High-precision forming device and method for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing

Abstract

Provided in the present invention is a high-precision forming device for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing. The device consists of a device frame, a moving mechanism, a printing mechanism, a lifting control mechanism, an auxiliary heating and smoothing forming mechanism, and an electrothermal system. On the basis of a three-dimensional model for printing and forming, model classification is performed on the basis of properties required by parts, adaptive slicing is performed on the basis of the curvature of a classified model, and slices are divided into slice sets A, B..., and are transmitted to respective printing systems. The printing system corresponding to each slice performs layer-by-layer printing on the basis of slice information, and heated balls perform a continuous smoothing treatment on a surface while a layer is printed. After the printing of a single layer is completed, the balls are treated to keep the balls in a smooth state. The device and method can realize highly integrated multi-functional components, provide design freedom, simplify a manufacturing process, reduce costs, optimize the usage of materials, enhance the properties and light weight of parts, and promote the development of composite material 3D printing toward multi-materialization.

Description

High-precision forming equipment and methods for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of composite material forming, and relates to the field of multi-material printing, particularly high-precision forming equipment and methods for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing. Background Technology

[0002] Composite material printing technology is an emerging manufacturing technology that combines additive manufacturing and composite material preparation. It aims to overcome the limitations of traditional manufacturing processes by leveraging the flexibility of additive manufacturing and the superior properties of composite materials. This technology, through a layer-by-layer stacking process, can efficiently manufacture structurally complex, lightweight, and high-performance components, applicable to aerospace, automotive, and medical device industries. Its significance lies not only in significantly reducing material waste and production costs but also in enabling integrated functional design, meeting the growing demand for personalized, customized, and high-performance products, thus opening up new directions and opportunities for modern manufacturing.

[0003] The development of multi-material composites aims to fully integrate the properties of different materials to meet complex working conditions and multifunctional requirements. The development of 3D printing for multiple composite materials is significant because it not only drives innovation in manufacturing technology but also expands the application boundaries of materials science. Manufacturing multiple composite materials through 3D printing allows for the integration of various properties within a single manufacturing process, such as high strength, lightweight, high-temperature resistance, and conductivity, thereby meeting the needs of complex environments and multifunctional applications. Furthermore, 3D printing of multiple composite materials can overcome the limitations of traditional processing techniques, enabling complex structures, functional gradients, and personalized designs, significantly improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing material waste. This technological development has a profound impact on innovation in fields such as aerospace, medical devices, and the automotive industry, helping to promote the application of high-performance materials in high-end manufacturing and meeting the diverse industrial needs of the future.

[0004] The limitations of multi-material development in composite materials mainly lie in interfacial bonding performance, process complexity, and cost control. Differences in the physicochemical properties of different materials can lead to poor interfacial bonding, thus affecting overall performance. Multi-material design and manufacturing involve complex processes and precise control, requiring advanced equipment and technology. Furthermore, most composite materials are printed layer-by-layer using single-aperture extrusion, resulting in slow printing speeds and low efficiency. In addition, the development and application of multi-materials may lead to increased costs and recycling difficulties. However, the necessity of multi-material development is also prominent. By integrating the advantages of multiple materials, superior comprehensive performance can be achieved, such as lightweighting, high strength, corrosion resistance, and electrical and thermal conductivity, providing solutions for meeting complex environmental conditions and multifunctional needs. This development is of great significance for promoting high-end manufacturing and expanding the application fields of composite materials. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To achieve high-performance forming of multi-material composite materials, this invention provides high-precision forming equipment for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing, which enhances the performance and lightweighting of parts and promotes the development of composite material 3D printing towards multi-material applications.

[0006] This high-precision forming equipment for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing consists of a frame, a moving mechanism, a printing mechanism, a lifting control mechanism, an auxiliary heating and smoothing forming mechanism, and an electrothermal system. The frame provides support for the overall printing process, while the moving mechanism provides planar movement for the printing mechanism. It comprises two modules: module one, fixed to the frame, and module two, fixed to module one. The printing mechanism, which prints according to slicing information, consists of a feeding roller, a coil fixing mechanism, a control box, three nozzles, three print heads, and a fixed support. The feeding roller stores filaments of different composite materials, the coil fixing mechanism is fixed to the frame, the control box controls the overall movement, and the fixed support is mounted on module two. The three print heads are also fixed to the support. The system consists of three nozzles mounted on the print head; a lifting control mechanism that provides lifting and rotation for the printing platform, comprising a lead screw module, a fixed platform, a rotating disk, a rotating bracket, a support plate, a small motor, guide columns, and a stepper motor. The stepper motor and fixed platform are fixed to the device frame, the guide columns pass through the support plate and are fixed by the upper and lower fixed platforms, the lead screw module passes through the support plate and is connected to the stepper motor, the rotating bracket is fixed to the support plate, and the small motor is connected to the rotating disk; an auxiliary heating and smoothing forming mechanism that provides surface smoothing for the printed parts, comprising a robotic arm, heating balls, and a cleaning table, the heating balls being mounted on the robotic arm, and the cleaning table being fixed to the device frame; and an electric heating system consisting of an electric fan that primarily controls the temperature of the printing area.

