Layerwise Production Spraying and Height Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current layerwise production techniques in Layered Manufacturing Technology face limitations in speed and accuracy due to restricted speeds required to avoid forces on the object during material deposition, and difficulties in creating thin layers, which affect the accuracy of the produced objects.
Innovation Solution
The method involves spraying a liquid onto the reservoir to create successive layers, allowing for high-speed deposition with negligible forces and enabling thinner layers, combined with a measuring device to compensate for unflatness in the liquid layer height distribution for precise solidification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a wiper blade is used to remove excess liquid material, then the liquid layer can be formed, but the wiping forces transmit high forces to the object under construction and must be performed at restricted speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wiper blade system with a liquid dispensing system that deposits liquid material directly onto the object under construction. This substitution eliminates the mechanical contact and associated high forces, allowing for faster layer formation without transmitting damaging forces to the object.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a liquid dispensing mechanism that utilizes fluid dynamics to deposit liquid material layers. By controlling the flow and deposition of liquid material, the system achieves rapid layer formation without the mechanical forces inherent in wiper blade systems.
2Productivity
If a construction shape is used as a mold for liquid material, then layers can be formed, but the separating process transmits high forces and takes relatively long time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the construction shape mold from the process by directly depositing liquid material onto the object under construction. This extraction of the mold component removes the separating step entirely, avoiding both the high forces and long times associated with separating solidified layers from the construction shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The object under construction serves as its own mold or form, with liquid material deposited directly onto its surface. This self-service approach eliminates the need for an external construction shape and the subsequent separating operation, enabling continuous rapid layer formation.
3Manufacturing precision
If a stable curtain is used to cast liquid medium, then layers can be formed, but thin layers cannot be produced accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the liquid material delivery into controlled deposits rather than a continuous curtain. By dispensing liquid material in controlled amounts and locations, the system can accurately form thin layers that would be impossible with a stable curtain approach, while maintaining efficient layerwise production.
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 enables faster and more accurate layerwise production by reducing forces on the object and allowing for thinner layers, improving the accuracy and speed of the process while maintaining lower requirements for flatness of the deposited layer.
Implementation Method 1
Spraying implies that the liquid is atomized, resulting in a spray of small liquid droplets
Implementation Method 2
The liquid may be a liquid resin which can be cured by electro-magnetic radiation, for example a photopolymer of which polymerisation can be activated by projecting light of a suitable wavelength
Implementation Method 3
a height distribution over at least part of the surface of the created uppermost liquid layer is measured by means of a measuring device
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for layerwise production of a tangible object comprises repeatedly performing method cycles. Each method cycle comprises the steps of solidifying a predetermined area of an uppermost liquid layer (10) of a liquid (3) in a reservoir (2), so as to obtain a solid layer of the tangible object, and creating, above, parallel and adjacent to the solid layer, a successive uppermost liquid layer of the liquid. Said creating of the successive liquid layer is carried out by spraying such liquid onto upper parts of the contents in the reservoir. A height distribution over at least part of the surface of the uppermost liquid layer is measured by means of a measuring device (6). Based on the measured height distribution, the solidifying is carried out to compensate for unflatness of the measured height distribution.