Continuous Beam Scanning for Thermal Control in 3D Printing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing additive manufacturing methods face challenges in achieving high-quality parts due to temperature inconsistencies and stress caused by unsolidified powder adjacent to solidifying material, which requires cumbersome calculations to adapt energy input based on heat conductivity.

Innovation Solution

A method for providing control data in additive manufacturing that involves determining different regions within a layer, such as sandwiched, down-facing, and up-facing regions, and defining a scanning sequence with continuous scan lines and adjusted beam parameters to minimize stress and temperature differences, allowing for quick and easy adaptation of energy input.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If energy input is adapted based on heat conductivity of surrounding material (as in WO 2013/079581 A1), then manufacturing precision and quality are improved, but device complexity and computational burden increase due to voxel-by-voxel calculations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality of manufactured partsVSAvoidcomputational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The build chamber is divided into distinct thermal zones (first thermal zone with solidified material and second thermal zone with unsolidified powder) rather than treating each voxel individually. This segmentation approach maintains the benefit of heat conductivity-based energy adaptation while reducing computational complexity by grouping similar thermal environments together.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different energy inputs are applied to different thermal zones based on their local heat conductivity characteristics. The irradiation device adapts energy input per unit time according to whether the surrounding material is solidified or unsolidified, maintaining manufacturing precision through localized energy adaptation without requiring full voxel-by-voxel computation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If beam scanning stops at region interfaces to change parameters, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but productivity decreases due to interruptions in the scanning process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature control accuracyVSAvoidmanufacturing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The beam scanning process continues without stopping at interfaces between different thermal zones. The irradiation device maintains continuous scanning while dynamically adapting energy input parameters based on the current thermal zone, eliminating interruptions and improving manufacturing speed while preserving temperature control accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The energy input parameters are dynamically adjusted during continuous scanning based on the real-time thermal zone identification. The irradiation device can change beam parameters (such as power or scan speed) on-the-fly without interrupting the scanning motion, enabling adaptive energy input while maintaining continuous productive operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 reduces stress and improves precision by minimizing temperature differences and eliminating unnecessary beam stops, resulting in higher quality parts with reduced curl effects and manufacturing time.

Implementation Method 1

a solidification of the building material can be effected for example by supplying heat energy to the building material in that the material is irradiated with electromagnetic radiation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation heating: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

or else (in stereolithography) by provoking a thermal setting reaction in the material by irradiating it with ultraviolet radiation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltraviolet radiation induced thermal setting: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 3

unsolidified powder adjacent to material that is being solidified is not a good heat conductor. Thus, when the building material is irradiated, at positions adjacent to unsolidified powder the temperature will be higher than at positions adjacent to already solidified material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11550295B2Continuous exposure

Publication Date: 2023.01.10 EOS GMBH ELECTRO OPTICAL SYST

AI summary

A method for providing control data for manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object by means of a layer-wise solidification of a building material in an additive manufacturing apparatus is provided. The method includes at least the following steps: a) determining the locations corresponding to the cross section of the at least one object, b) determining at least two different regions to be solidified in said at least one layer, wherein said at least two regions are chosen from the group of: sandwiched region, down-facing region and up-facing region, c) defining a scanning sequence for the beam so as to solidify the building material at least at the locations corresponding to said portion of the cross section of the object, wherein at an interface between a first and a second region differing from each other a scan line of the beam is continuous and at least one beam parameter value is changed.