Multi-Component 3D Printing System with Stepwise Powder Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-throughput 3D printing equipment is inefficient and wasteful when used for preparing multi-component small-sized samples due to continuous powder feeding, leading to dynamic changes in component proportions and excessive powder consumption.
Innovation Solution
A high-throughput 3D printing system with a raw material supply module, two mixer modules, and a control module that stepwise mixes and controls metal powders to achieve fixed component proportions, reducing waste and improving efficiency by using compressed air and ultrasonic vibration to produce small-sized samples.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing high-throughput 3D printing equipment uses continuous powder feeding mode, then printing efficiency is maintained, but component proportion becomes dynamic (unfixed) and powder is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-mixing metal powders in specific proportions before the printing process. The powder mixing device prepares the exact component proportions in advance, and the blending device maintains fixed proportions during printing, eliminating waste from dynamic proportion changes while sustaining high printing efficiency.
2Productivity
If existing high-throughput 3D printing equipment is used for small-sized samples, then printing capability is achieved, but excessive powder is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by optimizing the powder supply for specific local requirements. The powder mixing device creates precisely proportioned blends tailored to the small sample requirements, and the blending device maintains these fixed proportions during printing, ensuring that exactly the right amount of powder is used for small samples without excessive consumption.
3Duration of action of moving object
If multi-component powder distribution adopts continuous powder feeding mode, then printing process continues without interruption, but component proportion changes dynamically leading to waste
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action by using discrete, controlled powder feeding intervals instead of continuous feeding. The blending device receives powder in controlled batches at specific intervals, maintaining fixed component proportions for each batch. This periodic feeding approach allows the printing process to continue while preventing waste from dynamic proportion changes.
Data Source
AI summary
A high-throughput 3D printing system for preparing multi-component, small sized samples, includes a raw material supply module, providing a various kinds of metal powders for printing small sized samples; the first mixer module, mixing the metal powders obtained from the raw material supply module to generate the first blended metal powders; the second mixer module, mixing the first mixed metal powders, in order to generate the second blended metal powders for printing small sized samples; the first printing module, printing the secondary blended metal powder into a small-sized sample; a control module, controlling other functional modules of the high-throughput 3D printing system for generating small-size samples.