[0007] Furthermore, the printhead diameter of printhead 1 and printhead 2 is 0.4mm, and the printhead diameter of printhead 2 is 0.8mm.

[0008] Furthermore, the ball bearing has a radius of 2mm and is made of ceramic or metal. It is equipped with internal electric heating, and the heating temperature is between 190℃ and 350℃. The appropriate temperature is selected according to the type of material used. The ball bearing achieves a smooth surface on the printed part through rolling, and the temperature of the printing area is controlled at around 280°.

[0009] Furthermore, the cleaning table surface is covered with fine sandpaper or other items with abrasive balls, which need to be replaced after each printing session.

[0010] A high-precision forming method for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing, which consists of the following steps:

[0011] 1. Based on the 3D model to be printed, classify the model according to the required performance of the part, and adaptively slice it according to the curvature of the classified model. Divide the slices into slice sets A, B... and transmit them to their respective printing systems.

[0012] 2. The printing system corresponding to each slice prints layer by layer according to the slice information, and at the same time, the heating ball bearings continuously smooth the surface while printing the layer.

[0013] 3. After single-layer printing is completed, the ball bearings are treated to keep them in a smooth state;

[0014] Furthermore, the required performance of a part needs to be determined based on the actual environmental requirements of the part, and can also be determined based on the performance of the part in a simulated environment. The main performance characteristics include stress, damage, weight, strength, surface properties and toughness.

[0015] Furthermore, the model mainly divides the materials used in different regions according to the required performance, and uses printheads of different diameters according to the curvature of the divided model.

[0016] Furthermore, the ball bearings are made of ceramic material, heated to the highest temperature of the print head, and the rolling speed of the ball bearings on the surface of the printed part is between 5 and 10 mm / s.

[0017] Furthermore, the layer thickness needs to be automatically adjusted according to the print head. The layer thickness is 0.3mm for a large-diameter print head and 0.15mm for a small-diameter print head, with the layer thicknesses being multiples of each other. During the printing process, the printing proceeds from the area with the smallest layer thickness to the area with the largest layer thickness, and from the inside out.

[0018] Furthermore, during the adaptive slicing process, the curvature must meet the following requirements:

[0019] Where T is the general layer thickness (base layer thickness), and its range is A. n It is the outer area of ​​the current layer slice, A n+1 It is the outer area of ​​the next slice, and t is the critical value of the rate of change of area, T. max It is the maximum allowable printing thickness, T min It is the minimum printing thickness supported by a small-diameter printhead.

[0020] After adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0021] 1. This device can achieve composite material forming of various materials and speed up the printing process. At the same time, the use of ball cleaning design improves the accuracy of the printed surface.

[0022] 2. This device can integrate high-strength materials and materials with good electrical and thermal conductivity to optimize overall performance, reduce the later assembly, welding and bonding processes, thereby reducing production costs and manufacturing time, and can manufacture more complex parts to meet the requirements of use in complex and harsh environments;

[0023] 3. This device and method enable highly integrated multifunctional components, providing design freedom, simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing costs, optimizing material usage, enhancing component performance and lightweighting, and promoting the development of composite material 3D printing towards multi-materialization. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 shows an overall view of the high-precision forming equipment for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing;

[0025] Figure 2 is a top view of a high-precision forming equipment for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing;

[0026] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view at point AA in Figure 1;

[0027] Figure 4 is a view of the mechanical wall ball smoothing mechanism in the high-precision forming equipment for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing.

