DMD Micro-Displacement 3D Printing Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current photo-curing 3D printing technologies face limitations in molding speed due to laser power constraints and resolution issues with digital light processing (DLP) projection techniques, which restrict the precision and speed of the 3D printing process.
Innovation Solution
An image exposure system utilizing a spatial light modulator with a digital micromirror device as a concave mirror, combined with a micro-displacement driving mechanism, to project a micro light spot array onto a photosensitive material surface, allowing for multiple exposures and precise adjustment of the light spot position, thereby increasing resolution and precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If laser molding technique is used with pointwise scanning, then the photosensitive resin can be cured layer by layer, but the molding speed becomes excessively slow due to limited laser power and scanning speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a digital micromirror device (DMD) to create a digital copy of the 3D model as a light beam image, which is then projected onto the photosensitive resin. This allows simultaneous curing of entire layers rather than pointwise scanning, dramatically increasing molding speed while maintaining precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from 1D pointwise laser scanning to 2D/3D parallel projection by using a DMD to generate and project entire layer images at once. This dimensional change enables multiple points to be cured simultaneously, resolving the speed limitation of sequential laser scanning
2Productivity
If DLP projection technique is used with digital micromirror device, then the molding speed improves compared to laser scanning, but the resolution is restricted by the maximum DMD resolution of 1920×1080
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the projection process into multiple exposures, where each exposure projects a portion of the final high-resolution image. By combining multiple lower-resolution projections, the system achieves higher overall resolution than a single DMD projection, overcoming the hardware resolution limit
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic multiple exposures to build up the final high-resolution image. Each exposure cycle projects a subset of pixels or a shifted portion of the image, and repeated cycles accumulate to form the complete high-resolution pattern, enabling resolution beyond single-exposure capabilities
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple exposures are performed to increase resolution, then the manufacturing precision improves, but the exposure time increases which may reduce productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous useful action by overlapping multiple exposures and using a micro-displacement mechanism to shift the projected image between exposures. This ensures that each exposure contributes to the final high-resolution image without significant idle time, minimizing total exposure duration while achieving high 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
The solution enhances the resolution of the 3D printing process by several folds, improving the precision and speed of the photo-curing 3D printing apparatus, allowing for more efficient and accurate production of complex shapes.
Implementation Method 1
each micromirror is a concave mirror for converging the light irradiating the micromirror into a micro light spot having a dimension smaller than the dimension of the pixel corresponding to the micromirror
Implementation Method 2
photo-curing method uses the principle that a photosensitive resin is cured after being irradiated by an ultraviolet laser
Data Source
AI summary
An image exposure system of a 3D printing device having a spatial light modulator, a light source, a projection lens, a micro-displacement driving mechanism and a controller. The spatial light modulator is provided with a plurality of micromirrors for adjusting the reflective direction of light illuminating the micromirrors according to a control signal; the light source generates a light beam illuminating the spatial light modulator; the projection lens is aligned with a first direction of the spatial light modulator so that a micro light spot array formed through the micromirror by the light source projected onto the surface of a light-sensitive material; the micro-displacement driving mechanism is connected with the spatial light modulator, and can drive the spatial light modulator to move in third and fourth directions that are perpendicular to each other, in order to finely adjust the position on the surface of the light-sensitive material onto which the micro light spot array is projected.