3D printing system and control method

Abstract

A 3D printing system and control method are provided, the 3D printing system including a material extrusion device that extrudes molten material to print a current layer, and a preheating device that preheats a layer prior to the current layer before the current layer is printed, to heat the previous layer from a current temperature to a temperature more suitable for fusing with the current layer.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] <Cross - reference to Related Applications> This invention claims the priority of a Chinese patent application filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on April 13, 2022, with an application number of CN202210384843.0 and an invention title of "3D Printing System and Control Method", and the priority of a Chinese patent application filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on April 13, 2022, with an application number of CN202220850847.9 and an invention title of "3D Printing System", and all of its content is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This invention relates to the field of 3D printing, and specifically, to a 3D printing system and a control method.

Background Art

[0003] 3D printing technologies based on material extrusion, such as fused deposition molding (FDM) technology, etc., realize that the molten material is printed layer by layer on the forming platform through the relative movement between the material extrusion device and the forming platform, and finally a 3D printed part is formed.

[0004] The quality of the fusion effect between the current layer printed by the material extrusion device and the previous layer directly affects the performance and accuracy of the formed 3D printed part. Therefore, how to ensure good fusion between the current printed layer and the previous layer is an important research direction in 3D printing technology.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a 3D printing system that can achieve better fusion between the current printed layer and the layer before the current printed layer, and improve the performance and accuracy of 3D printed parts.

[0006] In a first embodiment, a 3D printing system is provided. The 3D printing system comprises a material extruder for printing the current layer by extruding a molten material; a first layer processing system disposed on one side of the material extruder and moving in accordance with the movement of the material extruder; a second layer processing system disposed on the other side of the material extruder and moving in accordance with the movement of the material extruder; and a control device connected to the first layer processing system and the second layer processing system. The first layer processing system comprises a first preheating device for preheating the layer immediately preceding the current layer before printing the current layer; and a first roller device located between the first preheating device and the material extruder for flattening the current layer after the printing of the current layer is completed. The second layer processing system comprises a second preheating device for preheating the layer immediately preceding the current layer before printing the current layer; and a second roller device located between the second preheating device and the material extruder for flattening the current layer after the printing of the current layer is completed. The control device performs the following actions in response to the material extrusion device moving toward the side where the first layer processing system is located: control the first preheating device and the second roller device to be activated and control the second preheating device and the first roller device to be deactivated; and control the second preheating device and the first roller device to be activated and control the first preheating device and the second roller device to be deactivated in response to the material extrusion device moving toward the side where the second layer processing system is located.

[0007] In a second embodiment, a 3D printing system is provided, comprising a material extruder for printing the current layer by extruding a molten material, and a preheating device for preheating the layer immediately preceding the current layer before printing the current layer.

[0008] A third embodiment provides a 3D printing system, comprising a material extruder for printing a current layer by extruding a molten material, and a preheating device for preheating the layer immediately preceding the current layer before printing the current layer, heating the preceding layer from its current temperature to a temperature more suitable for fusion with the current layer.

[0009] In a fourth aspect, a control method is provided, the method being applied to a 3D printing system. The 3D printing system comprises a material extruder for printing a current layer by extruding a molten material; a first layer processing system located on one side of the material extruder and moving in accordance with the movement of the material extruder; and a second layer processing system located on the other side of the material extruder and moving in accordance with the movement of the material extruder. The first layer processing system comprises a first preheating device for preheating the layer immediately preceding the current layer before printing the current layer; and a first roller device located between the first preheating device and the material extruder for flattening the current layer after printing the current layer is complete. The second layer processing system comprises a second preheating device for preheating the layer immediately preceding the current layer before printing the current layer; and a second roller device located between the second preheating device and the material extruder for flattening the current layer after printing the current layer is complete. The control method includes controlling the first preheating device and the second roller device to be in an activated state and the second preheating device and the first roller device to be in a deactivated state in response to the material extrusion device moving toward the side where the first layer processing system is located, and controlling the second preheating device and the first roller device to be in an activated state and the first preheating device and the second roller device to be in a deactivated state in response to the material extrusion device moving toward the side where the second layer processing system is located.

[0010] A fifth aspect provides a control method, which includes preheating the layer immediately preceding the current layer, and, after preheating the previous layer, controlling a material extruder to extrude molten material to print the current layer.

