A multi-axis delta 3D printer

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of 3D printers, in particular to a multi-axis delta 3D printer which comprises printing modules, the printing module comprises an equilateral triangular prism-shaped rack and a printing platform and a printing head arranged on the rack, the rack comprises two supporting platforms and three groups of supporting columns fixedly connected between the two supporting platforms, the printing module further comprises three groups of sliders corresponding to the supporting columns, transmission arms and driving assemblies, the slider is slidingly arranged on the supporting column, the two ends of the transmission arm are respectively spherically hinged with the slider and the printing head, the driving assembly is used for driving the slider to ascend and descend, the printing module is provided with at least two, one side wall of the supporting platform of the two adjacent printing modules abuts against each other and the side wall is an abutting side wall, the slider at any one end of the abutting side wall of the supporting platform in the printing module and the slider at the corresponding one end of the supporting platform in the adjacent printing module are driven by the same group of driving assemblies.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of 3D printers, and more particularly to a multi-axis delta 3D printer. Background Technology

[0002] The Delta 3D printer is an important structural type in FDM 3D printing technology. Unlike traditional Cartesian coordinate system printers, the Delta printer uses a parallel arm mechanism to drive the print head movement. In existing technology, a Delta printer includes three vertical columns arranged in an equilateral triangle, each column equipped with a set of sliding sliders; each set of sliders is connected to the central print head via two parallel arms of equal length (forming a parallelogram structure). By controlling the linear displacement of the three sliders in the vertical direction, an algorithm drives the print head to move along the X, Y, and Z axes in three-dimensional space. In this configuration, the moving parts are mainly concentrated on the sliders and parallel arms; the print head itself is extremely lightweight, and the printing platform remains fixed during the printing process.

[0003] Delta 3D printers are widely used in consumer and industrial additive manufacturing due to their high structural stability, high speed, and large Z-axis build height. However, when printing multiple identical items, using a single printer takes a long time, while using multiple printers simultaneously increases manufacturing costs. Similarly, printing multiple pairs of symmetrical items also requires significant time and modifications to the printing code, which is cumbersome; using multiple printers simultaneously further increases manufacturing costs. Utility Model Content

[0004] To reduce printing costs, this application provides a multi-axis delta 3D printer.

[0005] This application provides a multi-axis delta 3D printer, which adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A multi-axis delta 3D printer includes a printing module. The printing module includes an equilateral triangular prism frame and a printing platform and a print head mounted on the frame. The frame includes two support platforms and three sets of support columns fixedly connected between the two support platforms. The printing module also includes three sets of sliders, transmission arms, and drive components corresponding to the support columns. The sliders are slidably mounted on the support columns. The two ends of the transmission arms are spherically hinged to the sliders and the print head, respectively. The drive components are used to drive the sliders to rise and fall. The printing module has at least two such modules. One sidewall of each support platform of two adjacent printing modules abuts against each other, and this sidewall is an abutting sidewall. The slider at any end of the abutting sidewall of the support platform in the printing module and the slider at the corresponding end of the support platform in the adjacent printing module are driven by the same set of drive components.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, a compact arrangement and coordinated drive among multiple printing modules are achieved. This integrated design not only significantly reduces the overall size and number of parts, resulting in a lighter weight, but also lowers the manufacturing cost and control complexity when printing multiple modules in parallel. Specifically, it reduces the number of drive components. Using fewer drive components improves the reliability of the 3D printer and facilitates the completion of printing tasks for multiple identical or symmetrical items simultaneously, thereby increasing printing efficiency.

[0008] Optionally, each printing module may have up to two abutments against the sidewalls.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution, each printing module has at most two abutting sidewalls, achieving a good balance between multi-module expansion and structural complexity. This allows the machine to print both identical and symmetrical items, with the number of identical and symmetrical items being close. This range is suitable for most small to medium-sized batch printing scenarios, ensuring the ability to print multiple modules in parallel while avoiding the difficulties in drive coordination and structural redundancy caused by too many modules, thus improving the practicality and economy of the equipment.

[0010] Optionally, the printing module has at least three modules arranged in a ring, and the sliders of each printing module near the center of the ring are driven by the same set of driving components.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, a high degree of integration and collaborative driving of multiple modules in the circumferential direction is achieved. This layout allows multiple printing modules to be radially distributed around a central axis, resulting in a compact structure and high space utilization, making it particularly suitable for batch printing of multiple identical or symmetrical items. Simultaneously, by sharing the same drive component to drive the sliders inside each module, the number of drive sources is significantly reduced, lowering the overall manufacturing cost and control complexity. Furthermore, it helps ensure the synchronization and consistency of each module during movement, improving overall printing efficiency and accuracy.

