METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING A MOLTEN RAW MATERIAL FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING

• US 20190314891A1
• Filed: 11/24/2017
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanjing Taitao Intelligent System Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Nanjing Taitao Intelligent System Co., Ltd
• Inventors: LIANG, Fupeng
• Granted Patent: US 11,059,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 23/003 Moulding by spraying metal on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 25/02 by its peculiarity of shape; of works of art cylinders, pistons B22D15/02
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/22 Direct deposition of molten metal
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/10 Auxiliary heating means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2003/1053 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating a molten raw material for three-dimensional printing, in which a solid raw material (6, 15) is heated to obtain the molten raw material, wherein the solid raw material (6, 15) is heated to a molten state by electromagnetic induction at an output end (19, 21) of a guiding device (1, 10) and/or outside the output end (19, 21) of the guiding device (1, 10) and thus a molten segment (7, 9, 16) is formed; the molten segment (7, 9, 16) generated is only in contact with the solid raw material (6, 15) and is supported by the solid raw material (6, 15) before being in contact with a printed object (8, 17) and/or a support platform (4, 13); and the molten segment (7, 9, 16) generated is in contact with and supported by the solid raw material (6, 15), the printed object (8, 17) and/or the support platform (4, 13) and is not in contact with other structures after being in contact with the printed object (8, 17) and/or the support platform (4, 13); and the molten segment (7, 9, 16) is namely the molten raw material. The above-mentioned method and apparatus have a high controllability and reliability; can generate a molten raw material of a conductive material with an ultrahigh melting point; do not destroy the fine structure generated during previous printing through a three-dimensional printing apparatus; can be applied to high-precision three-dimensional printing; and can be used in a vacuum and weightless printing environment.

Claims

1. A method for generating a molten raw material for three-dimensional printing, in which a solid raw material is heated to obtain the molten raw material, and a guiding device is adopted to guide a movement of the solid raw material in a process of generating the molten raw material;

the guiding device is provided with an input end and an output end, the solid raw material is input from the input end of the guiding device, and the solid raw material or the molten raw material is output from the output end of the guiding device;

the molten raw material generated is accumulated on a printed object or on a support platform of a three-dimensional printing apparatus;

the printed object is an object generated through accumulation of the molten raw material in a process of three-dimensional printing, and the support platform is a device or structure, configured to support the printed object in the process of three-dimensional printing, of the three-dimensional printing apparatus;

wherein;

the solid raw material is heated to a molten state by electromagnetic induction at the output end of the guiding device and/or outside the output end of the guiding device and thus a molten segment is formed;

the molten segment generated is only in contact with the solid raw material and is supported by the solid raw material before being in contact with the printed object and/or the support platform;

the molten segment generated is in contact with the solid raw material, the printed object and/or the support platform and is not in contact with other structures after being in contact with the printed object and/or the support platform, and the molten segment is supported by being in contact with the solid raw material, the printed object and/or the support platform;

the molten segment is namely the molten raw material; and

the solid raw material used is meltable through electromagnetic induction heating.

2. The method for generating a molten raw material for three-dimensional printing of claim 1, wherein:

the position of the molten raw material is controlled in a way as follows;

the molten raw material is pushed away from the guiding device and/or away from a heating magnetic field generated by an electromagnetic induction heating generator and to move towards the printed object or the support platform through a movement generated by the solid raw material when the solid raw material passes through the guiding device;

the accumulation position of the molten raw material is controlled by the relative movement between the solid raw material and the printed object or the support platform; and

the electromagnetic induction heating generator is configured to play a role of electromagnetic induction heating.

3. The method for generating a molten raw material for three-dimensional printing of claim 1, wherein:

in the process of generating the molten raw material, after the molten raw material is in contact with the printed object or the support platform, a current is applied between the solid raw material and the printed object or the support platform.

4. The method for generating a molten raw material for three-dimensional printing of claim 1, wherein:

the solid raw material adopts a wirelike solid raw material, a filamentous solid raw material, a strip-shaped solid raw material or a bar-shaped solid raw material; and

the solid raw material adopts a conductive material.

