Additive Manufacturing Gas Flow Contouring for Smoke Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Direct Laser Sintering (DLS) and Direct Laser Melting (DLM) systems, smoke and particulate matter accumulation within the chamber interferes with the laser beam and can be trapped, leading to reduced energy intensity and incorporation into the object, affecting the quality of the resulting 3D printed objects.
Innovation Solution
An additive manufacturing system employing a combination of upper and lower gas flows, where the lower gas flow is directed parallel to the build platform via a contoured surface, enhancing the removal of smoke and particulate matter and reducing recirculation within the chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If an upper gas flow is introduced to remove smoke and particulate matter, then the quality of the upper chamber is improved, but the lower portion of the chamber still accumulates particulate matter
Solution Approach 1:
The gas flow system is divided into two distinct segments: an upper gas flow path and a lower gas flow path. The lower gas inlet introduces gas at chamber level while the upper gas inlet is positioned above the build platform. This segmentation allows each gas flow to address specific zones, with the lower flow targeting particulate removal near the build platform and the upper flow handling smoke removal, thereby resolving the issue of incomplete particulate matter removal in the lower chamber portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a vertical dimension to the gas flow architecture by positioning gas inlets at different elevations within the chamber. The lower gas inlet is disposed at chamber level and the upper gas inlet is disposed above the build platform, creating a multi-level gas flow system. This dimensional approach enables simultaneous addressing of both lower chamber particulate accumulation and upper chamber smoke removal, overcoming the limitation of single-level gas flow systems.
2Productivity
If gas flow is increased to improve smoke removal, then smoke removal efficiency is improved, but gas recirculation and turbulence increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gas flow system is segmented into distinct lower and upper flow paths with separate inlets positioned at different elevations. This segmentation creates independent flow zones that can be optimized separately, allowing efficient smoke removal through the upper inlet while the lower inlet focuses on particulate matter removal, thereby reducing overall gas recirculation and turbulence compared to a single high-velocity flow system.
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 improves the quality of the 3D printing process by efficiently removing smoke and particulate matter, reducing their deposition, and enhancing the uniformity of the gas flow, thereby improving the quality of the printed objects.
Implementation Method 1
The contoured surface is configured to direct the lower gas flow from the second elevation at the lower gas inlet to the first elevation at the build platform and discharge the lower gas flow in a direction substantially parallel to the build platform
Implementation Method 2
a lower gas flow is introduced into a lower portion of the chamber... to remove the smoke and/or particulate matter
Data Source
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AI summary
An additive manufacturing (AM) system (10) includes a housing (18) defining a chamber (20), a build platform (22) disposed in the chamber (20) at a first elevation (150), and a lower gas inlet (98) disposed at a second elevation (152) and configured to supply a lower gas flow (114). The AM system (10) includes a contoured surface (118) extending between the lower gas inlet (98) and the build platform (22) to direct the lower gas flow (114) from the second elevation (152) at the lower gas inlet (98) to the first elevation (150) at the build platform (22), where the contoured surface (118) discharges the lower gas flow (98) in a direction (11) substantially parallel to the build platform (22). The AM system (10) also includes one or more gas delivery devices (92) coupled to the lower gas inlet (98) to regulate one or more flow characteristics of the lower gas flow (98), and a gas outlet (132) configured to discharge the lower gas flow (114).