Ring-Shaped Light Profile for Additive Manufacturing Nozzle Blockages
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing additive manufacturing methods face inefficiencies in maintaining a continuous process due to nozzle clogging and radiation-induced heating, which affects material viscosity and stability, often requiring complex cooling systems.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a ring-shaped light intensity profile from a light beam source to prevent premature solidification of raw material in the nozzle and minimize radiation absorption, allowing for continuous manufacturing with reduced maintenance and simpler temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional light irradiation is used for solidifying raw material, then the raw material can be solidified, but the raw material may prematurely solidify in the nozzle causing blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a ring-shaped light intensity profile that creates different irradiation conditions in different spatial regions. The inner region of the ring provides sufficient irradiation for solidification, while the outer region and immediate nozzle area provide reduced irradiation to prevent premature solidification. This spatial differentiation of light intensity directly resolves the contradiction by allowing solidification where needed while preventing blockages where the raw material is still being dispensed.
2Productivity
If light beam irradiation is used to heat and solidify raw material, then the component can be produced, but the dispensing device experiences radiation-induced heating affecting material stability
Solution Approach 1:
The ring-shaped light intensity profile concentrates the irradiation energy in the inner region where the raw material is dispensed and needs solidification. The outer region, including the dispensing device, receives minimal irradiation. This spatial distribution ensures that the dispensing device is protected from excessive heating while the raw material receives sufficient energy for solidification, resolving the contradiction between productivity and temperature stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If complex cooling systems are added to control temperature, then material stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding complex cooling systems to counteract radiation heating, the patent inverts the approach by using the ring-shaped light profile to deliberately create a situation where the dispensing device receives minimal irradiation. This converts the potential harm of radiation heating into a beneficial design feature, eliminating the need for complex cooling systems while maintaining material stability through intelligent light distribution.
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
Enables reliable and efficient additive manufacturing by preventing nozzle blockages and maintaining stable material properties, allowing for faster targeted solidification and production of flexible, biocompatible components like soft-tissue implants.
Implementation Method 1
the raw material is dispensed in liquid form into a manufacturing zone and is, by means of computer-controlled, point-by-point targeted light irradiation, heated and solidified by the region of incidence of a light beam of a light beam source relative to the manufacturing zone being altered in a continuous and/or in a step-by-step manner
Implementation Method 2
This is achieved by the substantially ring-shaped light intensity profile, with which it is possible to adjust the light emission in the region of the raw material dispensing nozzle in such a way that the raw material is not already solidified in the nozzle or immediately after leaving the nozzle. This also includes the complete prevention of radiation absorption in the region of the dispensing device
Implementation Method 3
The light of the light beam source can comprise, for example, light in the visible spectrum, but also UV and IR components
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus dispenses a raw material in liquid form into a manufacturing zone. The raw material is, by computer-controlled, point-by-point targeted light irradiation, heated and solidified by the region of incidence of a light beam relative to the manufacturing zone being altered in a continuous and/or in a step-by-step manner. The light beam is emitted from the light beam source, or from an optical unit influencing the light of the light beam source, with a substantially ring-shaped light intensity profile. The ring-shaped light intensity profile is formed by a ring-shaped region in which the light intensity initially increases in the direction toward the center of the ring from the outer diameter and then drops off again toward the inner diameter of the ring, with the light intensity being equal to zero in the interior region of the ring.