Calibration Method for Additive Manufacturing Platform
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Solution Overview
Problem
The precision of the build platform movement in additive manufacturing is affected by mechanical errors in the drive mechanism, leading to sinusoidal variations in layer advance, resulting in dimensional and mechanical property errors in the manufactured objects.
Innovation Solution
A calibration method and system that uses sensors and a processor to determine the vertical positions of the build platform, derive a movement pattern, and apply a correction term to adjust the vertical movement, compensating for mechanical errors such as sinusoidal deviations, thereby improving the accuracy and homogeneity of the manufactured objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a drive mechanism is used to move the build platform, then the platform can be moved vertically to form successive layers, but mechanical errors cause sinusoidal variations in layer advance precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring the actual vertical positions of the build platform during a calibration run and deriving a movement pattern that includes a correction term before actual manufacturing. This correction term is calculated in advance to compensate for sinusoidal variations caused by mechanical errors in the drive mechanism, allowing the system to pre-correct for errors that would otherwise occur during production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using a sensor to detect the actual vertical position of the build platform during movement, comparing it with the expected position, and using this information to derive a correction term. The detected position data feeds back into the calibration process to continuously refine the movement pattern and reduce layer advance errors.
2Productivity
If mechanical errors are present in the drive mechanism, then manufacturing can proceed, but dimensional and mechanical property errors occur in the manufactured objects
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calibration measurements to determine the movement pattern and correction term before actual manufacturing. This allows the drive mechanism to operate with relaxed tolerances during production while still achieving high dimensional accuracy through the applied correction, thereby maintaining productivity without sacrificing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the drive mechanism by applying a correction term to the layer advance increments. This parameter adjustment compensates for mechanical errors without requiring physical modifications to the drive mechanism, allowing the system to maintain both productivity and dimensional accuracy.
3Manufacturing precision
If tight manufacturing tolerances are applied to compensate for layer advance errors, then object quality improves, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the layer advance increment parameter by applying a correction term derived from calibration measurements. This allows the system to achieve tight effective tolerances through software correction rather than requiring expensive mechanical precision, thereby improving object quality while reducing production costs by allowing more relaxed manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the need for high-precision mechanical components with a software-based correction system. Instead of investing in expensive mechanical precision, the system uses sensor measurements and computational correction to achieve the same level of quality, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining or improving object quality.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of calibrating movement of a platform is described, the method comprising: in a calibration run, causing movement of the platform; detecting a plurality of positions of the platform during the movement; deriving a movement pattern from the plurality of positions; and determining an adjustment of the movement of the platform based on the movement pattern.