Rotatable Hot Air Nozzle for 3D Printing Preheating
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 3D printing, conventional extrusion devices with stationary hot air nozzles struggle to maintain preheating of the welding area when the extruder head changes direction, as the hot air cannot be effectively directed in front of the extruder nozzle, leading to incomplete bonding due to cooled plastic from previous layers.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a rotary drive system for the hot air nozzle or unit around the extruder's longitudinal axis, coupled with gear mechanisms, allows the hot air nozzle to rotate and maintain preheating alignment with the extruder nozzle during direction changes, ensuring continuous heating without interrupting the welding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a stationary hot air nozzle is used in conventional extrusion devices, then the device structure is simple, but the hot air cannot be effectively directed in front of the extruder nozzle during direction changes, leading to poor welding quality
Solution Approach 1:
The hot air nozzle is made rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the extruder unit, transforming it from a stationary component to a dynamic one. This rotational capability allows the hot air nozzle to automatically orient itself in front of the extruder nozzle during direction changes, ensuring continuous effective preheating of the welding area and maintaining reliable welding quality throughout the printing process.
2Productivity
If the extruder head moves rapidly in 3D printing, then productivity is improved, but the plastic from previous layers cools down before the next layer is applied, preventing proper bonding
Solution Approach 1:
The hot air nozzle preheats the welding area in advance before the extruder nozzle arrives. By directing hot air continuously onto the previous layer during rapid movement, the plastic surface is maintained at a temperature suitable for bonding, ensuring that when the new layer is deposited, proper adhesion occurs even at high printing speeds.
3Reliability
If the hot air nozzle is rotated to follow direction changes, then preheating alignment is maintained, but the device requires additional rotary drive mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary drive mechanism for the hot air nozzle is integrated with the existing control system of the extruder unit. The same controller that manages the movement of the extruder head also controls the rotation of the hot air nozzle, merging two control functions into one system. This reduces overall device complexity while maintaining reliable preheating alignment during direction changes.
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 solution enables seamless preheating of the welding area across all directions, including curved lines, ensuring consistent bonding in 3D printing and plastic welding by maintaining hot air alignment with the extruder nozzle, even during rapid or frequent changes in direction.
Implementation Method 1
Hot air is used for this, which is fed to the welding area via the hot air unit of the extrusion device. The hot air is heated, for example, in the extrusion device itself and then fed to a hot air nozzle, through which it flows out near the extruder nozzle, so that the area that is to be welded is then preheated.
Implementation Method 2
the hot air nozzle or the hot air unit is arranged on the extrusion device such that it can rotate about a longitudinal axis of the conveying direction of the extruder unit
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to an extrusion device comprising an extruder unit in which an extrudate is conveyed in a conveying direction, the extrudate exiting from an extruder die (10) of the extruder unit, and comprising a hot air unit with a hot air nozzle (13) arranged such that the hot air exits next to the extruder die (10), wherein, according to the invention, the hot air nozzle (13) or the hot air unit is rotatably arranged on the extrusion device about a longitudinal axis of the conveying direction of the extruder unit. This makes it possible, when changing the direction of travel of the extrusion device, to rotate the hot air nozzle (13) or the entire hot air unit into a position such that, viewed in the direction of travel, it is located in front of the extruder die (10) and preheats the area to be welded.