Variable Refractive Index Rotary Glass for Bottom-Up 3D Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D printing technologies using bottom-up photo-curing face limitations such as the suction cup effect, mechanical stress, and aliasing issues, which result in slow production, instability, and low precision, particularly due to the limitations of non-stick membranes and the isotropic nature of light sources.
Innovation Solution
A 3D printing apparatus with a rotary glass having variable refractive indices and a method that uses an elastic membrane with alternating glass portions of different refractive indices to eliminate the suction cup effect and reduce aliasing, allowing for precise and efficient object formation without mechanical stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a non-stick membrane is used at the bottom of the tank to prevent adhesion, then the suction cup effect is reduced, but the membrane may still cause mechanical stress and instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the non-stick membrane from the bottom of the tank, extracting the element that causes the suction cup effect. Instead, a transparent material allowing light passage is used, completely eliminating the membrane-based adhesion problem while maintaining process stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a transparent material as an intermediary between the light source and the liquid polymer, replacing the non-stick membrane. This intermediary allows light transmission while avoiding the mechanical stress and suction cup effects associated with traditional membranes.
2Device complexity
If a single refractive index glass is used at the bottom of the tank, then the structure is simple, but aliasing issues occur during printing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the glass structure into multiple portions, each with different refractive indices. This segmentation allows different regions to serve different functions: some regions with higher refractive indices reduce aliasing, while others maintain simplicity, achieving both precision and structural efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different refractive indices to different portions of the glass structure. Specific portions have refractive indices tailored to their functional requirements, such as higher refractive indices in regions where aliasing reduction is critical, while other regions use simpler materials.
3Productivity
If the extraction plate moves continuously to enable layer formation, then productivity increases, but mechanical stress and suction cup effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful suction cup effect into a beneficial adhesion mechanism. By removing the non-stick membrane and using transparent material, the natural adhesion between the extraction plate and formed layers is harnessed to improve layer bonding, while the extraction plate can still move continuously for productivity.
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 effectively cancels the suction cup effect, reduces aliasing, and enhances the precision and speed of the 3D printing process, enabling the production of high-quality objects with improved mechanical properties and surface smoothness.
Implementation Method 1
a source of a radiation (12) designed to obtain the photo-curing of a liquid photo-curing material (15)
Implementation Method 2
each glass portion (18') having a different refractive index, the difference between the refractive indices being equal to the shift of the incident beam
Data Source
AI summary
A 3D printing apparatus of the bottom-up photo-curing type, including a tank containing a liquid photo-curing material and at least one source of a radiation designed to obtain the photo-curing of the liquid photo-curing material, the bottom of the tank including an elastic membrane of non-stick material and transparent to the radiation of the light source, the tank supported on a support plate, the support plate includes, in the portion below the bottom of the tank, a mobile support element, which is able to move by translating and/or rotating in the plane where it is positioned with one or more perforated or lowered portions. The embodiments also relate to a method of using the apparatus for 3D printing.