Continuous Additive Manufacturing Using Dual-Phase Build Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current additive manufacturing processes are too slow and expensive for small batch sizes and vary in geometry, lacking efficiency in producing components without support structures and requiring frequent changes of building platforms, which hampers their use in small series or variety production.
Innovation Solution
A method and arrangement for additive manufacturing that utilizes a build-up material capable of transitioning between two solid phases, allowing for continuous production by selectively irradiating layers to create the first solid phase, with the second solid phase supporting already solidified components, eliminating the need for support structures and enabling components to be built without contact with a building platform.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additive manufacturing is used for small batch sizes, then production flexibility is improved, but production speed is too slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous additive manufacturing by eliminating the need to change building platforms between components. The system continuously deposits material and cures it layer-by-layer as the building platform moves through the curing station, enabling uninterrupted production across multiple components and geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The building platform is made movable through the manufacturing system, transitioning from a static platform requiring changes between components to a dynamic platform that continuously moves through deposition and curing zones, enabling seamless production of varying geometries without platform changes.
2Stability of the object's composition
If support structures are used in photochemical additive manufacturing, then structural stability during construction is improved, but device complexity and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transition of the build material from liquid to solid through photochemical curing. The material remains liquid during deposition, allowing freeform construction without support structures, then cures to solid immediately after deposition to provide inherent structural stability, eliminating the need for separate support structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical support structures with photochemical curing of the build material itself. Instead of using separate mechanical supports to hold unsupported overhangs, the system uses UV irradiation to cure the material in place, providing structural stability through chemical bonding rather than mechanical support.
3Adaptability or versatility
If building platforms are changed frequently for different geometries, then production adaptability is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal building platform that can continuously manufacture different component geometries without requiring changes. The platform serves multiple functions by moving through different zones (deposition, curing, removal) and can produce various geometries sequentially, eliminating the need for platform changes between different component types.
4Manufacturing precision
If conventional additive manufacturing is used, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but productivity is too low for small series production
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains manufacturing precision through layer-by-layer photochemical curing while achieving continuous production. The building platform continuously moves through the deposition and curing zones without interruption, producing multiple components in sequence, thereby increasing production rate while maintaining the precision of selective layer curing.
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 continuous or quasi-continuous production of components with varying geometries, optimizing the use of installation space, reducing production time, and allowing for easy separation and recycling of materials, thus improving efficiency and scalability for small series production.
Implementation Method 1
a build-up material, which can be converted by chemical reaction from a liquid to a first solid phase, wherein the layer-by-layer solidification with the formation of the first solid phase in each case by location-selective irradiation
Implementation Method 2
the build-up material is selected in such a way that the build-up material or the material component determining the solidification can still carry out a further phase transition between the liquid phase or liquid state and a further solid aggregate state as a second solid phase dem controllable by cooling during additive manufacturing
Data Source
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AI summary
In a photochemical method for the additive manufacture of components (7), a construction material is used that can undergo an additional phase transition, which can be controlled by cooling, between a liquid phase and a solid aggregate state as a second solid phase during the additive manufacture, said additional phase transition not influencing the first solid phase produced by radiation for constructing the components. The additional phase transition is controlled during the construction of the components (7) such that component regions solidified while forming the first phase are supported by surrounding construction material in the second solid phase. In the method, a block (9) of solidified construction material produced by the transition into the second solid phase is conveyed opposite the construction direction by an advancing device (3) which laterally approaches and engages the block (9) in order to construct the components (7), thus allowing a continuous manufacture of components without interruptions resulting from changing the construction platform.