A plastic part processing device

Abstract

A plastic parts processing device includes a fixed base, which is detachably and fixedly mounted on the worktable of a 3D printing equipment. The fixed base includes a box with an open top and a cavity in the middle. A cooling medium channel located at the bottom of the cavity is provided for cooling the plastic parts. Several clamping mechanisms are provided on the side walls of the cavity for clamping prefabricated parts of the plastic parts made by non-3D printing methods. The aluminum alloy material of the box of this plastic parts processing device has high thermal conductivity. Combined with the serpentine cooling medium channel, it can quickly transfer cold energy to achieve efficient cooling, improving the molding efficiency and molding quality of the printed parts of the plastic parts. Its connection structure with the worktable makes installation and disassembly convenient. The clamping mechanisms meet the clamping requirements of prefabricated parts of different sizes, and the outer elastic pads further protect the surface of the parts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of plastic parts processing technology, specifically to a plastic parts processing device that can effectively clamp and cool preforms in the 3D printing composite manufacturing of plastic parts. Background Technology

[0002] For plastic parts with relatively simple basic structures and relatively complex working parts, 3D printing composite manufacturing is a feasible solution.

[0003] 3D printing composite manufacturing refers to the rapid prefabrication of a relatively simple basic structure using traditional non-3D printing methods, and then mounting the prefabricated basic structure on a 3D printing platform. The working parts with relatively complex shapes are then manufactured on the upper surface of the basic structure using 3D printing methods (such as FDM).

[0004] The most typical application of this technology is the manufacture of plastic molds. Plastic molds usually have a simple and regular base as the main support, which is mostly square in shape, while the cavity part has a complex structure consistent with the corresponding product. The base part can be quickly prefabricated using traditional non-3D printing methods, while the cavity structure can be made according to a set program using a 3D printing head.

[0005] When using 3D printing to create a printed part on a pre-fabricated part of a plastic part, the heat released during the thermal deposition process accumulates throughout the completed part of the component, including conduction to the pre-fabricated part below it, because 3D printing heads such as FDM form the shape of the printed part by thermally depositing molten material. For larger plastic parts, such as the plastic molds mentioned above, excessive heat accumulation can not only affect the molding efficiency and quality of 3D printing, but may even cause the pre-fabricated part of the plastic part to become unstable. This is because the pre-fabricated part of the plastic part is usually temporarily fixed to the 3D printing table with glue, and excessive heat can affect the adhesive strength. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a plastic parts processing device. The device's housing is made of aluminum alloy, which has high thermal conductivity. Combined with a serpentine cooling medium channel, it can quickly transfer cold energy to achieve efficient cooling, thereby improving the molding efficiency and quality of the printed part of the plastic parts. Its connection structure with the worktable makes installation and disassembly convenient. The clamping mechanism meets the clamping requirements of different prefabricated parts, and the outer elastic pad further protects the surface of the parts.

[0007] The technical solution of this utility model is as follows: A plastic parts processing device includes a fixed base, which is detachably and fixedly installed on the worktable of a 3D printing equipment. The fixed base includes a box with an opening at the top and a cavity in the middle. A cooling medium channel located at the bottom of the cavity is provided at the bottom of the box for cooling the plastic parts. Several clamping mechanisms are provided on the side wall of the cavity for clamping the plastic parts. When the clamping mechanisms are working, they clamp the plastic parts in a prefabricated part made by a non-3D printing method.

[0008] Support legs are provided on both sides of the housing. U-shaped grooves are provided on the support legs to match the T-shaped grooves on the 3D printing equipment worktable. After the T-shaped head of the T-bolt is inserted into the T-shaped groove, it moves along the U-shaped groove to the middle of the U-shaped groove and then the support leg is fastened to the 3D printing equipment worktable by the thread engagement of the nut and the T-bolt.

[0009] The enclosure is made of aluminum alloy.

[0010] The cooling medium channels have a serpentine, winding structure inside the housing.

[0011] The housing is fixedly equipped with inlet and outlet connectors that are connected to both ends of the cooling medium channel.

[0012] The clamping mechanism includes a telescopic element and a clamping plate. The telescopic element is fixedly installed on the cavity side wall of the housing, and the clamping plate is fixedly installed on the telescopic end of the telescopic element.

[0013] An elastic pad is provided on the outside of the clamping plate.

[0014] The elastic pad is a rubber pad.

[0015] The telescopic element can be any one of a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or an electric cylinder.

[0016] The shape of the clamping plate matches the shape of the prefabricated part of the plastic component.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: 1. The present invention discloses a plastic parts processing device. The aluminum alloy housing of the plastic parts processing device has strong thermal conductivity. Combined with the serpentine cooling medium channel, it can quickly transfer cold energy to achieve efficient cooling, thereby improving the molding efficiency and molding quality of the plastic parts printing section.

[0018] 2. The present invention discloses a plastic parts processing device. The clamping plate of the plastic parts processing device is adapted to the shape of the plastic parts prefabrication part, and the telescopic element has a variety of options, which can flexibly adapt to the clamping requirements of prefabrication parts of different sizes and shapes.

