TWI579151B - Rapid prototyping device using page-width array printing - Google Patents

Description

Page width printing rapid prototyping device

The present invention relates to a rapid prototyping device, and more particularly to a rapid prototyping device for page width printing.

Rapid Prototyping (RP technology) is developed based on the concept of constructing pyramid-like layer stacking. The main technical feature is the rapid molding, which can be used without any tools, molds and fixtures. Automatically and quickly convert any complex shape design into a 3D solid model, which greatly shortens the development cycle of new products and reduces R&D costs. It can ensure the time-to-market of new products and the success rate of new product development. Technology provides a more complete and convenient product design communication tool between technicians and non-technical personnel such as technicians and corporate decision makers, product users, etc., thus significantly improving the competitiveness of products in the market and enterprises. Rapid response to the market.

At present, RP technology has developed a 3D solid model by using jet printing technology combined with the precise positioning technology of the carrier. The production method is to first lay a layer of powder on top of the carrier and print on part of the powder by inkjet printing technology. The high-viscosity adhesive allows the glue to adhere to the powder and solidify. The 3D solid model can be completed by repeating the above process layer stacking.

Conventionally, the printing module used in the general scanning reciprocating printing technology is applied to the RP technology. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the printing module 1 used in the general scanning reciprocating printing technology is disposed on a main body (not shown) for performing a printing operation. The printing module 1 package The printing platform 10, the carrier 12 and the at least one inkjet head structure 11 include a frame body 101 and a transmission shaft 102 spanning the frame body 101. The carrier 12 is disposed on the transmission shaft 102. The at least one inkjet head structure 11 is correspondingly disposed on the carrier 12, so that the carrier 12 and the at least one inkjet head structure 11 disposed thereon can be driven relative to the printing platform 10. The shaft 102 is operated in a reciprocating manner on the Y-axis.

When the printing module 1 performs the printing operation of the RP technology, the X-axis direction reciprocating is performed through the printing platform 10 with the carrier 12 and the at least one inkjet head structure 11 disposed thereon. Actuated and reciprocated by the ink jet head structure 11 on the carrier 12 along the drive shaft 102 for moving left and right in the Y-axis direction, so that the reciprocating operation is performed through the X-axis and Y-axis directions. The high-viscosity adhesive agent accommodated in the ink jet head structure 11 can be sprayed on a construction material (not shown) on which a construction vehicle (not shown) is laid, and the above process is repeated to carry out layer stacking. The work, in turn, completes the solid model of the 3D object (not shown).

The above-mentioned conventional scanning and reciprocating printing technology uses the printing technology of the printing module to apply to the RP technology to produce a 3D solid model. However, it can be known from the foregoing description that this method still needs multiple axes in the molding speed. (and the X-axis and Y-axis) are mutually displaced to the construction material laid on the construction vehicle to carry out the printing operation. Even if 2~4 layers can be printed every minute, when forming larger objects, this does not stop each other. The staggered displacement time takes several hours or even longer to form.

In addition, the conventional printing scanning technology of the printing module used in the reciprocating printing technology is applied to the RP technology to produce a 3D solid model. On the RP technology implementation device, the volume size of the construction chamber is often considered. The ink jet head structure of the printing module can scan the reciprocating optimum precision stroke, so the size of the construction chamber of the solid model to be molded into 3D is also limited.

Therefore, as far as the rapid prototyping equipment industry is concerned, the technical bottleneck it faces is molding. The speed issue, how to improve these problems is the main problem that the industry needs to solve urgently.

In view of this, how to develop a molding device with a high molding speed is an urgent problem to be solved.

The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a rapid prototyping device for page width printing, which solves the problem that the conventional scanning reciprocating printing technology is used to perform rapid prototyping, which causes slow molding speed and limited size of 3D solid model. And the use of a wide-format printing module with appropriate size requirements to configure a large-sized construction chamber design to complete the formation of a larger-sized 3D solid model.

In order to achieve the above object, one of the more broad aspects of the present invention is a page width printing rapid prototyping apparatus comprising: a construction platform having a construction chamber, wherein the construction chamber has a length of 0.8 m to 1.5 m, The width is 0.8m to 1.5m, and the height is 0.8m to 1.2m; a construction displacement platform is constructed on the construction platform; a one-page wide printing module is constructed on the construction displacement platform, and is linked to the construction displacement The platform performs a reciprocating displacement, and the plurality of inkjet head structures are assembled on the page wide printing module to implement a rapid forming page width printing operation.

