Movable Gas Suction Nozzle Control for Cleaner 3D Powder Beds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large and heavy particles produced during the solidification of build-up material in three-dimensional object production often settle on the powder layer or within the processing chamber, leading to disruptive inclusions and reduced quality of the completed object, as well as potential damage to the laser device over time.
Innovation Solution
A movable gas suction nozzle is controlled and oriented using reference positions to effectively extract particles by suction, ensuring optimal positioning and orientation relative to the current solidifying position, thereby improving particle removal efficiency and maintaining device operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a stationary gas suction nozzle is used in the processing chamber, then the device structure is simple, but larger and heavier particles are not fully removed and settle on the powder layer during transportation through the processing chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The gas suction nozzle is made movable instead of stationary, allowing it to follow the laser beam's position dynamically. This enables the suction nozzle to maintain optimal positioning relative to the solidifying position throughout the processing chamber, ensuring effective particle removal across large building areas without requiring a complex distributed nozzle system.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable gas suction nozzle system serves multiple functions: it extracts particles during the solidifying process, cleans the coupling-in window, and can be positioned to serve different areas of the processing chamber. This multi-functionality replaces what would otherwise require multiple stationary nozzles distributed throughout the chamber.
2Productivity
If the building area is made large (e.g., 400×400 mm), then the productivity increases, but larger and heavier particles are not fully removed by the gas flow and settle on the surface of the powder layer
Solution Approach 1:
The movable gas suction nozzle can be positioned dynamically across large building areas (e.g., 400×400 mm) while maintaining optimal distance from the solidifying position. This allows effective particle extraction throughout the entire building area without compromising quality, enabling large-scale production.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit coordinates the gas suction nozzle's movement with the laser beam's position in real-time, ensuring the nozzle remains optimally positioned relative to the current solidifying position. This feedback mechanism maintains effective particle removal across large building areas.
3Reliability
If a movable gas suction nozzle is used to follow the laser beam position, then particle extraction efficiency is improved, but the device complexity and control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The movable gas suction nozzle system is integrated with existing components (coating device, laser beam delivery system) that already have movement and control capabilities. This integration allows the gas suction nozzle to follow the laser beam using existing control infrastructure, minimizing additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control of the gas suction nozzle is merged with the control of the laser beam and coating device. The control unit that already manages laser positioning and coating movements now also manages the gas suction nozzle, consolidating control functions rather than adding separate control systems.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If particles are not effectively extracted, then they become deposited on the coupling-in window and interior surfaces, but increasing the gas flow strength may disturb the powder surface
Solution Approach 1:
The gas suction is applied locally at the solidifying position rather than as a general chamber-wide flow. The movable nozzle positions the suction exactly where particles are generated, creating a localized extraction zone that removes particles effectively without subjecting the entire powder surface to strong gas flows that would cause disturbance.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable gas suction nozzle acts as an intermediary between the particle generation zone and the extraction system. It positions itself optimally relative to the solidifying position to intercept particles before they can spread and settle, providing effective particle removal with minimal gas flow strength.
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 solution ensures reliable extraction of larger and heavier particles, enhancing the quality of the produced object and simplifying device operation, especially in larger building areas and distant interior regions, while minimizing disturbances to the powder surface.
Implementation Method 1
a gas suction nozzle which can be brought into the proximity of the area of the applied powder layer by movement and/or orientation and by which particles can be extracted by suction
Implementation Method 2
solidified at the positions corresponding to the respective cross-section of the object through the effect of a laser beam, i.e. melted and/or fused forming a joint material
Implementation Method 3
melted and/or fused forming a joint material
Implementation Method 4
by means of a coating device a thin layer of the build-up material in powder form is initially applied
Data Source
AI summary
A device (1) for producing a three-dimensional object (2) through layer-wise solidifying of build-up material (13) at positions (43) corresponding to a cross-section of the object (2) to be produced in a respective layer comprises a coating device (12-14) for applying a layer of the build-up material (13) on a working plane (10), a solidifying device (20) for the selective solidifying of the build-up material (13) in the applied layer and a gas suction nozzle (34) for extracting gas from the device (1) by suction. The gas suction device (34) is thereby movably arranged and the device (1) is designed to control or to regulate a movement and/or orientation of the gas suction nozzle (34) as a function of a number of reference positions (51, 53, 55a, 55b, 55c, 55d).