Multi-nozzle Extruder Speed Adjustment for Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-nozzle extruders in three-dimensional printing face inefficiencies due to the inability to fully utilize the number of nozzles for exterior feature formation, leading to slower object creation times, as the orientation of the faceplate and movement angle can prevent contiguous swaths of extruded material, resulting in wasted time on outline formation compared to interior regions.
Innovation Solution
An extruder system that adjusts its speed based on the angular orientation of the faceplate during movement, allowing multiple nozzles to fill gaps between extruded lines and form contiguous swaths, particularly for exterior features, by using a controller to operate the extruder and actuator to move the extruder and platform at predetermined speeds aligned with the orientation and angle of the faceplate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multi-nozzle extruders are used to form exterior features, then the number of nozzles should be maximized to increase productivity, but the faceplate orientation and movement angle cause gaps between extruded lines preventing contiguous swaths, reducing manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the extruder's angular orientation relative to the movement direction based on the specific exterior feature being formed. By changing the faceplate angle dynamically during the printing process, the system ensures that nozzles are optimally positioned to create contiguous swaths without gaps, resolving the contradiction between using multiple nozzles for speed and maintaining precision for exterior features.
2Productivity
If the extruder moves at high speed to increase productivity, then object creation time is reduced, but gaps appear between extruded lines from multiple nozzles, compromising manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the angular orientation parameter of the faceplate relative to the movement direction to optimize swath formation. By adjusting this angle parameter, the system ensures that extruded lines from multiple nozzles overlap or meet contiguously, preventing gaps even when printing at high speeds, thus maintaining both productivity and manufacturing precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If a single nozzle is used to maintain manufacturing precision for detailed structures, then exterior features can be formed accurately, but productivity decreases due to slower object creation time
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different operational modes to different regions of the object being printed. For exterior features requiring high precision, the faceplate is oriented at specific angles and fewer nozzles are activated. For interior regions where speed is more critical, multiple nozzles operate simultaneously at optimized orientations. This local quality approach allows the system to maintain manufacturing precision where needed while maximizing productivity overall.
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 approach enables faster and more efficient formation of exterior features by ensuring contiguous swaths are formed across the cross-process direction, maximizing the use of multiple nozzles and reducing the time spent on outline formation compared to interior regions.
Implementation Method 1
an extruder that softens or melts extrusion material, such as ABS plastic, into thermoplastic material
Implementation Method 2
After each layer of the three-dimensional printed object is formed, the thermoplastic material cools and hardens to bond the layer to an underlying layer
Data Source
AI summary
An additive manufacturing system operates an extruder to extrude a swath of thermoplastic material through at least two nozzles of the extruder to form a swath of thermoplastic material along a path of relative movement between the extruder and a platform. The speed of the extruder along the path corresponds to a predetermined speed selected with reference to an orientation of the extruder and the angle for the path of relative movement between the extruder and the platform. A controller in the system operates at least one actuator operatively connected to at least one of the extruder and the platform to move the at least one of the extruder and the platform relative to the other of the extruder and the platform along the path of relative movement at the predetermined speed to make the swath of the thermoplastic material contiguous in a cross-process direction.