[0012] Optionally, the number of printing modules is at least four, and at least one printing module has three abutments against the sidewalls.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, when the number of printing modules is at least four, and at least one printing module has three abutments against the sidewalls, higher-density module integration can be achieved, making it suitable for scenarios with high requirements for space utilization and printing efficiency. This layout allows multiple printing modules to be arranged around a central module, forming a highly compact printing array, significantly improving the printing output capacity per unit area. Simultaneously, by using abutments against the sidewalls and drive components, the overall manufacturing cost of the multi-module system is further reduced. Furthermore, the layout of the printing modules can be adjusted according to the actual quantity requirements of identical and symmetrical items.

[0014] Optionally, the support column at any end of the support platform abutting the side wall in the printing module is shared with the support column at the corresponding end of the support platform in the adjacent printing module.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, adjacent printing modules share two sets of support columns located at both ends of the sidewall, further optimizing the overall structural layout of the machine. Sharing support columns reduces the use of redundant structures, lowers material costs and assembly difficulty, while enhancing the overall structural rigidity and stability, which is beneficial for maintaining high printing accuracy and consistency when multiple printing modules are working simultaneously.

[0016] Optionally, each set of support columns includes two columns, and the slider at any end of the support platform in the printing module that abuts against the side wall shares a column with the slider at the corresponding end of the support platform in the adjacent printing module.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, adjacent modules share columns at both ends of the sidewall, forming a symmetrical and stable mechanical connection structure. This effectively reduces the total number of columns in the entire machine, lowering material and assembly costs. Simultaneously, the shared column layout helps ensure the consistency of movement of corresponding sliders in adjacent modules, simplifies the linkage design of the drive system, and improves the collaborative accuracy and overall rigidity during parallel printing of multiple modules. This is particularly suitable for applications requiring a high-density arrangement of multiple printing modules.

[0018] Optionally, the slider at any end of the support platform of the printing module that abuts against the side wall is fixedly connected to the slider at the corresponding end of the support platform of the adjacent printing module. The driving component includes a driving source, a belt and multiple pulleys. The driving source is used to drive one of the pulleys to rotate. The belt passes over each pulley and is fixedly connected to the slider.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, adjacent sliders of two adjacent printing modules are fixedly connected, and a drive assembly consisting of a drive source, a belt, and multiple pulleys drives one of the synchronous sliders, realizing mechanical linkage between multiple sliders. This drive method has a simple structure and reliable transmission, ensuring consistent slider movement in adjacent modules, reducing the use of independent drive components, lowering the complexity and cost of the control system, and improving the synchronization and stability of multi-module collaborative work. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure in Embodiment 1 of this application, where the number of printing modules is two.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the driving source highlighted in Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of three printing modules in Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of four printing modules in Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of five printing modules in Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a structure in Embodiment 1 of this application where the number of printing modules is six.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of eight printing modules in Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of four printing modules in Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of ten printing modules in Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Printing module; 11. Frame; 111. Support platform; 1111. Side wall against; 112. Support column; 12. Printing platform; 13. Print head; 14. Slider; 15. Transmission arm; 16. Drive assembly; 161. Drive source; 162. Belt; 163. Pulley. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The following combination Figures 1-9 This application will be described in further detail. Example

[0031] This embodiment discloses a multi-axis delta 3D printer. (Refer to...) Figure 1 and Figure 2 The multi-axis delta 3D printer includes a printing module 1. The printing module 1 includes a triangular prism-shaped frame 11, a printing platform 12, and a print head 13 mounted on the frame 11. The frame 11 includes two support platforms 111 and three sets of support columns 112 fixedly connected between the two support platforms 111. The printing module 1 also includes three sets of sliders 14 corresponding to each support column 112, drive arms 15, and a drive assembly 16. The sliders 14 are slidably mounted on the support columns 112, and the two ends of the drive arms 15 are spherically hinged to the sliders 14 and the print head 13, respectively. The drive assembly 16 is used to drive the sliders 14 to move up and down. The printing module 1 has at least two support platforms 111 of adjacent printing modules 1, one side wall of which abuts against each other and is called abutting side wall 1111. The slider 14 at any end of the abutting side wall 1111 of the support platform 111 in the printing module 1 and the slider 14 at the corresponding end of the support platform 111 in the adjacent printing module 1 are driven by the same set of driving components 16.