[0019] 3. The present invention discloses a plastic parts processing device. The two side legs of the box body of the plastic parts processing device are connected to the worktable through a specific structure, which makes installation and disassembly convenient and quick, and improves the versatility and flexibility of the device.

[0020] 4. The present invention discloses a plastic parts processing device, wherein an elastic pad is provided on the outside of the clamping plate to provide a buffering effect and further protect the surface of the plastic parts. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The advantages and solutions of this application will become clear to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention.

[0022] In the attached diagram: Figure 1 This is a top view of a plastic parts processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front view of a plastic parts processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 for Figure 1 Sectional view of AA; Figure 4 for Figure 3 BB section view.

[0023] The components represented by the various reference numerals in the diagram are: This utility model includes: 100, 3D printing equipment workbench; 110, T-slot; 200, fixed base; 210, box body; 220, support leg; 221, U-slot; 230, cooling medium channel; 240, inlet connector; 250, outlet connector; 300, T-bolt; 400, nut; 500, plastic part; 600, telescopic element; 700, clamping plate; and 710, elastic pad. Detailed Implementation Example

[0024] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the plastic parts processing device mainly consists of a fixed base 200, which is detachably and fixedly installed on the worktable 100 of the 3D printing equipment.

[0025] In this embodiment, the plastic part 500 takes the most typical plastic mold introduced in the background technology as an example. The plastic mold has a simple and regular base as the main support, which is the part shown in the attached figures. It has a square structure, and the cavity part has a complex structure consistent with the corresponding product. Therefore, the plastic mold is manufactured by 3D printing composite manufacturing technology. That is, the base part is first quickly manufactured using traditional technology such as injection molding to form a preform of plastic material, and then the cavity structure of plastic material on the top is prepared by 3D printing equipment on the worktable 100 of the 3D printing equipment.

[0026] In this embodiment, the 3D printing equipment is an FDM equipment, which is set above the 3D printing equipment worktable 100 via a gantry frame. This is a well-known structure and is not shown in the figure. This structure is the same as that of a gantry CNC machining equipment, except that it works by means of a 3D printing head according to a set program.

[0027] It should be noted that the 3D printing equipment can also be other plastic three-dimensional molding equipment that works by hot melt deposition, not limited to FDM equipment, and the worktable 100 of the 3D printing equipment is not limited to a gantry frame, because the worktable structure of this application can be seamlessly adapted to any multi-axis motion mechanism, including multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arms.

[0028] When using FDM technology to create a printed part on a square preform of a plastic mold, the heat released during the thermal deposition process accumulates throughout the completed part of the molded part, including conduction to the preform below the plastic mold, because the 3D print head forms the shape of the printed part by thermally depositing molten material. When the plastic mold is large, the heat accumulated during the thermal deposition process will affect the molding efficiency and molding quality of 3D printing. Moreover, if the preform of the plastic mold is temporarily fixed with glue as in most existing technologies, the excessive temperature will also affect the adhesive strength.

[0029] Therefore, the improvement of this embodiment is that the fixing base 200 includes a box 210 with an upper opening and a cavity in the middle. The bottom of the box 210 is provided with a cooling medium channel 230. Several clamping mechanisms are provided on the side wall of the cavity. The box 210 has legs 220 on both sides. In addition, the box 210 is also provided with an inlet connector 240 and an outlet connector 250 that are connected to both ends of the cooling medium channel 230.

[0030] More specifically, the 3D printing equipment workbench 100 is provided with a T-slot 110 for installation with the support leg 220 of the fixed base 200. The fixed base 200 is composed of a housing 210 and a support leg 220. The housing 210 is made of aluminum alloy and has good thermal conductivity. The housing 210 has an opening at the top and a hollow structure in the middle for placing plastic molds.

[0031] In this embodiment, the support legs 220 are arranged on both sides of the housing 210. Each support leg 220 is provided with a U-shaped groove 221 that matches the T-shaped groove 110 on the 3D printing equipment worktable 100. During installation, after the T-shaped head of the T-bolt 300 is inserted into the T-shaped groove 110, it moves along the U-shaped groove 221 to the middle of the U-shaped groove 221. Then, the support leg 220 is fastened to the 3D printing equipment worktable 100 by the thread engagement between the nut 400 and the T-bolt 300.

[0032] The cooling medium channel 230 is located at the bottom of the housing 210 and has a serpentine bend structure inside the housing 210. This design increases the contact area between the cooling medium and the housing 210 and improves the heat exchange efficiency.

[0033] The inlet connector 240 and the outlet connector 250 are respectively fixedly installed on the housing 210 and connected to both ends of the cooling medium channel 230 for the inflow and outflow of the cooling medium. In one specific embodiment, the cooling medium is cooling water.

[0034] The clamping mechanism consists of a telescopic element 600 and a clamping plate 700. When the clamping mechanism is working, it clamps the prefabricated part of the plastic mold that is not made by 3D printing.

