z-axis reference for all four printing nozzles 32 in one operation. Then, each cantilever actuator 3 independently performs 3D printing. Each of the four cantilever actuators 3 independently executes the G-code instructions generated by slicing, simultaneously forming four complete workpieces at the four stations. During this process, the filament reel feeding components 31 of each cantilever actuator 3 feed independently without interference. 3D printing operations include mass production mode or four-color customization mode. In mass production mode, the printing parameters of the four cantilever actuators 3 are completely consistent, the same type of filament reel feeding assembly 31 is loaded in each group, and the four printing nozzles 32 synchronously replicate the same part. In four-color customization mode, the four cantilever actuators 3 are loaded with four different colors or different materials of filament, and each printing nozzle 32 is fixed to one color or one material. Each linear sliding fixture 4 executes the printing path of the color or material area of ​​the current printing layer printing nozzle 32.

[0067] After all the printheads 32 have finished printing the current area, the drive center rotary table 2 rotates 90 degrees, so that each cantilever actuator 3 is aligned with the next set of linear sliding fixtures 4 in sequence, to print the color or material area of ​​the current layer of the printhead 32 for another part; after all the printheads 32 have finished printing the color or material area of ​​the current layer of the four parts on the four linear sliding fixtures 4 in sequence, the height is raised by one layer, and the process of printing the next layer continues; after all layers have been printed, the work stops and the finished product is removed after the preset height is raised synchronously, thus completing the batch 3D printing.

[0068] The foregoing has only described certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention by way of illustration. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art can modify the described embodiments in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment, characterized in that, Includes a base (1), which is hollow inside and houses a rotary drive assembly (11), the base (1) being annular; A central rotary table (2) is disposed above the base (1) and is rotated in increments around the vertical axis by the rotary drive assembly (11); Cantilever actuator (3), multiple cantilever actuators (3) are evenly distributed along the circumference of the central rotary disk (2) and fixedly arranged radially on the central rotary disk (2). Each set of cantilever actuators (3) includes a cantilever bracket, a consumable reel feeding assembly (31) set at the tail of the cantilever, a printing nozzle (32) set at the end of the cantilever, and an extrusion assembly. The cantilever bracket is provided with a feeding channel inside. Multiple linear sliding fixtures (4), corresponding to the number of cantilever actuators (3), are evenly arranged around the outer circumference of the base (1). Each set of linear sliding fixtures (4) includes a linear guide rail (41), a sliding loading platform (42) and a positioning mechanism. The linear sliding fixtures (4) are used to support the printing substrate (43). The central lifting and leveling mechanism is located in the middle of the central rotary table (2), including a vertical lead screw (5) and a guide rod (51). The central lifting and leveling mechanism also includes a lifting platform (52). The lifting platform (52) is rigidly connected to all cantilever supports and drives all cantilever actuators (3) to lift synchronously to uniformly adjust the Z-axis working distance between the printing nozzle (32) and the corresponding linear sliding fixture table (4). After the central rotary table (2) is rotated and indexed, the printing nozzle (32) of each group of cantilever actuators (3) is vertically aligned with the corresponding group of linear sliding fixtures (4) below, forming an independent work station.

2. The multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotary drive assembly includes a servo motor, a reducer and a positioning and locking mechanism. The positioning and locking mechanism is used to lock the position of the central rotary table (2) after the indexing rotation is in place.

3. The multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central rotary table (2) has multiple sets of mounting reference holes for detachably fixing the cantilever bracket.

4. The multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cantilever bracket is provided with weight reduction holes and mounting adjustment slots, and the height and angle of the cantilever bracket can be adjusted through the mounting adjustment slots.

5. The multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The consumable reel feeding assembly (31) is installed with a detachable bushing and its rotating shaft is equipped with a damping buffer structure; the printing nozzle (32) at the end of the cantilever is equipped with a servo motor on its side, which is used to drive the nozzle to deflect in order to achieve support-free printing.

6. The multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cantilever bracket and the lifting platform (52) are rigidly connected by a flange seat, and multiple cantilever brackets share the same central lifting and leveling mechanism to achieve synchronous lifting.

7. The multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central lifting and leveling mechanism also includes a limit switch and a mechanical limit block set at the top or bottom of the lead screw, and its lifting drive motor is integrated in the middle of the central rotary table (2) and rotates synchronously with the central rotary table (2).

8. The multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding loading platform (42) of the linear sliding tooling table (4) is a quick-disassembly and replacement structure, and its side is provided with a spring-loaded positioning structure for automatic centering after the workpiece is placed; the base (1) is provided with a wiring groove inside.

9. The multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The print head (32) and extrusion assembly are independent feeding modules. The consumable reel feeding assembly (31) and extrusion assembly of each cantilever actuator (3) are independent of each other, supporting the simultaneous loading of different types of consumables.

10. A multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing method, characterized in that, The 3D printing method using the multi-station collaborative batch 3D printing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 9 includes the following steps: Multiple sets of printing substrates (43) are placed on each set of linear sliding fixtures (4), and all cantilever actuators (3) are driven to lift synchronously through the central lifting and leveling mechanism to complete the unified calibration of the Z-axis reference of all workstations. Start each group of cantilever actuators (3) to independently carry out 3D printing operations, and each station simultaneously forms workpieces; The 3D printing operation includes mass production mode or four-color customization mode. In mass production mode, the printing parameters of the four cantilever actuators (3) are completely consistent, the material reel feeding components (31) of each group load the same material, and the four printing nozzles (32) synchronously replicate the same part. In four-color customization mode, the four cantilever actuators (3) load four different colors or different materials of material respectively, and each printing nozzle (32) is fixed to correspond to one color or one material. Each linear sliding fixture (4) executes the printing path of the color or material area of ​​the current printing layer printing nozzle (32). After all the printing nozzles (32) have finished printing the current area, drive the central rotary table (2) to rotate 90 degrees, so that each cantilever actuator (3) is aligned with the next set of linear sliding fixtures (4) in turn to print the color or material area of ​​the current layer of the printing nozzle (32) for another part; after all the printing nozzles (32) have finished printing the color or material area of ​​the current layer of the four parts on the four linear sliding fixtures (4) in turn, raise one layer height and continue to print the next layer according to the above process; after all the layers have been printed, stop working and raise the preset height at the same time, then take off the finished product and complete the batch 3D printing.

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