[0032] Reference Figure 1 The support platform 111 can be made of metallic materials, such as aluminum alloy or carbon structural steel. Aluminum alloy has the advantages of being lightweight and easy to process, making it suitable for applications where reducing the overall weight of the machine is required; carbon structural steel has higher strength and rigidity, making it suitable for applications with high stability requirements. In other embodiments, the support platform 111 can also be injection molded from engineering plastics to reduce cost and weight.

[0033] Reference Figure 1 The support column 112 can be made of a surface-hardened metal optical shaft or linear guide to ensure its wear resistance and sliding accuracy. The support column 112 is preferably made of 45# steel or bearing steel, and its surface can be chrome-plated to prevent rust and reduce the coefficient of friction. In other embodiments, the support column 112 can also be made of stainless steel to enhance its corrosion resistance.

[0034] Reference Figure 1 The slider 14 can be made of brass or self-lubricating plastic. Brass sliders have good wear resistance and dimensional stability, making them suitable for high-frequency sliding; self-lubricating plastic sliders do not require additional lubrication, making maintenance easier. A linear bearing can be installed between the slider 14 and the support column 112 to further reduce sliding resistance. In this embodiment, each slider 14 is slidably mounted on two support columns 112, providing a more stable guiding and anti-rotation effect. In other embodiments, each slider 14 can be slidably mounted on one support column 112, with an anti-rotation structure between the slider 14 and the support column 112. In other embodiments, each slider 14 can be slidably mounted on at least three support columns 112.

[0035] Reference Figure 1 The transmission arm 15 can be made of carbon fiber tubing or aluminum alloy tubing, with ball joints or ball-and-socket structures embedded at both ends. Carbon fiber tubing has extremely high specific strength and specific stiffness, which can effectively reduce the weight of moving parts and improve printing speed; aluminum alloy tubing is lower in cost and easier to process. The ball joint at the spherical hinge can be made of stainless steel or ceramic to ensure its wear resistance and fitting accuracy. In other embodiments, the transmission arm 15 can also be made of injection-molded engineering plastic to reduce manufacturing costs. Each set of transmission arms 15 consists of two arms, so that the transmission arm 15, print head 13, and slider 14 form a parallelogram structure, which can achieve a stable transmission effect.

[0036] Reference Figure 1 The printhead 13 is located at the intersection of the three sets of drive arms 15 (only the support plate of the printhead 13 is shown in the figure). The printhead 13 includes a heating assembly, a temperature sensor, and a nozzle. The heating assembly is used to melt the solid filament into a liquid state, and it has a heating block and a heating rod inside. The temperature sensor is embedded inside the heating block and is used to monitor the temperature of the printhead 13 in real time and feed it back to the controller to achieve closed-loop temperature control. The nozzle is threaded to the lower end of the heating block. The printhead 13 also includes a heat dissipation assembly, which includes a cooling fan and a heat sink. The heat sink is sleeved on the throat above the heating block, and the cooling fan is fixed to the housing of the printhead 13 to provide forced air cooling to the throat, preventing heat from being conducted upwards and causing the filament to soften prematurely and clog.

[0037] Reference Figure 1 The printing platform 12 is fixedly installed inside the frame 11 by means of bolts or other methods, and is located below the print head 13. The printing platform 12 is used to support and place the printed items.

[0038] Reference Figure 1 In printing module 1, the support column 112 at any end of the side wall 1111 of the support platform 111 is shared with the support column 112 at the corresponding end of the support platform 111 in the adjacent printing module 1. The shared support column structure design reduces the use of duplicate parts, lowers the overall manufacturing cost, and enhances the overall rigidity of the frame 11.

[0039] Reference Figure 1Each set of support columns 112 includes two columns. The slider 14 at any end of the side wall 1111 of the support platform 111 in the printing module 1 shares a column with the slider 14 at the corresponding end of the support platform 111 in the adjacent printing module 1. Specifically, the three columns are located at the three vertices of an isosceles obtuse triangle. The column at the vertex of the isosceles obtuse triangle is a shared column, and the two columns at the base angles of the isosceles obtuse triangle are independent columns. The slider 14 at any end of the side wall 1111 of the support platform 111 in the printing module 1 is slidably mounted on a shared column and independent columns. In other embodiments, the column layout can also adopt other triangular shapes, such as right triangles or isosceles acute triangles, but isosceles obtuse triangles have better performance in terms of space utilization and motion stability.