[0028] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of section BB in Figure 1;

[0029] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the printing layer thickness of different materials in the high-precision forming method of multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing;

[0030] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the effect after printing smoothing in the high-precision forming method of multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing;

[0031] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the adaptive layer thickness setting in the high-precision forming method of multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing;

[0032] Figure Descriptions: 1. Device Frame; 201. Module 1; 202. Module 2; 301. Feeding Roller; 302. Fixed Coil; 303. Control Box; 304. Nozzle; 305. Print Head (1, 2, 3); 306. Fixed Bracket; 401. Lead Screw Module; 402. Fixed Platform; 403. Rotary Disk; 404. Rotating Bracket; 405. Support Plate; 406. Small Motor; 407. Guide Post; 408. Stepper Motor; 501. Robotic Arm; 502. Cleaning Table; 503. Heating Ball; 6. Electric Heating System. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the following specific embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It should be noted that the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down" used in the following description refer to directions in the accompanying drawings, and the terms "inner" and "outer" refer to directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1-5, the high-precision forming equipment for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing in this embodiment consists of a device frame 1, a moving mechanism, a printing mechanism, a lifting control mechanism, an auxiliary heating and smoothing forming mechanism, and an electrothermal system 6. The device frame provides support for the overall printing process, and the moving mechanism provides planar movement for the printing mechanism. It consists of module one 201 and module two 202. Module one 201 is fixed on the device frame 1, and module two 202 is fixed on module one 201. The printing mechanism realizes the printing based on the slice information and consists of a feeding roller 301, a coil fixing 302, a control box 303, three nozzles 304, three print heads 305, and a fixed support 306. The feeding roller 301 stores different composite material filaments, the coil fixing 302 is fixedly installed on the device frame 1, the control box controls the overall movement, the fixed support 306 is installed on module two 202, and the three print heads 305 are fixed by the fixed support 306. Nozzle 304 is mounted on the print head; the lifting control mechanism provides lifting and rotation for the printing platform, and consists of a lead screw module 401, a fixed platform 402, a rotating disk 403, a rotating bracket 404, a support plate 405, a small motor 406, a guide column 407, and a stepper motor 408. The stepper motor 408 and the fixed platform 402 are fixed on the device frame. The guide column 407 passes through the support plate and is fixed by the upper and lower fixed platforms. The lead screw module 401 passes through the support plate 405 and is connected to the stepper motor 408. The rotating bracket 404 is fixed on the support plate 405. The small motor 406 is connected to the rotating disk 403. The auxiliary heating and smoothing forming mechanism provides surface smoothing for the printed parts, and consists of a robotic arm 501, a heating ball 503, and a cleaning table 502. The heating ball 503 is mounted on the robotic arm 501, and the cleaning table 502 is fixedly mounted on the device frame 1. The electric heating system 6 is an electric heating fan, which mainly controls the temperature of the printing area.

[0035] The printhead diameter of printhead 1 and printhead 2 is 0.4mm, and the printhead diameter of printhead 2 is 0.8mm.

[0036] The ball bearing has a radius of 2mm and is made of ceramic or metal. It has an internal electric heating element with a heating temperature between 300°C and the appropriate temperature is selected according to the type of material used. The ball bearing achieves a smooth surface on the printed part by rolling, and the temperature of the printing area is controlled at around 280°C.

[0037] The cleaning station surface is covered with fine sandpaper or other items with abrasive balls, which need to be replaced after each printing session.

[0038] Multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing high-precision forming technology, which consists of the following steps:

[0039] 1. As shown in Figures 6-8, the required performance of the parts can be determined based on actual environmental requirements and simulated performance. Key performance characteristics include stress, damage, weight, strength, surface properties, and toughness. The parts are divided into three sections: outer, middle, and inner. The outer and inner areas require higher precision, while the middle area only needs filling. Therefore, carbon fiber is chosen for the outer area to improve surface strength, nylon for the middle area to increase cost-effectiveness, and basalt fiber reinforced PETG is selected for the inner area due to its corrosive environment. Adaptive slicing is performed based on the curvature of the classification model, dividing the slices into A, B, and C sets, which are then transmitted to their respective printing systems. The nozzle temperature for area A is 290℃, for area B it is 260℃, and for area C it is 255℃. The layer thickness needs to be automatically adjusted according to the print head: 0.3mm for a large-diameter print head and 0.15mm for a small-diameter print head, with thicknesses in multiples of each other. During printing, the process progresses from areas with lower layer thickness to areas with higher layer thickness.

[0040] 2. The printing system corresponding to each slice prints layer by layer according to the slice information. At the same time, the ball bearings are heated to continuously smooth the surface while printing the layer. The temperature of the ball bearings is 280°C and the rolling speed is 6mm / s.

