Build Material Temperature Mapping for Additive Heat Source Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In additive manufacturing, accurately determining the temperature of blank build material is challenging due to the presence of print agents, which can lead to incorrect heat source control and sub-optimal object generation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the creation of a heat map to measure and replace initial temperature values of regions with fusing agents with average temperature values from neighboring regions, allowing for the determination of a representative temperature for each zone, thereby improving the accuracy of heat source control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If temperature measurements are taken directly from regions with print agents, then temperature data is readily available, but measurement precision deteriorates due to contamination from print agent temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the influence of print agent temperatures from the measurement system by identifying and excluding regions containing print agents from temperature calculations, thereby obtaining pure build material temperature data without contamination from print agent thermal signals
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational process that uses detected print agent regions as negative examples to train a machine learning model, which then serves as a mediator to automatically distinguish and exclude print agent influences from temperature measurements in complex scenarios
2Manufacturing precision
If heat source control is adjusted based on contaminated temperature readings, then control responsiveness is maintained, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to incorrect temperature data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary identification and exclusion of print agent regions before temperature calculations are executed, preparing clean temperature data in advance to ensure manufacturing precision without adding significant time delays to the control process
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own temperature measurement capability to automatically detect and identify print agent regions through anomaly detection, allowing the system to self-correct measurement errors without external intervention or complex additional sensing
3Measurement precision
If all regions are treated uniformly in temperature calculations, then calculation simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inclusion of print agent regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different treatment to different regions of the build plate by identifying print agent locations and applying exclusion logic only to those specific regions, while maintaining uniform calculation for clean build material regions, thereby achieving high precision without excessive 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
This approach enables more precise control of heat sources, ensuring accurate solidification and improved object quality by distinguishing between treated and untreated build material regions, leading to enhanced accuracy and consistency in the additive manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal camera to obtain a thermal image of the print bed, wherein the thermal image comprises a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated measured temperature
Data Source
AI summary
In an example, a method includes measuring a temperature of a plurality of regions of a layer of build material in an additive manufacturing apparatus to provide initial temperature values. For each of a plurality of regions which comprise build material which is intended to fuse, an average temperature value of a plurality of neighbouring regions may be determined and the initial temperature values may be replaced with the average temperature value. Based on the replacement temperature values, a representative temperature of an area of the layer of build material may be determined and a heat source may be controlled based on the representative temperature.