Tilted Roller for 3D Printing Ink Layer Flattening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet-based three-dimensional object formation faces challenges due to variations in ink droplet size and surface tension, leading to inconsistent layer heights and accuracy issues when using rollers for flattening, which can result in contact errors during scanning operations.
Innovation Solution
A forming apparatus with an inkjet head and a tilted roller configuration that moves in sync during main and sub-scanning operations, ensuring the roller automatically separates from the ink surface, maintaining accuracy and preventing unnecessary contact, even with mechanical inaccuracies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a roller is used to flatten ink layers during additive manufacturing, then layer thickness uniformity is improved, but mechanical accuracy variations cause the roller to contact the ink surface unnecessarily during sub-scanning operations
Solution Approach 1:
The roller is configured to be movable in the sub-scanning direction, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position. During main scanning, the roller contacts the ink layer to flatten it. During sub-scanning, the roller automatically moves out of the way to avoid contact, preventing surface disruption while maintaining flattening capability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The system proactively positions the roller to prevent harmful contact during sub-scanning operations. By anticipating the potential contact issue before it occurs, the roller is pre-positioned to avoid the ink layer during sub-scanning while being ready to contact during main scanning for flattening
2Manufacturing precision
If the roller is positioned to ensure contact with ink layers for flattening, then layer thickness control is improved, but mechanical inaccuracies cause unnecessary contact during sub-scanning operations
Solution Approach 1:
The roller transitions from a static positioning to a dynamic movable configuration. It is positioned to contact the ink layer during main scanning for precise thickness control, but automatically moves away during sub-scanning to eliminate harmful surface contact caused by mechanical inaccuracies
3Device complexity
If the roller maintains fixed positioning for flattening operations, then device complexity is reduced, but accuracy of flattening deteriorates due to mechanical variations
Solution Approach 1:
The roller is designed with movable capability in the sub-scanning direction, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position based on the operation type. This dynamic configuration maintains relatively simple device structure while significantly improving flattening accuracy by adapting to different operational phases
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 configuration allows for precise flattening of ink layers with reduced mechanical inaccuracies, enhancing the formation accuracy and preventing surface contact issues during the scanning process, thus improving the overall quality of three-dimensional objects.
Implementation Method 1
an inkjet head configured to eject an ink droplet onto a platform by inkjet scheme
Implementation Method 2
the ink is affected by the surface tension
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2(a)~2(c)
Figure 3(a)~3(e)
AI summary
During formation of a three-dimensional object, a layer of ink is flattened in a more suitable manner. A forming apparatus 10 for forming a three-dimensional object by additive manufacturing includes an inkjet head, a platform 16, a main scanning driver 14, a sub-scanning driver 18, a deposition direction driver 20, and a flattening roller 302. The sub-scanning driver 18 causes the inkjet head to perform, in between main scanning operations, a sub-scanning operation in which the inkjet head relatively moves by a predetermined forwarding distance in a sub-scanning moving direction, which is a predetermined direction. During the sub-scanning operation, the flattening roller 302 moves in the sub-scanning moving direction together with the inkjet head. The flattening roller 302 is disposed in a tilted manner such that a first end is located on a forward end in the sub-scanning moving direction, a second end is located on a rearward end in the sub-scanning moving direction, and the height in the deposition direction of the second end on the rearward end is higher than the height in the deposition direction of the first end on the forward end.