[0011] In the sixth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, and the computer program, when executed, implements the method according to the fourth or fifth aspect.

[0012] In the seventh aspect, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product including executable code, which, when executed, can implement the method of the fourth or fifth aspect.

[0013] By installing a preheating device and preheating the previous layer before the material extruder prints the current layer, the temperature of the previous layer is made more suitable for fusion with the current layer, thereby improving the performance and accuracy of the printed part. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a 3D printing system in related technologies. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of the configuration of one 3D printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the configuration of another 3D printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a side view of the 3D printing system 300. [Figure 5a] This is a schematic diagram of the configuration of one roller device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5b] This is a schematic diagram of the configuration of one roller device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a schematic flowchart of the control method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7]This is a schematic flowchart of another control method according to the embodiments of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the drawings of the embodiments. Clearly, the embodiments described are only a subset of the embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without requiring any creative effort based on the embodiments of the present invention are all within the scope of the protection of the present invention.

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention provide a 3D printing system and control method that can improve the performance and accuracy of 3D printed parts.

[0017] The technical solutions of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings and specific embodiments. To more clearly explain the 3D printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, we will first describe the configuration of a 3D printing system in related technologies.

[0018] Referring to Figure 1, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a 3D printing system 100 in the related technology. The 3D printing system 100 typically comprises a molding platform 110 and a material extrusion device 120.

[0019] The material extruder 120, also called a print head in some scenarios, extrudes molten material onto the molding platform 110, and through relative movement with the molding platform 110, it enables layer-by-layer printing on the molding platform 110, ultimately forming a 3D printed part.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, when the material extrusion device 120 moves along the printing direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1, the newly extruded material forms the current printing layer 112 on the forming platform 110. The current printing layer 112 needs to fuse with the previous printing layer 111. When actually printing, if the fusion effect between the current printing layer 112 and the previous printing layer 111 is not good, it will directly affect the final forming performance and accuracy of the 3D printed part. For example, the temperature of the previously printed layer 111 decreases after printing, but the newly extruded molten material generally has a very high temperature. As a result, the temperature difference between the two layers that need to be fused becomes large, affecting the fusion effect, thereby affecting the performance and accuracy of the printed part.

[0021] Therefore, in order to improve the performance and accuracy of 3D printed parts, how to achieve better fusion between the current printing layer and the previous layer becomes an urgent problem to be solved.

[0022] In view of this, the 3D printing system according to the present invention adds a preheating device to quickly preheat the surface of the layer before the current layer before printing the current layer, heating the previous layer to a temperature at which it can better bond with the newly extruded molten material, thereby improving the performance and accuracy of 3D printing.

[0023] Hereinafter, the 3D printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a 3D printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The 3D printing system 200 includes a forming platform 110, a material extrusion device 120, and a preheating device 210.

[0025] The preheating device 210 is configured to perform a preheating process on the previous layer 111 of the current layer before the material extrusion device 120 prints the current layer 112.

[0026] Selectively, preheating the previous layer by the preheating device 210 includes heating the previous layer from its current temperature to a first temperature more suitable for fusion with the current layer. The first temperature may be higher than the temperature of the molding chamber where the 3D printing system is located, but lower than the temperature of the molten material in the material extruder. Assuming that the temperature at which the material converts from a solid state to a molten state is a second temperature, the first temperature is set higher than the temperature of the molding chamber where the 3D printing system is located and lower than the second temperature. This avoids damaging the already molded shape of the previous layer. As an example, the previous layer can be heated to an optimal bonding temperature between the previous layer and the current layer. This optimal bonding temperature is related to the properties of the material and can be determined specifically by experiment or experience.

[0027] In one embodiment, the preheating device 210 can preheat the area to be printed. For example, the preheating device 210 can preheat the area in front of the extrusion port of the material extruder 120.

[0028] In some embodiments, the preheating device 210 may be located (or fixed) to one side of the material extrusion device 120. In other embodiments, the preheating device 210 may be provided separately from the material extrusion device 120, and if the preheating device 210 is required, it may be moved to the front of the material extrusion device 120 in the printing direction.