1‧‧‧Printing module

10‧‧‧Printing platform

101‧‧‧ frame

102‧‧‧ Transmission platform

11‧‧‧Inkjet head structure

12‧‧‧Hosting

2‧‧‧ wide printing rapid prototyping device

20‧‧‧ wide printing module

200, 200’ ‧ ‧ wide print unit

201, 201'‧‧‧ inkjet head structure

201a, 201a'‧‧‧ inkjet wafer

202, 202'‧‧‧Printing platform

203, 203’‧‧‧ bottom

21‧‧‧ Construction of displacement platform

211‧‧‧Pushing push components

212‧‧‧Drive displacement mechanism

22‧‧‧Building a platform

221‧‧‧Feed container

222‧‧‧Building chamber

223‧‧‧ Lifting mechanism

S‧‧‧Building chamber width

The total length of the W‧‧‧ inkjet head structure

X1, X2‧‧‧ arrows

X‧‧‧X axis

Y‧‧‧Y axis

Z‧‧‧Z axis

Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing the operation of a conventional scanning reciprocating ink jet printing method.

2A is a schematic view of a rapid prototyping apparatus for page width printing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2B is a diagram showing the rapid prototyping apparatus of the page width printing shown in Fig. 2A.

Figure 2C is a side view of the rapid prototyping device of the page width printing shown in Figure 2A.

FIG. 3A is a top view showing the relative position of the page width printing module and the construction chamber of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a schematic perspective view showing the relative position of the page width printing module and the construction chamber of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4A is a schematic view of a first embodiment of the printing platform.

Fig. 4B is a schematic view showing the arrangement of the ink jet wafers of the plurality of ink jet head structures shown in Fig. 4A.

Figure 4C is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the printing platform.

Fig. 4D is a schematic view showing the arrangement of the ink jet wafers of the plurality of ink jet head structures shown in Fig. 4C.

Some exemplary embodiments embodying the features and advantages of the present invention are described in detail in the following description. It should be understood that the present invention is capable of various modifications in various embodiments and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

The present invention provides a rapid prototyping device for page width printing. The page width printing is of course implemented by using a page width printing module. Compared with the conventional scanning reciprocating printing technology, there is no need to scan the reciprocating motion. The printing is performed, that is, the scanning reciprocating motion in the Y direction as shown in FIG. 1 , and the plurality of ink jet heads of the page width printing size set on the page width printing module are directly printed at one time, which can save a lot of sprays. Print time.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C, in the specific implementation of the page width printing rapid prototyping device 2, the page width printing module 20, the construction displacement platform 21, the construction platform 22, and the like are mainly included. Component.

The page width printing module 20 is disposed on the construction displacement platform 21, and the page width printing module 20 can be displaced above the construction platform 22 by the construction of the displacement platform 21. As for the construction of the displacement platform 21, mainly driven by a driving displacement mechanism 212, thereby It is horizontally displaceable relative to the construction platform 22 in the X-axis direction. And a construction container 221 and a construction chamber 222 for temporarily storing the construction material and being displaced to the supply container 221 by the construction displacement platform 21 A lifting device 223 disposed under the supply container 221 pushes a certain amount of the construction material to the uppermost layer, and maintains a horizontal displacement amount with the construction platform 22, and then is constructed by the shop on the construction displacement platform 21. The material pushing element 211 pushes the uppermost building material of the supply container 221 into the adjacent construction chamber 222, and then prints the construction material on the construction material by the page width printing module 20, Layers are stacked to form a three-dimensional object. In addition, the construction displacement platform 21 further has a heater 213 for heating the construction material after the paving of the construction chamber 222 to accelerate the molding speed.

