CN114147964B

CN114147964B - Active bearing tray of photo-curing 3D printer and photo-curing forming method

Info

Publication number: CN114147964B
Application number: CN202010936325.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 黄海洲; 林文雄; 葛燕; 黄见洪; 阮开明; 李锦辉; 翁文
Original assignee: Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter of CAS
Current assignee: Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter of CAS
Priority date: 2020-09-08
Filing date: 2020-09-08
Publication date: 2023-06-09
Anticipated expiration: 2040-09-08
Also published as: CN114147964A

Abstract

The invention discloses an active bearing tray of a photo-curing 3D printer and a photo-curing forming method. The active load tray includes: the tray main body is provided with a mechanical clamping piece in the tray main body, a hanging part connected with the bottom surface of the tray main body, and the hanging part is connected with a tray bracket. The active bearing tray is used for bearing and actively clamping the photo-curing printing object with large size (printing breadth is larger than 50cm by 50cm and filling ratio is larger than 50%) under high-speed 3D printing (more than 180 mm/h), so that the 3D printing process can be smoothly carried out. The method can overcome the attraction of the bottom of the resin tank to the printing object and the attraction of the resin to the printing object caused by vacuum formed between the bottom of the resin tank and the printing object due to the fact that the self weight of the printing object and the adhesion force of the resin material to the tray are insufficient in high-speed 3D printing of the large-size object, and enables the large-size object to be solidified and molded at high printing speed.

Description

Active bearing tray of photo-curing 3D printer and photo-curing forming method

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the field of 3D printing, and particularly relates to an active bearing tray of a photo-curing 3D printer and a photo-curing forming method.

Background

The principle of photo-curing 3D printing is to cure a liquid photosensitive resin layer by layer on a carrying tray (stage) to form a complete printed object.

At present, the bearing platform is made of metal or other functional film layers coated on the surface of the metal, and is a passive platform. In the printing process, the self gravity of the object is overcome by only relying on the adhesion force between the printed object and the surface of the platform, the adhesion force of the bottom of the resin tank to the object in the printing process, and the vacuum attraction force generated to the object when the resin is incompletely filled are used for maintaining the upward printing process of the object. In the 3D printing process of large-size objects, the weight of the objects is gradually increased, the vacuum attractive force of the large printing breadth is increased when the resin is not filled, and the adhesion force of the bearing platform to the objects is insufficient, so that the printed objects fall off and the printing process fails. Since the weight of the molded object increases faster, the formation rate of the resin-filled vacuum is faster, and this phenomenon is more remarkable in a high-speed (pull speed > 180 mm/h) 3D printing process for a large-sized object. More importantly, to meet the requirements of specific properties such as mechanical or high temperature resistance, some resin materials for printing have insufficient adhesion between the main groups and the metal platform, and are more likely to fall off with the increase of the printing size.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to solve the problems of the prior art in high-speed 3D printing of large-sized objects, the invention provides an active bearing tray of a photo-curing 3D printer, comprising: the tray main body is provided with a mechanical clamping piece in the tray main body, a hanging part connected with the bottom surface of the tray main body, and the hanging part is connected with a tray bracket.

The active tray is characterized in that the active tray is used for actively clamping a printed object through a mechanical clamping piece relative to a traditional tray.

According to the embodiment of the invention, the tray main body is made of metal alloy (such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel) or polymer material.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the number of mechanical clips is at least 2, for example 3, 4 or more. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the number of mechanical clips and the location of the distribution on the active carrying tray can be adjusted according to the size of the printed object being held.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the active carrying tray further comprises a standard printing base which is clamped by the mechanical clamping piece and is connected with the printing object. Preferably, the standard print base is printed out simultaneously with the print object.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the mechanical clamping piece is internally provided with a piston, and the piston can extend out of the mechanical clamping piece under the action of external force to provide clamping for printing objects or the standard printing base.

