3D Laminating Irradiator Scanning Direction Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing three-dimensional laminating and fabricating techniques fail to prevent the squeegeeing blade from getting caught on the surface of the laminated and fabricated object, leading to interruptions in the process.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a laminating and fabricating unit with a squeegeeing blade and an irradiator, where the scanning direction of the irradiator is controlled to change with respect to the moving direction of the squeegeeing blade, allowing each layer to be fabricated as an aggregate of cell regions, thereby preventing the blade from getting caught.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the squeegeeing blade is used to spread laminating material on the upper layer, then the laminating and fabricating process can be completed, but the squeegeeing blade gets caught on the surface of the laminated and fabricated object, causing process interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by changing the scanning direction of the irradiator in advance before the squeegeeing blade encounters the surface. By controlling the irradiator to scan in different directions (e.g., alternating between X-direction and Y-direction scanning patterns) before each layer fabrication, the surface morphology is pre-modified to prevent the squeegeeing blade from getting caught, thus ensuring continuous operation without interruptions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the scanning direction parameter of the irradiator to resolve the contradiction. By varying the scanning direction (e.g., using 0°, 45°, 90°, or other angular variations) and scanning patterns (e.g., raster, spiral, or concentric patterns), the surface characteristics of the laminated object are modified to eliminate protrusions that would cause the squeegeeing blade to catch, thereby maintaining both productivity and reliability
2Reliability
If post-processing such as shaving is performed to prevent blade catching, then the blade catching problem is solved, but additional processing time and complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for post-processing shaving by performing preliminary action during the fabrication process itself. The irradiator's scanning direction is controlled in advance to create a surface that prevents blade catching, thereby solving the reliability problem without adding any post-processing steps or increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the blade catching problem from the overall process by addressing it through irradiator scanning direction control rather than through additional mechanical post-processing. This removes the need for separate shaving or surface preparation steps, maintaining simplicity while ensuring reliable operation
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 effectively suppresses the squeegeeing blade from getting caught on the surface of the laminated and fabricated object, ensuring continuous operation without the need for post-processing such as shaving the upper layer.
Implementation Method 1
an irradiator configured to irradiate the laminating material
Data Source
AI summary
A system of this invention is a three-dimensional laminating and fabricating system that suppresses, in advance, a squeezing blade from getting caught on a surface of a laminated and fabricated object. The three-dimensional laminating and fabricating system includes a laminating and fabricating unit that includes a squeezing blade configured to spread a laminating material on an upper layer of a laminated and fabricated object, and an irradiator configured to irradiate the laminating material, and fabricates each layer of the laminated and fabricated object as an aggregate of cell regions, and a laminating and fabricating controller that controls the laminating and fabricating unit such that a scanning direction in which the irradiator irradiates the laminating material in the cell region changes with respect to a moving direction of the squeezing blade during laminating and fabricating.