JP2024075242A - Additive manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an additive manufacturing method capable of manufacturing an anti-soiling member without providing a support within an air flow path. [Solution] The additive manufacturing method according to the present disclosure is an additive manufacturing method for an anti-soiling member 10 that suppresses staining of a protective glass for a laser welding machine by flowing air near the protective glass, and the anti-soiling member 10 having a plurality of fins 40 at an air outlet 32 is integrally molded by additive manufacturing. Since the plurality of fins 40 also function as a support, there is no need to provide a separate support within the air flow path 30. [Selected Figure] Figure 2

Description

This disclosure relates to an additive manufacturing method.

A laser welding machine may be provided with a protective glass for protecting components that configure the laser optical system, such as mirrors and lenses.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for preventing contamination of the protective glass by flowing air in the vicinity of the protective glass.

Patent No. 6852572

The inventors have found the following problems regarding additive manufacturing methods.
In recent years, parts are sometimes manufactured by additive manufacturing, in which a laser or the like is used to sinter a powder material. In additive manufacturing, a layer of powder material is irradiated with a laser or the like to sinter part of the powder material. Then, a further layer of powder material is formed on the partially sintered layer of powder material, and part of the powder material is sintered with a laser or the like. In this way, an additive manufacturing object is manufactured by repeatedly sintering and stacking the powder material.

By using the additive manufacturing method, it is possible to manufacture an additively manufactured object with a complex shape. For example, the antifouling member disclosed in Patent Document 1 (a member that forms a flow path for air to prevent contamination of protective glass) may be manufactured by the additive manufacturing method. When manufacturing a member with a complex shape by the additive manufacturing method, supports may be provided within the member to prevent the model from collapsing. For example, when additively manufacturing an antifouling member having an air flow path, supports may be provided within the air flow path. The supports provided within the air flow path are removed after additive manufacturing. However, because the air flow path is narrow, precise work was required to remove the supports provided within the air flow path.

The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide an additive manufacturing method that can manufacture antifouling members without providing supports in the air flow path.

One aspect of the present invention to achieve the above object is to
A method for additive manufacturing of an antifouling member, which suppresses contamination of a protective glass for a laser welding machine by flowing air in the vicinity of the protective glass, comprising:
The antifouling member having a plurality of fins at the air outlet is integrally molded by additive manufacturing.

The present disclosure provides an additive manufacturing method that can produce antifouling members without providing supports in the air flow path.

1A to 1C are schematic diagrams of an antifouling member according to an embodiment during additive manufacturing. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 13 is a graph showing the results of wind speed measurements.

Below, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted as necessary for clarity of explanation.

The configuration of an antifouling member (antifouling member according to an embodiment) manufactured by the additive manufacturing method according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an antifouling member according to an embodiment during additive manufacturing. Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Fig. 1. The antifouling member 10 is a member used in a laser welding machine. When a laser is irradiated onto a workpiece, there is a risk that spatter scattered from the workpiece will collide with a laser optical system (mirror, lens, etc.) equipped in the laser welding machine. Therefore, a protective glass is placed on the workpiece side of the laser optical system to protect the laser optical system. The antifouling member 10 is a member that prevents spatter from adhering to the protective lens of the laser welding machine. The antifouling member 10 is attached to a protective glass (not shown) when used. For example, the antifouling member 10 is attached so that the end of the antifouling member 10 that is in contact with the stage 80 shown in Fig. 1 is in contact with the protective glass.