[0040] Reference Figure 1 In printing module 1, the slider 14 at any end of the side wall 1111 of the support platform 111 is fixedly connected to the slider 14 at the corresponding end of the support platform 111 in the adjacent printing module 1. The fixed connection can be achieved by bolting, welding, or integral molding. In the integral molding embodiment, two adjacent sliders 14 can be manufactured as a single component, further reducing the number of parts and assembly steps.

[0041] Reference Figure 2 The drive assembly 16 includes a drive source 161, a belt 162, and multiple pulleys 163. The drive source 161 drives one of the pulleys 163 to rotate. The belt 162 passes over each pulley 163 and is fixedly connected to the slider 14. The drive source 161 is preferably a stepper motor or a servo motor. Stepper motors are less expensive and suitable for open-loop control; servo motors have higher positioning accuracy and response speed, making them suitable for scenarios with high print quality requirements. The belt 162 is preferably a synchronous belt to ensure transmission accuracy and synchronization. The pulleys 163 are preferably synchronous pulleys that match the belt 162.

[0042] In other embodiments, the drive assembly 16 can also employ a lead screw drive, where the drive source 161 drives the lead screw to rotate, and the slider 14 is threaded onto the lead screw. Lead screw drives offer higher positioning accuracy and self-locking performance, but are relatively more expensive. In another embodiment, the drive assembly 16 can also use a linear motor to directly drive the slider 14 to achieve the highest movement speed and acceleration, but the control system becomes more complex.

[0043] Reference Figure 1The belt 162 and slider 14 can be fixed by a pressure plate or clamping block, rigidly connecting a certain position of the belt 162 to the slider 14. When the drive source 161 drives the belt 162 to move, the belt 162 drives the slider 14 fixed to it to move. Since adjacent sliders 14 in two adjacent printing modules 1 are fixedly connected, adjacent sliders 14 in two adjacent printing modules 1 move synchronously, thereby ensuring the consistency of the movement of the print heads 13 in the corresponding directions in the two printing modules 1. The belt 162 is fixed to the other sliders 14 in the same way as above.

[0044] Reference Figure 1 Each printing module 1 has at most two abutting sidewalls 1111. If there are at least three printing modules 1, the at least three printing modules 1 are arranged in a ring, and the sliders 14 near the center of the ring of each printing module 1 are driven by the same set of driving components 16. The number of rings is at least one, and the rings are not necessarily complete rings; for example, three printing modules 1 can form a 180° ring. That is, if multiple printing modules 1 have the same apex angle, all sliders 14 located at that apex angle are driven by the same set of driving components 16. The number of printing modules 1 can be selected according to actual production needs. In this embodiment, the number of printing modules 1 is two, and two printing modules 1 are suitable for printing symmetrical items in pairs.

[0045] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 In other embodiments, taking the arrangement of the support platform 111 in the printing module 1 as an example, the number of printing modules 1 can be three or four. Three or four printing modules 1 are suitable for mass production of identical items. A combination of three printing modules 1 requires only five sets of drive components 16. A combination of four printing modules 1 requires only six sets of drive components 16.

[0046] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 In other embodiments, taking the arrangement of the support platform 111 in the printing module 1 as an example, the number of printing modules 1 can be five or six, which is suitable for more efficient batch printing tasks. Both the combination of five printing modules 1 and the combination of six printing modules 1 require only seven sets of drive components 16.

[0047] Reference Figure 7 In other embodiments, taking the arrangement of the support platform 111 in the printing module 1 as an example, the number of printing modules 1 can be eight, and the eight printing modules 1 are distributed in an S-shape to form two rings. The combination of eight printing modules 1 only requires ten sets of drive components 16.

[0048] The implementation principle of a multi-axis delta 3D printer according to this application embodiment is as follows: When multiple identical or symmetrical items need to be printed in parallel, the appropriate number of printing modules 1 are selected and assembled according to production needs. After the printer is started, the drive source 161 drives the pulley 163 to rotate, and the belt 162 moves accordingly, driving the slider 14 fixed thereto to rise and fall synchronously along the common column and the independent column. Since the adjacent sliders 14 of two adjacent printing modules 1 are fixedly connected, the sliders 14 located at both ends of the side wall 1111 in the two printing modules 1 achieve completely synchronous movement. In each printing module 1, the slider 14 rises and falls along the support column 112, and drives the print head 13 to move in three-dimensional space through the spherical hinged transmission arm 15. The heating component of the print head 13 melts the solid filament into a liquid state, and the molten material is extruded through the nozzle onto the printing platform 12, and is stacked layer by layer according to the preset G-code path to finally form a three-dimensional solid.

