Rotating Polygon Energy Delivery for Additive Manufacturing Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional additive manufacturing systems face challenges in delivering energy uniformly across the uppermost layer of feed material, leading to inconsistent heating and cooling rates, which can result in poor surface quality and reduced throughput.
Innovation Solution
The proposed energy delivery system employs multiple light sources and rotatable reflective members to redirect light beams across the uppermost layer, allowing for simultaneous energy delivery to multiple regions with controlled intensity and uniform dwell time, minimizing acceleration and deceleration delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single light beam is used to deliver energy to the uppermost layer, then the system complexity is low, but the energy distribution uniformity and throughput are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single light beam into multiple light beams (first light beam and second light beam) that can simultaneously deliver energy to different regions of the uppermost layer. This segmentation allows parallel energy delivery, improving both uniformity and throughput while managing complexity through structured beam distribution
2Productivity
If the light beam is swept across the layer using a reflective member, then the energy can be distributed across multiple regions, but acceleration and deceleration delays cause non-uniform dwell time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic reciprocating motion of the reflective member to sweep light beams across the layer. By maintaining constant velocity during each sweep and using periodic back-and-forth motion, the system achieves uniform dwell time across all regions while maximizing productivity through continuous operation without acceleration/deceleration delays
3Productivity
If multiple light beams are delivered simultaneously to different regions, then the throughput increases, but the system complexity and control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple light beams and their delivery paths into a unified system controlled by a single reflective member. By merging the beam delivery mechanism into one integrated structure rather than using separate systems for each beam, the patent achieves high throughput while managing complexity through consolidation and coordinated control
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 enhances the uniformity of energy distribution, improving the surface quality and precision of objects by maintaining consistent energy delivery across the layer, reducing surface deformations, and increasing the throughput of additive manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
one or more reflective members each having reflective facets to redirect the first light beam or the second light beam toward an uppermost layer of feed material to deliver energy to the uppermost layer
Implementation Method 2
The one or more reflective members are each rotatable such that motion of each sequential facet of the reflective facets of each of the one or more reflective members sweeps the first light beam along a first path on the uppermost layer or sweeps the second light beam along a second path on the uppermost layer
Implementation Method 3
one or more light sources configured to emit a first light beam and a second light beam... to deliver energy to the uppermost layer
Data Source
AI summary
An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser to dispense a plurality of layers of feed material on a top surface of the platform, and an energy delivery system. The energy delivery system has one or more light sources configured to emit a first light beam and a second light beam, and one or more reflective members each having reflective facets to redirect the first light beam or the second light beam toward an uppermost layer of feed material to deliver energy to the uppermost layer. The one or more reflective members are each rotatable such that motion of each sequential facet of the reflective facets of each of the one or more reflective members sweeps the first light beam along a first path on the uppermost layer or sweeps the second light beam along a second path on the uppermost layer.