3D Printer Lens Sheet for Fast, Stable Layer Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D printers face challenges in achieving high-quality printing while maintaining speed, particularly when separating large surface area cured unit forming layers, and methods like using oxygen or release agents lead to slow and poor-quality printing due to sloshing and stabilization issues.
Innovation Solution
A 3D printer design incorporating a lens sheet with a first material layer of high refractive index and a second material layer of low refractive index, featuring fine lens units and concavo-convex portions, which refracts light to minimize the curing surface area and facilitate easy separation of printed objects from the molding surface, allowing for continuous and rapid construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a continuous additive-construction method is used to increase printing speed, then productivity improves, but a space is required for resin material filling between the molding surface and molding plate, increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the molding surface from the resin tank, allowing the molding plate to approach closer to the exposure unit. This eliminates the need for large resin filling space while maintaining continuous additive construction capability, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity improvement and device complexity reduction.
2Manufacturing precision
If the surface area of the cured unit forming layer is increased to improve manufacturing precision, then manufacturing precision improves, but separation of the printed object from the molding surface becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the molding surface entirely from the resin tank, allowing the molded surface of the printed object to be exposed directly to air after curing. This enables easy separation of large surface area printed objects from the molding plate without requiring release agents or oxygen, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision improvement and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces air as an intermediary medium between the cured printed object and the molding plate. By allowing air to contact the molded surface, the adhesion between the printed object and molding plate is reduced, facilitating easy separation while maintaining large curing surface area for high manufacturing precision.
3Ease of operation
If oxygen or release agent is used to facilitate separation of printed objects, then ease of operation improves, but sloshing occurs during molding plate movement, reducing productivity and printing quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the use of oxygen or release agents from the system. By removing these substances, sloshing during molding plate movement is prevented, allowing high-speed printing without compromising separation ease. The molded surface directly contacts air, providing natural release without the harmful effects of fluid-mediated separation.
4Ease of operation
If oxygen or release agent is used to facilitate separation, then ease of operation improves, but printing quality deteriorates due to sloshing and stabilization requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes oxygen and release agents from the system, eliminating sloshing-induced vibrations and stabilization requirements. This allows high-precision printing to be maintained while still achieving easy separation through direct air contact of the molded surface, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and manufacturing precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The lens sheet design improves printing quality and speed by minimizing the contact area between the resin and molding surface, reducing shaking and vibration, and enabling stable, uninterrupted additive construction.
Implementation Method 1
a lens sheet including a first material layer including a molding surface facing the molding plate and a light receiving surface facing the exposure unit, disposed between the molding plate and the exposure unit, formed with a plurality of fine lens units for converging and diffusing the light from the exposure unit on one surface
Data Source
AI summary
A 3D printer according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes: a resin tank accommodating a resin material; a molding plate movable up and down in the resin tank, and supporting a printed object formed by stacking a plurality of unit forming layers in sequence; an up-and-down movement actuator actuating at least one of the resin tank and the molding plate to move up and down; an exposure unit emitting light toward the molding plate; and a lens sheet including a first material layer including a molding surface facing the molding plate and a light receiving surface facing the exposure unit, disposed between the molding plate and the exposure unit, formed with a plurality of fine lens units for converging and diffusing the light from the exposure unit on one surface, and having a high refractive index, and a second material layer including a concavo-convex portion to be engaged with the fine lens unit of the first material layer, and having a low refractive index.