[0029] Selectively, the number of preheating devices 120 may be one or more. In one embodiment, the preheating device 210 may be located only on one side of the material extruder 120. In another embodiment, there may be two sets of preheating devices 210, each set of preheating devices located on either side of the material extruder 120. For example, the two sets of preheating devices may be located on the side of the material extruder 120 in the direction of movement (i.e., forward in the direction of movement) and the opposite side in the direction of movement (i.e., rear in the direction of movement). When the material extruder is moving, the preheating device located on the side in the direction of movement is operational and preheats the surface of the layer immediately preceding the current print layer to rapidly heat the surface of the layer immediately preceding to the first temperature described above, so that the molten material extruded by the material extruder can fuse well with the previous layer. The preheating device located on the opposite side in the direction of movement may be inactive.

[0030] In this way, the two sets of preheating devices can switch their operating states in accordance with the change in the direction of movement of the material extrusion device, ensuring that preheating is performed on the layer immediately preceding the current printing layer, while simultaneously not affecting the printing effect of the current printing layer.

[0031] Selectively, a preheating device in operation may be positioned close to the current printing layer, while a preheating device in non-operating state may be positioned away from the current printing layer.

[0032] Specifically, the operating preheating device can be lowered to a preset height so that it can rapidly preheat the layer immediately preceding the current printing layer. For example, the bottom surface of the operating preheating device and the bottom surface of the material extruder may be maintained at a predetermined height difference (the height difference is δ, for example, δ = 0.1 mm). For example, the bottom surface of the operating preheating device can be set slightly higher than the bottom surface of the material extruder by δ, in which case the distance between the operating preheating device and the surface of the previous printing layer will be the sum of the printing thickness and the height difference (δ). In this way, it is possible to prevent the operating preheating device from interfering with the non-communicating region of the newly printed layer and affecting the printing effect and accuracy. At the same time, it is ensured that the preheating device can rapidly raise the temperature of the surface to be printed to a first temperature suitable for fusion with the new printing layer.

[0033] On the other hand, the non-operating preheating device can be raised to a preset height (e.g., 10 mm), thereby reducing the intensity of convection and diffusion heat exchange by the preheating device with respect to the new printing layer, and thus reducing the influence of the preheating device on the performance and accuracy of the new printing layer.

[0034] Selectively, the preheating device can be heated by a contact heating method. For example, the preheating device may be heated by a pre-embedded heating element. By pre-embedding the heating element, the entire cast aluminum block becomes a single heating element, forming a single preheating device. Alternatively, the preheating device may be heated by a heating medium. For example, a circulation channel may be provided within the preheating device, and a heat circulation medium such as circulating oil may be introduced into the circulation channel to achieve temperature control of the preheating device.

[0035] Selectively, the preheating device may be heated by a non-contact heating method. For example, an infrared heating device may be provided to heat the preheating device using infrared heating, thereby preheating the layer immediately preceding the current printed layer. Naturally, an infrared non-contact heating device may also be directly installed as the preheating device, and the infrared heating device may be used to directly preheat the previous layer. Examples of methods for directly preheating the previous layer by non-contact heating include microwave heating and laser heating. The present invention does not limit the heating method of the preheating device or the heating method of the current layer.

[0036] Selectively, when the preheating device is operating, the maximum surface temperature may reach 350°C.

[0037] Selectively, the dimensions of the preheating device may be set to, for example, 32 mm (width) x 100 mm (length) x 50 mm (height), and the width direction of the preheating device is parallel to the length direction of the material extrusion device. Selectively, the leading and trailing edges of the preheating device may be rounded.

[0038] In some application scenarios, the molten material newly extruded by the material extruder is at a high temperature, making it prone to sagging and potentially reducing the accuracy of the printed part (e.g., the dimensional accuracy of the contour edges of the printed part). Furthermore, if the current printed layer is too hot immediately after printing, the material is softened and easily deformed by its own weight, affecting the accuracy of the printed part. Also, because the printed layer is still at a high temperature immediately after printing, a new printed layer cannot be built on top of it until it has cooled to an appropriate temperature. With natural cooling, the printing of a new layer cannot be performed quickly, and the construction of a new printed layer cannot proceed until it has cooled to an appropriate temperature, significantly impacting the efficiency of the printed component.

[0039] In view of this, the 3D printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a cooling device. Continuing to refer to Figure 2, the cooling device 220 is configured to perform temperature control on the current layer after the material extruder 120 has completed printing the current layer. For example, it may perform a cooling treatment on the current layer. For example, the cooling device 220 can lower the temperature of the current printed layer to a temperature that can be maintained so that the current printed layer does not easily deform.