5. The method for generating a molten raw material for three-dimensional printing of claim 1, wherein:

a magnetic field which plays a role of electromagnetic induction heating heats the guiding device, and the heat carried by the guiding device is partially or completely transferred to the solid raw material before the solid raw material is melted.

6. The method for generating a molten raw material for three-dimensional printing of claim 1, wherein:

the guiding device is provided with a driving device and/or an electromagnetic induction heating generator, the driving device is configured to push and/or pull the solid raw material to move, and the electromagnetic induction heating generator is configured to play a role of electromagnetic induction heating.

7. An apparatus for generating a molten raw material for three-dimensional printing, mainly composed of a driving device, a guiding device, and an electromagnetic induction heating generator, in which the driving device is configured to push and/or pull a solid raw material to move;

the guiding device is configured to guide a movement of the solid raw material, and the guiding device is provided with an input end and an output end;

the electromagnetic induction heating generator is configured to generate a magnetic field to heat the solid raw material, the electromagnetic induction heating generator is mainly composed of an energy output stage and an energy input stage, the energy output stage generates a magnetic field, and the energy input stage modulates a current input from an external source and outputs the current modulated to the energy output stage;

the driving device is connected or not connected with the guiding device, and the electromagnetic induction heating generator is connected or not connected with the guiding device;

wherein;

a positional relationship between the electromagnetic induction heating generator and the guiding device is as follows;

the magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic induction heating generator presents a relationship of connection in series, a nested relationship or an overlapping relationship with the output end of the guiding device on a movement route along which the solid raw material passes through the guiding device;

an eddy current is induced in the solid raw material when the solid raw material passes through the magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic induction heating generator, so that the solid raw material can be directly heated;

the solid raw material is heated to generate a molten segment, the molten segment generated is pushed by the solid raw material to leave the magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic induction heating generator, or leave the magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic induction heating generator and a space surrounded or partially surrounded by the guiding device; and

a positional relationship between the electromagnetic induction heating generator, the guiding device and the molten segment generated is as follows;

the molten segment is not in contact with the guiding device, and the molten segment is not in contact with the electromagnetic induction heating generator.

8. The apparatus for generating a molten raw material for three-dimensional printing of claim 7, wherein:

the output stage of the electromagnetic induction heating generator is arranged outside the output end of the guiding device and presents a relationship of connection in series with the output end of the guiding device on a movement route along which the solid raw material passes through the guiding device, that is, the solid raw material is output from the output end of the guiding device, and enters a space surrounded or partially surrounded by the output stage of the electromagnetic induction heating generator;

the solid raw material is melted in the space surrounded or partially surrounded by the output stage of the electromagnetic induction heating generator, and thus a molten segment connected with the solid raw material is formed; and

the molten segment is not in contact with the output stage of the electromagnetic induction heating generator, that is, a space surrounding the molten segment exists between the molten segment and the output stage of the electromagnetic induction heating generator;

or;

the output stage of the electromagnetic induction heating generator is arranged at the output end of the guiding device and presents a nested relationship or an overlapping relationship with the output end of the guiding device on a movement route along which the solid raw material passes through the guiding device, that is, a nested or overlapping area exists between the space surrounded or partially surrounded by the output stage of the electromagnetic induction heating generator and a space surrounded or partially surrounded by the output end of the guiding device, the solid raw material is melted in the area when passing through the nested or overlapping area, and thus a molten segment connected with the solid raw material is formed; and

the molten segment generated is not in contact with the output stage of the electromagnetic induction heating generator, and is not in contact with the output end of the guiding device, that is, a space surrounding the molten segment exists between the molten segment and the output stage of the electromagnetic induction heating generator as well as the output end of the guiding device.

9. The apparatus for generating a molten raw material for three-dimensional printing of claim 7, wherein:

a cooling structure is arranged at the output end of the guiding device, and is configured to guide away or partially guide away the heat of the output end of the guiding device and/or the electromagnetic induction heating generator.

10. The apparatus for generating a molten raw material for three-dimensional printing of claim 7, wherein:

the guiding device is provided with a groove structure, a hole structure or a ring structure, which serves as a guiding structure to guide the movement of the solid raw material; and

the guiding device is provided with an elastic structure configured to enhance a fitting degree between the solid raw material and the guiding device.