3D Powder Bed Pre-Heating by Region to Limit Pre-Sintering
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Solution Overview
Problem
In three-dimensional shaping devices, pre-heating the entire powder bed uniformly leads to the generation of pre-sintered bodies in regions not forming the shaped object, prolonging processing time and hindering continuous shaping.
Innovation Solution
A three-dimensional shaping device that divides the powder bed into multiple regions, allowing for differential temperature pre-heating, where regions to be irradiated with an energy beam are heated to a higher temperature than regions not to be irradiated, thereby reducing pre-sintered body generation and enhancing processing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire powder bed is pre-heated at a uniform temperature, then the powder material is adequately prepared for shaping, but pre-sintered bodies are generated in regions that do not configure the shaped object, prolonging processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The powder bed is divided into multiple regions (first region to be irradiated, second region not to be irradiated, and optionally third region for continuous shaping) with different pre-heating temperatures. This segmentation allows selective pre-heating of only the necessary areas, preventing pre-sintering in non-irradiated regions while maintaining adequate preparation in irradiated regions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the powder bed are assigned different pre-heating temperatures according to their specific requirements. The first region receives higher temperature pre-heating to ensure proper shaping, while the second region receives lower temperature pre-heating to avoid pre-sintering, and the third region receives no pre-heating to maintain continuity for subsequent shaping operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If the entire powder bed is pre-heated at a uniform temperature, then pre-heating is simplified, but it becomes difficult to smoothly continue shaping processing of continuous shaped objects
Solution Approach 1:
The powder bed is segmented into at least three regions: a first region to be irradiated, a second region not to be irradiated, and a third region for continuous shaping. This segmentation enables differentiated temperature control that maintains both process simplicity and continuous shaping capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-heating process is applied periodically and selectively to different regions based on the shaping requirements. The third region is maintained at lower temperature to allow continuous deposition and shaping operations without interruption, while the first region receives periodic high-temperature pre-heating when needed.
3Manufacturing precision
If regions to be irradiated are pre-heated at higher temperatures, then shaping quality is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Higher pre-heating temperature is applied only to the first region that will be irradiated with energy beam, ensuring optimal shaping quality in that specific area. The second and third regions receive lower or no pre-heating, significantly reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining necessary shaping precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly pre-heating the entire powder bed, the system applies excessive (higher) temperature only to the specific first region that requires it for quality shaping, while applying minimal or no pre-heating to other regions, thus optimizing the balance between shaping quality and energy efficiency.
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
Efficient shaping processing is achieved by minimizing pre-sintered body formation in non-irradiated regions, reducing removal time, and ensuring reliable pre-heating of irradiated regions.
Implementation Method 1
a pre-heating unit disposed downstream of the supply unit in the rotation direction and capable of pre-heating each of a plurality of regions in the powder bed at different temperatures
Implementation Method 2
an irradiation unit disposed downstream of the pre-heating unit in the rotation direction and configured to irradiate at least a part of the pre-heated powder bed with an energy beam
Data Source
AI summary
A shaping device includes a table, a forming unit, and a controller. The forming unit has a feeder, a heater capable of pre-heating each of a plurality of regions in a powder bed, and a beam source configured to irradiate the pre-heated powder bed with an energy beam. The controller includes a region division unit configured to divide the powder bed into a plurality of small regions, a region setting unit configured to set a small region including an irradiation scheduled portion to be irradiated with the energy beam by the beam source as a first region and set at least one small region among other small regions that have not been set as the first region as a second region, and a heater control unit configured to control an output of the heater such that the first region and the second region are pre-heated at mutually different temperatures.