Multicore Light-Guide Fiber for Faster 3D Exposure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exposure devices for additive production of three-dimensional objects face challenges in improving component and process quality, efficiency, and productivity, particularly in the configuration of light-guide fibers used in energy beam generation and guidance.
Innovation Solution
The exposure device incorporates a multicore light-guide fiber with multiple fiber cores, allowing for the introduction and output of multiple energy beams with varying parameters, which can be controlled for thermal pretreatment and after-treatment of construction material layers, enabling improved energy radiation profiles and faster construction rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single light-guide fiber is used for energy beam guidance, then the device structure is simple, but the construction rate and productivity are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The light-guide fiber is divided into multiple independent fiber cores, each capable of transmitting an energy beam separately. This segmentation allows multiple energy beams to be delivered simultaneously through different cores, thereby increasing the construction rate and productivity without requiring multiple separate light-guide fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple fiber cores are combined into a single light-guide fiber structure, allowing multiple energy beams to be transmitted through one integrated component. This merging approach increases productivity while avoiding the complexity of managing multiple separate fibers.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple energy beams are transmitted through separate light-guide fibers, then the energy radiation profile control is improved, but the device complexity and alignment difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fiber cores are integrated into a single light-guide fiber structure, maintaining the ability to control energy radiation profiles through individual core activation while eliminating the alignment complexity of multiple separate fibers. The cores are fixed in predetermined positions within the single fiber.
Solution Approach 2:
The single light-guide fiber with multiple cores serves multiple functions simultaneously - each core can be independently activated to deliver energy beams with different parameters, allowing flexible control of energy radiation profiles while using a single unified component.
3Productivity
If thermal pretreatment and after-treatment are performed separately, then the process control is simple, but the construction time and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Thermal pretreatment and after-treatment processes are merged into a single additive construction step by using multiple fiber cores to deliver multiple energy beams simultaneously. Different cores can deliver beams with different parameters to perform both pretreatment and after-treatment in parallel, reducing construction time while integrating process control.
Solution Approach 2:
The additive construction process is made continuous by performing pretreatment, construction, and after-treatment in parallel through simultaneous energy beam delivery from multiple fiber cores, eliminating sequential waiting times and improving overall productivity.
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 configuration enhances component and process quality, efficiency, and productivity by allowing controlled energy radiation profiles and faster construction rates, enabling more precise and efficient additive production of three-dimensional objects.
Implementation Method 1
the light-guide fibre is configured in order to guide at least one energy beam, introduced into it, between an input region of the light-guide fibre and an output region of the light-guide fibre
Data Source
AI summary
Exposure device (6) for an apparatus (1) for the additive production of three-dimensional objects (2), comprising: —at least one energy beam generating device (7), which is configured in order to generate an energy beam (4), —at least one light-guide fibre (8), which is optically couplable or coupled to the energy beam generating device (7) and is configured in order to guide at least one energy beam (4), introduced into it, between an input region (8a) of the light-guide fibre (8) and an output region (8b) of the light-guide fibre (8), the light-guide fibre (8) comprising a plurality of fibre cores (15), at least one energy beam (4) being introducible or introduced into each fibre core (15).