As known from the above, the present invention provides a rapid prototyping device for page width printing, which can relatively form a larger size 3D solid model, and the construction chamber 222 is not subjected to the ink jet head structure of the conventional printing module. The ability to scan the reciprocating optimum precision stroke can be designed to be infinite. Of course, the volume of the rapid prototyping device providing a page width printing cannot be infinitely large. In this case, the width of the optimally constructed chamber 222 is matched with the page width printing module design of the appropriate size to complete the large-scale forming process. The rapid prototyping device of the page width printing of the 3D solid model of the size is described below in the preferred embodiment of the present invention: please refer to the 3A and 3B drawings, respectively, which are respectively the page width printing die of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. A schematic view of the relative position of the group and the construction chamber and a schematic view of the three-dimensional structure. As shown in FIG. 3A, the page-width printing rapid prototyping device 2 (shown in FIG. 2A) has a one-page wide printing module 20 and a construction platform 22, and the construction platform 22 is provided with a construction chamber. 222.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the volume of the construction chamber 222 is 0.8m to 1.5m in length (X-axis direction), 0.8m to 1.5m in width (Y-axis direction), and 0.8 in height (Z-axis direction). m to 1.2 m; preferred length is 1 m to 1.3 m, width is preferably 1 m to 1.3 m, and height is preferably 0.9 m To 1.1m.

As shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 4A to FIG. 4D, the construction chamber 222 is designed with a page width printing module 20, and the page width printing module 20 includes at least one printing platform 202 and a plurality of sprays. The ink head structure 201, and the plurality of ink jet head structures 201 are assembled on the printing platform 202 to form at least one page wide printing unit 200.

The above-described printing platform 202 can have two different types of implementations, that is, the embodiments as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4C, respectively.

First, as shown in Fig. 4A, it is a printing platform 202 of a removable ink jet head structure 201. That is, in the page wide printing unit 200, the plurality of ink jet head structures 201 disposed on the printing platform 202 are independent ink cartridges, so that they can be individually and independently replaced, so When one of the inkjet head structures 201 in the wide printing unit 200 needs to be maintained or updated, it is only necessary to replace the inkjet head structure 201 that needs to be replaced, without replacing the entire set of the printing platform. 202.

As another embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4C, it is a printing platform 202' of a non-removable ink jet head structure 201'. In other words, the printing platform 202' is a complete package structure, and the plurality of inkjet head structures 201' are fixedly packaged, so the plurality of inkjets disposed in the pagewidth printing unit 200' The head structure 201' is a structure that cannot be separately replaced. If the page width printing unit 200' is to be maintained or updated, the entire set of the printing platform 202' needs to be replaced.

The above-mentioned page wide printing module 20, regardless of whether the printing platform 202 or 202' is provided with a printing platform of a removable or non-removable inkjet head structure, each of the pages is printed on the page. The plurality of inkjet head structures 201, 201' disposed in the unit 200 or 200' each include an inkjet wafer 201a, 201a' disposed on the bottom surfaces 203, 203' of the printing platform 202, 202' (see the 4B and 4D). As shown in Fig. 4B, the schematic view also shows that each of the removable ink jet head structures 201 has its corresponding ink jet wafer 201a. As for the 4D The figure is mainly for displaying the plurality of inkjet wafers 201a' visible to the bottom surface 203' of the printing platform 202' by the pagewidth printing unit 200' of the inkjet head structure 201'. Arrangement. 4B and FIG. 4D, the inkjet wafers 201a, 201a' of the plurality of inkjet head structures 201, 201' are arranged on the printing platform 202, 202'. And at least one row of parallel and longitudinal misalignment portions are overlapped, each of the page width printing units 200, 200' to form a printing width spanning greater than or equal to the width S of the construction chamber 222 (as shown in FIG. 3A) Show).

The arrangement of the above-mentioned inkjet wafers 201a, 201a' is also considered to match the size of the optimally constructed chamber 222 and maintain the resolution of higher printing quality, and some configuration designs are considered to complete the formation of a large-sized 3D solid model. Rapid prototyping device for page width printing. In an embodiment, the volume of the construction chamber 222 is: 0.8m to 1.5m in length, 0.8m to 1.5m in width, and 0.8m to 1.2m in height. The inkjet wafer 201a, The length of 201a' will be between 2 inches and 2.25 inches, and at least one row of parallel and longitudinal misalignment portions of each of the wide printing units 200, 200' will be arranged to overlap the plurality of inkjet wafers 201a, 201a'. The number of the ink-jet wafers 201a, 201a' is 16 to 35, and the number of the ink-jet wafers 201a, 201a' is preferably 20 to 31. Designed to achieve the best print quality and print speed.

