Photocuring Printing System with Developing Drum
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing UV curing printing methods face challenges in printing composite and color three-dimensional models due to separate processes for material laying and curing, leading to reduced printing speed and accuracy, and are not suitable for large models.
Innovation Solution
A photocuring printing system that combines electrostatic/ion imaging with simultaneous material laying and photocuring, using a developing assembly with a rotatable developing drum and a curing light source to form and cure material layers directly on a carrier, allowing for precise control of layer thickness and simultaneous application of multiple materials or colors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If separate processes for material laying and curing are used (SLA or DLP), then printing speed is affected, but manufacturing precision can be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines material laying and curing operations into a single integrated process. The developing drum applies photocurable material layers while simultaneously being irradiated by curing light, eliminating the sequential separation of these operations. This merging of processes directly resolves the technical contradiction by enabling both material deposition and curing to occur concurrently, significantly improving printing speed without sacrificing manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention maintains continuous operation of both material application and curing throughout the printing process. The developing drum rotates continuously, receiving photocurable material from the feeder while simultaneously receiving curing light irradiation. This continuous simultaneous action eliminates idle time between laying and curing operations, directly addressing the time loss issue while maintaining high productivity.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate processes for material laying and curing are used, then printing accuracy is affected due to gaps and vibrations, but device complexity remains manageable
Solution Approach 1:
By merging material laying and curing into a single simultaneous operation on the developing drum, the patent eliminates the time gap between these operations. This eliminates the window of opportunity for vibrations, temperature changes, and other environmental factors to affect layer thickness, directly improving manufacturing precision by removing the harmful time separation effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The developing drum pre-charges its surface with electrostatic charge before material application, creating an electrostatic latent image that guides precise material deposition. This preliminary preparation ensures accurate material placement before curing occurs, reducing variability in layer thickness and improving printing accuracy by establishing precise material positioning in advance.
3Productivity
If traditional electrostatic imaging with heating is used, then color printing is easy to achieve, but printing speed is reduced due to heating process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal heating process with a photocuring process. Instead of using heat to solidify material layers, the invention uses light irradiation to cure photocurable materials. This substitution eliminates the time-consuming heating and cooling cycles, directly improving printing speed while maintaining the ability to achieve color printing through selective material application.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the phase transition of photocurable materials from liquid to solid through photopolymerization. When irradiated by curing light, the photocurable material undergoes a chemical phase change, solidifying instantly without requiring thermal heating. This phase transition mechanism enables rapid curing and significantly reduces the duration of the solidification process, directly addressing the printing speed issue.
4Productivity
If DLP printing mode is used to improve printing speed, then large model printing becomes difficult, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The developing drum serves multiple functions: it acts as both the material application surface and the curing irradiation target, and can accommodate various sizes of models through adjustable positioning. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain high printing speed while adapting to different model sizes, resolving the contradiction between speed and size capability by making the system universally applicable to various printing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The developing drum is designed to be rotatable and adjustable in position, allowing dynamic adaptation to different model sizes and configurations. This dynamic capability enables the system to maintain optimal printing speed across a range of model dimensions, directly addressing the limitation of fixed-size DLP systems while avoiding the need for complex reconfiguration.
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 significantly increases printing speed and accuracy, enables the creation of complex three-dimensional models with precise layer thickness, and reduces the impact of external factors like temperature and vibration, making it suitable for printing large and intricate models.
Implementation Method 1
a photocurable material provided by the feeder is selectively attracted by the electrostatic latent image to form a material layer on the developing surface
Implementation Method 2
a curing light beam emitted by the curing light source passes through a material-laying side of the developing drum to irradiate the material layer between the developing drum and the carrier to form a cured layer
Data Source
AI summary
A photocuring printing system. A developing drum is rotatable and is light-transmissive; the developing drum and a carrier are oppositely arranged and movable with respect to each other; the developing drum has a developing surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by the developing engine; a feeder and the developing surface are oppositely arranged; during a rotation of the developing drum, a photocurable material provided by the feeder is selectively attracted by the electrostatic latent image to form a material layer on the developing surface; the material layer is applied, by the developing drum, on a forming surface of the carrier or a cured model on the carrier; and a curing light beam emitted by a curing light source passes through a material-laying side of the developing drum to irradiate the material layer between the developing drum and the carrier to form a cured layer.