Powder Smoothing Slide for Selective Laser Melting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for producing shaped bodies by selective laser melting face challenges in efficiently handling powders with varying flow properties, leading to inconsistent layer preparation and contamination of the processing space.
Innovation Solution
A device with a powder supply system that directs powder directly to the process chamber floor, eliminating the need for a moving powder dispenser, allowing for quick and controlled powder distribution using a smoothing slide with adjustable powder smoothing bars, which maintains powder within a small area and prevents contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a moving powder dispenser is used to supply powder, then powder can be distributed over the construction platform, but the device complexity increases and powder handling becomes less reliable for powders with varying flow properties
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the moving powder dispenser from the system and replaces it with a stationary powder supply device. The powder is supplied directly to a defined area on the process chamber floor, and the smoothing slide is responsible for distributing it. This eliminates the complexity of a moving powder dispenser while maintaining effective powder distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a smoothing slide as an intermediary element between the stationary powder supply device and the construction platform. The smoothing slide performs the powder distribution function that would otherwise require a moving dispenser, thereby simplifying the overall system while achieving the same functional result.
2Area of stationary object
If powder is supplied to a large area, then all construction platform areas can be covered, but excess powder increases and contamination risk rises
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by limiting powder supply to a specifically defined area on the process chamber floor rather than distributing it over the entire construction platform. The smoothing slide then distributes this localized powder supply to the required areas, minimizing excess powder and contamination risk while ensuring adequate coverage.
3Device complexity
If powder flowability is not considered in the supply system, then the system is simpler to design, but layer preparation consistency deteriorates for powders with varying flow properties
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables the powder supply system to adapt to different powder flow properties through self-service mechanisms. The defined area supply approach combined with the smoothing slide allows the system to automatically accommodate variations in powder flowability without requiring complex adaptive controls, thereby maintaining layer preparation consistency across different powder types.
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
Ensures efficient and uniform layer preparation regardless of powder flowability, minimizing excess powder and maintaining a clean processing environment by directing powder flow precisely and containing it within a defined area.
Implementation Method 1
a focused laser beam is heated in a predetermined area corresponding to a selected cross-sectional area of the shaped body
Implementation Method 2
The method of remelting the powder is referred to as selective laser melting in the present application
Implementation Method 3
The energy input from the laser beam causes the material powder to be remelted in a location-selective manner... so that connected areas of remelted material that are as homogeneous as possible are created
Implementation Method 4
a smoothing slide with at least one powder smoothing bar for distributing and smoothing the powder provided by the powder supply device in the processing space on the construction platform
Data Source
Figure 1~3b
Figure 4
Figure 5a~5h
AI summary
A device for producing shaped bodies by layering from material powder is proposed, through site-selective solidification of the powder into contiguous areas according to geometric description data of the shaped body (23), comprising: - a powder layer preparation device for preparing a powder layer (21) on the build platform (13), which has a powder supply device (55, 57, 59, 63) and a smoothing slide (43) with at least one powder smoothing bar (49) for distributing and smoothing the powder provided by the powder supply device in the process chamber (9) on the build platform (13), wherein the smoothing slide (43) with its at least one powder smoothing bar (49) is movable back and forth between two reversal points with an intermediate build platform (13) in the process chamber (9).The powder supply device has a powder feed channel (63) connected to a powder storage container (57) provided outside the process chamber (9) and a conveyor for conveying powder in the powder feed channel (63), wherein the at least one powder smoothing bar (47) is height-adjustable in a controlled manner during its movement between the reversal points (58, 60) relative to the process chamber floor (11).