Fusing Agent Control From Actual Platform Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
In additive manufacturing, variations in layer thickness due to inaccuracies in the build platform lift system lead to incorrect fusing agent concentrations, causing defects in the manufactured object.
Innovation Solution
An encoder measures the actual platform displacement to adjust the amount of fusing agent in real-time, ensuring a constant agent concentration per unit volume of build material, regardless of layer thickness variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the build platform lift system is used to deposit layers of build material, then the object is manufactured layer by layer, but variations in layer thickness occur due to inaccuracies in the lift system
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs an encoder to measure the actual platform displacement and provides feedback to the controller. The controller then adjusts the agent application amount based on this feedback to compensate for thickness variations, resolving the contradiction between rapid layer deposition and consistent layer thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the agent application parameter (amount of agent) based on the measured platform displacement. When layer thickness varies, the agent amount is adjusted proportionally to maintain constant agent concentration per unit volume, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while preserving productivity.
2Ease of manufacture
If a fixed amount of fusing agent is applied to each layer, then the application process is simple, but incorrect fusing agent concentrations occur when layer thickness varies
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static fixed agent application approach to a dynamic adjustment approach. The agent amount is dynamically modified based on real-time platform displacement measurements, ensuring reliable agent concentration while maintaining ease of manufacture through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The agent application parameter is changed from a fixed value to a variable value that depends on platform displacement. This allows the system to maintain simplicity in the application process while improving reliability by adapting the agent amount to actual layer thickness conditions.
3Manufacturing precision
If the amount of fusing agent is adjusted based on measured platform displacement, then constant agent concentration per unit volume is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses encoder feedback to measure platform displacement and adjusts agent application accordingly. This feedback mechanism achieves precise agent concentration control while keeping the control system relatively simple by using straightforward proportional adjustment based on displacement measurements.
Data Source
AI summary
In one example, a control process for an additive manufacturing machine includes displacing a platform, measuring the actual displacement of the platform, determining that the actual displacement varies from a nominal displacement, and determining an amount of an agent to be applied to build material layered on the displaced platform based on the determined variation.