Reusable Non-Stick Support for Additive Manufacturing Overhangs
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Solution Overview
Problem
In additive manufacturing, creating overhang structures without support structures often results in material wastage and rough surfaces due to the need for removing printed support structures, which can be cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using reusable support pieces with non-stick surfaces, such as Teflon, inside the structure to support overhangs during printing, allowing for the removal of the support pieces after the material has hardened, reducing material waste and surface roughness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional printed support structures are used to create overhangs, then the overhang structure can be supported during printing, but material is wasted and surface roughness increases due to removal of support structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a reusable support piece with non-stick coating as an intermediary element between the print bed and the overhang structure. This mediator supports the overhang during printing without becoming part of the final model, enabling clean separation and reuse. The non-stick coating ensures the support piece does not bond to the model material, facilitating easy removal without damaging the model surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The support piece is designed to be discarded after a single use and then recovered for reuse in subsequent printing operations. This contrasts with traditional consumable support structures that are printed from material and must be removed and discarded. The support piece can be cleaned and reused multiple times, significantly reducing material waste while maintaining surface quality.
2Ease of manufacture
If printed support structures are used for overhangs, then structural support is provided during printing, but additional smoothing processes are required after removal
Solution Approach 1:
The reusable support piece acts as a temporary intermediary that provides structural support during printing without requiring post-processing. Its non-stick coating ensures clean separation from the model, leaving smooth surfaces that eliminate the need for additional smoothing operations. This intermediary approach simplifies the overall manufacturing process by eliminating complex post-processing steps.
3Loss of substance
If reusable support pieces with non-stick surfaces are used, then material waste is reduced and surface quality is improved, but the initial setup complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the support function from the printed model structure and separates it into a distinct, reusable component. By taking out the support functionality and implementing it with a separate support piece, the system reduces material waste and simplifies the printing process. The support piece can be prepared independently and reused across multiple printing operations.
4Productivity
If traditional support structures are printed and removed, then overhangs can be created, but time is lost in removal and potential reprinting
Solution Approach 1:
The reusable support piece with non-stick coating serves as an intermediary that enables quick and clean separation from the printed model. This intermediary design eliminates the time-consuming process of manually removing traditional printed support structures. The support piece can be easily detached and reused, significantly reducing the time loss associated with support structure removal and potential reprinting operations.
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 minimizes material waste and surface roughness by allowing the support pieces to be reused, providing smooth surfaces and reducing the need for additional smoothing processes, while enabling the creation of complex structures without the need for extensive support structures.
Implementation Method 1
positioning a support piece with a non-stick surface (e.g., Teflon) near or inside the structure
Data Source
AI summary
An additive manufacturing method (1600) may involve additive manufacturing (1602) a walled structure (e.g., a shell or an enclosure) onto a print bed, positioning (1604) a support piece having a non-stick surface (e.g., a Teflon®) near or inside the structure, additive manufacturing (1606) a layer of material onto one or more walls and onto the support piece to create an overhang, and removing (1616) the support piece after the material making up the overhang has returned to a solid state or hardened.