3D Printing Powder Supply Control for Layer Thickness Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In powder additive manufacturing with binder-jetting, the permeation of fabrication liquid leads to increased powder density and reduced layer thickness, causing errors in the fabrication of three-dimensional objects.
Innovation Solution
A control system that adjusts the supply of powder and discharge of fabrication liquid based on powder information to compensate for thickness reduction, ensuring accurate layer formation and maintaining the designed thickness of three-dimensional objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If fabrication liquid is discharged onto powder layer to solidify powder, then binding strength is improved, but layer thickness is reduced due to liquid bridging force
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus performs preliminary action by adjusting the powder supply amount before fabrication liquid discharge. The system calculates and compensates for the expected thickness reduction caused by liquid bridging, supplying additional powder in advance to ensure the final layer achieves the target thickness after liquid discharge and consolidation.
2Productivity
If fabrication liquid permeates powder layer, then binding efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to thickness error
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus implements feedback control by measuring the actual layer thickness after powder supply, calculating the required compensation amount based on expected liquid permeation effects, and adjusting the powder supply amount for subsequent layers. This closed-loop control ensures that thickness precision is maintained despite fabrication liquid permeation.
3Measurement precision
If powder supply amount is increased to compensate for thickness reduction, then layer thickness accuracy is improved, but material waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus applies local quality by adjusting powder supply based on the specific characteristics of each layer and region. Rather than uniformly increasing powder supply for all layers, the system calculates compensation amounts specific to each layer's requirements, considering factors such as layer position, geometry, and expected liquid permeation, thereby minimizing overall material waste while maintaining thickness accuracy.
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
This approach improves the precision of three-dimensional object fabrication by effectively managing the permeation of the fabrication liquid, maintaining the intended thickness and preventing errors in the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
when a fabrication liquid permeates powder, the density of the powder increases due to liquid bridging force
Implementation Method 2
the density of the powder increases due to liquid bridging force of the fabrication liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A control apparatus controls a three-dimensional object fabrication apparatus including a storing unit configured to store therein powder, a supplying unit configured to supply the powder to the storing unit in layers, and a discharge unit configured to discharge, onto the powder, a fabrication liquid for solidifying the powder. The control apparatus includes a controller configured to control a total amount of the powder supplied from the supplying unit to the storing unit based on fabrication data indicating a shape of a three-dimensional object and powder information indicating a change in dimension of a layer of the powder due to permeation of the fabrication liquid.