Multi-material powder spreading device and 3D printing equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to a multi-material powder laying device which is applied to 3D printing equipment, the 3D printing equipment further comprises a working box, the multi-material powder laying device is movably located on the working box, and the multi-material powder laying device reciprocates in the powder laying direction. The multi-material powder spreading device comprises a mounting support and at least two powder spreading assemblies, each powder spreading assembly comprises a guide rod and a powder spreading device, the guide rods are movably arranged on the mounting support, the guide rods of the powder spreading assemblies are parallel, the moving direction of the guide rods and the powder spreading direction are located on the same plane, and the powder spreading devices are arranged on the guide rods. And the powder spreading device is movably arranged on the guide rod. The utility model further relates to 3D printing equipment. According to the scheme, the problem that efficient and accurate combined printing of various materials is difficult to achieve through an existing 3D printing technology can be solved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to 3D printing technical field especially, and relates to a kind of multi-material powder laying device and 3D printing equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the current 3D printing technology field, binder jetting printing as an advanced manufacturing method has been widely used.This printing technology usually takes single powder material as the main body, and the powder particles are bonded together by spraying binder, and the required three-dimensional structure is formed by layer-by-layer accumulation.However, with the continuous expansion and deepening of application requirements, single powder material has been difficult to meet the complex and diversified performance requirements.

[0003] To solve this problem, some advanced manufacturing methods begin to try to fill other powder materials inside the product that has been 3D printed to achieve optimization and enhancement of material performance.The advantage of this method is that materials with different properties can be introduced into the product through post-processing, thereby meeting specific use requirements.Meanwhile, some manufacturing methods use different materials to print multiple products in sequence, and then combine the multiple products together through bonding or other techniques to achieve a product with multiple materials and multiple properties.This method has shown unique advantages in manufacturing products with complex structures and multiple performance requirements.

[0004] However, the current technology still faces some challenges in practical application.Firstly, the entire manufacturing process is relatively complicated, requiring multiple processing and machining in different manufacturing stages, which not only increases manufacturing costs but also may lead to unstable product quality.Secondly, during the combination of multiple 3D printed products with different materials, there are often deviation problems after combination due to differences in material properties, machining precision and other factors, which directly affect the overall performance and reliability of the product.Therefore, how to optimize binder jetting printing technology to achieve efficient and accurate combination of multiple materials has become a problem to be solved in the current 3D printing technology field. SUMMARY

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a multi-material powder laying device and 3D printing equipment to solve the problem that the current 3D printing technology is difficult to achieve efficient and accurate combination printing of multiple materials.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the utility model adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] The utility model discloses a multi -material powder laying device, be applied to 3D printing equipment, the 3D printing equipment still includes the working box, the multi -material powder laying device movably is in the working box, and the multi -material powder laying device reciprocates in powder laying direction, the multi -material powder laying device includes the mounting support and at least two powder laying components, the powder laying component includes the guide rod and the powder laying device, the guide rod movably sets up in the mounting support, and the guide rod of each powder laying component is parallel, the moving direction of guide rod is with powder laying direction is in the same plane, the powder laying device movably sets up on the guide rod.

[0008] In one embodiment, the device further comprises a receiving mechanism connected to the mounting support, the powder laying devices are directed towards the receiving mechanism, each of the powder laying devices is configured to lay a powder layer on the receiving mechanism, and the receiving mechanism is configured to transfer the powder layer to a powder laying surface.

[0009] In one embodiment, the receiving mechanism is a belt drive mechanism, each of the powder laying devices is configured to lay a powder layer on the belt, and the belt is configured to transfer the powder layer to the powder laying surface.

[0010] In one embodiment, the device further comprises a powder scraper movably arranged on the receiving mechanism, and the powder scraper is configured to scrape off the powder on the receiving mechanism.

[0011] In one embodiment, the powder laying component comprises a plurality of powder laying devices, and each of the powder laying devices is movably arranged on the guide rod.

[0012] In one embodiment, the powder laying component further comprises a vibrator arranged on the powder laying device.

