Multi-Beam Build Control for Uniform Heat Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing build systems face challenges in accurately controlling the heat amount transferred from energy beams during additive manufacturing, leading to variations in build quality and accuracy, especially when building complex shapes or varying surface areas.
Innovation Solution
The build system incorporates a control apparatus that adjusts the intensity, scanning speed, and movement trajectory of energy beams based on heat distribution information and build path data, ensuring consistent heat transfer across the build surface by using multiple energy beams and Galvano mirrors to precisely control the irradiation positions and intensities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single energy beam is used for additive manufacturing, then the device complexity is low, but the manufacturing precision and build quality vary across different areas of the build surface
Solution Approach 1:
The irradiation optical system is segmented into multiple independent energy beam sources (first energy beam and second energy beam), each capable of being controlled separately. This segmentation allows different regions of the build surface to receive optimized heat input, improving manufacturing precision while distributing the complexity across modular beam control systems rather than a single complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality control by enabling different energy beams to target specific regions of the build surface with customized intensity, duration, and trajectory parameters. The control apparatus adjusts heat input locally based on the geometric characteristics of different build areas, ensuring optimal build quality for complex shapes and varying surface areas without requiring uniform high complexity across the entire system.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the energy beam intensity and scanning speed are kept constant, then the control system is simple, but the heat distribution becomes non-uniform on complex surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus implements dynamic adjustment of energy beam parameters (intensity, scanning speed, trajectory) based on real-time build path information and heat distribution requirements. This dynamic control enables uniform heat distribution across complex surfaces by adapting beam parameters to local geometric conditions, while the modular control architecture manages complexity through programmable parameter adjustment rather than hardware complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the control apparatus monitors build path information and adjusts energy beam parameters to maintain uniform heat distribution. The control system processes build path data and dynamically modifies beam intensity and scanning speed to compensate for variations in surface geometry, ensuring stable heat distribution without requiring overly complex hardware modifications.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple energy beams are used to improve heat distribution, then the manufacturing precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple energy beam sources into a coordinated irradiation system where beams work together to achieve superior heat distribution and build accuracy. The control apparatus integrates control of multiple beams, allowing them to simultaneously or sequentially treat different regions of the build surface, improving manufacturing precision while sharing the control complexity across a unified system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The irradiation optical system is designed with multi-functionality, where each energy beam can be independently directed to perform different functions (heating, melting, annealing) on different regions of the build surface. This universal design allows the system to handle various build scenarios with a single integrated apparatus, improving manufacturing precision without proportionally increasing overall device complexity through specialized subsystems.
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 enables high-accuracy additive manufacturing by uniformly distributing heat, improving build quality and consistency across different areas of the build surface, even on complex or varying surfaces, thereby enhancing the precision and reliability of the build process.
Implementation Method 1
The build system incorporates a control apparatus that adjusts the intensity, scanning speed, and movement trajectory of energy beams based on heat distribution information and build path data, ensuring consistent heat transfer across the build surface by using multiple energy beams and Galvano mirrors to precisely control the irradiation positions and intensities.
Implementation Method 2
a first irradiation optical system configured to irradiate a surface of an object with a first energy beam, a second irradiation optical system configured to irradiate a surface of the object with a second energy beam
Implementation Method 3
a material supply member configured to supply a build material to a melt pool formed by at least one of the first energy beam and the second energy beam
Data Source
AI summary
A build system irradiates a second position different from a first position with a second energy beam at a first time at which the first position is irradiated with a first energy beam, irradiates a third position different from the first and second positions with the first energy beam at a second time different from the first time, and irradiates the third position with the second energy beam at a third time different from the second time.