According to one embodiment of the invention, an air passage is arranged in the mechanical clamping piece, and compressed air is introduced into the air passage as external force for extending the piston.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a micro motor is arranged inside the mechanical clamping piece, and the piston is extended out of the mechanical clamping piece under the action of motor driving force provided by the micro motor. The piston with other mechanical clips extending out may provide a grip on the printed object or the standard print base. The clamping force of the printing object or the standard printing base can be adjusted according to the change of the motor driving current parameter.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the sides of the standard printing base have a regular shape, which can be gripped by the mechanical grip, preferably by the piston; alternatively, the side of the standard printing base is provided with a hole for accommodating the piston and adapting to the size of the piston. For example, the sides of the standard printing base may be planar or cambered, and the outer surface of the piston may be adapted to the sides of the standard printing base.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the overall shape of the standard printing base is not particularly limited, and is, for example, a cube, such as a rectangular body or a cylinder.

Illustratively, the standard print base is rectangular in shape and the mechanical clips are distributed around four sides of the standard print base. The pistons synchronously extend out of the mechanical clamping pieces under the action of external force and are propped against the side surfaces of the standard printing base, so that clamping is provided for the standard printing base and printed objects on the standard printing base.

The standard printing base is illustratively cylindrical in shape, the mechanical clamping pieces are distributed around the side surface of the standard printing base, and the outer surface of the piston which synchronously extends out under the action of external force can be matched with the side surface of the standard printing base. The piston can support the side of the standard printing base under the action of external force, and the base and a printing object on the base are clamped.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the hanging portion may be a hanging frame. The shape of the suspension is not limited, and it is preferable that the suspension can be adapted to the tray holder.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the active carrying tray further comprises fastening elements for enabling fixation of the suspension to the tray support. For example, the fastening element may be a fixing element known in the art, such as a bolt or the like.

According to the embodiment of the invention, the tray support is connected with a z-axis stepping motor of the photo-curing 3D printer, and the z-axis stepping motor drives the active bearing tray to move through the tray support.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the standard printing base is connected to the printing object through a support. For example, the support part is a support bar, and the support bar is obtained by photo-curing 3D printing.

The invention also provides a photocuring 3D printing system containing the active bearing tray.

The invention also provides application of the active bearing tray in high-speed printing of large-size printed objects. Wherein the high speed is a printing speed of > 180mm/h, for example, the printing speed is equal to or higher than 190mm/h. The large-size printed object is a photo-curing printed object with a printing breadth of more than 50cm multiplied by 50cm and a filling ratio of more than 50%.

The invention also provides a light curing molding method using the active bearing tray, which comprises the following steps: providing clamping of a printed object without a printing base by a mechanical clamping piece of the active carrying tray (preferably by the piston) during photocuring 3D printing;

or, in the process of photocuring a 3D printing integrated printing model, when a standard printing base in the integrated printing model is printed to completely expose the surface of the active bearing tray, clamping is provided for the integrated printing model by a mechanical clamping piece (preferably by the piston) of the active bearing tray;

the integrated print model includes the standard print base and a print object.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the printing process has a printing speed > 180mm/h, for example a printing speed > 190mm/h.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the integrated print model further includes a support portion connecting the standard print base and the print object. Preferably, the support has the meaning as described above.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the integrated print model may be built by computer-aided software prior to photo-curing 3D printing.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the piston protrudes from the mechanical clip under the influence of an external force. For example, the external force may be provided by compressed gas or motor driving force.

The invention has the beneficial effects that:

according to the active bearing tray, the standard printing base and/or the photo-curing printing object can be actively clamped and borne through the mechanical clamping piece, so that larger release force is provided on the basis that the lower surface of the active bearing tray is mutually adhered with the printing object or the standard printing base, the defects of insufficient adhesion force of a resin material and the tray due to self weight of the printing object and the bottom of the resin tank on the printing object in high-speed 3D printing are overcome, and the attractive force of the resin tank on the printing object due to the fact that the resin is not filled in time and vacuum is formed between the bottom of the resin tank and the printing object are overcome, so that the large-size object can be cured and molded at high printing speed, and high-speed operation of the whole printing process is maintained.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an active carrying tray of a photo-curing 3D printer in embodiment 1;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mechanical clamping member and the printing base on the tray main body in embodiment 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the mechanical clip in embodiment 1;

fig. 4 is a schematic view of the printing effect in embodiment 1.

