Additive Manufacturing Lighting System Temperature Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3D printing technologies, particularly DLP and LCD-based systems, face limitations in build speed and stability due to low light intensities and heat accumulation issues with high-power lighting sources, leading to longer curing times and unstable performance.
Innovation Solution
A lighting system with a cooling system that includes temperature sensing and responding capabilities, coupled with a high-power light source, maintains a stable temperature, allowing for high-intensity operation without instability, and is integrated into an additive manufacturing system for faster and more reliable printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-power lighting sources are used to increase light intensity for faster printing, then printing speed is improved, but heat accumulation occurs leading to unstable performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a cooling system with temperature sensing and responding capability that continuously monitors the light source temperature and adjusts cooling operation accordingly. This feedback mechanism maintains the light source temperature within a defined variation from a set temperature, enabling high-power operation without performance instability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the light source by introducing active cooling, maintaining it within a controlled range. This allows the light source to operate at high power levels while preventing heat accumulation that would otherwise cause performance degradation.
2Reliability
If cooling operation is performed to maintain stable light source temperature, then performance stability is improved, but additional system complexity is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is designed with self-feedback capability where the temperature sensing and responding functions are integrated into the cooling system itself. The system automatically monitors and adjusts its own operation based on temperature conditions, reducing the need for external control mechanisms and minimizing added complexity.
3Productivity
If LCD-based printing is used to achieve fast printing speed, then productivity is improved, but light intensity is insufficient leading to longer curing time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the light intensity parameter by implementing active temperature control that enables the light source to operate at higher power levels. By maintaining stable temperature through cooling operation, the system achieves high light intensity output that cures resin faster while sustaining the high intensity over extended printing operations.
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 solution enables 2 to 3 times faster printing speeds compared to commercial systems, with improved stability and resolution, enabling the production of complex structures and reducing curing time per layer.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling system with temperature sensing and responding capability coupled to the light source for maintaining a temperature of the light source within a defined variation from a set temperature
Implementation Method 2
The cooling system may sense and respond to the temperature change of the light source to maintain the temperature of the light source at around a substantially stable temperature or a set temperature with some allowable deviation from the set temperature
Implementation Method 3
Both SLA and DLP technologies use a vat of photopolymer or resin to build a final object from a digital file. In SLA, the laser beam 'writes' the image onto the vat of resin
Implementation Method 4
Both SLA and DLP technologies use a vat of photopolymer or resin to build a final object from a digital file
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a lighting system comprising a light source, and a cooling system with temperature sensing and responding capability coupled to the light source for maintaining a temperature of the light source within a defined variation from a set temperature. There are also provided a method of adjusting a temperature of a light source and a method of assembling the lighting system. There is further provided an additive manufacturing system for three-dimensional printing comprising the lighting system.