KR20200023685A - 3D printer with independent control of multiple nozzles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a 3D printer including: a frame which includes a horizontal frame comprising a pair of X-axis frames and a pair of Y-axis frames and a vertical frame comprising at least one pair of Z-axis frames perpendicular to the horizontal frame; an output bed which is provided to be parallel to the horizontal frame at the bottom end of the Z-axis frames; at least two guide rails which are provided on the X-axis frames in parallel with the Y-axis frames; at least two nozzles which are each provided on the guide rails, move along the guide rails, and discharge molten filaments onto the output bed; and a control unit which controls the nozzles independently for printing. The present invention greatly improves the output productivity of a 3D printer by enabling a printout which is multiple times faster than a 3D printer which performs printing by using a single nozzle.

Description

3D printer with independent control of multiple nozzles}

The present invention relates to a 3D printer of the FDM method, and more particularly, to a 3D printer and a control method thereof for controlling and outputting a plurality of nozzles independently.

Here, background art is provided with respect to the present disclosure, and these do not necessarily mean known art.

In general, in order to produce a prototype having a three-dimensional solid shape, there are a wood-based production method made by hand and a manufacturing method by CNC milling depending on the drawings. However, the mock-up method is difficult by elaborate numerical control and takes a lot of time because of manual work, and the manufacturing method by CNC milling is capable of precise numerical control, but it is difficult to process by tool interference. Therefore, in recent years, a so-called three-dimensional printer method has emerged, in which a prototype of a three-dimensional three-dimensional shape is manufactured by using a computer storing data generated by three-dimensional modeling created by a designer and a designer of a product.

In this three-dimensional printer method, SLA (StereoLithograhhic Apparatus) using the principle that the scanned portion is cured by scanning a laser beam on the photocurable resin, and a functional polymer or metal powder is used instead of the photocurable resin in the SLA. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) using the principle of scanning and consolidation and molding, LOM (Laminated Object Manufacturing) for cutting and laminating the paper coated with the adhesive to the desired section by laminating it with laser beam, Ballistic Particle Manufacturing (BPM) using Ink-Jet printer technology, and FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) method that melts molding materials using stacked nozzles and builds them up.

In the case of the FDM type 3D printer, when a single nozzle is used, the output time of a large output is too long to produce a prototype, and thus productivity is reduced.

The present invention is to solve the above problems is to provide a 3D printer of the FDM method that can improve the output productivity by reducing the output time of a large output.

However, the objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

The present invention provides a frame comprising a horizontal frame composed of a pair of X-axis frames and a pair of Y-axis frames, and a vertical frame composed of at least one pair of Z-axis frames provided perpendicularly to the horizontal frame; An output bed provided at the bottom of the Z-axis frame in parallel with the horizontal frame; At least two guide rails provided on the X-axis frame in parallel with the Y-axis frame; At least two nozzles respectively provided on the guide rails, moving along the guide rails, and discharging molten filaments on the output bed; And a control unit for independently controlling and outputting the nozzles.

The control unit may set n−1 common areas, which are areas in which at least two nozzles are independently output, and n independent areas, which are output areas alone, and two adjacent nozzles are commonly output.

The controller may control the nozzle to output the common area after simultaneously outputting each independent area.

In addition, when the n-1 nozzles print the common area, the control unit controls to stop the remaining one nozzle having no area to be printed in the center of the independent area.

The control unit may output the common area by simultaneously moving the n-1 nozzles in one direction along the X-axis frame after the n nozzles output each independent area, and the first nozzle having no area to print or and the n th nozzle is controlled to stop at the center of the independent region.

In addition, the control unit calculates the output time for each independent region, and controls that the nozzle having a relatively short independent region output time among the two adjacent nozzles capable of outputting the common region prints the common region.

The control unit may allocate an output region to output the first region adjacent to the adjacent common region when outputting the independent region so that the independent region does not interfere with the nozzle outputting the independent region.

The controller may control the nozzles to finish output of the independent region by setting the area of the independent region by varying the X-axis frame moving range of each guide rail according to the output model. .

