3D Printed Optics Carrier for Sensor Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing optoelectronic sensors are costly and time-consuming due to the need for high-precision manufacturing and manual or automated adjustment of optics components, which are not efficiently addressed by current 3D printing technology.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a positioning device to freely position optical components in space, followed by 3D printing an optics carrier that fixes the components in the desired alignment, allowing for precise adjustment and integration into the sensor, thereby simplifying and reducing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional high-precision manufacturing and manual adjustment methods are used, then manufacturing precision and reliability are improved, but manufacturing cost and production time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the optical component in the desired alignment before the 3D printing process begins. The positioning device holds the optical component at the exact required position and orientation, and the optics carrier is then printed around it in situ, freezing this pre-established alignment permanently. This eliminates the need for subsequent adjustment operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements the nesting principle by printing the optics carrier directly around and containing the optical component in situ. The optical component is positioned within the positioning device, and the 3D printing process builds the optics carrier around it, creating a nested structure where the carrier encapsulates the component at its precise final position, integrating multiple functions into a single monolithic part.
2Ease of manufacture
If 3D printing is used to produce optics carriers, then manufacturing flexibility and cost are improved, but manufacturing precision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a positioning device as an intermediary between the optical component and the 3D printing process. This positioning device provides the high-precision reference framework that the 3D printer can accurately follow. The positioning device acts as a mediator that translates the required precise alignment into a form that additive manufacturing can reproduce, combining the precision of mechanical positioning with the flexibility of 3D printing.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning device is prepared in advance with the exact alignment requirements built into its structure. By pre-establishing the precise geometric relationships in the positioning device before printing begins, the system ensures that the optics carrier will be printed with the correct alignment, overcoming the typical precision limitations of additive manufacturing.
3Measurement precision
If manual or automated adjustment processes are implemented, then adjustment precision is improved, but production time and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies self-service by integrating the alignment function directly into the manufacturing process itself. The positioning device and 3D printing process work together to automatically establish and freeze the correct alignment during production, without requiring separate manual adjustment operations. The optics carrier is self-adjusted through the printing process that builds around the pre-positioned component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the positioning and manufacturing operations into a single integrated process. The alignment function that was previously a separate adjustment step is combined with the 3D printing operation, allowing both to occur simultaneously. This eliminates the sequential nature of traditional manufacturing where alignment must wait for component fabrication.
4Adaptability or versatility
If degrees of freedom are provided in sensor design for adjustment, then adaptability is improved, but design complexity and operating resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning device is designed with built-in adjustment capabilities that allow the optical component to be positioned freely in three-dimensional space during the setup phase. Once the optimal alignment is achieved, the 3D printing process freezes this configuration permanently in the optics carrier, preserving the adaptability benefits without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms in the final product.
Data Source
Figure 1~4b
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A method for manufacturing an optoelectronic sensor (10) is described, which has at least one optical component (12, 16) in a predetermined alignment. The optical component (12, 16) is first brought into the predetermined alignment using a positioning device (24a-b), and then an optical carrier (28) is manufactured around the optical component (12, 16) using a 3D printing process, which fixes the optical component (12, 16) in the predetermined alignment.