Reference numerals: the printing device comprises a 1-tray main body, a 2-mechanical clamping piece, a 3-standard printing base, a 4-hanging frame, a 5-tray support, a 6-fastening element, a 7-piston, an 8-gas path, a 9-pneumatic connector, a 10-support bar and an 11-printing object.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to specific examples. It is to be understood that the following examples are illustrative only and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. All techniques implemented based on the above description of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.

Unless otherwise indicated, the starting materials and reagents used in the following examples were either commercially available or may be prepared by known methods.

Example 1

The active bearing tray with the structure shown in fig. 1-3 comprises a tray main body 1 and 4 groups of mechanical clamping pieces 2 embedded in the tray main body 1, wherein the mechanical clamping pieces 2 internally comprise pistons 7 which can extend out of the body. The upper surface of the tray main body 1 is fixedly provided with a hanging frame 4, and a hole position corresponding to the end part of a tray support 5 fixed on a z-axis stepping motor of the 3D printer is reserved in the hanging frame 4. The tray support 5 can be inserted into the hanging frame 4 through the hole site, and horizontally hang the tray main body 1 on the tray support 5.

In order to make the connection between the hanger 4 and the tray support 5 more secure, threaded holes are provided in both the upper wall of the hanger 4 and the end of the tray support 5, and the fastening element 6 has threads matching said threaded holes. The tray support 5 is fastened to the hanger 4 by rotating the fastening element 6.

As shown in fig. 2, in order to enable the mechanical clamping member 2 to provide effective clamping to a large-sized printed object with an irregular bottom side, a standard printing base 3 matched with the mechanical clamping member 2 is provided, the standard printing base 3 is rectangular in shape, and the mechanical clamping member 2 is distributed around four sides of the standard printing base 3. The pistons synchronously extend out of the mechanical clamping pieces under the action of external force and are propped against the side surfaces of the standard printing base, so that clamping is provided for the standard printing base and printed objects on the standard printing base. The support bar 10 (shown in fig. 4) between the standard print base 3 and the print object 11 may be constructed by computer-aided software so that the standard print base 3 forms a print body with the print object 11.

At the beginning of high-speed photo-curing 3D printing, depending on whether the printing method adopts a continuous liquid level 3D printing method (CLIP) or a DLP printing method for restraining liquid level, a gap of 30-300 mu m is reserved between the lower surface of a printing tray embedded with an active mechanical clamp and the bottom of a resin tank so as to start printing a standard printing base or a first layer of a printed object. At this time, the mechanical clip 2 is protruded from the tray main body 1 by the same distance as the clearance and is stuck to the bottom of the resin tank under the action of the self gravity, and the piston 7 inside the mechanical clip 2 is not protruded (fig. 3).

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, the mechanical clamping member 2 includes a gas path 8 and a pneumatic connector 9 connected to an external compressed gas pipe, and can eject the piston 7 under the action of compressed gas to contact the side surface of the printing object 11 or its standard printing base 3, so as to clamp the printing main body.

In another embodiment, when the printing length of the printing object 11 or the standard printing base 3 thereof is greater than 5mm, that is, when the lower surface of the tray main body 1 is exposed by the mechanical clamping piece 2 is greater than 5mm, the extension condition of the piston 7 under the action of external force can be met, the piston 7 in each mechanical clamping piece 2 simultaneously extends out of the mechanical clamping piece 2 under the action of external force and is stuck to the outer surface of the printing object 11 or the standard printing base 3, so as to clamp the printing object in printing, the printing object cannot increase due to the increase of the self weight in the high-speed printing process, the attraction force of the bottom of the resin tank to the printing object increases along with the increase of the printing section, and the attraction force of the printing object generated by the fact that the resin is not filled in time and forms vacuum between the bottom of the resin tank and the printing object is separated from the printing tray, so that the printing object is failed to print.

In another embodiment, the remainder is printed at a uniform speed of greater than 180mm/h, except that the first 1-10 layers of the printing body (including the standard printing base 3, the support bar 10, and the printed object 11) are printed at an average speed of less than 180mm/h.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An active load tray for a photo-curing 3D printer, the active load tray comprising: the tray comprises a tray main body, a mechanical clamping piece arranged in the tray main body, and a hanging part connected with the bottom surface of the tray main body, wherein the hanging part is connected with a tray bracket;

the inside of the mechanical clamping piece is provided with a piston, and the piston can extend out of the inside of the mechanical clamping piece under the action of external force to provide clamping for a printed object or a standard printing base;

an air passage is arranged in the mechanical clamping piece, and compressed air is introduced into the air passage to serve as external force for extending out of the piston; or, a micro motor is arranged in the mechanical clamping piece, and the piston extends out of the mechanical clamping piece under the action of motor driving force provided by the micro motor;

the mechanical clamping piece is telescopic on the lower surface of the tray main body.

