Deformable Flow Guide for Laminar Gas Flow in Additive Machine Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing additive manufacturing processes in machine tools face issues with contaminants and thermal deformations due to process gas streams, which can lead to inhomogeneous material application and thermal distortions, and the synchronization of these streams with movable components is challenging, restricting design freedom and retrofitting capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A machine tool with an elastically deformable flow guide element within the processing chamber that adjusts its outer contour geometry to guide the process gas stream as a laminar flow, allowing for adaptable and stable gas stream guidance without disturbing movable components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a process gas stream is guided through the processing chamber to remove contaminants and waste heat, then the manufacturing quality is improved, but the process gas stream causes swirling of unsolidified material and inhomogeneity in applied material
Solution Approach 1:
The flow guide element is designed to be elastically deformable, allowing it to dynamically adapt its outer contour geometry between a first position (with first outer contour geometry) and a second position (with second outer contour geometry). This dynamic adaptability enables the flow guide element to optimize the process gas stream guidance and prevent material swirling while maintaining effective contaminant and heat removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow guide element changes its geometric parameters (outer contour geometry) by deforming between different positions. This parameter change allows the flow guide element to adjust the flow characteristics of the process gas stream, ensuring laminar flow that removes contaminants and heat without causing material swirling or inhomogeneity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the processing chamber is designed with purely planar boundary surfaces to guide the process gas stream without swirling, then the process gas stream stability is improved, but the design freedom is restricted and retrofitting of additional components becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a fixed rigid structure, the flow guide element is made elastically deformable, allowing it to adapt its geometry dynamically. This enables the processing chamber to maintain stable gas stream guidance while accommodating additional components and design modifications without requiring purely planar boundary surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow guide element is implemented as an elastically deformable component that can flex and change its outer contour geometry. This flexible design allows the flow guide element to maintain stable gas stream guidance while adapting to different chamber configurations and allowing retrofitting of additional components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the flow guide element is made elastically deformable to adapt to variable configurations, then the adaptability is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow guide element is implemented as an elastically deformable component with a relatively simple flexible structure that can passively adapt to variable configurations through elastic deformation. This approach provides adaptability without requiring complex active control systems, actuators, or multiple adjustable parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastically deformable flow guide element automatically adapts to variable configurations through its inherent elastic properties, without requiring external control systems or complex mechanisms. The element self-adjusts its geometry in response to operational conditions, reducing overall system complexity.
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
The solution ensures a stable, swirl-free process gas stream, reducing contaminants and thermal distortions, enabling efficient manufacturing with minimal disruption to movable components and allowing for flexible design adaptations without complex structural changes.
Implementation Method 1
a flow guide element for the process gas stream, which is fastened within the processing chamber and which is elastically deformable between a first position, in which the flow guide element has a first outer contour geometry, and a second position, in which the flow guide element has a second outer contour geometry differing from the first
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a machine tool 100 for the additive layered construction of workpieces, which comprises a processing chamber 10, in which the additive build-up of workpieces takes place, a process gas device 40, which is set up to introduce a process gas stream 41 into the processing chamber 10 during the additive build-up, and a flow guide element 51 for the process gas stream 41, which is fastened within the processing chamber 10 and which is elastically deformable between a first position, in which the flow guide element 51 has a first outer contour geometry, and a second position, in which the flow guide element 51 has a second outer contour geometry differing from the first.