3D Printer Preheating via Conductive Radiative Heating

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Solution Overview

Problem

3D printers face challenges in preheating build materials without causing them to agglomerate or consolidate, leading to difficulties in transportation and deposition, which can result in delays and longer print times.

Innovation Solution

A system utilizing a heating plate and radiative heat source to preheat 3D printer build material efficiently, combining conduction and radiation heating methods to maintain a constant temperature, allowing for fast and uniform preheating without premature consolidation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If build material is preheated too early, then the build material temperature increases, but the build material becomes difficult to transport and deposit due to agglomeration and consolidation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebuild material temperatureVSAvoidtransportation and deposition ease

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary heating of the build platform before material deposition, and applies radiant heating to the build material during transport and deposition. This preliminary action prepares the thermal environment in advance, allowing the material to be heated at the optimal moment without premature agglomeration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies heating locally and selectively - the build platform is heated in specific areas where material will be deposited, and radiant heaters provide localized heating to the material during transport. This localized heating approach prevents uniform overheating that would cause agglomeration while still achieving the necessary temperature increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If build material is preheated to maintain constant build area temperature, then temperature consistency is improved, but print time increases due to delays from agglomeration issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebuild area temperature consistencyVSAvoidprint time

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains continuous heating through multiple sources - the build platform heater operates continuously to maintain baseline temperature, while radiant heaters provide continuous heating during material transport and deposition. This continuous thermal action eliminates interruptions and delays, maintaining temperature consistency without stalling the printing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The build platform is preheated to the target temperature before material deposition begins, and radiant heaters are positioned to immediately heat material as it is transported and deposited. This preliminary preparation of the thermal environment eliminates waiting time during the printing process, maintaining temperature stability without extending print duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If traditional heating methods are used, then equipment complexity is low, but heating uniformity and speed are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating system complexityVSAvoidheating uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system combines multiple heating methods - conductive heating from the build platform and radiant heating from overhead heaters - into a unified thermal system. This merging of heating approaches provides both the simplicity of conventional heaters and the precision of radiant heating, achieving uniform and rapid heating without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This approach enables rapid and uniform preheating of build materials, reducing the chances of delays in 3D print jobs and ensuring effective layer binding, while maintaining the build area's temperature consistency.

Implementation Method 1

a heating plate of the 3D printer to preheat a build material from below the build material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a radiative heat source of the 3D printer to preheat the build material from above the build material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS11407175B2Preheat three-dimensional (3D) printer build material

Publication Date: 2022.08.09 PERIDOT PRINT LLC

AI summary

In some examples, preheat three-dimensional (3D) printer build material can include a heating plate of a 3D printer to preheat build material from below the build material, where the heating plate is located adjacent to a build platform of the 3D printer, and a heater-spreader carriage of the 3D printer to preheat the build material from above the build material and spread the preheated build material from the heating plate to the build platform.