Additive Manufacturing Workpiece Cleaning With Rotating Nozzle Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing additive manufacturing processes face inefficiencies and high costs in cleaning workpieces of granular or powdery production material residues, with incomplete removal leading to contamination and cross-contamination issues.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a rotating nozzle and arm configuration that allows for all-directional cleaning fluid flow, coupled with arm and nozzle rotations, ensuring thorough removal of residues from both the workpiece and the housing interior, using a fluid flow that covers a full solid angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealed container is used for depowdering, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but cleaning time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the nozzle and nozzle arm movable rather than static. The nozzle can rotate about a nozzle rotation axis, and the nozzle arm can rotate about an arm rotation axis, allowing the cleaning fluid flow to dynamically cover all or almost all flow directions within the housing interior during a cleaning cycle, achieving thorough cleaning without requiring a fully sealed container for extended periods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces multi-dimensional movement by providing at least one nozzle rotation (rotation about nozzle rotation axis) and at least one arm rotation (rotation about arm rotation axis). This multi-axial rotation system enables the cleaning fluid to reach all surfaces of the workpiece from all directions, enhancing cleaning effectiveness while reducing required cleaning time
2Device complexity
If air or gas stream is used for cleaning, then cleaning process is simple, but contamination and incomplete residue removal occur
Solution Approach 1:
The movable nozzle and nozzle arm system dynamically adjusts the cleaning fluid flow directions to ensure all surface elements of the workpiece are exposed to the cleaning flow. This dynamic coverage prevents incomplete residue removal that occurs with simple static air or gas streams
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation mechanisms ensure continuous and comprehensive coverage of the workpiece surface by the cleaning fluid flow. The nozzle and nozzle arm rotate to maintain continuous exposure of all surfaces to the cleaning action, preventing residue accumulation in any area
3Reliability
If cleaning fluid flow covers all directions, then thorough cleaning is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device is segmented into functionally independent rotation mechanisms: a nozzle rotation mechanism for rotating the nozzle about the nozzle rotation axis, and a nozzle arm rotation mechanism for rotating the nozzle arm about the arm rotation axis. This segmentation allows each mechanism to be optimized independently while working together to achieve comprehensive cleaning coverage
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
Efficient and cost-effective cleaning of workpieces with reduced time, preventing recontamination and cross-contamination, allowing for faster processing and recycling.
Implementation Method 1
The workpiece and the housing interior can be exposed to at least one cleaning fluid flow during a cleaning cycle
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2B
Figure 2A
AI summary
Device (1) for cleaning a workpiece (2) manufactured by additive manufacturing from a granular and/or powdery manufacturing material and/or for removing excess granular and/or powdery manufacturing material after additive workpiece manufacturing. The device (1) comprises a housing (3) in which a workpiece holder (14) is arranged. At least one conveying device for conveying manufacturing material from the interior (9) of the housing is arranged in or on the housing (3). At least one movable nozzle (8) is arranged on at least one movable nozzle arm (4) in the interior (9). At least one nozzle rotation and one arm path movement and/or at least one arm rotation is provided.The rotational speed of the nozzle rotation and the speed of the arm movement and/or arm rotation are designed such that during a cleaning cycle the cleaning fluid flow assumes all or nearly all flow directions within the housing interior (9).