Build Material Power Drum with Gravity Feed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for handling build material powder in binder jetting additive manufacturing face challenges such as the need for curing, potential explosion or health hazards, difficulty in tracking powder amounts, and preventing cross-contamination.
Innovation Solution
A single drum designed for storing, sealing, processing, and using build material powder, featuring internal baffles for structural support, gas inputs and outputs for controlling atmospheric conditions, and a tapered end for gravity feeding, facilitating efficient processing and use while promoting easy tracking and identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If build material powder is stored and processed through multiple containers and manual systems, then the powder can be handled and processed, but tracking powder amounts and preventing cross-contamination becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (storage, sealing, processing, and usage) into a single integrated drum system. The drum includes an interior chamber for storing build material powder, a sealable opening for sealing, gas ports for controlling atmospheric conditions, and a tapered portion for gravity feeding. This integration eliminates the need for multiple separate containers and manual transfer operations, making powder amount tracking and cross-contamination prevention much easier while reducing system complexity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If build material powder is subjected to controlled atmospheric conditions, then hazards and cross-contamination are prevented, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates gas ports that enable the interior chamber to be subjected to controlled atmospheric conditions, including inert gas atmospheres. This allows the build material powder to be protected from oxidation, moisture, and other harmful environmental factors that could cause explosion or health hazards. The inert atmosphere capability is integrated into the drum design without requiring a completely separate complex atmospheric control system.
3Reliability
If build material powder requires curing prior to use, then the material properties are improved, but the processing time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables curing to be performed in advance within the sealed interior chamber of the drum. The drum can be sealed with the build material powder inside and subjected to curing conditions (such as controlled atmosphere, temperature, or pressure) before the powder is needed for printing. This preliminary curing action ensures optimal material properties are achieved before use, while the integrated design allows curing to occur in the same container that will later be used for storage and processing, reducing overall time and system complexity.
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 drum enables efficient processing and use of build material powder, ensuring easy tracking and identification, while maintaining controlled atmospheric conditions to prevent hazards and cross-contamination.
Implementation Method 1
One end of the drum is tapered to facilitate gravity feeding of build material powder
Data Source
AI summary
A drum for storing and processing build material powder includes a cylindrical body having a plurality of circumferential rings and a plurality of internal baffles. The first end of the cylindrical body is sealed by a first cap that is tapered to an orifice. The second end of the cylindrical body is sealed by a second cap. A gas inlet configured to receive an inflow of an inert gas and a gas outlet configured to exhaust used gas from an interior of the drum.