3D Powder Deposition on Curved Surfaces for Beam Structure Shaping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional three-dimensional shaping techniques, such as PBF and DED, face challenges in shaping beam structures on curved surfaces due to issues with powder distribution and layer thickness uniformity, particularly in DED where unmelted powder is blown away, and in PBF where accurate placement on free-form surfaces is difficult.
Innovation Solution
A three-dimensional shaping device equipped with a powder supply device that drops powder onto a curved surface and an energy beam irradiation device, such as a laser, to form a beam structure by accurately depositing and melting the powder, with a surface shape measuring device ensuring uniform layer thickness and a control system for precise control of the shaping process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If powder is supplied by dropping toward a curved surface, then beam structures can be shaped on curved surfaces, but powder distribution uniformity becomes difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment of the powder supply device, allowing it to move along the curved surface and adapt its positioning in real-time. This dynamic capability enables the system to maintain accurate powder distribution control while accommodating various curved surface geometries, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a surface shape measuring device that provides feedback information about the curved surface geometry. This feedback is used by the control device to adjust the powder supply device's position and operation, ensuring uniform powder distribution adapts to the specific curved surface characteristics, thus maintaining manufacturing precision while achieving versatility.
2Manufacturing precision
If powder is horizontally spread by roller or blade, then uniform layer thickness can be achieved on flat surfaces, but it becomes difficult to form uniform layers on free-form surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical roller or blade spreading system with a powder supply device that drops powder onto the surface. This substitution eliminates the constraint of requiring flat surfaces for uniform layer formation, as the dropped powder can naturally conform to free-form surfaces while maintaining uniform thickness control through the device's positioning and operation control.
Solution Approach 2:
The powder supply device is designed to move dynamically along free-form surfaces, adjusting its position and operation in real-time. This dynamic capability allows the device to maintain accurate powder distribution and uniform layer thickness control on complex curved geometries, thereby achieving both manufacturing precision and adaptability to free-form surfaces.
3Loss of substance
If DED method is used to add structure to existing component, then cost is reduced by using low cost bulk body, but unmelted powder is blown away by jet of powder injection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful jet flow of powder injection from the DED process. By replacing the powder injection method with a controlled powder dropping mechanism, the system prevents the blowing away of unmelted powder while maintaining the cost efficiency advantage of using low-cost bulk bodies as base materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of powder being blown away by jet injection into a benefit by using a controlled dropping mechanism. This approach not only prevents powder loss and beam structure formation issues but also allows for more precise control over powder placement, thereby improving both powder consumption efficiency and manufacturing precision.
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 successful shaping of beam structures on curved surfaces by ensuring accurate powder distribution and uniform layer thickness, overcoming limitations of existing methods by allowing for the creation of complex shapes on both curved and free-form surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
an energy beam irradiation device to irradiate a layer of the powder which is supplied and deposited by the powder supply device with an energy beam
Data Source
AI summary
The three-dimensional shaping device (100) is provided with a powder supply device (10) to supply powder (90) by dropping the powder toward a surface (81) of a workpiece (80) as a shaping object, the surface, for example, being a curved surface. Further, the three-dimensional shaping device (100) is provided with a laser light irradiation device (20) to irradiate a layer of the powder (90) supplied and deposited by the powder supply device (10) with a laser light (25) as an energy beam. In this way, a three-dimensional shaping device and a three-dimensional shaping method, which are capable of shaping a beam structure on a curved surface of a shaping object, are provided.