3D printing device with replaceable heads

Abstract

This utility model pertains to additive manufacturing, specifically the fabrication of products by layer-by-layer deposition of molten polymer material using 3D models. The objective of this utility model is to create a 3D printing device with quick-change print heads, comprising a cone-shaped print head shank and a base element of the print heads with a collet clamp. The head rotation is accomplished without operator intervention. The technical result consists of increasing the efficiency of material utilization in 3D printing by reducing waste when using quick-change print heads with an extruder for feeding filament and for feeding polymer granules.The technical result is achieved in that a device for 3D printing with quick-change heads, comprising a housing, a table, a crossbar with a base element of the print head and a quick-change gripper, a quick-change print head with an extruder with a supply of filament thread and a quick-change print head with an extruder with a supply of polymer granules, includes a zone for changing the print heads and a working space in which the product is printed, wherein the crossbar and the print heads are equipped with a quick-change gripper with a fixation force of 15-20 N, wherein one quick-change print head with an extruder is intended for supplying filament thread, and the second quick-change print head with an extruder is intended for supplying polymer granules with the ability to adjust the volume of material supply in the range of 10-30 mm³ / s.The device can be used by enterprises and organizations of various profiles of activity, engaged in the manufacture of products from polymeric materials in the conditions of single production or small series.

Description

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of additive technologies, in particular to the manufacture of products by layer-by-layer application of molten polymer material based on the use of 3D models.

[0002] One of the significant challenges associated with the implementation of printing technology using molten filament extrusion is the significant volume of waste. Furthermore, recycling waste in practice requires the use of complex processing lines.

[0003] A device for recycling plastic after 3D printing is known (patent for utility model RU 219926, published 05.04.2023 Bulletin No. 23, IPC D29D 17 / 00), which allows recycling plastic granules into thread.

[0004] The main drawback of this device is the lack of control over the geometric dimensions of the resulting filament (which prevents it from producing filament that matches the parameters produced at filament factories). The device also requires spools and a winding system, and takes up a large amount of space. These drawbacks can be overcome by using two print heads in a single printer.

[0005] The closest analogue, based on the combination of essential features, is a print head for a 3D printer with two extruders (Patent for Utility Model RU 210149 U1, published March 30, 2022, Bulletin No. 10, IPC B29C 64 / 209). This device utilizes two print heads that can move vertically.

[0006] The disadvantages of this solution include:

[0007] - impossibility of simultaneous use of thread and granules as material;

[0008] - reduction of the print area, which is caused by the fact that the print heads are located close to each other;

[0009] - unevenness of the applied layer in thickness due to the fact that there is an error in the positioning of the heads relative to the plane of the table.

[0010] The problem that the claimed utility model is aimed at solving is the creation of a device for 3D printing with replaceable heads, including a head shank in the form of a cone and a base element of the print heads with a collet clamp, while the rotation of the heads is carried out without the participation of the operator.

[0011] The technical result consists in increasing the efficiency of material use in 3D printing by reducing waste when using replaceable print heads with an extruder for feeding filament thread and for feeding polymer granules.

[0012] The technical result is achieved in that a device for 3D printing with replaceable heads, comprising a housing, a table, a crossbar with a base element of the print head and a gripper, a replaceable print head with an extruder with a filament feed and a replaceable print head with an extruder with a feed of polymer granules, includes a zone for changing print heads and a working space in which the product is printed, while the crossbar and print heads are equipped with a gripper with a fixation force of 15-20 N, wherein one replaceable print head with an extruder is designed to feed filament thread, and the second replaceable print head with an extruder is designed to feed polymer granules with the ability to adjust the volume of material feed in the range of 10-30 mm 3 / With.

[0013] The device for 3D printing with replaceable heads is explained by the drawing, where the figure shows a general view of the device in isometric projection, where the following are designated: 1 - body; 2 - table; 3 - crossbar; 4 - base element of the print head; 5 - replaceable print head with an extruder, including a head shank in the form of a cone; 6 - base element of the replaceable print head with an extruder 5 and with a collet clamp; 7 - replaceable print head with an extruder, including a head shank in the form of a cone; 8 - base element of the replaceable print head with an extruder 7 and with a collet clamp; 9 - filament thread; 10 - polymer granules; 11 - gripper; 12 - print head change zone; 13 - the working space in which the product is printed; 14 - a bunker for storing the feed material of filament thread 9, polymer granules 10.

[0014] The 3D printing device with replaceable heads includes a housing 1, a table 2, a crosshead 3, a base element of the print head 4 with a gripper 11, a replaceable print head with an extruder 5 with a filament feed 9, including a head shank in the form of a cone, a base element 6 of the replaceable print head with an extruder 5 and a collet clamp, a replaceable print head with an extruder 7 with a feed of polymer granules 10, including a head shank in the form of a cone, a base element 8 of the replaceable print head with an extruder 7 and a collet clamp. The main components of the device are located in a single housing 1.

[0015] The printer space is divided into two parts: the printhead replacement area 12 and the workspace 13, where the product is printed. All components are mounted within a single housing 1. The base elements of the replaceable printheads with extruders 6 and 8 are rigidly secured to the housing with fasteners that ensure structural integrity and secure fixation of the components. The replaceable printheads with extruders 5 and 7 are connected to housing 1 via a feeder for the materials—filament thread 9 and polymer granules 10. A hopper 14 for storing the feed material—filament thread 9 and polymer granules 10—is attached to housing 1 of the device.

[0016] The 3D printing device with replaceable heads works as follows.

