Cooled Deposition Surface for Laser Sintering Vapor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for layer-by-layer production of three-dimensional objects using polymeric powders face issues with vapor deposition on sensitive components like lenses and pyrometers, leading to process disruptions and increased cleaning efforts due to the release of monomers, oligomers, or additives with lower melting points during heating.
Innovation Solution
A device with a cooled deposition surface outside the installation space is used to condense and settle vapors, eliminating the need for large-volume inert gas flushing and reducing distortion, allowing for the processing of materials with a higher tendency to vaporize, such as polyamide 6 or polyamide 6.6, by guiding the installation space atmosphere past the separation surface before recirculating it.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If large volumes of inert gas are used to flush the installation space, then vapor deposition on sensitive components is reduced, but temperature control is disrupted and object distortion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful vapor phase is extracted from the installation space by cooling it on a separate deposition surface located outside the installation space. This removes the harmful factor (vapors) without disrupting the thermal field within the installation space, thus preventing object distortion while preventing vapor deposition on sensitive components.
Solution Approach 2:
A cooled deposition surface acts as an intermediary between the vapor-generating process and the sensitive components. The vapor travels through the installation space atmosphere, cools and condenses on the deposition surface, and is removed from the system, preventing direct contact with lenses and other sensitive components without affecting the overall temperature control.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If large volumes of inert gas are used to flush the installation space, then vapor deposition on sensitive components is reduced, but temperature control is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The vapor phase is extracted and cooled on a separate deposition surface located outside the installation space. This removes the vapor without introducing large volumes of cold inert gas into the installation space, thereby maintaining temperature control while preventing vapor deposition on sensitive components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into the installation space (where temperature control is maintained) and the deposition surface (where vapor condensation occurs). This spatial separation allows independent optimization: the installation space maintains its thermal field for accurate manufacturing, while the deposition surface handles vapor removal without interfering with temperature control.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the content of monomers and oligomers in the polymer is reduced, then vapor release is reduced, but significant additional effort is required
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of trying to reduce vapor generation at the source (which requires complex chemical modification of the polymer), the invention converts the harmful vapor phase into a beneficial condensation process on the cooled deposition surface. The vapor that would otherwise be harmful is now systematically removed and condensed, allowing the use of polymers with higher monomer content without additional processing effort.
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 solution effectively prevents vapor deposition on sensitive components, enhancing process reliability, reducing cleaning efforts, and minimizing object distortion during the production of three-dimensional objects, while allowing for the processing of materials with a higher vaporization tendency without disrupting temperature control.
Implementation Method 1
the vapors resulting from the melting of the polymeric material can settle by means of targeted condensation on the separation surface, which is located outside the installation space and is cooled
Implementation Method 2
The device preferably has a heating element for temperature control of the installation space
Implementation Method 3
In this process, plastic powders are selectively briefly exposed to a laser beam in a chamber, causing the powder particles that are hit by the laser beam to melt
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a device for the layer-by-layer production of three-dimensional objects, a method for layer-by-layer production, and corresponding molded bodies.