Cold Slurry FDM Printer Using Cryogen Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D printing technologies, specifically FDM, are limited in printing cold materials in a cold environment, as they typically require heating the material and operate in warmed conditions, restricting the range of printable substances to warm materials.
Innovation Solution
A fused deposition model printer system that uses a cold slurry source, such as soft serve ice cream, with a cryogen line to maintain the material at a low temperature, allowing for the extrusion and shaping of cold substances into three-dimensional forms within a chilled compartment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional FDM printing uses heated materials and warmed environment, then the printing process is simple and reliable, but the material selection is limited to warm materials only
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional FDM approach by using cold materials in a cold environment instead of hot materials in a hot environment. The entire printing chamber, extruder head, and material storage are cooled to sub-zero temperatures, allowing cold materials like ice cream, frozen yogurt, and other frozen substances to be extruded and deposited without melting, thus expanding material selection while managing system complexity through comprehensive cooling infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from positive (heated) to negative (cold) throughout the printing system. By maintaining the printing chamber, extruder, and material at sub-zero temperatures, the system enables the use of cold materials that would otherwise be impossible to print with traditional FDM, directly addressing the material selection limitation
2Adaptability or versatility
If cold materials are used in traditional FDM printer, then the material variety expands, but the material melts during extrusion due to heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary cooling action by pre-cooling the extruder head, printing chamber, and material storage to sub-zero temperatures before extrusion begins. This preliminary temperature control ensures that cold materials remain frozen throughout the extrusion process, preventing melting and maintaining shape fidelity, thus ensuring reliable printing of cold materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a cold inert environment within the printing chamber, maintaining sub-zero temperatures that prevent thermal energy from reaching the cold material. This cold environment acts as a protective barrier that preserves the frozen state of materials during extrusion and deposition, ensuring shape retention and printing reliability
3Adaptability or versatility
If the extruder head and chamber are cooled to maintain cold materials, then cold substance printing is enabled, but the system complexity and cooling infrastructure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function across multiple system components - the printing chamber, extruder head, and material storage are all integrated into a unified cold environment. By combining these cooling functions and maintaining a consistent sub-zero temperature throughout the entire printing system, the patent reduces the need for separate cooling infrastructure for each component, thereby managing system complexity while enabling cold slurry printing
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
Enables the printing of cold substances like ice cream, sorbet, and sherbet into complex shapes by maintaining the extruder head and print platform at a low temperature, overcoming the limitations of traditional FDM printers that require heated materials.
Implementation Method 1
A cryogen line including a perforated section surrounding the stream of the cold slurry substance is provided to spray a cryogen such as liquid nitrogen on the cold slurry substance to cool it upon extrusion
Implementation Method 2
The extruder head includes a heater
Implementation Method 3
A chilled compartment or freezer is provided in which the print platform, extruder head system and cryogen line are contained to maintain these components at a selected temperature wherein the cold slurry substance is printed
Data Source
AI summary
Fused deposition model printer system. The system prints cold slurry substances and includes a source of a cold slurry substance with a print platform supported for at least three axes of motion under computer control. An extruder head system including a nozzle extrudes a stream of the cold slurry substance from the source onto the print platform, the extruder head including a heater. A cryogen line is provided having a perforated section for surrounding the continuous stream of the cold slurry substance to spray a cryogen onto the cold slurry substance to cool it upon extrusion. A chilled compartment or freezer is provided in which the print platform, extruder head system, and cryogen line are contained to maintain those components at a selected temperature whereby the cold slurry substance is printed to form a desired three dimensional shape.