As shown in FIG. 1, the antifouling member 10 is a cylindrical metal member. The antifouling member 10 is manufactured by additive manufacturing. Specifically, a layer of powder material (not shown) is formed on the stage 80 shown in FIG. 1, and a part of the powder material layer is irradiated with a laser or the like to sinter it. Then, a further layer of powder material is formed on the partially sintered powder material layer, and part of the powder material is sintered with a laser or the like. In this way, the powder material is sintered and laminated repeatedly to manufacture the antifouling member 10 as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the antifouling member 10 has air inlets 21 and 31 on its outer surface. As shown in FIG. 2, the antifouling member 10 has air flow paths 20 and 30 in its sidewall. The air flow paths 20 and 30 are flow paths provided so as to go around the inside of the sidewall of the antifouling member 10. The air flow path 20 is connected to an air outlet 22 provided on the inner surface of the antifouling member 10. The air outlet 22 is provided so as to go around the inner surface of the antifouling member 10 near the end of the antifouling member 10 on the side that does not contact the protective glass. Air introduced from the air inlet 21 passes through the air flow path 20 and is discharged from the air outlet 22. The air flow path 30 is connected to an air outlet 32 provided on the inner surface of the antifouling member 10. The air outlet 32 is provided so as to go around the inner surface of the antifouling member 10 near the end of the antifouling member 10 on the side that contacts the protective glass. Air introduced from the air inlet 31 passes through the air flow path 30 and is discharged from the air outlet 32. When air is introduced into the antifouling member 10 while it is attached to the protective glass, an air flow is generated near the protective glass. The air flow can prevent spatters scattered from the workpiece from adhering to the protective glass.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air outlet 32 is provided with a plurality of fins 40. The plurality of fins 40 are provided in the air outlet 22 so as to go around the end of the antifouling member 10. The plurality of fins 40 are integrally molded when the antifouling member 10 is manufactured by additive manufacturing. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the layering data is designed so that the end on the side where the plurality of fins 40 are provided faces downward, and the antifouling member 10 is manufactured by additive manufacturing. That is, the antifouling member 10 is additively manufactured while the plurality of fins 40 function as supports that support the inner wall of the antifouling member 10. That is, it is not necessary to provide supports that support the inner wall of the antifouling member 10 in the air flow path 30 during additive manufacturing separately from the plurality of fins 40. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform an operation of removing the supports in the air flow path 30 after additive manufacturing.

From the viewpoint of suppressing stack collapse, it is preferable that the multiple fins 40 are arranged so that the gap between adjacent fins 40 is 2 mm or less. In addition, from the viewpoint of suppressing stack collapse, it is preferable that the portion that becomes the ceiling during additive manufacturing, such as the end of the air flow path 30 on the air flow path 20 side, has a shape with a predetermined angle. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the end of the air flow path 30 on the air flow path 20 side is a rounded corner. The end of the air flow path 30 on the air flow path 20 side may be, for example, an inclined ceiling with a predetermined angle with respect to the powder material layer.

Next, referring to FIG. 3, the change in air speed due to the provision of multiple fins 40 will be described. FIG. 3 is a graph showing the results of measuring the air speed. "With fins" in FIG. 3 is the result of measuring the air speed introduced into the stain-resistant member 10 according to the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. "Without fins" is the result of measuring the air speed introduced into an antifouling member not provided with multiple fins 40. The square marks in FIG. 3 are the average values obtained by placing an anemometer in contact with the air outlet 32 and measuring at multiple predetermined points. The square marks in FIG. 3 are the values measured by placing an anemometer at a position a predetermined distance away from the air outlet 32.

As shown in FIG. 3, the wind speed was higher when "fins are provided" than when "fins are not provided." In other words, the antifouling member 10 according to the embodiment can generate a flow of air with a higher wind speed near the protective glass compared to an antifouling member that does not have multiple fins 40. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively prevent spatter from adhering to the protective glass.

Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, in the above-described embodiment, an antifouling member having two air flow paths is described. However, the number of air flow paths provided in the antifouling member is not particularly limited, and one or three or more air flow paths may be provided.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Antifouling member 20, 30 Air flow path 21, 31 Air inlet 22, 32 Air outlet 40 Fin 80 Stage

Claims (1)

A method for additive manufacturing of an antifouling member, which suppresses contamination of a protective glass for a laser welding machine by flowing air in the vicinity of the protective glass, comprising:
The antifouling member having a plurality of fins at an air outlet is integrally molded by additive manufacturing.
Additive manufacturing methods.

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