Powder recovery device of additive manufacturing equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of powder recovery for additive manufacturing, in particular to a powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment, which comprises a barrel body, a powder recovery pipeline, a powder storage device and a powder screening device, the top cover is detachably mounted at the top of the barrel body and communicates with the barrel body and the powder feeding pipeline through a top powder feeding valve; the barrel bottom and the barrel body are integrally arranged, and the barrel bottom communicates with the barrel body and the powder screening equipment through a powder outlet valve; the gas washing assembly comprises a gas washing connector and a co-pressure connector which are arranged on the top cover, the gas washing connector is communicated with the barrel body and a gas washing gas source, and the co-pressure connector is communicated with the barrel body and the exhaust co-pressure end of the forming equipment; and the material level monitoring assembly comprises an upper material level sensor and a lower material level sensor, the upper material level sensor is installed on the top cover, and the technical problems that in the prior art, a powder recycling device does not have the powder collecting function and the powder discharging function at the same time, cleaning is time-consuming and labor-consuming, and the material level of powder at the bottom of the material barrel cannot be monitored are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of powder recycling technology for additive manufacturing, and in particular to a powder recycling device for additive manufacturing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] The descriptions in this section are provided only as background information relating to this disclosure and do not constitute prior art.

[0003] Compared with traditional processing technology, additive manufacturing has a very high material utilization rate. However, because it uses metal powder with high manufacturing cost as raw material, the metal powder needs to be spread during additive manufacturing. After processing, there will still be a lot of metal powder left. In order to reduce production costs, the powder needs to be recycled and reused. Usually, the powder is recycled into the overflow bin, but there are significant safety hazards in the recycling process.

[0004] Existing technology discloses a device for collecting powder in SLM equipment, as disclosed in invention patent application CN108941555A. This device includes a powder collection hopper body, a hopper lid at the top opening of the hopper body, a butterfly valve at the feed inlet at the top of the hopper lid, and a limit sensor and air inlet on the hopper lid. This device effectively solves the problem of unmeasurable powder quantity in the collection hopper, allowing for real-time monitoring of the powder quantity. However, several problems remain, such as: ① The collection hopper can only store powder, requiring inversion to discharge the stored powder, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive; ② When powder needs to be replaced, the powder inside the hopper is difficult to clean, creating cleaning dead zones; ③ The hopper lacks a material level monitoring function at the bottom, making it impossible to obtain the powder level in the hopper in a timely manner. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment, which solves the technical problems of existing powder recovery devices that do not have both powder collection and powder discharge functions, are time-consuming and labor-intensive to clean, and cannot monitor the powder level at the bottom of the hopper.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment, comprising:

[0008] The barrel body has an inner cavity that connects to the powder recovery pipeline, stores the powder, and connects to the powder screening equipment.

[0009] The top cover is detachably installed on the top of the barrel, and it connects the barrel and the powder inlet pipeline through the top powder inlet valve;

[0010] The bottom of the barrel is integrated with the barrel body and is connected to the barrel body and the powder screening equipment through the powder discharge valve;

[0011] The gas scrubbing assembly includes a gas scrubbing port and a common pressure port provided on the top cover. The gas scrubbing port connects the barrel body to the gas scrubbing source, and the common pressure port connects the barrel body to the exhaust common pressure end of the molding equipment.

[0012] The material level monitoring component includes an upper material level sensor and a lower material level sensor. The upper material level sensor is installed on the top cover, and the lower material level sensor is installed on the bottom side wall of the drum.

[0013] Furthermore, both the gas scrubbing interface and the common pressure interface are quick-connect interfaces.

[0014] Furthermore, the top cover is a horizontal structure, and the top powder inlet valve is located at the center of the top cover. The included angle between the lines connecting the washing air interface and the common pressure interface to the center of the top powder inlet valve is α, where 60°≤α≤120°.

[0015] Furthermore, the included angle α between the lines connecting the air washing port and the common pressure port to the center of the top powder inlet valve is 90°.

[0016] Furthermore, the bottom of the barrel is configured as a funnel shape, and the material level sensor is installed on the side wall of the bottom of the barrel at a distance L from the lowest point of the bottom of the barrel, and the vertical distance of the bottom of the barrel is H, where H = 2.5~3.5L.

[0017] Furthermore, the relationship between the distance L from the lowest point of the bottom of the barrel to the material level sensor installed on the side wall of the barrel and the vertical distance H of the bottom of the barrel is: H = 3L.

[0018] Furthermore, both the top powder inlet valve and the powder outlet valve are butterfly valves.

[0019] Furthermore, the top cover and the barrel body are sealed together using a top clamp.