In addition, the 3D printer may output on the output bed while stacking at least two or more layers while the horizontal frame moves along the vertical frame, and the controller sets an independent area and a common area for each layer, And a boundary position between an independent region and a common region of the first layer, which is a layer of, and the second layer, which is another layer adjacent to the first layer, is set differently.

In addition, the 3D printer, a moving belt provided along the X-axis frame; And a third motor for moving the guide rail along the moving belt.

The 3D printer may further include a fourth motor configured to move the horizontal frame up and down along the vertical frame, to stack at least two layers on the output bed.

The present invention provides a 3D printer that independently controls and outputs multiple nozzles, and when outputting a sculpture using the 3D printer according to the present invention, it is possible to output several times faster than a 3D printer using a single nozzle. The printer's output productivity can be greatly improved.

1 to 5 show a 3D printer with six guide rails and nozzles in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
6 and 7 illustrate control of an independent area and a common area of a 3D printer controller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
8 and 9 illustrate a cross section in which the sculpture is output using a 3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Prior to describing the present invention in detail below, it is understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is limited only by the scope of the appended claims. shall. All technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art unless otherwise indicated.

Throughout this specification and claims, unless otherwise indicated, the termcomprise, comprises, and configure means to include the referenced article, step, or group of articles, and step, and any other article It is not meant to exclude a stage or group of things or a group of stages.

On the other hand, various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with any other embodiment unless clearly indicated to the contrary. Any feature indicated as particularly preferred or advantageous may be combined with any other feature and features indicated as preferred or advantageous. Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described an embodiment of the present invention and the effects thereof.

3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is a 3D printer of the FDM method, having at least two guide rails provided in parallel with the Y-axis frame in the horizontal frame consisting of the X-axis frame and Y-axis frame and the guide Provided is a 3D printer that independently controls the nozzles provided on each rail.

1 to 5 show a 3D printer with six guide rails and nozzles in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

More specifically, the 3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is a horizontal frame composed of a pair of X-axis frame 11 and a pair of Y-axis frame 12 and at least one pair provided perpendicular to the horizontal frame Frame 10 including a vertical frame composed of the above Z-axis frame 13, the output bed 20 provided in parallel with the plane of the horizontal frame at the bottom of the Z-axis frame 13, the X-axis frame 11 At least two guide rails 30 provided on the Y-axis frame 12 in parallel with each other, and provided on the guide rails 30, respectively, and move along the guide rails 30, At least two nozzles 40 for discharging the filament on the output bed 20 and a control unit for controlling and outputting the nozzles 40 independently.

In addition, the 3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a first motor 51 for supplying the filament to the nozzle along the guide rail 30 and a second motor 52 for moving the nozzle 40.

In addition, the 3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is a third motor for moving the guide rail 30 along the movable belt 53 and the movable belt 53 provided along the X-axis frame 12 ( 54).

In addition, the 3D printer according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a fourth motor 55 for moving the horizontal frame up and down along the vertical frame (Z-axis frame 13).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the 3D printer includes at least two or more layers 60 of the output bed while the X-axis frame 11 and the Y-axis frame 12 move along the Z-axis frame 13. 20) can be output on.

The 3D printer according to the present invention includes a plurality of guide rails each with a nozzle, and a first motor for supplying a filament, a second motor for moving the nozzle, and a pair of third motors for moving the guide rail for each guide rail. For convenience, the first motor, the second motor and the pair of third motors are shown for only one guide rail and the nozzle. In addition, the control unit (not shown) may be wired in transmitting the control signal for controlling the motors, but may be wirelessly spaced apart and thus not shown in the drawings. In case of transmitting the control signal wirelessly, a separate communication unit may be further provided.

The frame 10 includes a vertical frame and a horizontal frame movably provided along the vertical frame. The horizontal frame is a rectangular frame composed of a pair of X-axis frames 11 and a pair of Y-axis frames 12, the vertical frame is at least one or more pairs of Z provided perpendicular to the edge of the horizontal frame It consists of an axial frame 13.

More specifically, the X-axis frame 11 and the Y-axis frame 12 are provided in pairs facing each other such that both ends of the X-axis frame 11 and both ends of the Y-axis frame 12 abut each other. Form a horizontal frame of the form. In addition, each of four corners where the X-axis frame 11 and the Y-axis frame 12 contact each other constitutes a vertical frame in which the Z-axis frame 13 is positioned.

The horizontal frame composed of the pair of X-axis frames 11 and the pair of Y-axis frames 12 moves along a vertical frame (Z-axis frame 13) to at least two layers 60. Output on the output bed 20.

The output bed 20 is provided at the bottom of the vertical frame in parallel with the horizontal frame. The output bed 20 may be a general output bed as a bed in which the sculpture is formed, and may use a heating bed.

The guide rail 30 is provided with at least two guide rails spaced apart on the X-axis frame in parallel to the Y-axis frame, the guide moves the nozzle. According to the present invention, the first guide rail 31, the second guide rail 32, the third guide rail 33, the fourth guide rail 34, the fifth guide rail 35 and the sixth guide rail The six guide rails of (36) are shown as an example.

The guide rail 30 is covered by the corresponding guide rail by moving the X axis (moving in parallel with the Y axis frame) through the third motor 54 along the moving belt 53 provided in the X axis frame 11. Enable output on the area.

The nozzles 40 are provided on the guide rails 30, respectively, and discharge the molten filaments onto the output bed. In the drawings according to the present invention, the first nozzle 41 provided on the first guide rail 31, the second nozzle 42 provided on the second guide rail 32, and the third guide rail 33 are provided. Provided in the third nozzle 43, the fourth nozzle 44 provided in the fourth guide rail 34, the fifth nozzle 45 provided in the fifth guide rail 35, and the sixth guide rail 36. An example is shown with six nozzles of the sixth nozzle 46 to be made.

The nozzle 40 includes a main body, a supply part provided at one end of the main body to supply molten filaments, and a discharge part provided at the other end of the main body to discharge the molten filament. The filament may be supplied to the nozzle 40 in a molten state through a separate heat source, or may be melted before being discharged after being supplied with a heat source in the nozzle 40.

The nozzle 40 moves along the guide rail 30 along the guide rail 30 through the second motor 52, and the molten filament is formed on the output bed 20 on the area covered by the guide rail provided with the nozzle. Output by discharging.

The motor and the moving belt 50 are means for moving the nozzle, the filament, the guide rail and the horizontal frame, along the first motor 51 and the guide rail 30 for supplying the filament to the nozzle 40. Including a second motor 52 for moving the nozzle 40 to move the nozzle 40 and the filament, the movable belt 53 and the movable belt 53 provided along the X-axis frame 11 A fourth motor for moving the guide rail 30 including a third motor 54 for moving the guide rail 30 along the Z-axis frame 13 and moving the horizontal frame along the Z-axis frame 13. 55) to move the horizontal frame.

The first motor 51 is an extruder motor for filament transfer and provides power for pushing and pulling the filament to the nozzle through the gear. The transfer method can be used without limitation as long as it can transfer the filament such as direct type, Bowden type.

The second motor 52 is a drive motor for the movement of the nozzle 40 to provide the power to move the nozzle Y-axis on the guide rail 30 is provided with the nozzle.

The movable belt 53 is provided along the X-axis frame 11 from the end of the Y-axis frame 12 facing both ends. For example, when the toothed belt is used as the movable belt 53, the toothed wheels 37 are provided at both ends of the guide rail 30 in contact with the X-axis frame 11, and the toothed belt is the toothed wheels. Configure to bite.

The third motor 54 is provided at both ends of the guide rail 30 to form a pair, and provides power to move the guide rail 30 along the moving belt 53. For example, the third motor 54 uses a drive motor having the same shaft as the cog wheel to rotate the cog wheel. When the third motor 54, which is a driving motor, is operated, the gear wheel rotates along the X-axis frame 11 while the gear wheel rotates on the gear belt (moving belt) 53. Accordingly, the guide rail connected to the gear wheel moves to the X-axis. To move (move parallel to the Y-axis frame).

The fourth motor 55 is a motor that provides power to move the horizontal frame along a vertical frame. After the horizontal frame outputs one layer at a specific position of the vertical frame, the fourth motor 55 moves to the next position. Enable the output of the layer. For example, a screw shaft 15 having a bolt 14 at each corner of the horizontal frame, that is, the position where the X-axis frame and the Y-axis frame abut, and the bolt 14 is fitted to the Z-axis frame. After having been provided, a drive motor for rotating the screw shaft 15 having the same shaft as the screw shaft 15 is used as the fourth motor 55. When the fourth motor 55, which is a driving motor, is operated, the screw shaft 15 rotates so that the bolt 14 moves along the Z-axis frame, thereby moving the horizontal frame having the bolts connected to each corner to the Z-axis. do.

The control unit is a means for controlling motors to independently control and output the nozzle and the guide rail, and includes independent control means for respectively controlling the guide rails and general control means for collectively controlling the respective independent control means. .

Through the control unit, it is possible to control to set a common area that is an area in which two nozzles in common and an independent area in which each nozzle is independently output can be output in common. More specifically, n -1 common areas, which are areas in which at least two nozzles can be output in common, and n independent areas, which are areas that can be independently output, are set.

As shown in FIG. 6, the unhatched area corresponds to an independent area where nozzles located in the corresponding area can be output independently, and the hatched area is a common area and two nozzles present at both sides can be output in common. Corresponds to the area.

The controller may control the nozzles to output the common area after simultaneously outputting each independent area. In this case, when the n-1 nozzles print the common area, the controller may control to stop the other one nozzle having no area to be printed in the center of the independent area.

The control unit may output the common area by simultaneously moving the n-1 nozzles in one direction along the X-axis frame after the n nozzles output each independent area, and the edge of the horizontal frame having no area to be printed. The first nozzle or the nth nozzle (for example, the first nozzle or the sixth nozzle), which are external nozzles, may be controlled to stop at the center of the independent region.

The controller may calculate the output time for each independent region and control the nozzles having relatively short independent output time to print the common region among two adjacent nozzles capable of outputting the common region. At this time, the nozzle for outputting the independent area and the nozzle for outputting the common area may overlap and overlap, but the overlap may be prevented by allocating the output area so as not to interfere with the independent area and the nozzle for printing the common area. . For example, an output area is allocated to output first from an area close to an adjacent common area when outputting the independent area so that the independent area is not interfered with a nozzle outputting the independent area. More specifically, when printing an independent region having a long output time, the common region is determined to be output by first outputting the region adjacent to the common region (edge region) and then outputting the region adjacent to the common region (center region). After the nozzle outputs the corresponding independent region, the nozzle may not interfere with the output of the common region.

Also, as shown in FIG. 7, the controller controls the nozzles to finish output of the independent region by setting the area of the independent region by varying the X-axis frame moving range covered by each guide rail according to the output model as shown in FIG. can do. If each independent area is set to the same area, there may be a significant difference in the output time for each independent area depending on the shape of the sculpture. First, after calculating the independent area output time of the same area for each sculpture, the output time is relatively long. By reducing the area of the independent area and increasing the area of the independent area where the output time is relatively short, the area of the independent area can be variably set so that each nozzle can be efficiently used, thereby greatly reducing the overall output time of the sculpture.

In addition, the controller sets independent and common areas for each layer as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, but includes a first layer 61, which is one layer, and a second layer 62, which is another layer adjacent to the first layer. It is possible to set the boundary positions of the independent area and the common area differently. As a result, the boundary between the independent area and the common area of each layer is located at different positions, thereby compensating for the decrease in the structural strength of the output in the Z-axis cross section.