[0041] 3. After each layer of printing is complete, process the ball bearings. Repeat the above steps until the entire printing process is finished.

[0042] The above-mentioned device and method enable the printing of multi-material parts as needed, increasing the surface strength of the parts, saving production costs, and making them more suitable for use in harsh environments.

Claims

1. A high-precision forming equipment for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing, characterized in that: The equipment consists of a frame, a moving mechanism, a printing mechanism, a lifting control mechanism, an auxiliary heating and smoothing forming mechanism, and an electrothermal system. The frame provides support for the overall printing process, while the moving mechanism provides planar movement for the printing mechanism. It comprises two modules: module one, fixed to the frame, and module two, fixed to module one. The printing mechanism, which prints according to the slice information, consists of a feeding roller, a coil, a control box, three nozzles, three print heads, and a mounting bracket. The feeding roller stores different composite material filaments, the coil is fixed to the frame, the control box controls the overall movement, the mounting bracket is mounted on module two, the three print heads are fixed to the mounting bracket, and the three nozzles are mounted on module two. On the print head, the lifting control mechanism provides lifting and rotation for the printing platform. It consists of a lead screw module, a fixed platform, a rotating disk, a rotating bracket, a support plate, a small motor, guide columns, and a stepper motor. The stepper motor and fixed platform are fixed to the device frame. The guide columns pass through the support plate and are fixed by the upper and lower fixed platforms. The lead screw module passes through the support plate and is connected to the stepper motor. The rotating bracket is fixed to the support plate, and the small motor is connected to the rotating disk. The auxiliary heating and smoothing forming mechanism provides surface smoothing for the printed parts. It consists of a robotic arm, heating balls, and a cleaning table. The heating balls are mounted on the robotic arm, and the cleaning table is fixed to the device frame. The electric heating system is an electric fan, which mainly controls the temperature of the printing area.

2. The high-precision forming equipment for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The three printheads are printhead one, printhead two, and printhead three. The printhead diameter of printhead one and printhead two is 0.4mm, and the printhead diameter of printhead three is 0.8mm.

3. The high-precision forming equipment for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating ball has a radius of 2mm and is made of ceramic or metal. It has built-in electric heating and a heating temperature between 190℃ and 350℃.

4. The high-precision forming equipment for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning station surface is covered with fine sandpaper or other items with abrasive rollers, which need to be replaced after each printing session.

5. A high-precision forming method for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing, characterized in that, Specific steps include: 1) Based on the 3D model of the printed part, the model is classified according to the required performance of the part. At the same time, adaptive slicing is performed according to the curvature of the classified model. The slices are divided into slice sets A, B... and transmitted to their respective printing systems. 2) The printing system corresponding to each slice prints layer by layer according to the slice information, and at the same time, the heating ball bearings continuously smooth the surface while printing the layer. 3) After single-layer printing is completed, the ball bearings are treated to keep them in a smooth state.

6. The high-precision forming method for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing according to claim 5, characterized in that, The required performance of a component needs to be determined based on its actual usage requirements in a real-world environment, or it can be determined based on its performance in a simulated environment.

7. The high-precision forming method for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing according to claim 5, characterized in that, The model is mainly divided into different regions for different materials based on the required performance, and different printhead diameters are used based on the curvature of the divided model.

8. The high-precision forming method for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing according to claim 5, characterized in that, The ball bearings are made of ceramic material and are heated to the highest temperature of the print head. The rolling speed of the ball bearings on the surface of the printed part is between 5 and 10 mm / s.

9. The high-precision forming method for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing according to claim 5, characterized in that, The printing layer thickness needs to be automatically adjusted according to the print head. The layer thickness of the large-diameter print head is 0.3mm, and the layer thickness of the small-diameter print head is 0.15mm. The layer thicknesses are in multiples of each other. During the printing process, the printing proceeds from the area with the smaller layer thickness to the area with the larger layer thickness, and from the inside out.

10. The high-precision forming method for multi-material continuous fiber 3D printing according to claim 5, characterized in that, During adaptive slicing, the curvature must meet the following requirements: Where T is the general layer thickness, the foundation layer thickness, and its range is A. n It is the outer area of ​​the current layer slice, A n+1 It is the outer area of ​​the next slice, t is the critical value of the rate of change of area, T max It is the maximum permissible printing thickness, T min It is the minimum printing thickness supported by a small-diameter printhead.

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