3D Printing Support Structure with Dual-Material Grid

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing 3D printing technologies face challenges in selecting a suitable support material for the support structure, as it needs to provide sufficient hardness to prevent cracking under stress while being flexible enough for easy removal, leading to stress concentration and cracking issues.

Innovation Solution

A support structure is designed with a solid portion using a first material and a non-solid portion using a second material, where the solid portion includes a grid structure with varying grid density and pillar density, and both inside and outside of the grid units are filled with the non-solid portion, allowing for differential strength distribution and easy separation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a solid material is used to construct a grid or skeleton to provide extra strength, then the support structure has sufficient hardness to prevent cracking, but stress concentration occurs making it easy to crack under stress

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehardness of support structureVSAvoidcrack resistance under stress

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure employs different material properties in different regions: the grid skeleton uses a first material with high hardness for strength, while the filling material uses a second material with lower hardness for flexibility and stress distribution. This local differentiation allows the structure to maintain sufficient strength while preventing stress concentration that would cause cracking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The support structure is constructed as a composite of two different materials: a grid skeleton made from a hard material and a filling material with different hardness properties. This composite construction enables the structure to simultaneously achieve the required hardness for support and the flexibility needed to prevent cracking under stress.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of operation

If the support structure is made flexible for easy removal, then it can be easily separated from the printed target object, but it lacks sufficient hardness to prevent cracking under stress

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of removalVSAvoidhardness of support structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure employs different material properties in different regions: the grid skeleton uses a first material with high hardness for strength, while the filling material uses a second material with lower hardness for flexibility and stress distribution. This local differentiation allows the structure to maintain sufficient strength while preventing stress concentration that would cause cracking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The support structure is constructed as a composite of two different materials: a grid skeleton made from a hard material and a filling material with different hardness properties. This composite construction enables the structure to simultaneously achieve the required hardness for support and the flexibility needed to prevent cracking under stress.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If a uniform material is used throughout the support structure, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the structure cannot provide differential strength distribution for both support and easy separation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of printing processVSAvoiddifferential strength distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure is segmented into two distinct material regions: a grid skeleton and a filling material. This segmentation allows each region to have optimized properties for its specific function - the grid provides structural strength while the filling material provides flexibility and stress distribution - thereby achieving differential strength distribution without excessive manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support structure employs different material properties in different regions: the grid skeleton uses a first material with high hardness for strength, while the filling material uses a second material with lower hardness for flexibility and stress distribution. This local differentiation allows the structure to maintain sufficient strength while preventing stress concentration that would cause cracking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11865786B2Support structure, and printing method and printing system therefor

Publication Date: 2024.01.09 ZHUHAI SAILNER 3D TECH CO LTD

AI summary

An illustrative example support structure includes a solid portion printed using a first material and a non-solid portion printed using a second material. The solid portion includes a grid structure, and both inside and outside of each grid unit of the grid structure are filled with the non-solid portion. Hardness of the first material is different from hardness of the second material. A grid density of the grid structure varies within a printing plane, and/or an area of a cross-section of a connecting edge of the grid unit varies in a direction perpendicular to the printing plane. There are differences in strength of different portions of the support structure of the present disclosure, so that an adverse effect of cracking of the support structure caused by a stress concentration phenomenon occurring when the support structure is subjected to a stress during or after a curing process can be effectively prevented.