Flow-Heated 3D Printing Head for Stable High-Rate Dispensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Rapid production apparatuses face challenges in maintaining consistent dispensing temperature of building materials as dispensing rates increase, leading to viscosity issues and poor layer bonding, and conventional methods for removing finished objects from the construction platform can cause damage.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a flow-heater with a heat sink and internal flow channel to maintain consistent temperature across varying dispensing rates, and the use of a spatula shovel with a sharp leading edge for gentle object removal, allowing for thinner foundations and reduced material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If dispensing rate of building material is increased to improve productivity, then production speed increases, but material temperature consistency deteriorates leading to viscosity issues and poor layer bonding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedispensing rateVSAvoidmaterial temperature consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The flow-heater pre-heats the building material in the flow channel before it reaches the dispensing head, ensuring the material is at the correct temperature regardless of dispensing rate. This preliminary heating action prevents temperature inconsistency during high-speed dispensing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The flow-heater acts as an intermediary component between the material supply and dispensing head, regulating material temperature through controlled heating in the flow channel. This intermediary heating mechanism decouples temperature control from dispensing rate, allowing independent optimization of both parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If conventional removal methods are used to extract finished objects, then object removal is achieved, but object damage occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobject removal efficiencyVSAvoidobject damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The foundation is designed as a disposable, sacrificial element that can be easily removed with the finished object. The foundation absorbs the mechanical stress of removal, protecting the valuable finished object from damage while being replaced for the next production cycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The foundation serves as a pre-prepared cushioning layer between the finished object and the construction platform. This beforehand protective layer prevents direct contact and potential damage during the object removal process, allowing gentle extraction without compromising object integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 flow-heater ensures consistent material temperature and quality across different dispensing rates, while the spatula shovel effectively removes objects without damage, enabling thinner foundations and cost and time savings.

Implementation Method 1

flowing the construction material through a heated flow path in a flow structure to heat the construction material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

heated reservoir in a printing head

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConduction (thermal): Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11453168B2Rapid production apparatus with production orientation determination

Publication Date: 2022.09.27 STRATASYS LTD

AI summary

A method of producing an object by sequentially printing layers of construction material one on top of the other, the method comprising: providing the construction material at a first lower temperature; flowing the construction material through a heated flow path in a flow structure to heat the construction material and delivering the heated construction material to a heated reservoir in a printing head; and dispensing the heated construction material from the reservoir to build the object layer by layer.