[0035] The telescopic element 600 is fixedly installed on the cavity side wall of the housing 210. It can be any one of a pneumatic cylinder, hydraulic cylinder or electric cylinder. The clamping and releasing actions are achieved by controlling its extension and retraction.

[0036] The clamping plate 700 is fixedly installed at the telescopic end of the telescopic element 600. Its shape matches the shape of the plastic mold preform, which can better fit the plastic mold preform and provide uniform and stable clamping force. An elastic pad 710 is provided on the outside of the clamping plate 700. In this embodiment, the elastic pad is a rubber pad, which can play a buffering role and avoid damage to the surface of the plastic mold when clamping.

[0037] The plastic parts processing device is used to process plastic molds. 1. Install the mounting bracket Place the mounting base 200 in a suitable position on the 3D printing equipment worktable 100, aligning the U-shaped groove 221 on the support leg 220 with the T-shaped groove 110 on the worktable 100. Insert the T-head of the T-bolt 300 into the T-shaped groove 110, then move the T-bolt 300 along the U-shaped groove 221 to the middle of the U-shaped groove 221. Finally, tighten the nut 400 to securely install the mounting base 200 on the 3D printing equipment worktable 100.

[0038] 2. Prefabrication section for placing plastic molds The prefabricated part of the plastic mold, which is prefabricated using the traditional injection molding process, is placed at the bottom of the cavity of the box 210. In this step, it is optional whether or not glue is used for fixation.

[0039] 3. Clamping the prefabrication section of the plastic mold The telescopic element 600 is extended, pushing the clamping plate 700 to move towards the preform of the plastic mold. Since the shape of the clamping plate 700 matches the shape of the preform of the plastic mold and there is a rubber pad on the outside for cushioning, the preform of the plastic mold can be clamped evenly and stably in the cavity of the box 210.

[0040] 4. Processing and printing section After starting the FDM equipment and establishing the baseline, the 3D printing head works according to the set program to process the printing part of the plastic mold on the pre-fabricated part of the fixed plastic mold.

[0041] 5. Cooling While starting the FDM equipment, or after the temperature of the plastic mold rises during a period of operation of the FDM equipment, cooling medium is introduced into the cooling medium channel 230 through the inlet connector 240. The cooling medium flows in the serpentine cooling medium channel 230 and exchanges heat with the chamber 210, thereby reducing the temperature of the chamber 210 and accelerating the transfer of heat from the plastic mold during printing to the chamber 210.

[0042] 6. Unloading and Retrieving Materials After printing is completed, the cooling medium is stopped, the telescopic element 600 is shortened, the clamping plate 700 is moved away from the plastic mold, and the product is taken out from the box 210, resulting in a complete plastic mold with a pre-made part at the bottom and a printed part at the top.

[0043] It should be noted that although the plastic part 500 in this embodiment is exemplified by a plastic mold, this obviously does not constitute a limitation on the present invention. The plastic part processing device of this invention can obviously be extended to the manufacture of any other plastic products consisting of a prefabricated part with a relatively regular lower shape and a printed part with a relatively complex upper shape. Therefore, the scope of protection of this invention should be determined by the claims.

Claims

1. A plastic parts processing device, characterized in that, The device includes a mounting base (200), which is detachably and fixedly mounted on the worktable (100) of the 3D printing equipment. The mounting base (200) includes a box (210) with an opening at the top and a cavity in the middle. A cooling medium channel (230) for cooling the plastic part (500) is provided at the bottom of the box (210) cavity. Several clamping mechanisms for clamping the plastic part (500) are provided on the side wall of the cavity of the box (210). When the clamping mechanism is working, it clamps the prefabricated part of the plastic part (500) made by a non-3D printing method.

2. The plastic parts processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Support legs (220) are provided on both sides of the housing (210). U-shaped grooves (221) that match the T-shaped grooves (110) on the worktable (100) of the 3D printing equipment are provided on the support legs (220). After the T-shaped head of the T-bolt (300) is inserted into the T-shaped groove (110), it moves along the U-shaped groove (221) to the middle of the U-shaped groove (221) and then the support leg (220) is fastened to the worktable (100) of the 3D printing equipment by the thread engagement of the nut (400) and the T-shaped bolt (300).

3. The plastic parts processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The enclosure (210) is made of aluminum alloy.

4. The plastic parts processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling medium channel (230) has a serpentine bend structure inside the housing (210).

5. The plastic parts processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (210) is fixedly provided with an inlet connector (240) and an outlet connector (250) that are connected to both ends of the cooling medium channel (230).

6. The plastic parts processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism includes a telescopic element (600) and a clamping plate (700). The telescopic element (600) is fixedly installed on the cavity side wall of the housing (210), and the clamping plate (700) is fixedly installed on the telescopic end of the telescopic element (600).

7. A plastic parts processing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, An elastic pad (710) is provided on the outside of the clamping plate (700).

8. A plastic parts processing apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The elastic pad is a rubber pad.

9. A plastic parts processing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The telescopic element (600) is any one of a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or an electric cylinder.

10. A plastic parts processing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The shape of the clamping plate (700) matches the shape of the preform of the plastic part (500).

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