[0040] When actually printing, the temperature of the current printing layer should not be made excessively low. If the temperature is too low, large internal stresses will be generated, making the printed parts more susceptible to deformation. Therefore, the cooling system can control the temperature of the current printing layer so that it does not become so low as to cause deformation of the printed parts.

[0041] In some embodiments, the cooling device 220 may be located (or fixed) to one side of the material extruder 120. In other embodiments, the cooling device 220 may be provided separately from the material extruder 120, and if the cooling device 220 is required, it may be moved to the rear of the material extruder 120 in the printing direction.

[0042] Selectively, the number of cooling devices 220 may be one or more. In one embodiment, the cooling devices 220 may be located only on one side of the material extrusion device 120.

[0043] In another embodiment, two sets of cooling devices 220 may be included, which can be located on either side of the material extruder. Rejection The devices can be installed on the side of the material extrusion device 120 in the direction of movement (i.e., the front in the direction of movement) and on the opposite side in the direction of movement (i.e., the rear in the direction of movement). When the material extrusion device is moving, the cooling device located on the opposite side in the direction of movement (the rear in the direction of movement) is in operation and performs a cooling treatment on the molten material that has just been extruded by the material extrusion device 120. The cooling device located on the side in the direction of movement (the front in the direction of movement) may be in a non-operating state.

[0044] In this way, the two sets of cooling devices can switch their operating states according to the change in the direction of movement of the material extrusion device, ensuring cooling treatment for the new printing layer without affecting other layers.

[0045] In one embodiment, the 3D printing system may further include a planarization device. The planarization device is configured to planarize the current layer so that it becomes flat when printing of the current layer is complete, thereby improving molding accuracy.

[0046] In some embodiments, the planarizing device may be located (or fixed) to one side of the material extruder 120. In other embodiments, the planarizing device may be located separately from the material extruder 120, and if the planarizing device is required, it may be moved to the rear in the printing direction of the material extruder 120.

[0047] Selectively, the number of planarization devices may be one or multiple.

[0048] In one embodiment, the planarization apparatus may be equipped with a cooling device. After the material extrusion apparatus completes printing of the current layer, the planarization apparatus can perform planarization and cooling of the current layer, thus effectively saving space in the 3D printing system and reducing design and manufacturing costs.

[0049] In another embodiment, the planarizing device further comprises a roller device. For example, the roller device planarizes the current printed layer by directly contacting it. At the same time, the roller device rapidly cools the current printed layer to an appropriate temperature by absorbing the heat of the newly extruded material, thereby lowering the temperature of the current printed layer of the printed component.

[0050] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of another 3D printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The 3D printing system 300 in Figure 3 includes a material extrusion device 120, a first layer processing system 310, and a second layer processing system 320.

[0051] As shown in Figure 3, the first layer processing system 310 is positioned on one side of the material extruder 120 and moves in accordance with the movement of the material extruder 120.

[0052] Selectively, the first layer processing system 310 comprises a first preheating device 311 and a first roller device 312. The first preheating device 311 is used to preheat the layer immediately preceding the current layer before the current layer is printed. The first preheating device is shown in Figure 2 It may also be a preheating device 210. The first roller device 312 is located between the first preheating device 311 and the material extruder 120 and is used to flatten the current layer after the current layer has been printed.

[0053] The second processing layer system 320 is located on the other side of the material extruder 120 and moves in accordance with the movement of the material extruder 120. Selectively, the second layer processing system 320 comprises a second preheating device 322 and a second roller device 321. The second preheating device 322 is used to preheat the layer immediately preceding the current layer before the current layer is printed. The second preheating device is shown in Figure 2 This may be a preheating device 210. The second roller device 321 is located between the second preheating device 322 and the material extruder 120 and is used to flatten the current print layer after the current print layer has been printed.

[0054] Selectively, the 3D printing system 300 further comprises a control device. The control device may include, for example, a first layer processing system 310 and a second layer processing system 320It can be connected to the first layer processing system 310. When the material extruder 120 moves toward the location of the first layer processing system 310 (i.e., the printing direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 3), the control device controls the first preheating device 311 and the second roller device 321 to be activated, and the second preheating device 322 and the first roller device 312 to be deactivated. Similarly, when the material extruder 120 moves toward the location of the second layer processing system 320 (i.e., in the opposite direction to the printing direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 3), the control device controls the second preheating device 322 and the first roller device 312 to be activated, and the first preheating device 311 and the second roller device 321 to be deactivated.

