Intermittent Filter Cleaning via Vacuum Suction in Metal Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filter cleaning procedures in metal printing devices, such as those described in DE 10 2018 002 314 A1, suffer from continuous connection of the filter goods collection chamber to the filter device during oil filling, leading to operational disadvantages.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a filter device design where the filter goods collection chamber can be sealed off from the filter housing to maintain vacuum, allowing for intermittent cleaning by initiating a vacuum in the filter housing and using a rinsing medium to clean the filter, while maintaining continuous operation of the metal printing device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the filter material collection chamber remains continuously connected to the filter device during oil filling, then the cleaning process can be performed, but the operation of the metal printing device is disrupted and the negative pressure cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two independent parts: the filter device and the filter material collection chamber. The separable connection allows the filter device to be isolated from the collection chamber during cleaning operations, enabling the filter to be cleaned without disrupting the metal printing device operation. Other filter devices can continue operating while one is being cleaned.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter device is separated from the filter material collection chamber before the oil filling cleaning process begins. This preliminary separation maintains the negative pressure in the collection chamber and prevents disruption to the metal printing device operation, while still allowing the filter to be cleaned subsequently.
2Productivity
If the filter device is separated from the filter material collection chamber during cleaning, then the negative pressure is maintained and operation continues, but the cleaning process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The filter device is designed with multi-functionality: it can operate in connected mode during normal filtration and in separated mode during cleaning operations. The separable connection mechanism serves both to maintain operational continuity and to enable effective cleaning, reducing the need for additional complex systems.
3Device complexity
If continuous connection is maintained, then the structure is simpler, but the negative pressure cannot be maintained during cleaning affecting the metal printing device
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the filter device and filter material collection chamber is made dynamic rather than static. The separable connection allows the system to adapt its configuration based on operational needs: connected during normal filtration to maintain simplicity, and separated during cleaning to maintain negative pressure and reliability.
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 solution enables effective cleaning of the filter without disrupting the operation of the metal printing device, allowing for continuous operation even during filter cleaning, which is particularly advantageous for long-duration metal printing processes.
Implementation Method 1
In the filter housing, which is then (initially) sealed off from the environment and the other device(s), a negative pressure is created by evacuating the interior
Implementation Method 2
This negative pressure can be as low as several hundred millibars (e.g., 100 to 500 mbar absolute) or comparatively high (e.g., up to 1 mbar absolute). At least by utilizing this negative pressure created in the filter housing, a flushing medium used to clean the filter can be introduced due to the resulting suction effect
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for intermittently cleaning a filter (26) in a filter device (2), which filter device comprises a filter housing (18) and the filter (26) located therein. The filter housing (18) has a medium inlet (15) and a medium outlet (16) for a medium (7) to be filtered. Furthermore, during filter operation, the medium (7) flowing through the medium inlet (15) passes through the filter (26) and exits the filter device (2) via the medium outlet (16). The aim of the invention is to further improve a method of this type. To achieve this, according to the invention, in order to clean the filter (2), both the medium inlet (15) and the medium outlet (16) are closed and thereafter a negative pressure is produced in the filter housing (18) and a flushing medium (45), which impinges on the filter (26) in order to clear the filter, is sucked into the filter housing (18) by means of the negative pressure. The invention further relates to a method for operating a metal printing device (1) and to a filter device (2) for a metal printing device (1).