[0020] Furthermore, several lifting interfaces are installed on the outer wall of the barrel.

[0021] Furthermore, casters are installed at the bottom of the support legs on the outside of the barrel.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0023] (1). By setting a top cover and a bottom cover on the top of the barrel, and setting a powder inlet valve on the top and a powder outlet valve on the bottom, the collection and delivery of powder do not need to be flipped or inverted. This is beneficial for realizing the powder inlet and outlet functions, as well as the disassembly and cleaning functions, and cleaning without dead corners. By setting a gas washing component, the oxygen in the overflow powder barrel can be effectively discharged with the help of the gas washing interface and the common pressure interface, ensuring that the parts of the additive manufacturing equipment are formed in an inert gas environment. At the same time, it prevents the internal pressure of the overflow powder barrel from being too high during the gas washing process, and avoids explosion accidents.

[0024] (2). By setting up a material level monitoring component, this utility model can easily monitor the material level of the powder in the barrel and the material level of the powder at the bottom of the barrel. When there is no signal for a long time, it will remind the operator to check the valve switch to avoid the powder accumulating in the powder hopper due to the operator forgetting to open the valve.

[0025] (3). By setting the shape of the top cover and the relative positional relationship of the top powder inlet valve, the gas washing interface and the co-pressure interface, this utility model can effectively ensure the gas replacement efficiency in the barrel and improve the gas washing efficiency and safety; by setting the shape of the barrel bottom and the positional relationship of the material level sensor, the material level at the bottom of the barrel can be monitored in real time, while ensuring the normal working environment of the material level sensor; by setting the hoisting interface and casters, it is convenient to move the barrel. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a top view of the structure of this utility model;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0029] In the diagram: 1. Feed level sensor; 2. Top powder inlet valve; 3. Washing air interface; 4. Top clamp; 5. Lifting interface; 6. Top cover; 7. Tank body; 8. Feed level sensor; 9. Bottom clamp; 10. Powder outlet valve; 11. Casters; 12. Common pressure interface; 13. Tank bottom. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0031] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this patent.

[0032] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0033] In the following description, when referring to the accompanying drawings, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0034] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used only to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence, nor should they be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0035] Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0036] To address the limitations of existing technologies, this embodiment provides a technical solution. The technical solution of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0037] The powder recovery device in additive manufacturing equipment is an indispensable component. The main function of the overflow powder bin is to recover excess powder raw materials after each powder application. This invention primarily addresses some problems and potential hazards associated with existing overflow powder bins in related technologies. The main structure is as follows:

[0038] See appendix Figure 1-3A powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment includes: a cylindrical barrel 7, the inner cavity of which is connected to a powder recovery pipeline, stores powder, and connects to powder screening equipment; several lifting interfaces 5 are installed on the outer wall of the barrel 7; casters 11 are installed on the bottom of the support legs on the outside of the barrel 7; specifically, a top cover 6, which is a horizontal structure and is detachably installed on the top of the barrel 7. The detachability can be achieved by plug-in installation, threaded installation, or other installation methods. It can be understood that the top cover 6 and the barrel 7 are sealed by a top clamp 4, and the sealing installation is mainly achieved by a sealing ring. The top cover 6 is connected to the barrel 7 and the powder inlet pipeline through a top powder inlet valve 2. Here, the top powder inlet valve 2 is a butterfly valve, which is convenient, quick, and labor-saving to open and close. The design features low fluid resistance, facilitating repeated operations. The top powder inlet valve 2 is positioned at the center of the top cover 6, ensuring more even powder distribution after feeding and preventing powder accumulation on one side of the barrel, which could lead to instability or uneven discharge. The barrel bottom 13, integrally formed with the barrel body 7, is funnel-shaped, facilitating the emptying of powder materials and preventing powder accumulation in dead corners. A discharge level sensor 8 is mounted on the side wall of the barrel bottom 13 at a distance L from the lowest point of the bottom 13, with a vertical distance H, where H = 2.5–3.5L, preferably H = 3L. By limiting the position of the discharge level sensor 8, the design not only monitors the powder materials inside the barrel but also... This also serves as a foolproof detection mechanism, preventing powder buildup in the powder hopper due to operators forgetting to open the valve. It connects the container 7 and the powder sieving equipment via the powder outlet valve 10. The powder outlet valve 10 is connected to the powder sieving equipment via a pipeline using a bottom clamp 9. This connection allows for the sieving and reuse of recovered powder, reducing printing costs. All powder outlet valves 10 are butterfly valves, offering convenient and quick opening and closing, low effort, and low fluid resistance, facilitating repeated operations. The air washing assembly includes an air washing port 3 and a common pressure port 12 located on the top cover 6. Both the air washing port 3 and the common pressure port 12 use quick-connect interfaces, making air washing operations more convenient. This design saves operating time and improves production efficiency. The washing gas interface 3 connects the barrel 7 to the washing gas source, and the co-pressure interface 12 connects the barrel 7 to the exhaust co-pressure end of the molding equipment. This helps to ensure that the air pressure inside the barrel is in the same pressure as the air pressure in the printing chamber during washing, preventing an explosion accident caused by excessive air pressure inside the barrel. The angle between the lines connecting the washing gas interface 3 and the co-pressure interface 12 to the center of the top powder inlet valve 2 is α, 60°≤α≤120°, preferably α=90°. It can be understood that if the angle α is too large or too small, it will not be conducive to improving the washing gas efficiency. The material level monitoring component includes an upper material level sensor 1 and a lower material level sensor 8. The upper material level sensor 1 is installed on the top cover 6, and the lower material level sensor 8 is installed on the side wall of the barrel bottom 13.

