Additive Manufacturing Laser Ablation Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Additive manufacturing systems face a tradeoff between printing speed and resolution, where higher speeds result in lower resolutions and vice versa, limiting the ability to produce high-resolution features quickly.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a radiation-emitting device, such as a laser, to ablate selected voxels of the printed layers at a higher resolution, allowing for the combination of high-resolution features with increased printing speeds by depositing material at a lower resolution initially and then refining the layers using laser ablation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If additive manufacturing systems deposit material at higher resolution, then manufacturing precision is improved, but printing speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is divided into two distinct stages: a first additive manufacturing stage that deposits material at lower resolution for speed, and a second subtractive stage using laser ablation that removes material at higher resolution for precision. This segmentation allows each stage to optimize for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between speed and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges two previously separate manufacturing approaches (additive manufacturing and laser ablation) into a single integrated system. The controller coordinates both processes to work on the same workpiece, combining the speed advantages of additive manufacturing with the precision advantages of laser ablation to achieve both high speed and high resolution.
2Productivity
If additive manufacturing systems increase printing speed, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The process segments the manufacturing tasks by function: the additive stage handles rapid material deposition at lower resolution to maximize speed, while the subtractive laser stage handles fine detail creation at higher resolution. This functional segmentation allows the system to achieve high overall productivity without sacrificing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The additive manufacturing stage performs preliminary action by depositing bulk material at lower resolution and higher speed, creating a near-net shape. This preliminary work reduces the amount of material that needs to be removed later, making the subsequent high-precision laser ablation more efficient and effective.
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 the production of 3D parts and support structures with both high-resolution surfaces and fast printing speeds, exceeding the capabilities of current additive manufacturing systems alone.
Implementation Method 1
a radiation-emitting device configured to emit high-peak-power synergistic radiation (e.g., laser beam pulses), and a masking unit configured to spatially modulate the emitted radiation towards the formed layers of the 3D part to ablate selected voxels of the formed layers
Data Source
AI summary
An additive manufacturing system and process for producing three-dimensional parts, which includes forming layers of the three-dimensional part from a part material at a first resolution, and ablating selected voxels of the formed layers with a laser beam at a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution.