KR20190023848A - 3d printing apparatus using stacking techniques of thin metal sheets and 3d printing method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a 3D printing apparatus using a metal thin plate laminating technique and a 3D printing method using the same. The 3D printing apparatus, which forms a sculpture formed by laminating a metal thin plate with a plurality of layers, includes: a supply roll surrounding the metal thin plate and rotating to supply the metal thin plate thereto; a cutting unit cutting a part of the metal thin plate to a predetermined size; a light source unit irradiating a laser beam and sintering a part of the cut metal thin plate to form a metal thin plate layer; a laminated bed in which the metal thin plate layer is repeatedly laminated on an upper surface to form the sculpture; and a recovery roll rotating to recover the thin metal plate after the metal thin plate layer is laminated on the laminated bed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a 3D printing apparatus using a metal thin plate lamination technique and a 3D printing method using the same,

The present invention relates to a 3D printing apparatus and a 3D printing method using the same, and more particularly, it relates to a 3D printing apparatus and a 3D printing method using the same, A 3D printing apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional structure through lamination and sintering processes, and a 3D printing method using the same.

Generally, when a sculpture is manufactured using 3D printing technology, since a powder laminating method is used, a sculpture in the form of a bridge, that is, a sculpture floating in the air requires a support for supporting a load .

For example, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2017-0014619 discloses a support formed at the lower part of a molding product to support the molding product and removed from the molding product by post-treatment after the molding process.

In this case, there is a problem in that the processing time is further increased for the production of the support which is not used in the finished sculpture, and the economical efficiency of the 3D printing technology is lowered due to the material cost and the like. In addition, when the molding is formed into a tubular shape, there is a problem that the support inside the molding must be included in the finished product attached to the molding because it is difficult to remove.

1 is a plan view showing a conventional powder laminating apparatus 50. FIG. 1, in the conventional powder laminating apparatus, the recoater 52 pushes the powder 56 by a predetermined thickness in the powder reservoir 54 and transfers the powder 56 to the lamination bed 58.

In this case, as the recoater 52 moves directly in the horizontal direction through a separate moving unit, a horizontal load is generated in the laminated powder layer, so that a non-uniform part section 60 is generated in the sintering step, There is a problem that the intermediate molding 62 is damaged during the process due to the collision between the recoater 52 moving in the step of laminating new powder layers and the part facets 60 generated in the previous sintering step.

In order to solve such a problem, recently, a 3D printing technique for removing a support by charging a powder on a laminated bed and allowing a powder to bear the load of a molding is disclosed.

In such a technique, when the plastic molding is manufactured, the powder can serve as a supporter of the molding by simply filling the powder on the laminated bed due to the low material specific gravity of the plastic. However, when the metal molding is manufactured, There is a problem in that it is difficult to support a metallic molding having a high specific gravity only by charging the powder due to a high material specific gravity. This can be solved by eliminating voids between the powder particles, which is essentially due to the formation of pores between the spherical powder particles.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0014619

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a 3D printing apparatus for forming a three-dimensional structure through a laminating process and a sintering process, And a 3D printing method using the same.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a 3D printing apparatus using a metal thin plate laminating method for forming a metal plate in a plurality of layers, A supply roll for winding the metal thin plate and rotating the metal thin plate to supply the thin metal plate, a cutting unit for cutting a part of the thin metal plate to a predetermined size, and a laser for irradiating the metal thin plate to sinter a portion of the thin metal plate, And a recovery roll for recovering the thin metal plate after the metal thin plate layer is laminated on the laminated bed, and then the metal thin plate is rotated to collect the thin metal plate.

In one embodiment, the metal foil may be in the form of a foil of aluminum material.

In one embodiment, it may further comprise a control module for controlling the rotation of the supply roll and the collection roll, and a drive module for driving the supply roll and the collection roll.

In one embodiment, the laminated bed moves upward in the upward direction when the thin metal plate is fed upward, and is closely contacted with the thin metal plate, and moves downward after irradiating the light source to be separated from the thin metal plate.

In one embodiment, the laminated bed can be moved upward so that the laminated metal sheet layer is in close contact with the newly provided metal sheet.

In one embodiment, the cutting portion can cut to a size equal to the area cut by the newly provided metal foil.

In one embodiment, the light source unit can sinter a thin metal plate layer of a predetermined shape by irradiating the newly provided cut metal thin plate with a laser.

In one embodiment, the recovery roll can recover only the thin metal plate except for the cut metal thin plate.

In one embodiment, a control member for controlling the vertical movement of the laminated bed and

And an elevating member for driving the laminated bed.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a 3D printing method using a 3D printing apparatus using a metal sheet stacking method, wherein a metal sheet is supplied to an upper portion of a stacked bed. A part of the supplied thin metal plate is cut to a predetermined size and laminated on the laminated bed. Laser is irradiated to sinter the cut and laminated metal thin plate to form a metal thin plate layer. The thin metal plate is recovered.

In one embodiment, a portion of the further supplied metal foil may be cut to the same size as the pre-cut area and laminated on the vapor deposited metal foil.

In one embodiment, the metal sheet may be further laminated on the thin metal sheet layer by sintering the laminated thin metal sheet by irradiating a laser to supply and cut the laminated metal sheet, and the thin metal sheet may be further recovered.

In one embodiment, the laminated bed may be raised so as to be in close contact with the thin metal plate, and the laminated bed may be lowered to be spaced apart from the thin metal plate.

According to the embodiments of the present invention, by laminating a metal thin plate layer on a laminated bed using a metal thin plate, voids are generated between powder layers laminated in conventional 3D printing technology, It is possible to uniformly laminate the metal thin plate layers.

Further, since the cut metal thin plates are repeatedly stacked on the laminated bed, the load of the 3D molding can be supported, and a support for supporting the load of the 3D molding is unnecessary, It is possible to drastically reduce the necessary processing time and to greatly reduce the waste of the material due to the production and removal of the support.

In contrast, in the case of manufacturing a tube-shaped sculpture in the past, since it is difficult to remove the sculpture after the manufacture of the support, it is possible to produce the sculpture as the initial design specification because the support is not produced, Since the design constraint specifications are fundamentally eliminated, product design freedom can be dramatically improved.

Further, as the laminated bed moves upward or downward to closely adhere to and separate from the thin metal plate, the lamination process of the thin metal plate layer can be rapidly and continuously performed.

1 is a side view showing a conventional 3D printing apparatus.
2 is a perspective view illustrating a 3D printing apparatus using a thin metal sheet lamination technique according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3A to 3E are process charts illustrating the operation of the 3D printing apparatus using the thin metal sheet lamination technique of FIG.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a 3D printing method using a 3D printing apparatus using the thin metal sheet lamination technique of FIG.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. Like reference numerals are used for like elements in describing each drawing. The terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various elements, but the elements should not be limited by the terms. The terms are intended to distinguish one element from another Only. The terminology used in this application is used only to describe a specific embodiment and is not intended to limit the invention. The singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present application, the term "comprises" or "comprising ", etc. is intended to specify that there is a stated feature, figure, step, operation, component, But do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries are to be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the contextual meaning of the related art and are to be interpreted as either ideal or overly formal in the sense of the present application Do not.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a 3D printing apparatus using a metal thin plate laminating method according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 3a to 3e illustrate operation of a 3D printing apparatus using the metal thin plate laminating technique of FIG. And FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a 3D printing method using a 3D printing apparatus using the thin metal sheet lamination technique of FIG.

Hereinafter, a 3D printing method (1) using a metal thin plate laminating method according to an embodiment of the present invention and a 3D printing method (2) using a 3D printing device (1) Will be explained simultaneously.

Referring to FIG. 2, a 3D printing apparatus 1 using a metal sheet stacking method according to the present embodiment includes a supply roll 110, a recovery roll 120, a lamination bed 200, a cutting unit (not shown) And a light source unit 300.

The 3D printing apparatus 1 using the metal thin plate laminating method according to the present embodiment includes a process of supplying a metal thin plate S and a step of supplying a metal thin plate layer formed by sintering the metal thin plate S onto the laminated bed 200 Are repeated alternately to produce a three-dimensional shaped sculpture in which a plurality of metal thin plate layers are laminated.

To this end, the 3D printing apparatus 1 using the metal thin plate laminating technique processes the metal material primarily to manufacture the thin metal plate S. At this time, according to the shape and function of the target 3D sculpture, the metal thin plate S having various components and various thicknesses in the 3D printing process can be provided, thereby improving the precision, dimensional sensibility and process efficiency of the sculpture.

In the present embodiment, the shape of the thin metal sheet S is a foil of an aluminum material, but may be appropriately selected according to the shape and function of the desired 3D sculpture.

The supply roll 110 is wound around the thin metal sheet S and is wound and rotated so that the thin metal sheet S wound thereon is fed out and supplied to the supply roll 110. The supply roll 110 is rotated The supplied thin metal sheet S is wound and recovered.

The laminated bed 200 is an element in which the metal sheet S starts to be formed on the laminated bed 200 and the molding is adhered to the laminated sheet S even after molding is completed. Therefore, the upper surface of the laminated bed 200 should be treated with a material capable of maintaining a certain degree of adherence of the metal thin plate layer disposed thereon.

The laminated bed 200 is a table having a flat top surface, and can be configured to be lifted or lowered by a lifting member described later.

The cutting unit (not shown) cuts a part of the thin metal sheet S to a predetermined size.

The light source unit 300 functions to form the metal thin plate layer by sintering the cut thin metal plate A using a molding light beam. At this time, the shaping light beam used by the light source unit 300 should be selected so as to follow the cut metal thin sheet A, and the shaping light beam may include light of a wavelength band capable of sintering the cut thin metal sheet A An irradiable laser may be used.

In this case, as will be described later, the light source unit 300 irradiates laser only on the to-be-formed region E among the cut metal thin plates A to sinter the to-be-formed region E.

However, the energy density of the laser should be controlled so as not to affect the thin metal layer of the lower layer already formed. Further, considering that the 3D printing apparatus 1 using the metal thin plate laminating technique according to the present embodiment enables the surface shaping in the form of the molding light ray, If the laser is a line laser, it is preferable from the viewpoint that the molding speed can be increased.

3A to 3E and 4, the operation of the 3D printing apparatus 1 using the metal thin plate lamination technique will now be described. First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the supply roll 110 Is rotated to supply the thin metal sheet S1 to the upper portion of the laminated bed 200 (step S100).

Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the laminated bed 200 moves upward so that its upper surface is in close contact with the thin metal sheet S1.

In this case, the laminated bed 200 can be moved upward by an elevating member (not shown), and the elevating height of the elevating member can be precisely controlled by a control member (not shown).

When the movement of the laminated bed 200 is completed, the cutting unit cuts a part of the metal sheet S1 located on the laminated bed 200 to a predetermined size, and the cut metal sheet A1 is cut Bed 200 (step S200).

The shaped region E of the laminated metal thin plate A1 is sintered by the light source unit 300 to form a metal thin plate layer L1 on the laminated bed 200 in operation S300.

The to-be-formed region E is a cross-sectional shape obtained by cutting a three-dimensional shaped feature produced by the 3D printing apparatus 1 using the metal thin plate lamination technique into a plane parallel to the laminated bed 200 ). Depending on the shape of the three-dimensional shaped sculpture, it may be formed in a different shape for each of the plurality of metal thin plate layers, or may be formed in the same shape.

3C, when the metal sheet layer L1 is formed on the laminate bed 200, the laminate bed 200 moves downward and is separated from the metal sheet S1 .

Also in this case, the laminated bed 200 can be lowered by the above-mentioned elevating member, and the descent height can be precisely controlled by the control member.

Thereafter, the recovery roll 120 rotates to recover the thin metal sheet S1 except the cut metal thin sheet A1 (step S400). At the same time, as the supply roll 110 rotates, the thin metal sheet S1 S2 are continuously supplied (step S500).

In this case, the supply roll 110 and the recovery roll 120 may be rotated by receiving a driving force by a driving module (not shown), and a control module (not shown) may control the driving module The rotational speed and the rotational speed of the roll 110 and the recovery roll 120 can be precisely controlled.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3D, the laminated bed 200 moves upward so that the laminated metal sheet A1 is brought into close contact with the newly provided thin metal sheet S2.

Then, the cutting portion 250 cuts a part of the newly provided thin metal sheet S2 to a predetermined size, as in the first process for the thin metal sheet layer L1 described above, A2 are stacked on the laminated bed 200 (step S600).

At this time, the cutting portion cuts to the same size as that of the newly provided metal thin plate.

Thereafter, the light source unit 300 sets a new shaped area on the upper surface of the newly provided cut metal sheet A2, and irradiates the laser while concentrating the laser on a position on the shaped area (step S700).

