Powder Feeding Conveyor for Precise Additive Manufacturing Dosing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powder feeding devices in additive manufacturing are limited in their ability to adjust powder feeding amounts accurately, particularly due to the fixed size of grooves in powder replenishing means, which restricts the flexibility in feeding powders to complexly shaped modeling surfaces, leading to surplus powder generation and potential quality deterioration.
Innovation Solution
A powder feeding device with a hopper and a conveyance device that includes a conveyance surface moving in a first direction and inverting at its front end, allowing for adjustable powder feeding by controlling the movement of the conveyance surface, thereby enabling precise feeding amounts based on the gap between the hopper's front wall and the conveyance surface, and accommodating varying powder thickness and distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-size groove is used in powder replenishing means, then the device structure is simplified, but the powder feeding amount cannot be adjusted flexibly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the fixed groove structure with a dynamic conveyance surface that can move in the width direction. The conveyance surface's position is adjustable, allowing the effective conveyance width to be changed dynamically. This enables flexible powder feeding amount adjustment without requiring multiple fixed groove sizes, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of conveyance surface position to control powder feeding amount. By adjusting the position of the conveyance surface in the width direction, the effective conveyance width changes, which directly controls the amount of powder fed. This parameter-based control approach provides flexibility without increasing structural complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If powder feeding amount is increased to cover complex modeling surfaces, then coverage is improved, but surplus powder generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance surface can dynamically adjust its position in the width direction to match the specific requirements of different modeling surface shapes and sizes. This dynamic adjustment allows precise control of powder distribution, ensuring adequate coverage for complex surfaces while minimizing surplus powder generation by avoiding excessive feeding.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables local adjustment of powder feeding characteristics by positioning the conveyance surface to match the specific geometry of the modeling surface. Different regions can receive appropriate powder amounts by adjusting the conveyance surface position, achieving accurate powder distribution without uniform over-feeding that causes surplus.
3Measurement precision
If the gap between hopper front wall and conveyance surface is reduced for precise control, then powder feeding precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a movable conveyance surface that can adjust its position dynamically. The gap between the hopper front wall and conveyance surface is controlled by the position of the conveyance surface rather than by complex mechanical gap adjustment mechanisms. This approach achieves precise powder feeding control while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A powder feeding device includes: a hopper including a discharge port for discharging powder; and a conveyance device configured to move a conveyance surface disposed below the discharge port in a first direction and invert the conveyance surface in a front end portion. The hopper includes a front wall portion positioned on a downstream side of the discharge port in the first direction. A predetermined gap is formed between a lower end of the front wall portion and the conveyance surface. In the powder feeding device, powder deposited on the conveyance surface is conveyed in the first direction by the conveyance device with a thickness corresponding to the gap and dropped from the front end portion.