3D Printing Device for Polyurethane Articles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D printing technologies for polyurethane articles lack the ability to produce a wide range of polyurethane compositions and do not provide effective cleaning and regeneration of the 3D printhead for rapid turn-around and reuse.
Innovation Solution
A 3D printing device comprising three tanks, pumps, and a rotary mixing chamber, where the first tank contains a polyol mixture, the second tank contains diisocyanates, and the third tank contains a cleaning solvent, with precision drive gears feeding the contents into a mixing chamber equipped with a rotary screw and nozzle for deposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If polyurethane 3D printing is performed using conventional single-tank or simple mixing systems, then the printing process is simple, but the ability to produce a wide range of polyurethane compositions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the polyurethane printing process into separate functional modules: a first tank for polyol mixture, a second tank for diisocyanate, and a third tank for cleaning solvent. Each tank is independently controlled and fed through separate pumps into a mixing chamber, allowing versatile composition control while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing chamber serves multiple functions: it mixes polyol and diisocyanate to create polyurethane compositions, and subsequently receives cleaning solvent for printhead regeneration. The gear pumps and mixing chamber are designed to handle different materials (polymer compositions and cleaning solvents) through the same hardware pathway, reducing overall device complexity while enabling versatile operations.
2Productivity
If polyurethane printing is performed without integrated cleaning capability, then the printing device structure is simpler, but the printhead cannot be rapidly cleaned and regenerated for reuse
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning function is merged with the printing function by integrating a third tank containing cleaning solvent that feeds directly into the mixing chamber and printhead assembly. This allows the same hardware pathway used for material deposition to be used for cleaning, enabling rapid printhead regeneration without requiring separate cleaning equipment or pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs its own maintenance by using an integrated cleaning solvent delivery system that can flush the mixing chamber and printhead components. The gear pumps that deliver polyurethane materials also pump cleaning solvent through the same pathways, allowing the device to self-clean without external intervention or separate maintenance equipment.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate tanks and pumps are used for polyol and diisocyanate delivery, then the composition control is more precise, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses separate tanks for polyol mixture and diisocyanate with independent gear pumps feeding each material into the mixing chamber. This segmentation allows precise control of each component's delivery rate and composition, ensuring accurate stoichiometric ratios for polyurethane formation, while the modular design keeps each individual tank-pump assembly relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear pumps are equipped with adjustable parameters (such as rotational speed and flow rate) that can be precisely controlled to regulate the delivery of polyol and diisocyanate. By changing these parameters, the system achieves accurate composition control for different polyurethane formulations without requiring complex additional hardware.
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 fabrication of polyurethane articles as thermoplastics or thermoset composites, offering a wide range of compositions and facilitating rapid cleaning and regeneration of the printhead for efficient reuse.
Implementation Method 1
Polyurethanes are produced from the polymerization reaction between polyols and diisocyanates
Implementation Method 2
a first gear pump, the second gear pump and nozzle being in respective fluid communication with the mixing chamber
Implementation Method 3
a rotary mixing chamber... equipped with a rotary screw and nozzle for deposition
Implementation Method 4
a travelling dispenser comprising: a mixing chamber, a nozzle... and dispense material within the x-y-z coordinate system
Data Source
AI summary
A 3D printing device includes: a travelling dispenser including: a mixing chamber, a nozzle, a first gear pump, and a second gear pump, each of the first gear pump, the second gear pump and nozzle being in respective fluid communication with the mixing chamber; a first polyurethane reagent supply in fluid communication with the first gear pump; and a second polyurethane reagent supply in fluid communication with the second gear pump. The first polyurethane reagent supply accommodates a polyol mixture, and the second polyurethane reagent supply accommodates a diisocyanate.