[0055] Selectively, the bottom surface of the operating roller device may be at the same height as the bottom surface of the material extruder 120. Continuing to refer to Figure 3, when the material extruder 120 moves along the direction indicated by the arrow, the roller device 321 is in operation, and the bottom surface of the roller device 321 is at the same height as the material extruder 120. bottom When at the same height, the roller device 321 can better perform processes such as rolling, ironing, and temperature control of the new printed layer.

[0056] Selectively, the roller device can achieve temperature control of the current printing layer by contact means. For example, the roller temperature may be controlled using a self-heating method. For instance, a heating resistance wire can be installed inside the roller, and the temperature of the roller can be directly controlled by the resistance wire. If the roller temperature is lower than a preset temperature, the roller can be directly heated by the resistance wire; if the roller temperature is high, heating is stopped, and the roller cools down by thermal radiation. A circulating medium system may be used as the means for roller self-heating. For example, a circulation channel can be provided inside the roller, and the temperature of the roller can be controlled by the circulating medium. The circulating medium may be circulating oil, gas, etc.

[0057] Selectively, the roller device may achieve temperature control using a non-contact method. For example, an infrared heating method is one such method. The present invention does not limit the temperature control method of the roller device.

[0058] In one embodiment, the first roller device and / or the second roller device are further provided with a cooling device, which is configured to cool the current layer after the current layer has been printed.

[0059] In the 3D printing system according to the present invention, temperature control of the surface material of the printed part can be achieved, for example, by the preheating device and roller device described above, although the functions of the two are different.

[0060] Specifically, the preheating device preheats the layer immediately preceding the current printed layer, rapidly heating a localized thin layer on the surface of the previous layer to a relatively high temperature more suitable for bonding with the newly extruded material. Here, the preheating device has only a negligible effect on the overall temperature of the printed component.

[0061] The roller device rapidly cools the current printed layer (or a newly printed layer). Newly extruded material is very hot and prone to sagging, affecting the dimensional accuracy of the contour edges of the printed part. The roller device maintains a predetermined temperature and has a large heat capacity relative to the current printed layer material, allowing it to quickly reduce the newly extruded material to a temperature where sagging is less likely, thereby facilitating high-precision deposition. Furthermore, the roller device works in conjunction with other temperature control means within the printing chamber to maintain the entire printed part at an appropriate temperature that resists deformation. If the temperature of the printed part is too high, the material is still soft and easily deformed by its own weight. Conversely, if the temperature is too low, large internal stresses are likely to occur, causing the part to deform. The roller device absorbs the heat of the newly extruded material through direct contact, reducing heat accumulation in the printed material and preventing excessive temperature rise in the printed part. Additionally, the roller device can be further equipped with a heating device to prevent the printed material from being too cold. The roller also has additional functions, such as ironing, on the current printed layer.

[0062] In one embodiment, the 3D printing system may further include a lifting mechanism, which may be connected to a first preheating device 311 and a second preheating device 322.

[0063] When the material extrusion device 120 selectively moves toward the side where the first layer processing system 310 is located, the lifting mechanism moves the first preheating device 311 to a position closer to the printing layer ahead of the second preheating device 322. In this way, the first preheating device 311 enables rapid preheating of the previous printing layer, while the second preheating device 322 does not affect the surface of the new printing layer.

[0064] Similarly, as the material extrusion device 120 moves toward the side where the second layer processing system 320 is located, the lifting mechanism moves the second preheating device 322 to a position closer to the printed layer above the first preheating device 311.

[0065] Figure 4 is a side view of the preheating device and roller device in the 3D printing system 300 of Figure 3. The device 400 in Figure 4 may include a preheating device 410, a roller device 420, and a lifting mechanism 430. Here, the preheating device 410 may be the first preheating device 311 in Figure 3, or the second preheating device 322. The roller device 420 is the first roller device corresponding to the preheating device. 312 Alternatively, a second roller device 321 may be used.

[0066] Selectively, at least one set of devices 400 may be provided on each side of the material extrusion apparatus.