2. The active load tray of claim 1, wherein the tray body is made of a metal alloy or a polymer material.

3. The active load tray of claim 1, wherein the number of mechanical clips is at least 2.

4. An active load tray according to claim 3, wherein the number of mechanical clips and the location of distribution on the active load tray can be adjusted according to the size of the printed object being gripped.

5. The active load tray of claim 1, further comprising a standard print base that receives the mechanical clip grip and connects with a print object.

6. The active-carrying tray of claim 5 wherein the standard print base is printed out simultaneously with the print object.

7. The active load tray of claim 5, wherein the sides of the standard print base have a regular shape that can be gripped by the mechanical clip; alternatively, the side of the standard printing base is provided with a hole for accommodating the piston and adapting to the size of the piston.

8. The active load tray of claim 7, wherein the sides of the standard print base have a regular shape that can be gripped by the piston.

9. The active load tray of claim 7, wherein the sides of the standard print base are planar or cambered, and the outer surface of the piston is adapted to the sides of the standard print base.

10. The active load tray of claim 9, wherein the standard print base is a cube.

11. The active load tray of claim 10, wherein the standard print base is a rectangular or cylindrical body.

12. The active load tray of claim 11, wherein the standard print base is rectangular in shape and the mechanical clips are distributed around four sides of the standard print base; the pistons synchronously extend out of the mechanical clamping pieces under the action of external force and are propped against the side surfaces of the standard printing base, so that clamping is provided for the standard printing base and printed objects on the standard printing base.

13. The active load tray of claim 11, wherein the standard print base is cylindrical in shape, the mechanical clips are distributed around the sides of the standard print base, and the outer surfaces of the pistons that extend synchronously under the action of an external force are adapted to the sides of the standard print base.

14. The active load tray of claim 1, wherein the hanging portion is a hanger.

15. The active load tray of claim 1, further comprising a fastening element for effecting securement of the suspension to the tray support.

16. The active load tray of claim 1, wherein the tray support is coupled to a z-axis stepper motor of the photo-curing 3D printer, and the active load tray is moved by the z-axis stepper motor through the tray support.

17. The active load tray of claim 10, wherein the standard print base is connected to the print object by a support.

18. The active load tray of claim 17, wherein the support portion is a support bar, the support bar being printed from photo-cured 3D.

19. A photo-curing 3D printing system, characterized in that the system comprises an active carrying tray according to any one of claims 1-18.

20. Use of an active carrier tray according to any one of claims 1 to 18 for printing large-size printed objects at high speed.

21. The use according to claim 20, wherein the high speed is a printing speed > 180mm/h.

22. The use according to claim 20, wherein the large-size printed object is a photo-cured printed object with a print format > 50cm x 50cm and a fill ratio > 50%.

23. A method of photo-curing a shaped active load tray according to any one of claims 1 to 18, said method comprising the steps of: clamping a printed object without a printing base through a mechanical clamping piece of the active bearing tray in the photo-curing 3D printing process;

or in the process of photocuring the 3D printing integrated printing model, when a standard printing base in the integrated printing model is printed to completely expose the surface of the active bearing tray, clamping the integrated printing model through a mechanical clamping piece of the active bearing tray;

the integrated print model includes the standard print base and a print object.

24. The light-curing molding method of claim 23, wherein a printing speed of the printing process is > 180mm/h.

25. The light-curing molding method of claim 23, wherein the integrated print model further comprises a support portion connecting the standard print base and the print object.

26. The light-cured molding method of claim 23, wherein the integrated print model is built by computer-aided software prior to light-cured 3D printing.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the piston protrudes from the mechanical clip under an external force.

28. The light-curing molding method as recited in claim 27, wherein the external force is provided by compressed gas or motor driving force.