Ring-Laser Additive Head for Precise Powder Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
The directed energy deposition method in additive manufacturing faces challenges with low material powder usage efficiency due to complex parameter combinations, leading to inefficient use, scattering issues, and maintenance difficulties, especially with expensive materials like aluminum.
Innovation Solution
The additive-manufacturing head is designed with the material feeding unit's outlet positioned inside the ring-shaped laser beam, allowing for precise feeding close to the laser-irradiated area, improving material usage efficiency and simplifying the process by using a guide mirror to align the laser and material feed coaxially.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If material powder is fed from outside the laser beam area, then the setup is simpler, but material scattering increases and usage efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The material powder feeding unit is nested inside the ring-shaped laser beam path, with the outlet positioned within the laser beam area. This nesting arrangement allows material to be delivered precisely to the laser-irradiated region without requiring complex external positioning systems, thereby reducing material scattering while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
A guide mirror is introduced as an intermediary component to redirect the laser beam so that it forms a ring shape around the material feeding path. This allows the laser and material feed to be coaxially aligned without requiring the material feeding unit to be positioned externally, resolving the conflict between precision and simplicity.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple parameters (laser output, material feed amount, carrier gas amount, feed rate) are adjusted to optimize deposition, then deposition quality improves, but the parameter combination becomes complicated and difficult to optimize
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the material feeding unit and laser beam path into a coaxial arrangement where the material outlet is positioned inside the ring-shaped laser beam. This merging of pathways ensures that material is delivered precisely to the laser-irradiated region, improving deposition accuracy without requiring complex coordination of multiple independent parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring-shaped laser beam configuration creates a specific local quality where the laser energy is distributed in a annular pattern around the material feed path. This localized energy distribution optimizes the interaction between laser and material at the deposition point, improving precision while simplifying the overall parameter control.
3Loss of substance
If a sealed machining chamber is used to contain material powder, then material scattering is reduced, but maintenance becomes difficult and machine size increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a sealed chamber to contain material powder, the patent converts the open environment into a benefit by positioning the material outlet inside the laser beam area. The laser beam itself acts as a virtual containment boundary, heating and directing material precisely where needed while allowing the chamber to remain open for easy maintenance and access.
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 configuration enhances material usage efficiency by reducing scattering and improving the precision of material deposition, making it easier to maintain and increasing the effectiveness of the additive manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
a laser beam emitting unit configured to emit a laser beam
Implementation Method 2
emitting a laser beam having a ring shape in a cross section along the direction in which the laser beam travels
Implementation Method 3
an optical system generating a laser beam having a ring-band-shaped cross section from the laser beam emitted from the laser source
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An additive-manufacturing head (21) is used for performing additive manufacturing by feeding a material to a workpiece and irradiating the workpiece with a laser beam. The additive-manufacturing head (21) includes: a ring-shape laser beam forming unit (32) configured to form a laser beam in a ring shape; a laser beam emitting unit (34) configured to emit the ring-shape laser beam toward a workpiece; and a material feeding unit (61) having an outlet (62) which is disposed inside the ring-shape laser beam emitted from the laser beam emitting unit (34) and from which the material is released, and configured to feed the material from the outlet (62) toward the workpiece. The head configured in this manner can improve the material usage efficiency for the directed energy deposition method.