The layer 60 refers to each layer constituting the sculpture output using the 3D printer, wherein the X-axis frame and the Y-axis frame move along the Z-axis frame to at least two layers. Output on the output bed to construct the sculpture. In the drawings according to the present invention, the first layer 61, the second layer 62, the third layer 63, and the like are illustrated.

According to the present invention, when a printed object is output using a 3D printer that independently controls and outputs multiple nozzles, it is several times larger than a 3D printer using a single nozzle (when the number of guide rails is N, at least N-1 times) ) It is possible to print fast and greatly improve the output productivity of 3D printer.

In particular, the 3D printer according to the present invention has a very high possibility of being used as a large 3D printer of 1M X 1M X 1M, and it can contribute to the expansion of large 3D printers that have not been activated in the market yet.

The features, structures, effects, and the like illustrated in the above-described embodiments may be combined or modified with respect to other embodiments by those skilled in the art to which the embodiments belong. Therefore, it should be interpreted that the contents related to such a combination and modification are included in the scope of the present invention.

10: frame
11: X axis frame 12: Y axis frame 13: Z axis frame
14: bolt 15: screw shaft
20: output bed
30: guide rail
31: first guide rail 32: second guide rail 33: third guide rail
34: 4th guide rail 35: 5th guide rail 36: 6th guide rail
37: gearwheel
40: nozzle
41: first nozzle 42: second nozzle 43: third nozzle
44: fourth nozzle 45: fifth nozzle 46: sixth nozzle
50: motor and moving belt
51: first motor 52: second motor 53: moving belt
54: third motor 55: fourth motor
60: layer
61: first layer 62: second layer 63: third layer

Claims (11)

A frame including a horizontal frame composed of a pair of X-axis frames and a pair of Y-axis frames, and a vertical frame composed of at least one pair of Z-axis frames provided perpendicularly to the horizontal frame;
An output bed provided at a lower end of the Z-axis frame in parallel with the horizontal frame;
At least two guide rails provided on the X axis frame in parallel with the Y axis frame;
At least two nozzles respectively provided on the guide rails, moving along the guide rails, and discharging molten filaments on the output bed; And
And a controller for independently controlling and outputting the nozzles.
The method of claim 1,
And the control unit sets n-independent areas, which are areas in which at least two nozzles can be output independently, and n-1 common areas, which are areas in which two adjacent nozzles can be output in common.
The method of claim 2,
And the control unit controls the nozzle to output the common area after simultaneously outputting each independent area.
The method of claim 2,
And the control unit controls to stop the remaining one nozzle in the center of the independent area when the n-1 nozzles print the common area.
The method of claim 2,
The control unit outputs a common area by moving the n-1 nozzles in one direction simultaneously along the X-axis frame after the n nozzles output each independent area, and the first nozzle or n having no area to print. And the second nozzle is controlled to stop at the center of the independent area.
The method of claim 2,
And the control unit calculates an output time for each independent region, and controls a nozzle having a relatively short independent output time to print the common region among two adjacent nozzles capable of outputting the common region.
The method of claim 6,
And the control unit allocates an output area to first output an area close to an adjacent common area when outputting the independent area so as not to interfere with a nozzle outputting the independent area when the common area is output.
The method of claim 2,
The control unit controls each nozzle to finish output of the independent area by setting the area of the independent area by varying the X-axis frame moving range covered by each guide rail according to the output model. printer.
The method of claim 2,
The 3D printer may output on the output bed while stacking at least two or more layers while the horizontal frame moves along the vertical frame,
The controller sets an independent area and a common area for each layer, but sets a boundary position between an independent area and a common area of a first layer, which is one layer, and a second layer, which is another layer adjacent to the first layer, differently. 3D printer, characterized in that.
The method of claim 1,
The 3D printer,
A moving belt provided along the X-axis frame; And
And a third motor for moving the guide rail along the moving belt.
The method of claim 1,
The 3D printer,
And a fourth motor configured to move the horizontal frame up and down along the vertical frame. 4. The 3D printer of claim 2, further comprising stacking at least two layers on the output bed.

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