When the page width printing module 20 performs a rapid forming page width printing operation, the page width printing module 20 is relatively displaced relative to the construction platform 22, that is, it can be printed by the page width printing module. 20 is parallel displaced in the direction indicated by the X1 arrow in FIG. 3A, thereby moving the page width printing module 20 above the construction chamber 222 of the construction platform 22, and in the construction chamber 222 Perform a rapid prototyping wide print job. At this time, since the page width printing module 20 is constituted by the arrangement of the plurality of ink jet head structures 201, the total length W of the ink jet head structures 201 spans greater than or equal to the width S of the construction chamber 222. Therefore, when the page wide printing module 20 performs the rapid forming page width printing operation, it only needs to be performed in a single X-axis direction. The displacement can be performed without the displacement of the Y-axis direction, thus speeding up the printing speed and efficiency.

Of course, the relative movement of the page width printing module 20 and the construction platform 22 is not limited thereto. For example, the construction platform 22 may be opposite to the page width printing module 20 by Parallel displacement in the direction indicated by the X2 arrow in FIG. 3A, so that the construction platform 22 drives the construction chamber 222 to move relative to the page width printing module 20, and the page width printing module 20 corresponds to a page width printing operation in the construction chamber 222 for rapid prototyping. In addition, the page width printing module 20 and the construction platform 22 may be relatively displaced in the direction indicated by the X1 and X2 arrows, respectively, so that the page width printing module 20 moves. To the top of the construction chamber 222 of the construction platform 22, a rapid forming page width printing operation is performed in the construction chamber 222. It can be seen from the foregoing various embodiments that whether the page wide printing module 20 or the construction platform 22 is separately displaced, or both are relatively displaced at the same time, they only need to be displaced in a single X-axis direction. , the rapid-formation page wide printing operation can be achieved, which can omit another (Y-axis) direction displacement operation compared with the conventional rapid prototyping printing operation, so the rapid prototyping page wide spray of the present invention Printing operations can speed up the printing speed and improve the printing efficiency.

In summary, the page wide-printing rapid prototyping device of the present invention performs rapid prototyping wide-width printing in the construction chamber by a page width printing module that can be relatively displaced with the construction platform and its construction chamber. The job can be used to greatly increase the forming speed and molding efficiency through this rapid prototyping wide-width printing operation.

The present invention has been described in detail by the above-described embodiments, and is intended to be modified by those skilled in the art.

2‧‧‧ wide printing rapid prototyping device

20‧‧‧ wide printing module

21‧‧‧ Construction of displacement platform

212‧‧‧Drive displacement mechanism

22‧‧‧Building a platform

221‧‧‧Feed container

222‧‧‧Building chamber

Claims (7)

A page width printing rapid prototyping device comprises: a construction platform, and a construction chamber, wherein the construction chamber has a length of 0.8 m to 1.5 m, a width of 0.8 m to 1.5 m, and a height of 0.8 m to 1.2. a construction displacement platform is constructed on the construction platform; and a one-page wide printing module is constructed on the construction displacement platform, and is coupled to the construction displacement platform for reciprocating displacement, and the page width printing module Including at least one printing platform and a plurality of ink jet head structures, the printing platform is assembled with the plurality of ink jet head structures to form at least one page wide printing unit, and the plurality of printing units on each of the page wide printing units The ink jet head structure is an independently replaceable type, and the plurality of ink jet head structures each comprise an ink jet chip set on the printing platform, and the at least one row of parallel and longitudinal misaligned portions The overlapping settings are made to form a print width spanning greater than or equal to the width of the build chamber to perform a rapid prototyping wide print job. The rapid prototyping device for page width printing according to claim 1, wherein the construction chamber has a length of preferably 1 m to 1.3 m, and a width of preferably 1 m to 1.3 m, and the height is preferably 0.9m to 1.1m. The rapid prototyping device for page width printing according to claim 1, wherein the construction displacement platform is constructed on the construction platform for relative displacement, and a construction material is pushed into the construction chamber. A rapid-molding apparatus for page width printing as described in claim 1, wherein the ink-jet wafer has a length of between 2 inches and 2.25 inches. The rapid-molding apparatus for page width printing according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein at least one row of the parallel printing units of each of the wide printing units overlaps the plurality of ink-jet wafers, the ink-jet wafer The number is 16 to 35. The rapid prototyping device for page width printing according to claim 5, wherein the at least one The plurality of ink-jet wafers are arranged in parallel with the parallel rows and the misaligned portions, and the number of the ink-jet wafers is preferably from 20 to 31. The rapid prototyping device of the page width printing method of claim 3, wherein the construction displacement platform further comprises a heater for heating the construction material after the construction of the construction chamber is Speed up molding.