[0067] When the preheating device 410 is in operation, the lifting mechanism 430 lowers the preheating device 410 to a preset height, thereby allowing the preheating device 410 to better preheat the surface of the material in the previous layer. At the same time, the lifting mechanism 430 moves the non-operating roller device 420 to a predetermined position so that the bottom surface of the roller device 420 is higher than the bottom surface of the preheating device 410, thereby maintaining an appropriate height difference between the two and preventing mutual interference between the preheating device 410 and the roller device 420.

[0068] The present invention is not limited to the option of providing separate lifting mechanisms for the preheating device 410 and the roller device 420.

[0069] Selectively, the upper part of the preheating device 410 may be connected to the lifting mechanism 430 via an insulating device 440. The insulating device 440 may be, for example, an insulating pad. The insulating device 440 can ensure the stability of the upgraded mechanical structure by avoiding the heat dissipation effect of the preheating device 410 on the lifting mechanism 430.

[0070] Figure 5 is a structural diagram of a roller device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 5, the roller device may include a roller 510, a heating device 520, and a heat dissipation device 530.

[0071] The roller device 500 is used to roll and temperature control the current printed layer immediately after printing. Rolling flattens the new printed layer, thereby improving bonding with the layer to be printed and allowing for better control of the printed layer thickness to ensure molding accuracy. The roller device 500 is configured to adjust the temperature of the material in the current printed layer to quickly cool it to a preset temperature, thereby improving printing efficiency.

[0072] In one embodiment, the roller 510 may be embedded in a metal bracket, for example, and the material of the roller 510 may have relatively high specific heat and thermal conductivity. This allows the roller 510 to achieve rapid temperature control by radiation from the metal bracket. Next, after planarizing the current printing layer, the roller 510 absorbs heat from the current printing layer and then carries the heat to the outside, so its own temperature does not rise and therefore does not destroy the material properties of the current printing layer.

[0073] The heating device 520 may be, for example, a heating rod or a heating block. The heating device 520 can be attached, for example, to the mounting bracket of the roller 510 in order to control the temperature of the metal bracket. After the metal bracket reaches a predetermined temperature, temperature control of the roller 510 is achieved by thermal radiation.

[0074] The heat dissipation device 530 may be, for example, a heat sink such as a heat dissipation fin. The heat dissipation device 530 can be attached, for example, to the mounting bracket of the roller 510. If the temperature of the roller 510 is high, the heat dissipation device 530 can release excess heat, thereby preventing the current printing layer from being affected by excessively high temperatures of the metal bracket and the roller 510.

[0075] Selectively, the roller device 500 may further include a material scraping plate 540, which may be installed, for example, at the bottom of a metal bracket. The material scraping end of the material scraping plate 540 contacts the surface of the roller 510 but does not affect its rotation. The material scraping plate 540 is configured to scrape off material from the surface of the roller 510, preventing the printing layer material from sticking to the roller 510 and affecting the printing effect and accuracy of the printing layer.

[0076] In one embodiment, the material of the material scraping plate 540 may include, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene. In another embodiment, a constant height difference can be maintained between the bottom surface of the material scraping plate 540 and the bottom surface of the roller, for example, 1 mm. This minimizes the influence of the material scraping plate 540 on the new printing layer.

[0077] Selectively, the roller device 500 further comprises a brush 550, the brush end of which contacts the surface of the roller 510 but does not affect its rotation. The other end of the brush 550 is connected to a release agent and is used to slowly and lightly apply the release agent to the surface of the roller 510, thereby maintaining a non-wet state between the surface of the roller 510 and the printing material, preventing adhesion to the material. The brush 550 may be, for example, a soft brush.

[0078] In some application scenarios, the surface of the roller 510 may be knurled. On the one hand, this can increase the surface area of ​​the roller 510. On the other hand, the fine texture treatment can improve the adhesion between the printing material layers. Furthermore, rolling with such fine texture can also improve the anisotropy of the material, thereby improving the performance of the printed component.

[0079] Selectively, the material of the roller 510 may be non-wetting to the printing material, thereby preventing material adhesion and damage to the printed layer.

[0080] Selectively, the 3D printing system may further include a temperature control device. For example, the temperature control device may be fixed within the same frame as the material extruder, such as a rigid frame, and is used to precisely control the temperature relative to each device. Insulation between the devices is required.