[0017] Preparation for printing is carried out as follows: table 2 is prepared for printing the product in the working space 13; the type of material for printing is selected: filament thread 9 or polymer granules 10, depending on the purposes of creating the product; then the crossbeam 3 with the base element of the print head 4 and the gripper 11 is activated and moved to the print head change zone 12, wherein the print heads operate in turn and are located symmetrically.

[0018] When using filament thread 9 as a printing material, the base element of the print head 4 with the grip 11 of the crossbar 3 is brought to the base element 6 of the replaceable print head with the extruder 5 and with the collet clamp with the supply of filament thread 9 and the replaceable print head with the extruder 5 is clamped using the grip 11 with a fixation force of 15-20 N and with the ability to adjust the material feed volume in the range of 10-30 mm 3 / s. After this, the product is printed using a polymer thread 9, which is fed from a hopper 14 for storing the feed material, fixed to the body of the device 1.

[0019] When using polymer granules 10 as a printing material, the base element of the print head 4 with the gripper 11 of the crossbar 3 is brought to the base element 8 of the replaceable print head with the extruder 7 and with the collet clamp with the supply of polymer granules 10 and the replaceable print head with the extruder 7 is clamped using the gripper 11 with a fixation force of 15-20 N and with the ability to adjust the material supply volume in the range of 10-30 mm 3 / s. After this, the product is printed using polymer granules 10, which are fed from a hopper 14 for storing feed material 14, fixed to the body of the device 1.

[0020] After the printing process, the product is removed from table 2 and the technological elements (supports) are removed. A new product is then printed according to the program.

[0021] The technological elements (supports) are used to obtain granules 10 as a printing material using the base element of the print head 4. Thus, a closed cycle is realized and the material utilization rate is increased to 90-95%.

[0022] The 3D printing device with replaceable heads is explained with an example.

[0023] Example 1.

[0024] Preparation for printing was carried out by preparing table 2 for printing the product in workspace 13; the type of material for printing was selected - filament thread 9. Next, crosshead 3 with the base element of the print head 4 and gripper 11 was activated and moved to the print head change area 12.

[0025] When using filament thread 9 as a printing material, the base element of the print head 4 with the gripper 11 of the crosshead 3 was brought to the base element 6 of the replaceable print head with the extruder 5 and with the collet clamp with the supply of filament thread 9 and the replaceable print head with the extruder 5 was clamped using the gripper 11 with a fixation force of 15-20 N and with the ability to adjust the material feed volume in the range of 10-30 mm 3 / s. After this, the product was printed using a polymer thread 9, which was fed from a bin 14 for storing the feed material of the filament thread 9 and polymer granules 10, fixed to the body of the device 1.

[0026] After the product was printed, the part was removed from table 2 and the technological elements (supports) were removed.

[0027] The technological elements (supports) were used to produce granules 10 as a printing material using the base element of the print head 4. Thus, a closed cycle was realized and the material utilization rate was increased to 90-95%.

[0028] Example 2.

[0029] Preparation for printing was carried out by preparing table 2 for printing the product in workspace 13; the type of material for printing was selected - polymer granules 10. Next, crossbeam 3 with the base element of the print head 4 and gripper 11 was activated and moved to the print head change area 12.

[0030] When using polymer granules 10 as a printing material, the base element of the print head 4 with the gripper 11 of the crossbar 3 was brought to the base element of the replaceable print head 8 with the extruder 7 with the supply of polymer granules 10 and the replaceable print head with the extruder 7 was clamped using the gripper 11 with a fixation force of 15-20 N and with the ability to adjust the material feed volume in the range of 10-30 mm 3 / s. After this, the product was printed using polymer granules 10, which were fed from the bin 14 for storing the feed material of the filament thread 9 and polymer granules 10, fixed to the body of the device 1.

[0031] After the product was printed, the part was removed from table 2 and the technological elements (supports) were removed.

[0032] The technological elements (supports) were used to produce granules 10 as a printing material using the base element of the print head 4. Thus, a closed cycle was realized and the material utilization rate was increased to 90-95%.

[0033] The main advantages of the declared device compared to its analogues are:

[0034] - increased size of the working space in which the product is printed and the print head is changed, and the print heads work in turn and are located symmetrically;

[0035] - the ability to recycle waste generated during filament printing by using a replaceable print head with an extruder;

[0036] - the ability to implement the process of quick change of the print head in automatic mode due to the use of a replaceable print head with an extruder, which includes a cone-shaped head shank and a collet clamping element in the gripping device.

[0037] The technical result is reduced waste and is achieved by crushing scrap and process elements (supports) printed by a printer head using polymer filament as raw material into granules and feeding them into the print head hopper. This enables a closed-loop process.

[0038] The essence of the replaceable heads is that they have a conical shank, which is captured by a collet clamp located on the base element of the print heads.

[0039] The device can be used by enterprises and organizations of various profiles of activity, engaged in the manufacture of products from polymeric materials in the conditions of single production or small series.

Claims

A device for 3D printing with replaceable heads, comprising a housing, a table, a crossbar with a base element of the print head and a gripper, a replaceable print head with an extruder with a supply of filament thread and a replaceable print head with an extruder with a supply of polymer granules, characterized in that it includes a zone for changing the print heads and a working space in which the product is printed, wherein the crossbar and the print heads are equipped with a gripper with a fixation force of 15-20 N, wherein one replaceable print head with an extruder is intended for supplying filament thread, and the second replaceable print head with an extruder is intended for supplying polymer granules with the ability to adjust the volume of material supply in the range of 10-30 mm 3 / With.

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