[0013] In one embodiment, the device further comprises at least two powder feeders, and each of the powder feeders is configured to feed powder to a corresponding powder laying device.

[0014] In one embodiment, each of the powder feeders is movably arranged on a corresponding guide rod, and the powder feeder is configured to dynamically feed powder to the corresponding powder laying device.

[0015] In a second aspect, the utility model discloses a 3D printing equipment comprising the multi -material powder laying device described above.

[0016] The technical solution of the utility model can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0017] The multi-material powder laying device disclosed in the embodiments of the present application lays at least two different materials of powder accurately on the same printing layer, greatly improves the diversity of printing materials, and enables 3D printing to cope with more complex and diversified printing task requirements. This innovation not only enriches the selection range of printing materials, but also provides more possibilities for the performance of printed objects, such as improvement in strength, hardness, wear resistance, etc. In addition, the multi-material powder laying device also has excellent printing precision. Its precise movement control mechanism ensures the accuracy and consistency of the powder laying process, effectively avoiding problems such as uneven powder laying and misplacement that may occur in traditional 3D printing, which not only improves the printing quality, but also further enhances the structural stability and service life of the printed objects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] Fig. 1 Part structure diagram of the 3D printing equipment disclosed in the embodiments of the present application is shown in the figure.

[0019] Fig. 2 Part structure diagram of the multi-material powder laying device disclosed in the embodiments of the present application is shown in the figure.

[0020] Explanation of reference signs:

[0021] 100 - work tank, 210 - mounting bracket, 220 - powder laying assembly, 221 - guide rod, 222 - powder laying device, 230 - receiving mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In order to facilitate the understanding of the present application, the present application will be described more fully below with reference to the related drawings. The preferred embodiments of the present application are shown in the drawings. However, the present application can be realized in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the disclosure of the present application more thorough and comprehensive.

[0023] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as "provided on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there can be a middle element. When an element is referred to as "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there can be a middle element. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "bottom end", "top end" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not the only embodiment.

[0024] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in the description herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The use herein of the terms "and / or" includes a set of one or more associated listed items.

[0025] As shown in the Figs. 1-2 embodiments of the present application disclose a multi-material powder laying device applied to a 3D printing equipment, the 3D printing equipment further comprises a working box 100, the multi-material powder laying device is movably arranged on the working box 100, and the multi-material powder laying device reciprocates in a powder laying direction, the multi-material powder laying device disclosed by the embodiments of the present application comprises a mounting bracket 210 and at least two powder laying assemblies 220,

[0026] The working box 100 is a main component of the 3D printing equipment, and the working box 100 provides a stable working environment for the printing process. The multi-material powder laying device is movably arranged on the working box 100, so as to ensure the smooth progress of the powder laying process. The mounting bracket 210 is a supporting structure, and is used for fixing and carrying the powder laying assemblies 220. The powder laying assemblies 220 are core components for realizing the powder laying function.

[0027] Each powder laying assembly 220 comprises a guide rod 221 and a powder layer 222. The guide rod 221 is movably arranged on the mounting bracket 210, and the guide rods 221 of the powder laying assemblies 220 are parallel to each other, so as to ensure the consistency and accuracy of the powder laying process. The moving direction of the guide rod 221 is in the same plane as the powder laying direction, that is, parallel to the powder laying surface, so as to facilitate the precise powder laying operation. The powder layer 222 is movably arranged on the guide rod 221, and is used for uniformly laying the powder on the printing plane.

[0028] In the specific working process, the multi-material powder laying device moves on the working box 100 to drive the powder laying assemblies 220 to move along the powder laying direction. At the same time, the powder laying assemblies 220 move on the mounting bracket 210 to drive the powder layers 222 to move, so as to adjust the positions of the powder layers 222. In addition, the powder layers 222 move on the guide rods 221 to realize the precise movement along the direction of the guide rods 221. Therefore, the powder layers 222 can move in multiple directions, so as to accurately lay the powder on the printing plane. The at least two powder layers 222 contain different powders, and by controlling the moving paths and speeds of the different powder layers 222, at least two kinds of powders of different materials can be laid on the same printing layer.