[0049] When printing symmetrical items, since the adjacent sliders 14 of two adjacent printing modules 1 are fixedly connected and driven by the same drive component 16, the sliders 14 located at both ends of the sidewall 1111 in the two printing modules 1 always maintain the same height displacement, while the other two sets of sliders 14 in each printing module 1 are controlled independently. This driving method makes the print heads 13 of two adjacent printing modules 1 form a mirror relationship on the motion trajectory, and symmetrical items can be printed directly without modifying the printing code, significantly reducing the programming complexity of printing symmetrical items. Example

[0050] Reference Figure 8 The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the number of printing modules 1 is at least four, and at least one printing module 1 has three abutting sidewalls 1111. This layout allows multiple printing modules 1 to be arranged around a central module, forming a highly compact printing array. For example, in this embodiment, taking the arrangement of the support platform 111 in the printing module 1 as an example, the four printing modules 1 can be arranged in a large triangle, with the central printing module 1 having three abutting sidewalls 1111, sharing the structure with the three adjacent modules. This configuration significantly improves the printing output capability per unit area and is suitable for industrial applications with high requirements for space utilization and printing efficiency.

[0051] Reference Figure 9 In other embodiments, taking the arrangement of the support platform 111 in the printing module 1 as an example, the number of printing modules 1 can be ten, of which two printing modules 1 have three abutting sidewalls 1111 and share a structure with the three adjacent modules.

[0052] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A multi-axis delta 3D printer, comprising a printing module (1), the printing module (1) comprising an equilateral triangular prism frame (11) and a printing platform (12) and a print head (13) disposed on the frame (11), the frame (11) comprising two support platforms (111) and three sets of support columns (112) fixedly connected between the two support platforms (111), the printing module (1) further comprising three sets of sliders (14) corresponding one-to-one with the support columns (112), transmission arms (15) and drive components (16), the sliders (14) being slidably disposed on the support columns (112), the two ends of the transmission arms (15) being spherically hinged to the sliders (14) and the print head (13) respectively, the drive components (16) being used to drive the sliders (14) to rise and fall, characterized in that: The printing module (1) is provided with at least two, and one side wall of the support platform (111) of two adjacent printing modules (1) abuts against each other and the side wall is the abutting side wall (1111). The slider (14) at any end of the abutting side wall (1111) of the support platform (111) in the printing module (1) and the slider (14) at the corresponding end of the support platform (111) in the adjacent printing module (1) are driven by the same set of driving components (16).

2. The multi-axis delta 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each printing module (1) has at most two abutting sidewalls (1111).

3. A multi-axis delta 3D printer according to claim 2, characterized in that: The printing module (1) is provided with at least three, and the at least three printing modules (1) are arranged in a ring. The sliders (14) of each printing module (1) arranged in a ring are driven by the same set of driving components (16).

4. A multi-axis delta 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of printing modules (1) is at least four, and at least one printing module (1) has three abutments against the sidewalls (1111).

5. A multi-axis delta 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support column (112) at any end of the side wall (1111) of the support platform (111) in the printing module (1) is shared with the support column (112) at the corresponding end of the support platform (111) in the adjacent printing module (1).

6. A multi-axis delta 3D printer according to claim 5, characterized in that: Each set of support columns (112) includes two columns. The slider (14) at any end of the side wall (1111) of the support platform (111) in the printing module (1) shares a column with the slider (14) at the corresponding end of the support platform (111) in the adjacent printing module (1).

7. A multi-axis delta 3D printer according to claim 6, characterized in that: The slider (14) at any end of the side wall (1111) of the support platform (111) in the printing module (1) is fixedly connected to the slider (14) at the corresponding end of the support platform (111) in the adjacent printing module (1). The driving component (16) includes a driving source (161), a belt (162) and multiple belt (162) pulleys. The driving source (161) is used to drive one of the belt (162) pulleys to rotate. The belt (162) passes over each belt (162) pulley and is fixedly connected to the slider (14).

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