Piston-Driven Dosing System for Continuous Additive Manufacturing Material Supply

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional additive manufacturing systems face difficulties in continuously providing build material to the supply receptacle, leading to interruptions in production as technicians need to open the build enclosure to refill the supply receptacle.

Innovation Solution

A system with a supply receptacle and a piston that can change volume, allowing for continuous or semi-continuous material delivery through a dosing hopper and a controller that manages the piston's movement to maintain a consistent flow of build material to the working surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the supply receptacle is positioned within the build enclosure and refilled manually by opening the enclosure, then the system structure is simple, but production is interrupted and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous production capabilityVSAvoidmaterial supply system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a piston-driven dosing mechanism that automatically supplies build material from a receptacle without requiring manual intervention or opening the build enclosure. The piston reciprocates to dose material onto the build platform, enabling self-service material delivery that maintains continuous production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical refilling operations with an automated piston-based dosing system. The piston actuator uses controlled mechanical movement (reciprocating motion) to automatically deliver material, substituting the need for technicians to manually open and refill the supply receptacle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of time

If the supply receptacle is refilled manually, then the device complexity is low, but the loss of time increases due to production interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction interruption timeVSAvoidautomated material delivery system

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The piston-driven dosing system enables continuous material supply to the build platform without interruption. The piston can be positioned to dose material just as it is being deposited, ensuring the useful action of object construction continues without pauses for manual refilling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system includes a material receptacle that is pre-filled with build material before the automated dosing process begins. This preliminary preparation allows the automated piston system to operate continuously without requiring intermediate manual refilling actions during production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If a piston is used to deliver build material, then material delivery consistency is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial delivery consistencyVSAvoidpiston actuation mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The piston operates through periodic reciprocating motion (back and forth movement) to deliver material in consistent doses. This periodic action creates a reliable, repeatable material delivery cycle that ensures manufacturing precision while using a relatively simple mechanical actuation pattern.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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

Enables continuous or semi-continuous operation of additive manufacturing systems with minimal interruptions by ensuring a consistent supply of build material, reducing the need for manual refilling and enhancing production efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

the piston is positionable between an extended position, in which the interior space has an extended volume, and a retracted position, in which the interior space has a retracted volume that is greater than the extended volume

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVolume change:

Data Source

PatentUS20230391005A1Material supply systems and methods for using the same

Publication Date: 2023.12.07 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO

AI summary

A system includes a supply receptacle defining one or more supply receptacle sidewalls and an upwardly-facing receptacle opening, a piston positioned at least partially within the supply receptacle, where the piston, the upwardly-facing receptacle opening, and the one or more supply receptacle sidewalls at least partially define an interior space of the supply receptacle, and the piston is positionable between an extended position, in which the interior space has an extended volume, and a retracted position, in which the interior space has a retracted volume that is greater than the extended volume, and a dosing hopper positioned above and in selective communication with the interior space of the supply receptacle, where the dosing hopper is structurally configured to deliver build material to the interior space.