[0039] When using the powder recovery device disclosed in this utility model, the top powder inlet valve 2 is connected to the overflow powder channel of the printing equipment through a pipeline, and the powder outlet valve 10 at the bottom of the barrel 13 is connected to the powder sieving equipment through a pipeline. The powder in the overflow powder channel of the printing equipment enters the barrel 7 of the overflow powder bucket and accumulates, causing the material level to rise. When the material level rises to the top of the barrel 7, the upper material level sensor 1 is triggered. The upper material level sensor 1 sends the material level signal to the controller to remind the operator to replace the overflow powder bucket or perform other operations. When powder discharge is required, the powder outlet valve 10 is opened, and the powder in the barrel 7 flows along the powder outlet valve 10 to the powder sieving equipment for sieving the recovered powder. If there is no signal for a long time during printing, the lower material level sensor 8 will remind the operator to check whether the valve is open to avoid the phenomenon of powder accumulation in the powder hopper due to the operator forgetting to open the valve. When washing the overflow powder bucket, the washing gas interface 3 is connected to the washing gas source, and the common pressure interface 12 is connected to the exhaust common pressure end of the molding equipment, and then the washing gas operation is performed. The whole process is safe, convenient and fast.

[0040] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0041] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment, characterized in that, include: The barrel (7) has an inner cavity that connects to a powder recovery pipeline, stores powder, and connects to a powder sieving device. The top cover (6) is detachably installed on the top of the barrel (7), and it connects the barrel (7) and the powder inlet pipeline through the top powder inlet valve (2); The bottom of the barrel (13) is integrally set with the barrel body (7), and it is connected to the barrel body (7) and the powder screening equipment through the powder outlet valve (10); The gas washing assembly includes a gas washing port (3) and a common pressure port (12) set on the top cover (6). The gas washing port (3) connects the barrel body (7) to the gas washing source, and the common pressure port (12) connects the barrel body (7) to the exhaust common pressure end of the molding equipment. The material level monitoring assembly includes an upper material level sensor (1) and a lower material level sensor (8). The upper material level sensor (1) is installed on the top cover (6), and the lower material level sensor (8) is installed on the side wall of the bottom (13) of the barrel.

2. The powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas washing port (3) is a quick-connect port, and the common pressure port (12) is a quick-connect port.

3. The powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The top cover (6) is a horizontal structure, and the top powder inlet valve (2) is located at the center of the top cover (6). The included angle between the lines connecting the air washing port (3) and the common pressure port (12) to the center of the top powder inlet valve (2) is α, 60°≤α≤120°.

4. The powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The included angle α between the lines connecting the air scrubbing port (3) and the common pressure port (12) to the center of the top powder inlet valve (2) is 90°.

5. The powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bottom of the barrel (13) is configured as a funnel shape, and the material level sensor (8) is installed on the side wall of the bottom of the barrel (13) at a distance of L from the lowest point of the bottom of the barrel (13), and the vertical distance of the bottom of the barrel (13) is H, where H = 2.5~3.5L.

6. The powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The relationship between the distance L from the lowest point of the bottom of the barrel (13) to the material level sensor (8) installed on the side wall of the bottom of the barrel (13) and the vertical distance H of the bottom of the barrel (13) is: H = 3L.

7. The powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, Both the top powder inlet valve (2) and the powder outlet valve (10) are butterfly valves.

8. The powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top cover (6) and the barrel body (7) are sealed together by a top clamp (4).

9. A powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Several hoisting interfaces (5) are installed on the outer wall of the barrel (7).

10. A powder recovery device for additive manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Casters (11) are installed at the bottom of the support legs outside the barrel body (7).

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