3D Powder Bed Laser Sintering Pre-Check for Scan Area Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In lamination molding apparatuses using laser beams, deviations in the scanning path can lead to improper irradiation outside the molding area, causing incomplete or damaged three-dimensional object formation, and errors in molding data can result in wasted material and time.
Innovation Solution
A lamination molding apparatus that includes a chamber, a molding table, a powder holding wall, and a laser irradiation device, with a numerical control device that determines whether the irradiation areas of all divided layers are within the molding area before starting the molding process, ensuring accurate and safe laser beam irradiation within the designated area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the irradiation-enabled area is set to include the molding area and be larger than the molding area to enable correction of scanning path deviation, then the laser beam can be properly positioned within the molding area, but the laser beam may be irradiated outside the molding area due to molding data errors, causing apparatus damage and incomplete object formation
Solution Approach 1:
The numerical control device performs a preliminary determination step before the laser irradiation process to check whether the irradiation area of each divided layer is included in the molding area. This advance verification prevents harmful irradiation outside the molding area while allowing the irradiation-enabled area to extend beyond the molding area for correction purposes.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the irradiation-enabled area is set to be as large as the molding area to prevent apparatus damage, then safety is improved, but molding must be interrupted when original molding data has errors, wasting material powder and time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification of irradiation areas against the molding area boundaries before starting the molding process. This allows the irradiation-enabled area to be set to the full molding area size for maximum flexibility, while the pre-check prevents harmful irradiation and allows early detection of data errors to avoid wasting material and time.
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
Prevents interruptions in molding, ensures proper formation of three-dimensional objects within the molding area, and prevents damage to the apparatus by ensuring all irradiation areas are correctly aligned with the molding area, thereby optimizing material usage and reducing waste and time loss.
Implementation Method 1
the laser beam is irradiated on a specific portion of the material powder layer to form a sintered layer
Implementation Method 2
the laser beam is irradiated on the new material powder layer to sinter the material powder so as to form a new sintered layer
Data Source
AI summary
A lamination molding apparatus includes a chamber, covering at least a molding area which is the maximum range in which a three-dimensional object can be produced; a molding table, disposed in the molding area in the chamber, on which material powder layers are formed by uniformly spread material powder for each of divided layers, wherein the divided layers are obtained by dividing a desired three-dimensional object for each of a specific thickness; a powder holding wall, surrounding the molding table and holding the material powder supplied onto the molding table; a laser irradiation device, forming sintered layers by irradiating laser beam on specific irradiation areas defined by the contour shape of the desired three-dimensional object of the divided layers on the material powder layers; and a numerical control device, determining, at least before sintering, whether the irradiation areas of all the divided layers are included in the molding area.