Partial Curing of Elastomeric Rubber Seals in 3D Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3D-printing technologies fail to produce elastomerically deformable rubber parts with the required dimensional accuracy and material characteristics comparable to injection-molded rubber parts, particularly in the field of sealing technology, and are associated with high reject rates.
Innovation Solution
A 3D-printer system comprising an extruder with heating means and a print bed, controlled by an electronic system that partially cures the rubber within the extruder and further cures it on the print bed, ensuring dimensional stability and accuracy, using a single-worm extruder design with serrated thread edges for mixing and degassing, and a print bed with temperature control to regulate the curing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional 3D-printing is used for rubber parts, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but dimensional accuracy and material characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The rubber material is preheated and partially cured in the extruder before deposition, which stabilizes its dimensional properties before the actual printing process begins. This preliminary thermal and chemical treatment prevents dimensional distortion during layer deposition while maintaining the flexibility of additive manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements precise control of temperature parameters throughout the printing process, including heated chambers, heated print beds, and controlled cooling rates. By carefully managing thermal parameters, the rubber material achieves proper curing and dimensional stability without sacrificing the adaptability of 3D printing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional 3D-printing is used for rubber parts, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but material characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of rubber from uncured to cured state through controlled thermal processing. The material transitions from a soft, deformable state during deposition to a stable, elastomeric state after curing, ensuring proper material characteristics while maintaining manufacturing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Partial curing of the rubber material is performed in the extruder before deposition, which initiates the cross-linking process and ensures consistent material properties throughout the printed part. This preliminary action guarantees reliable material characteristics while preserving the advantages of additive manufacturing.
3Manufacturing precision
If injection molding is used for rubber parts, then dimensional accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of molding (achieving dimensional accuracy) from the complex mold system and implements it through a simplified 3D printing system with controlled extrusion and curing. This eliminates the need for expensive, complex injection molds while maintaining dimensional precision through digital control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical mold system with a digitally controlled extrusion and curing system. Instead of using complex mechanical molds to define part geometry, the system uses computer-controlled material deposition and thermal processing, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision.
4Manufacturing precision
If injection molding is used for rubber parts, then dimensional accuracy is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses consumable rubber material that is extruded and cured directly into the final part form, eliminating the need for expensive, reusable molds. This approach trades the high upfront cost of mold fabrication for lower material and operational costs, making precision rubber part manufacturing more economically viable, especially for low-volume production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the dimensional accuracy achievement from the expensive mold system and implements it through a cost-effective 3D printing process with controlled extrusion parameters and thermal curing, significantly reducing production costs while maintaining manufacturing precision.
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
The system enables the production of rubber parts with material characteristics and dimensional accuracy comparable to injection-molded parts, reducing reject rates and allowing for cost-effective manufacturing of precision rubber parts, including small numbers of identical parts without the need for expensive molds.
Implementation Method 1
the extruder comprising first heating means for heating raw rubber R fed to the extruder via the inlet opening
Implementation Method 2
a print bed with second heating means; such that the deposited partially cured rubber r is further cured during and after the rubber part has been printed on the print bed
Implementation Method 3
the temperature of the print bed and/or surrounding atmosphere is tightly regulated by the electronic control
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a novel 3D-printer system for printing elastically deformable rubber parts such as rubber seals where the uncured rubber source material is partially cured before printing each rubber layer of the rubber part. Furthermore, disclosed is a novel 3D printing method for 3D-printing an elastically deformable rubber body using the 3D-printer system.