[0029] From the above, the multi-material powder laying device disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can precisely lay powder of at least two different materials on the same printing layer, greatly improves the diversity of printing materials, and enables 3D printing to cope with more complex and diverse printing task requirements. This innovation not only enriches the selection range of printing materials, but also provides more possibilities for the performance of printed objects, such as improvement in strength, hardness, wear resistance, etc. In addition, the multi-material powder laying device also has excellent printing precision. Its precise movement control mechanism ensures the accuracy and consistency of the powder laying process, effectively avoiding problems such as uneven powder laying and misplacement that may occur in traditional 3D printing, which not only improves the printing quality, but also further enhances the structural stability and service life of the printed objects.

[0030] The multi-material powder laying device disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can also include a receiving mechanism 230, which can be connected to the mounting bracket 210. The powder laying device 222 can be directed towards the receiving mechanism 230. Each powder laying device 222 can be used to lay a powder layer on the receiving mechanism 230, and the receiving mechanism 230 can be used to transfer the powder layer to the powder laying surface. In the specific working process, the receiving mechanism 230 is located between the powder laying device 222 and the working tank 100. Each powder laying device 222 first lays a powder layer on the receiving mechanism 230, and then moves in the powder laying direction through the multi-material powder laying device. The receiving mechanism 230 gradually transfers the pre-laid powder layer to the powder laying surface through corresponding movement, and finally forms a complete powder layer.

[0031] The design of the receiving mechanism 230 makes the powder layer transfer process more efficient and accurate. It precisely controls the movement trajectory and speed to ensure the integrity and uniformity of the powder layer during the transfer process. In addition, the receiving mechanism 230 can also adjust its relative position with the powder laying device 222 according to different printing task requirements, thereby achieving fine control of the thickness and distribution of the powder layer. This design not only improves the printing efficiency, but also further optimizes the printing quality, making the 3D printed objects more accurate and stable in detail and overall structure.

[0032] In an alternative embodiment, the receiving mechanism 230 can be a belt drive mechanism, and each powder laying device 222 can be used to lay a powder layer on the belt. The rotating belt can transfer the powder layer to the powder laying surface. Specifically, the belt drive mechanism can include a drive motor, a transmission belt, and a support frame. The drive motor drives the transmission belt to rotate on the support frame, forming a continuous powder layer transmission channel. A plurality of powder laying devices 222 are evenly distributed along one side or both sides of the belt, and each powder laying device 222 includes a powder storage bin, a powder outlet, and an adjustment mechanism. The powder storage bin is used to store powder material, the powder outlet is in contact with the belt, and the laying amount and uniformity of the powder are controlled through the adjustment mechanism.

[0033] First, the driving motor is started to make the transmission belt start rotating, and each powder distributor 222 uniformly distributes powder on the belt through the powder outlet to form a thin powder layer. As the belt continues to rotate, the distributed powder layer is transported above the powder distribution surface (i.e., the printing platform of 3D printing). At this time, the powder distribution surface can be in contact with the belt through appropriate mechanisms (such as a lifting platform) to transfer the powder layer from the belt to the powder distribution surface. According to the needs, the above steps are repeated to layer by layer distribute the powder until the entire 3D printed part is built.

[0034] Compared with other mechanisms, the belt transmission mechanism has continuous and smooth motion characteristics, which can significantly improve the efficiency of powder distribution. By precisely controlling the powder outlet of the powder distributor and adjusting the mechanism, uniform powder distribution can be achieved, improving the accuracy and surface quality of the 3D printed part. The belt transmission mechanism is simple in structure and easy to maintain, which helps to reduce the manufacturing cost and maintenance cost of the 3D printing equipment. Of course, the receiving mechanism can also be other transmission mechanisms, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0035] The multi-material powder distribution device disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can also include a powder scraper, which is movably arranged on the receiving mechanism 230. The powder scraper can be used to remove the powder on the receiving mechanism 230. In the specific working process, when the receiving mechanism 230 receives the first layer of powder, or after completing the powder distribution of a certain layer of powder, the residual powder on the receiving mechanism 230 can be removed by the powder scraper to ensure the cleanliness of the surface of the receiving mechanism 230. The powder scraper can be a movable cleaning tool, the shape and size of which are customized according to the design of the receiving mechanism 230 to ensure that it can effectively cover and clean all or most of the surface of the receiving mechanism. The powder scraper can realize translational or rotational motion along the surface of the receiving mechanism through mechanical driving (such as motor, air cylinder, etc.) or manual mode.