[0081] The 3D printing system according to the present invention may refer to a complete system capable of realizing 3D printing functionality, or to a single component or assembly within a complete system. In some embodiments, the preheating and cooling devices (or planarizing devices) described above can both be incorporated on either side of the 3D printing head (material extruder) and move in accordance with the movement of the 3D printing head. In this case, the 3D printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention may be understood as a 3D printing head assembly or a 3D printing head system.

[0082] Figure 6 is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a 3D printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Method 600 shown in Figure 6 can be performed, for example, by the 3D printing system 200 shown in Figure 2. Method 600 includes steps S610 and S620.

[0083] In step S610, the layer immediately preceding the current layer is preheated.

[0084] In step S620, after preheating the previous layer, the material extruder is controlled to extrude the molten material and print the current layer.

[0085] In some embodiments, the current layer is cooled after printing of the current layer is complete.

[0086] In some embodiments, the current layer is flattened after printing of the current layer is complete, so that the current layer becomes flat.

[0087] Figure 7 is a schematic flowchart of a control method for another 3D printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method 700 shown in Figure 7 can be performed, for example, by the 3D printing system 300 shown in Figure 3. This 3D printing system is A material extrusion device that extrudes molten material to print the current layer, A first layer processing system is positioned on one side of the material extrusion apparatus and moves in accordance with the movement of the material extrusion apparatus, The system comprises a second layer processing system, which is located on the other side of the material extrusion apparatus and moves in accordance with the movement of the material extrusion apparatus.

[0088] The first layer processing system is: A first preheating device that preheats the layer immediately preceding the current layer before printing the current layer, The system comprises a first roller device located between the first preheating device and the material extrusion device, which flattens the current layer after the printing of the current layer is complete.

[0089] The second layer processing system is A second preheating device that preheats the layer immediately preceding the current layer before printing the current layer, The system comprises a second roller device located between a second preheating device and a material extruder, which flattens the current layer after printing of the current layer is complete.

[0090] Method 700 includes steps S710 and S720. Specifically, In step S710, in response to the material extrusion device moving toward the side where the first layer processing system is located, the first preheating device and the second roller device are controlled to be in an activated state, and the second preheating device and the first roller device are controlled to be in a deactivated state.

[0091] In step S720, in response to the material extrusion device moving toward the side where the second layer processing system is located, the second preheating device and the first roller device are controlled to be activated, and the first preheating device and the second roller device are controlled to be deactivated.

[0092] The embodiments described above may be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware, or any other combination. When implemented using software, it may be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. The processes or functions described in the embodiments of the present invention are generated in whole or in part when computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a dedicated computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium, for example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via a wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, radio, microwave, etc.) method. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer, or a data storage device including a server or data center incorporating one or more available media. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., digital video discs (DVDs)), or semiconducting media (e.g., solid state disks (SSDs)).

[0093] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various example units and algorithmic steps described in relation to the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware or in combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art may use different methods for each specific application to realize the described functions, but such realizations should not be considered beyond the scope of this disclosure.

[0094] In some embodiments provided by the present invention, it should be understood that the systems, apparatus, and methods disclosed may be implemented by other means. For example, the embodiments of the apparatus described above are merely illustrative, and for instance, the division of the units is merely a logical functional division and may have other divisional schemes when actually implemented, for example, multiple units or assemblies may be combined or incorporated into other systems, or some features may be ignored or not performed. Furthermore, the connections or direct connections or communication connections between the indicated or considered may be indirect connections or communication connections via multiple interfaces, apparatus, or units, and may be in electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0095] Units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and components shown as units may or may not be physical units. They may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. They may be selected based on the actual requirements in order to achieve the objectives of the solutions in the embodiments of this application.

[0096] Furthermore, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present invention may be integrated into a single processing unit, each unit may exist physically independently, or two or more units may be integrated into a single unit.

[0097] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that a person skilled in the art could easily conceive within the technical scope disclosed herein should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. For this reason, the scope of protection of the present invention is the same as the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A material extruder configured to print the current layer by extruding a molten material, A preheating device configured to preheat the layer immediately preceding the current layer before the current layer is printed, A planarizing device configured to planarize the current layer so that it becomes flat after the printing of the current layer is completed, The flattening device comprises a roller device, the roller device comprises a brush, and the brush ends of the brushes contact the roller surface to apply a release agent to the roller surface. A 3D printing system characterized by the following features.

