Rotating Tank 3D Printing for High-Viscosity Materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional 3D printers face slow printing speeds due to repeated up and down movements of the printing platform and difficulties in handling high-viscosity materials, which are desirable for certain applications but challenging with existing technology.
Innovation Solution
A 3D printer design featuring a rotating tank assembly with a scraper mechanism and a transparent liquid film, allowing continuous printing without long pauses, using a high-density transparent liquid film to facilitate smooth separation of cured layers and enabling the use of high-viscosity photosensitive materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the printing platform is repeatedly elevated and lowered to separate cured layers, then the cured layers can be separated from the material tank, but the printing speed decreases due to repeated movements
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the printing platform up and down to separate layers, the patent inverts the approach by rotating the material tank horizontally. This allows the cured layer to be separated by rotating the tank beneath the stationary printing platform, eliminating the need for repeated vertical movements and significantly improving printing speed while maintaining reliable layer separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic rotation of the material tank to enable continuous printing. By rotating the tank horizontally, the system can separate cured layers dynamically during the printing process without stopping or repeating platform movements, thus maintaining both separation reliability and printing productivity.
2Reliability
If the printing platform moves slowly to avoid damaging cured layers during separation, then the cured layers are protected, but the overall printing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the separation mechanism by rotating the material tank horizontally beneath the stationary printing platform. This allows fast separation without moving the printing platform, so speed can be increased while the printing platform remains stationary to protect cured layers from damage during separation.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional 3D printing technology is used, then the printing process is simple, but high-viscosity materials are difficult to handle and process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces horizontal rotation of the material tank to dynamically handle high-viscosity materials. The rotation enables the scraper assembly to effectively remove excess material and maintain proper layer thickness, making high-viscosity materials easier to process while keeping the overall printing process simple through this single rotational motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a scraper assembly as an intermediary component between the material tank and printing platform. This scraper assembly facilitates the handling of high-viscosity materials by removing excess material and ensuring proper layer formation, making these materials easier to process without complicating the overall printing process.
4Reliability
If the printing platform is moved frequently to separate layers, then layer separation is achieved, but non-curing time increases and printing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the separation approach by rotating the material tank horizontally instead of moving the printing platform vertically. This eliminates repeated platform movements and reduces non-curing time associated with platform elevation and lowering, while maintaining reliable layer separation through the rotational motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous printing by rotating the material tank horizontally, allowing the printing platform to remain stationary and continuously productive. This eliminates the interrupted action of repeated platform movements, maintaining continuous useful action and reducing non-curing time while ensuring reliable layer separation.
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
The solution significantly increases printing speed by reducing non-curing time, achieving 4 to 10 times the speed of conventional printers while ensuring high printing accuracy and efficiency with high-viscosity materials.
Implementation Method 1
The use of a high-density transparent liquid film and a centripetal force of the rotating tank ensures the transparent liquid film does not corrugate
Implementation Method 2
facilitate smooth separation of cured layers
Implementation Method 3
The use of a high-density transparent liquid film and a centripetal force of the rotating tank ensures the transparent liquid film does not corrugate
Implementation Method 4
a layer of the photosensitive material that is scraped on to a transparent surface of the rotating tank assembly is exposed to an exposure mechanism of the three-dimensional printer
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is generally a 3D printer configured for printing 3D objects using a high-viscosity photosensitive material. The 3D printer may include a fluid retaining assembly which comprises a rotating tank. A printing platform is situated in a manner such that a bottom surface of the printing platform makes contact with the printing solution in the tank. To facilitate printing using the high-viscosity printing material, a scraper assembly may be implemented in order to properly prepare the printing solution onto a surface of the tank. The scraper assembly prepares the material by scraping a layer of the material onto the surface of the tank for facilitating curing of the layer onto the printing platform.