[0036] Working principle and operation steps: Ensure that the receiving mechanism 230 is in the initial position and the surface is clean without residual powder. Start the powder distribution device to uniformly distribute the first layer of powder on the receiving mechanism 230. After the first layer of powder is distributed, if higher surface cleanliness is required, the powder scraper can be moved to slide along the surface of the receiving mechanism 230 to remove excess or unevenly distributed powder, ensuring the flatness and uniformity of the first layer of powder. Repeat the powder distribution step, and after completing the distribution of each layer of powder, use the powder scraper to clean the receiving mechanism 230 to remove residual powder that may be generated during the powder distribution operation, and maintain the cleanliness of the surface of the receiving mechanism 230 to provide a good foundation for the distribution of the next layer of powder. After completing the powder distribution of all layers, the powder scraper is used again for comprehensive cleaning to ensure the quality and accuracy of the final product.

[0037] In the above case, by timely cleaning the residual powder on the receiving mechanism 230, the printing defects caused by uneven distribution of powder are effectively reduced. The surface of the receiving mechanism 230 is kept clean, which creates favorable conditions for accurate laying of each layer of powder. Long-term cleaning and maintenance helps to prolong the service life of the receiving mechanism 230, while improving the overall quality of the final printed product.

[0038] In an alternative embodiment, the powder laying assembly 220 can include a plurality of powder spreaders 222, each of which is movably arranged on the guide rod 221. The guide rod 221 serves as a moving track for the powder spreaders 222, ensuring that the powder spreaders 222 can move stably along it. Each of the plurality of powder spreaders 222 is movably arranged on the guide rod 221, i.e. each powder spreader 222 can move independently on the guide rod 221. This arrangement not only improves the powder laying efficiency, but also allows different materials to be placed in each powder spreader 222, thereby adapting to more material printing work.

[0039] Further, the design of the powder laying assembly 220 allows the plurality of powder spreaders 222 to move synchronously or asynchronously on the guide rod 221. Synchronous movement can ensure that the plurality of powder spreaders 222 maintain consistent moving speed and position during the powder laying process, which is suitable for printing tasks that require uniform powder laying. Asynchronous movement allows each powder spreader 222 to adjust the moving speed and position flexibly according to the printing requirements, in order to adapt to different printing strategies and material characteristics.

[0040] In addition, in order to further improve the powder laying precision and efficiency, the utility model can further include a driving mechanism (not shown in the figure) for driving the plurality of powder spreaders 222 to move on the guide rod 221. The driving mechanism can adopt a power device such as a motor or a pneumatic cylinder, which is connected to the powder spreaders 222 through a transmission mechanism (such as gears, belts, etc.), to realize accurate control of the moving speed and position of the powder spreaders 222.

[0041] In the above case, by simultaneously working the plurality of powder spreaders 222, the powder laying efficiency is significantly improved, and the printing cycle is shortened. At the same time, different materials can be placed in each powder spreader 222, so that the printing assembly can adapt to more material printing work, improving the printing flexibility. Furthermore, the synchronous or asynchronous movement mode allows the powder spreaders 222 to adjust the moving speed and position flexibly according to the printing requirements, optimizing the printing strategy and improving the printing quality.

[0042] In the embodiment of the utility model, the powder laying assembly 220 can further include a vibrator, which can be arranged on the powder spreader 222. The function of the vibrator is to generate micro-vibration during the powder laying process, helping the powder material to be laid more uniformly and tightly on the printing platform, reducing the gap between the powder, and improving the printing quality.

