Blast Nozzle With Angled Fluid Outlet For Additive Manufacturing Depowdering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blast nozzles for additive manufacturing intermix abrasive material with fluid within the nozzle, leading to mechanical wear and contamination of the blast stream, which complicates the depowdering process and reduces efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The design of a blast nozzle with a fluid outlet that surrounds and is angled with respect to the abrasive material outlet, ensuring the abrasive material is mixed outside the nozzle, reducing wear and contamination, and featuring a revolvable configuration to direct the blast stream effectively towards the build part.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If abrasive material is intermixed with fluid within the blast nozzle, then the blast stream can be generated, but mechanical wear within the blast nozzle occurs and contaminants from the blast nozzle material enter the blast stream
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is divided into separate fluid outlet and abrasive material outlet channels, preventing the intermixing of fluid and abrasive material within the nozzle body. This segmentation eliminates mechanical wear and contamination while still enabling blast stream generation through external mixing.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid stream acts as an intermediary that carries abrasive material particles from the separate outlets to form the blast stream. By using the fluid as a mediator for transport rather than pre-mixing, the system avoids direct contact between abrasive material and nozzle walls.
2Productivity
If conventional blast nozzles are used, then the depowdering process can be performed, but the nozzle experiences mechanical wear and contamination that reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the nozzle into separate fluid and abrasive material outlets, the system maintains reliable, contamination-free operation while still achieving effective depowdering. The separation prevents wear-related failures and maintains consistent performance over time.
3Manufacturing precision
If the fluid outlet surrounds and is angled with respect to the abrasive material outlet, then the blast stream can be focused at a lateral focal point, but the nozzle configuration becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid outlet is designed with an asymmetric configuration that surrounds and angles relative to the abrasive material outlet. This asymmetric geometry naturally focuses the blast stream at a lateral focal point without requiring additional complex focusing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The blast stream focusing is achieved by utilizing the angular relationship between outlets in a different spatial dimension rather than through complex internal channel geometries. This dimensional approach simplifies the overall nozzle structure while maintaining precise focusing capability.
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 configuration minimizes nozzle wear and contamination, enhances the depowdering process efficiency by ensuring a focused blast stream, and allows for faster and more precise removal of excess build material, improving manufacturing throughput.
Implementation Method 1
The fluid outlet is angled with respect to the abrasive material outlet and is configured to emit a fluid stream directed to a focal point, the focal point being laterally spaced apart from the blast nozzle in a fluid flow direction
Data Source
AI summary
A blast nozzle for a depowdering apparatus includes an abrasive material inlet fluidly connected to an abrasive material outlet and a fluid inlet fluidly connected to a fluid outlet, where the fluid outlet at least partially surrounds the abrasive material outlet. The fluid outlet is angled with respect to the abrasive material outlet and configured to emit a fluid stream directed to a focal point, the focal point being laterally spaced apart from the blast nozzle in a fluid flow direction.