Lithography Material Support for Uniform Photopolymer Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stereolithography processes face challenges in achieving homogeneous and controlled heating of photopolymer materials, particularly when using infrared radiation, leading to temperature gradients and uncontrolled polymerization, especially with high-viscosity materials.
Innovation Solution
A method using two separate radiation sources, where one source polymerizes the material and the other heats the support indirectly through heat conduction, ensuring controlled and uniform heating by using a material support that is transparent to the polymerizing radiation but opaque to the heating radiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If infrared radiation is used to heat the photopolymer material, then heating efficiency is improved, but temperature gradients and uncontrolled polymerization occur
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent heating element is introduced as an intermediary between the infrared radiation source and the photopolymer material. This heating element absorbs the infrared radiation and converts it to heat, which is then conducted uniformly to the photopolymer material. The heating element acts as a mediator that decouples the direct infrared heating from the material, allowing for more controlled and uniform temperature distribution while maintaining heating efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the heating element to be transparent to the photopolymer material. By selecting a heating element material that is transparent to the polymerization wavelength but absorbs infrared radiation, the system achieves uniform heating without causing localized temperature spikes that would lead to uncontrolled polymerization. This parameter change in material transparency resolves the contradiction between heating efficiency and temperature control precision.
2Reliability
If high-viscosity photopolymer materials are used, then material quality is improved, but processing difficulty increases due to poor heat distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical or conductive heating methods with infrared radiation heating. Infrared radiation provides volumetric heating that penetrates the high-viscosity material more effectively than contact heating methods. The transparent heating element converts infrared energy to thermal energy that distributes uniformly through the material, overcoming the poor heat distribution problem associated with high-viscosity materials while maintaining their superior material quality properties.
3Manufacturing precision
If uniform heating is achieved through direct infrared irradiation of material, then heating homogeneity is improved, but uncontrolled polymerization occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is segmented from the polymerization function by introducing a separate transparent heating element. The heating element handles the thermal energy distribution uniformly through the material, while the photopolymerization is controlled separately by the light source. This segmentation prevents the harmful effect of uncontrolled polymerization that occurs when infrared radiation directly irradiates the photopolymer material, while still achieving uniform heating through the heating element's controlled thermal conduction.
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 allows for precise temperature control and uniform heating of high-viscosity materials, preventing uncontrolled polymerization and maintaining a narrow temperature process window, enhancing material quality and process stability.
Implementation Method 1
material located between the building platform and the material support is heated and in the heated state is location-selectively irradiated by a first radiation source and solidified
Implementation Method 2
the heating of the material support is performed by irradiating the material support with electromagnetic radiation of a second radiation source, wherein the material support is substantially impermeable for the radiation of the second radiation source
Implementation Method 3
material located between the building platform and the material support is heated
Data Source
AI summary
In a process for the lithography-based generative production of three-dimensional shaped bodies, wherein material that is solidifiable by exposure to electromagnetic radiation is present on a material support that is permeable in at least a region thereof, a building platform is positioned at a distance from the material support, material located between the building platform and the material support is heated and in the heated state is location-selectively irradiated by a first radiation source and solidified, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is introduced into the material from below through the material support that is at least partially permeable to radiation from the first radiation source, the heating of the material is performed by irradiating the material support with electromagnetic radiation of a second radiation source, wherein the material support is substantially impermeable for the radiation of the second radiation source.