2. The system further includes a cooling device configured to cool the current layer after the printing of the current layer is complete. The 3D printing system according to claim 1, characterized in that...

3. The planarizing apparatus includes a cooling device configured to cool the current layer after printing of the current layer is complete. The 3D printing system according to claim 1, characterized in that...

4. The roller device further comprises a material scraping plate, The material scraping end of the material scraping plate contacts the roller surface of the roller device so as to scrape the material off the roller surface. The 3D printing system according to claim 3, characterized in that...

5. A material extruder configured to extrude molten material to print the current layer, A first layer processing system is positioned on one side of the material extrusion apparatus and moves in accordance with the movement of the material extrusion apparatus, A second layer processing system is positioned on the other side of the material extrusion apparatus and moves in accordance with the movement of the material extrusion apparatus, The system comprises a control device connected to the first layer processing system and the second layer processing system, The first layer processing system comprises a first preheating device configured to preheat the layer immediately preceding the current layer before the current layer is printed, and a first roller device located between the first preheating device and the material extruder, configured to flatten the current layer after the printing of the current layer is completed. The second layer processing system comprises a second preheating device configured to preheat the layer immediately preceding the current layer before the current layer is printed, and a second roller device located between the second preheating device and the material extruder, configured to flatten the current layer after the printing of the current layer is completed. The control device is In response to the material extrusion apparatus moving toward the side where the first layer processing system is located, the first preheating device and the second roller device are controlled to be in an activated state, and the second preheating device and the first roller device are controlled to be in a deactivated state, and The material extrusion apparatus is provided to control the second preheating device and the first roller device to be activated and the first preheating device and the second roller device to be deactivated in response to the material extrusion apparatus moving toward the side where the second layer processing system is located. The first roller device and the second roller device each include a brush, and the brush ends of the brushes contact the roller surface to apply a release agent to the roller surface. A 3D printing system characterized by the following features.

6. The system further comprises a lifting mechanism connected to the first preheating device and the second preheating device, The control device further, In response to the material extrusion apparatus moving toward the side where the first layer processing system is located, the lifting mechanism is controlled such that the first preheating device is positioned so that the distance to the previous layer is shorter than the distance to the previous layer of the second preheating device. In response to the material extrusion apparatus moving toward the side where the second layer processing system is located, the second preheating apparatus controls the lifting mechanism such that the distance to the previous layer is shorter than the distance to the previous layer of the first preheating apparatus. The 3D printing system according to claim 5, characterized in that...

7. A material extruder configured to extrude molten material to print the current layer, A preheating device configured to preheat the layer immediately preceding the current layer before the current layer is printed, thereby heating the preceding layer from its current temperature to a temperature more suitable for fusion with the current layer, A planarizing device configured to planarize the current layer so that it becomes flat after the printing of the current layer is completed, The flattening device comprises a roller device, the roller device comprises a brush, and the brush ends of the brushes contact the roller surface to apply a release agent to the roller surface. A 3D printing system characterized by the following features.

8. A control method used in a 3D printing system, The aforementioned 3D printing system is A material extruder configured to extrude molten material to print the current layer, A first layer processing system is positioned on one side of the material extrusion apparatus and moves in accordance with the movement of the material extrusion apparatus, The system comprises a second layer processing system positioned on the other side of the material extrusion apparatus and moving in accordance with the movement of the material extrusion apparatus, The first layer processing system comprises a first preheating device configured to preheat the layer immediately preceding the current layer before the current layer is printed, and a first roller device located between the first preheating device and the material extruder, configured to flatten the current layer after the printing of the current layer is completed. The second layer processing system comprises a second preheating device configured to preheat the layer immediately preceding the current layer before the current layer is printed, and a second roller device located between the second preheating device and the material extruder, configured to flatten the current layer after the printing of the current layer is completed. The control method described above is In response to the material extrusion apparatus moving toward the side where the first layer processing system is located, the first preheating device and the second roller device are controlled to be in an activated state, and the second preheating device and the first roller device are controlled to be in a deactivated state. The system includes controlling the second preheating device and the first roller device to be activated and the first preheating device and the second roller device to be deactivated in response to the material extrusion device moving toward the side where the second layer processing system is located. The first roller device and the second roller device each include a brush, and the brush ends of the brushes contact the roller surface to apply a release agent to the roller surface. A control method characterized by the following features.

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