[0043] The multi-material powder laying device disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can also include at least two powder adding devices, each of which can be used to add powder to the corresponding powder laying device 222. Such a design enables the device to simultaneously process multiple powder materials, meeting the needs of multi-material printing.

[0044] Further, each powder adding device is movably arranged on the corresponding guide rod 221, and the powder adding device can be used to dynamically add powder to the corresponding powder laying device 222. This design allows the powder adding device to dynamically adjust its position according to the position and needs of the powder laying device, so as to achieve accurate powder adding to the powder laying device. The movement of the powder adding device can be achieved by a motor, a pneumatic cylinder or other driving mechanisms, ensuring the flexibility and accuracy of the powder adding process.

[0045] When the multi-material powder laying device of the present application is used, first, different types of powder materials are loaded into the corresponding powder adding devices according to the needs of the printing task. Then, the powder laying process is started by the control system. The powder laying device moves along the predetermined path under the guidance of the guide rod, while the vibrator starts to work to ensure uniform powder laying. When the powder laying device reaches the predetermined position, the corresponding powder adding device moves above the powder laying device according to the control signal to perform accurate powder adding. The whole process can be repeated until the laying of the entire printing layer is completed.

[0046] Based on the multi-material powder laying device disclosed in the embodiments of the present application, the present application also discloses a 3D printing device, which includes the multi-material powder laying device described in any of the above embodiments.

[0047] The above-described embodiments only express several implementation manners of the present application, and the description is relatively specific and detailed, but it should not be understood as a limitation on the scope of the present application. It should be noted that for ordinary skilled persons in the art, without departing from the concept of the present application, a number of modifications and improvements can be made, which all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application patent should be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A multi-material powder spreading device, applied to a 3D printing equipment, the 3D printing equipment further comprising a work chamber (100), the multi-material powder spreading device being movably positioned on the work chamber (100), and the multi-material powder spreading device reciprocating in the powder spreading direction, characterized in that, The multi-material powder laying device comprises a mounting bracket (210) and at least two powder laying assemblies (220), each of the powder laying assemblies (220) comprises a guide rod (221) and a powder layerer (222), the guide rod (221) is movably arranged on the mounting bracket (210), the guide rods (221) of the powder laying assemblies (220) are parallel to each other, the moving direction of the guide rod (221) is in the same plane as the powder laying direction, and the powder layerer (222) is movably arranged on the guide rod (221).

2. The multi-material powder spreading device of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising a receiving mechanism (230) connected with the mounting bracket (210), the powder layerers (222) are directed to the receiving mechanism (230), each of the powder layerers (222) is used for laying a powder layer on the receiving mechanism (230), and the receiving mechanism (230) is used for transferring the powder layer to a powder laying surface.

3. The multi-material powder spreading device of claim 2, wherein, The receiving mechanism (230) is a belt transmission mechanism, each of the powder layerers (222) is used for laying a powder layer on the belt, and the rotating belt transfers the powder layer to the powder laying surface.

4. The multi-material powder spreading device of claim 2, wherein, Further comprising a powder scraper movably arranged on the receiving mechanism (230), and the powder scraper is used for scraping off the powder on the receiving mechanism (230).

5. The multi-material powder spreading device of claim 1, wherein, The powder laying assembly (220) comprises a plurality of powder layerers (222), and each of the powder layerers (222) is movably arranged on the guide rod (221).

6. The multi-material powder spreading device of claim 1, wherein, The powder laying assembly (220) further comprises a vibrator arranged on the powder layerer (222).

7. The multi-material powder laying device of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising at least two powder feeders, and each of the powder feeders is used for feeding powder to the corresponding powder layerer (222).

8. The multi-material powder spreading device of claim 7, wherein, Each of the powder feeders is movably arranged on the corresponding guide rod (221), and the powder feeder is used for dynamically feeding powder to the corresponding powder layerer (222).

9. A 3D printing device, characterized by The multi-material powder laying device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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