3D Thermoplastic Wall-and-Fill Shaping for Stronger Layer Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fused deposition modeling techniques face challenges in achieving high mechanical strength and precision in three-dimensionally shaped objects due to inter-layer gaps and reduced adhesion caused by surface polishing and electrical discharge treatments, which also increase resin consumption and shaping time.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a wall structure with a horizontal space open upward, followed by injecting fused thermoplastic resin into this space to create a three-dimensionally shaped object, using a three-dimensional shaping apparatus with an ejection portion, base stage, and controlled movement to ensure precise layer formation and filling without gaps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If surface polishing and electrical discharge treatment are performed to reduce surface unevenness, then the flatness of the lower layer surface is improved, but the thickness of each layer is reduced, increasing the time required for three-dimensional shaping and the amount of consumption of resin material
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary flattening of the lower layer surface during the deposition process itself, before the next layer is deposited. The deposition head flattens the surface of the lower layer while moving across it, preparing the surface for the next layer without requiring separate polishing steps. This eliminates the need for post-deposition polishing while maintaining surface flatness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the separate surface polishing step and electrical discharge treatment from the manufacturing process. By integrating surface flattening into the deposition process itself, these additional processing steps are removed, reducing both time consumption and resin material usage while achieving the same surface flatness improvement.
2Manufacturing precision
If surface polishing is performed to reduce surface unevenness, then the flatness of the lower layer surface is improved, but the thickness of resin removed by polishing increases resin consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The deposition head performs preliminary flattening of the lower layer surface during deposition, adjusting the surface topology before the next layer is deposited. This prevents the need for subsequent polishing that would remove resin material, thereby maintaining surface flatness without increasing resin consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes the separate polishing step from the manufacturing process, eliminating the resin material removal that occurs during polishing. Surface flatness is achieved through the deposition process itself, preventing resin loss while maintaining manufacturing precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If the temperature of the layer is reduced during polishing and electrical discharge to improve surface treatment, then surface processing is enabled, but the adhesion between the layer and the next layer decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The deposition head performs preliminary flattening of the lower layer surface during deposition at controlled temperatures that maintain resin adhesion properties. By flattening the surface during deposition rather than after cooling, the resin remains in a more adhesive state, ensuring strong bonding between layers while still achieving surface flatness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the cooling step that occurs during separate polishing and electrical discharge treatments. Surface flattening is performed during deposition when the resin is at deposition temperature, maintaining adhesion strength while achieving surface processing quality without the harmful temperature reduction.
4Manufacturing precision
If a mechanism for polishing and electrical discharge is provided to improve surface flatness, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the shaping apparatus becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the surface flattening function into the deposition head itself. The deposition head is designed to perform both resin deposition and surface flattening operations, combining multiple functions into a single component. This eliminates the need for separate polishing mechanisms and electrical discharge equipment, reducing apparatus size and complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The deposition head is designed as a multi-functional device that can both deposit resin material and flatten the surface of previously deposited layers. This universal device performs multiple operations that would traditionally require separate specialized equipment, thereby reducing the overall size and complexity of the shaping apparatus while achieving high surface flatness.
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 enhances the mechanical strength and precision of the shaped objects by eliminating inter-layer gaps and improving adhesion, while reducing resin consumption and shaping time, and allows for a more compact apparatus design.
Implementation Method 1
heating and fusing the shaping material to produce a fused resin
Implementation Method 2
the fused resin is extruded as a columnar highly-viscous fluid
Implementation Method 3
When the fused resin that is extruded comes into contact with resin of a lower layer that has already solidified, the temperature thereof is reduced and the viscosity thereof further increases
Data Source
AI summary
A three-dimensional shaping apparatus includes an ejection portion, a base stage, a movement portion, and a controller. The ejection portion configured to eject a fused thermoplastic resin. The movement portion configured to change relative positions of the ejection portion and the base stage. The controller configured to control the movement portion and the ejection portion such that a wall is formed by ejecting a fused thermoplastic resin from the ejection portion while relatively moving the ejection portion with respect to the base stage to provide a space surrounded by the wall in a horizontal direction and open in an upward direction, and such that a filling portion is formed by injecting a fused thermoplastic resin into the space from above.