Automated 3D Printing System with Partitioned Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high labor costs and inefficiencies in operating three-dimensional printers, particularly in stereolithography systems, hinder their productivity and ability to perform high-value or customized manufacturing effectively.
Innovation Solution
A compact three-dimensional printing system comprising a print engine, storage system, and controller that automates the build process by allocating partitions, operating the print engine to fabricate articles, and transferring them to storage, utilizing a pick and place mechanism and rotatable containers to manage support trays and resin, thereby reducing labor intervention and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated three dimensional printing systems are implemented, then productivity and efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct functional modules: a print engine for fabricating articles, a storage system with multiple containers for organizing support trays, and a pick and place mechanism for automated transfer. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together to achieve high productivity through automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The pick and place mechanism serves as an intermediary component that automatically transfers support trays between the storage system and the print engine. This mediator eliminates the need for manual intervention, enabling continuous automated operation and significantly improving productivity without requiring complex human-machine coordination.
2Device complexity
If manual operation of three dimensional printers is used, then device complexity is reduced, but labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to be self-servicing through automation. The controller automatically manages the entire printing process including receiving build orders, allocating partitions in the storage system, operating the print engine to fabricate articles, and transferring completed articles to storage partitions without human intervention. This self-service capability eliminates labor costs while maintaining manageable device complexity through standardized automated processes.
3Productivity
If automated article transfer is implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pick and place mechanism is integrated with the storage system and print engine, combining multiple functions into a unified automated transfer system. The mechanism merges tray handling, positioning, and transfer operations into a single coordinated system controlled by a central controller, improving productivity while managing complexity through functional integration rather than separate independent systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The pick and place mechanism is designed as a universal component that can handle multiple support trays of different configurations. The storage system uses standardized containers and partitions that can accommodate various article types and sizes. This multi-functionality allows the automated transfer system to handle diverse printing tasks without requiring specialized mechanisms for each case, improving productivity while controlling complexity through standardized interfaces.
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 system significantly enhances productivity by automating the fabrication and storage of three-dimensional articles, reducing labor costs, and enabling the handling of larger build orders with improved resource allocation and process management.
Implementation Method 1
The stereolithography system forms a three dimensional (3D) article of manufacture by selectively curing layers of the photocurable resin
Data Source
AI summary
A three dimensional printing system includes a print engine, a storage system, and a controller. The controller is configured to (1) receive a build order defining a plurality of three dimensional articles to be manufactured, (2) allocate partitions for receiving the plurality of the three dimensional articles within the storage system, (3) operate the print engine to fabricate the three dimensional articles, and (4) transfer the three dimensional articles to the partitions as they are built.