Pivoting Building Platform for Parallel 3D Printer Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D printers face issues with ensuring parallelism between the projection plane and building platform plane, requiring manual adjustment before each print job, which is cumbersome and dependent on component tolerances, and affects adhesion of the print job.
Innovation Solution
A 3D printer with a pivoting building platform and process control that allows the platform to pivot freely during printing, forming wedges to achieve parallelism by aligning the platform underside with the vat's transparent bottom, eliminating the need for manual adjustments and blocking means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the building platform is rigidly fixed to ensure parallelism, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to adjustment mechanisms and blocking means
Solution Approach 1:
The building platform is made pivotable rather than rigidly fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and orientation. The platform can pivot around a horizontal axis to automatically achieve the correct parallelism with the projection plane during the printing process, eliminating the need for complex manual adjustment mechanisms and blocking means.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivotable building platform self-adjusts to achieve parallelism with the projection plane through its own movement capability. The system uses the printing process itself (layer-by-layer construction) to naturally establish the parallel planes, without requiring external intervention or complex mechanical adjustment devices.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual adjustment before each print job is performed to ensure parallelism, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The building platform transitions from a static, manually-adjusted component to a dynamic, self-adjusting element. The platform's pivotability allows it to automatically adapt to the correct orientation during printing, eliminating the need for operators to perform manual adjustment procedures before each print job.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs the parallelism adjustment automatically through the pivotable platform's inherent movement capability during the printing process itself, rather than requiring external manual intervention. The printing process naturally establishes the correct geometric relationship between planes.
3Manufacturing precision
If blocking means are used to fix the building platform position, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using blocking means to rigidly fix the platform position, the solution employs a dynamic pivotable connection that allows the platform to freely adjust its orientation. The platform achieves and maintains the correct parallelism through its own movement capability rather than external constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking means are completely removed from the system. The patent explicitly discloses that no blocking means are used; instead, the pivotable building platform achieves parallelism through its inherent pivoting capability during the printing process, extracting the unnecessary complexity of blocking mechanisms.
4Manufacturing precision
If low component tolerances are required to ensure parallelism, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system compensates for component tolerances through the dynamic pivotability of the building platform. Rather than requiring tightly toleranced rigid components, the platform's ability to pivot allows it to automatically achieve the correct orientation, accommodating normal manufacturing variations without requiring low tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the degree of freedom of the building platform from fixed to pivotable, allowing positional and orientational parameters to adjust automatically during operation. This parameter change enables the system to tolerate normal manufacturing variations while still achieving the required parallelism.
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 parallelism without manual adjustments, reducing costs and improving operability by allowing the platform to pivot freely, ensuring secure adhesion and efficient printing without separate alignment processes.
Implementation Method 1
In 3D printing using the DLP process, photoreactive resins are cured layer by layer with light (usually UV light)
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a 3D printer comprising: a vat having an at least partially transparent bottom (1.2) for receiving liquid photoreactive resin for producing a solid component; a building platform (2.1) for pulling the component layer by layer out of the vat; a projector for projecting the layer geometry onto the transparent bottom (1.2); a transport apparatus for moving the building platform (2.1) at least downward or upward in the vat; and a receiving apparatus (2) for detachably connecting the building platform (2.1) to the transport apparatus. The receiving apparatus (2) comprises a pivoting device (2.2) for pivotally holding the building platform (2.1) and is adapted to abut the underside of the building platform (2.1) parallelly onto the transparent bottom (1.2) of the vat when lowered by the transport apparatus, wherein the 3D printer is provided without any means for completely blocking the pivotal movement of the pivotably held building platform (2.1).