Accordingly, the to-be-formed region of the newly provided cut metal sheet A2 is sintered to further laminate a metal foil layer L2 having a predetermined shape on the metal foil layer L1 (step S700).

Finally, as shown in FIG. 3E, the laminated bed 200 is lowered so as to be spaced apart from the metal thin plate S2, and the recovering roll 120 is rotated to rotate the metal thin plate S2 (S800).

Thus, by repeating the above processes, a plurality of metal thin plate layers are successively laminated, and finally, a metal thin plate layer forming the final end face is laminated, and the molding of the desired 3D molding is completed.

According to the embodiments of the present invention, by laminating a metal thin plate layer on a laminated bed using a metal thin plate, voids are generated between powder layers laminated in conventional 3D printing technology, It is possible to uniformly laminate the metal thin plate layers.

Further, since the cut metal thin plates are repeatedly stacked on the laminated bed, the load of the 3D molding can be supported, and a support for supporting the load of the 3D molding is unnecessary, The process time can be drastically reduced and the waste of the material due to the production and removal of the support can be greatly reduced.

In contrast, in the case of manufacturing a tube-shaped sculpture in the past, since it is difficult to remove the sculpture after the manufacture of the support, it is possible to produce the sculpture as the initial design specification because the support is not produced, Since the design constraint specifications are fundamentally eliminated, product design freedom can be dramatically improved.

Further, as the laminated bed moves upward or downward to closely adhere to and separate from the thin metal plate, the lamination process of the thin metal plate layer can be rapidly and continuously performed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. It can be understood that it is possible.

110: feed roll 120:
200: laminated bed 300: light source part
S1 and S2: metal thin plates L1 and L2: metal thin plate layers

Claims (12)

A 3D printing apparatus for forming a molding product in which a metal thin plate is laminated with a plurality of layers,
A supply roll which winds the metal thin plate and rotates to supply the thin metal plate;
A cutting unit for cutting a part of the thin metal plate to a predetermined size;
A light source for irradiating a laser beam to sinter a portion of the cut metal plate to form a metal thin plate layer;
A laminated bed in which a metal thin plate layer is repeatedly laminated on an upper surface to form a molding; And
And a collection roll for collecting the thin metal plate after the metal thin plate layer is laminated on the laminated bed. The thin metal plate according to claim 1,
Characterized in that it is in the form of a foil of aluminum material. The method according to claim 1,
A control module for controlling rotation of the supply roll and the collection roll; And
Further comprising a drive module for driving said supply roll and said collection roll. 2. The laminate according to claim 1,
When the metal thin plate is supplied to the upper portion, the metal thin plate moves upward and is brought into close contact with the thin metal plate,
Wherein the light is irradiated by the light source and moves downward to be separated from the thin metal plate. The method of claim 4, wherein the laminated bed comprises:
And the upper layer is moved upward so that the laminated metal thin plate layer is brought into close contact with the newly provided thin metal plate. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5,
Cutting the same to a size that is the same as the area that was previously cut with respect to the newly provided metal thin plate. 7. The light-emitting device according to claim 6,
Wherein the newly provided cut thin metal sheet is irradiated with a laser to sinter the thin metal thin plate layer having a predetermined shape. 7. The apparatus of claim 6,
Wherein only the thin metal plate except for the cut thin metal plate is collected. The method according to claim 1,
A control member for controlling vertical movement of the laminated bed; And
And a lifting member for driving the laminated bed. Feeding a thin metal sheet to the top of the laminated bed;
Cutting a part of the supplied metal thin plate to a predetermined size and stacking the metal thin plate on a laminated bed;
Irradiating a laser to sinter the cut and laminated metal sheet to form a thin metal sheet layer; And
And recovering the thin metal plate. 11. The method of claim 10,
Further supplying a thin metal plate;
Cutting a portion of the further supplied metal foil to the same size as the pre-cut area and stacking the same on the pre-laminated metal foil;
Irradiating a laser to further feed and cut the sintered laminated metal sheet to further laminate a metal sheet layer on the metal sheet layer;
Further comprising recovering the metal foil. 11. The method of claim 10,
In the step of cutting a part of the thin metal plate,
Raising the laminated bed so as to be in close contact with the thin metal plate,
In the step of recovering the thin metal plate,
Wherein the laminated bed is lowered so as to be spaced apart from the thin metal plate.

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