Building Material Extrusion With Piston Pump and Endless Screw
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D printing systems face challenges in extruding construction materials enriched with aggregates and/or steel fibers due to equipment damage and rheological incompatibility, limiting long-distance conveyance and uniform layer formation.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a piston pump for conveying and an endless screw for extruding construction materials, enabling long-distance, continuous, and uniform extrusion of loaded materials by separating the conveying and extrusion processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If materials enriched with aggregates and/or steel fibers are used in conventional 3D printing systems, then the structural resistance and ductility of the manufactured structures are improved, but the equipment is damaged and the material cannot be conveyed over long distances
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the material enrichment process from the extrusion process. Aggregates and steel fibers are added in a mixing station upstream of the extrusion head, while the extrusion head itself remains free of direct contact with these abrasive materials. This segmentation protects the extrusion equipment from damage while still enabling the use of loaded materials for improved structural properties.
Solution Approach 2:
A mixing station acts as an intermediary between the material storage and the extrusion head. This intermediate station performs the function of enriching the cementitious material with aggregates and steel fibers, then conveying the loaded material to the extrusion head through a protected pathway. The intermediary protects the sensitive extrusion equipment from direct exposure to the abrasive loaded material.
2Stability of the object's composition
If materials enriched with aggregates and/or steel fibers are used, then the shrinkage and cracking of the constructed elements are reduced, but the material rheology becomes incompatible with conventional pumping systems
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the material handling into separate functional zones: a mixing station for rheological preparation and a protected extrusion zone for shape formation. The mixing station is where aggregates and steel fibers are added and properly mixed to achieve desired shrinkage resistance, while the extrusion head receives the prepared material through a controlled interface that maintains rheological compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system modifies material parameters (rheology, viscosity, flow characteristics) in the mixing station to make the loaded material compatible with the pumping and conveying system. By controlling the mixing process and material composition upstream, the system achieves the desired stability (reduced shrinkage and cracking) while maintaining adaptability to the extrusion system.
3Productivity
If aggregates and/or steel fibers are added directly at the print head, then the material can be extruded continuously, but the homogeneous mixing becomes difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary mixing of aggregates and steel fibers with the cementitious material in a dedicated mixing station before the material reaches the extrusion head. This preliminary action ensures homogeneous distribution of all components, then the pre-mixed loaded material is conveyed to the extrusion head for continuous extrusion. The preliminary mixing action resolves the contradiction by achieving homogeneity before continuous production begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing station serves as an intermediary that performs the homogeneous mixing function separately from the extrusion head. This intermediate station ensures thorough mixing of aggregates and steel fibers with the binder, then delivers the uniformly mixed loaded material to the extrusion system. The intermediary mixing station enables both homogeneous mixing and continuous extrusion by separating these two functions in space.
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 the extrusion of materials with aggregates and steel fibers over long distances, reducing shrinkage, cracking, ecological footprint, and cost while improving structural resistance and ductility.
Implementation Method 1
at least one piston pump mounted on this supply conduit and configured to enable this loaded material to be conveyed from this storage reservoir to this print head
Implementation Method 2
an endless screw arranged between this inlet opening and this outlet nozzle and configured to be able to extrude this loaded material in a continuous manner via this outlet nozzle
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a system for extrusion of filaments of construction material enriched with aggregates and/or steel fibers, referred to as loaded material, for a robot for additive manufacture of architectural structures comprising: a head (100) for printing filaments of construction material comprising an inlet opening (110) for material and an outlet nozzle (120) for material; a circuit (10) for supplying material to said print head (100) comprising a reservoir (20) for storing loaded material and a conduit (31) for supplying material, connecting said storage reservoir (20) and said print head (100); characterized in that said supply circuit (10) comprises at least one piston pump (40) mounted on said supply conduit (31) and in that said print head (100) comprises an endless screw (150) arranged between said inlet opening (110) and said outlet nozzle (120) and configured to be able to extrude the loaded material in a continuous manner via said outlet nozzle.