Flattening Roller Chrome Plating and Carbon Steel Blade for 3D Printing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing three-dimensional object shaping devices face issues with excess shaping material adhering to the roller section, leading to undesirable effects like color mixing and material accumulation, which can compromise the accuracy and quality of the shaped object.

Innovation Solution

A three-dimensional object shaping device is designed with a flattening roller coated with chrome plating and a plate-shaped member made of carbon tool steel or resin, along with a blade unit and reservoir, to effectively scrape off excess material from the roller surface, ensuring high durability and scraping performance over time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a roller section is used to remove extra shaping material by adhering it to the roller surface, then the layer height control is improved, but the scraped material may re-adhere to the layered surface causing color mixing and quality defects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelayer height controlVSAvoidmaterial re-adhesion and color mixing
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful scraped material from the roller surface immediately after removal by introducing a blade that scrapes the adhered material off the roller. This prevents the material from re-adhering to the layered surface, thereby eliminating color mixing while preserving the layer height control benefit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a blade as an intermediary element between the roller and the layered surface. The blade acts as a mediator that removes the scraped material from the roller surface without allowing direct contact between the roller and the layered surface, thus preventing re-adhesion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If a blade is used to scrape off material from the roller, then material removal is improved, but the blade wears down over time reducing scraping performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial removal efficiencyVSAvoidscraping performance consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter of the blade from conventional materials to resin material. This parameter change provides wear resistance while maintaining scraping effectiveness, ensuring consistent scraping performance over time without the blade degrading rapidly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses resin material for the blade, which represents a composite or advanced material approach. This material selection combines durability and scraping effectiveness, allowing the blade to maintain its functional properties over extended operational periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Duration of action of stationary object

If chrome plating is applied to the roller surface, then the roller durability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller durabilityVSAvoidroller manufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies chrome plating to the roller surface, which is a surface treatment parameter change. This provides enhanced durability and wear resistance to the roller while being a standard industrial process that balances manufacturing complexity with performance benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 device enhances the ability to remove excess shaping material from the roller surface, preventing re-adhesion and maintaining high scraping performance, thus ensuring accurate and consistent layer formation in three-dimensional object creation.

Implementation Method 1

chrome plating is coated on the surface of the flattening roller

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChrome plating: Electroplating

Implementation Method 2

the shaping material that has once been removed must not adhere again onto the layered surface by rotation of the roller body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP3366457B1Three-dimensional object shaping device
Publication Date: 2022.04.13 MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO LTD
  • EP3366457B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3366457B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3366457B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A three-dimensional object shaping device (10) is a device configured to shape a three-dimensional object using a layer shaping method, the device including: an ejection head configured to eject a shaping material (80); a flattening roller (32) configured to rotate and move over the shaping material (80) ejected on a layered surface to remove an extra shaping material (80); and a blade (36) configured to make contact with the flattening roller (32) along a circumferential surface of the flattening roller (32) to scrape off the shaping material (80) adhered to the circumferential surface by rotation of the flattening roller (32), where chrome plating is coated on the surface of the flattening roller (32), and the blade (36) is made of carbon tool steel.