TW201813805A - 3D printing device with real-time temperature monitoring feature and temperature monitoring method thereof having a temperature sensor held in front of the processing path of the laser beam to sense in advance the temperature change of the surface in front of the processing point - Google Patents

Abstract

A 3D printing device includes a printing unit and a sensing unit. The printing unit has a moving base and a laser emitter. The laser emitter is fixed on the moving base for emitting a laser beam onto a workpiece to be processed. The laser beam forms a processing point on the surface of the workpiece to be processed. The sensing unit has a movable ring and a temperature sensor. The movable ring is rotatably in socket joint with the laser emitter, and the temperature sensor is mounted on the movable ring so that the temperature sensor can rotate around the emission point of the laser beam due to the actuation of the movable ring. As such, the temperature sensor is held in front of the processing path of the laser beam, so as to sense in advance the temperature change of the surface of the workpiece to be processed in front of the processing point, and then adjust in real time the process parameters of the laser emitter according to the sensing result.

Description

3D printing device capable of real-time monitoring temperature and temperature monitoring method thereof

The invention relates to 3D printing technology, and particularly to a 3D printing device capable of real-time monitoring of temperature and a temperature monitoring method of the 3D printing device.

The so-called 3D printing mainly uses powder metal or other adhesive materials to complete the structure of objects by layer by layer accumulation. Nowadays it is widely used in many places, such as transportation, clothing, art, and medical supplies. And other areas.

Although 3D printing has the advantages of high precision and high customization, it still has technical limitations. For example, after using the laser beam to print and sinter the workpiece once, the print sintering is performed at the same point before the thermal energy is completely removed, resulting in the situation that the previously sintered material has not yet completely solidified. New materials are accumulated underneath, and the newly accumulated materials are likely to deviate in size and shape, resulting in a reduction in printing accuracy.

In order to solve the above problems, the current method is to sense the temperature of the processing point during the processing, and adjust the process parameters based on the sensing results after the processing is completed. However, the effect of subsequent analysis and adjustment can be limited, The problem of unstable temperature in the processing area cannot be effectively solved.

The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a 3D printing device, which can monitor the temperature change in front of the processing point in real time, and then adjust the process parameters in real time to maintain the temperature stability of the processing point.

To achieve the above object, the 3D printing device of the present invention includes a printing unit and a sensing unit. The printing unit has a moving base and a laser light emitter, and the laser light emitter is fixed on the moving base to emit a laser beam; the sensing unit has a movable ring and a temperature sensor, The movable ring is rotatably sleeved on the laser light transmitter, and the temperature sensor is provided on the movable ring, so that the temperature sensor can rotate around the emission point of the laser beam through the movable ring. . Thereby, the temperature sensor can always be kept in front of the processing path of the laser beam to sense the temperature change in front of the processing point in advance.

In the present invention, the sensing unit further has a servo motor, a driving gear, and a driven gear ring. The servo motor is provided on the moving base. The driving gear is connected to the servo motor, and the driven gear ring is coaxially connected. The movable ring is also engaged with the driving gear. As a result, the servo motor uses the engagement relationship between the driving gear and the driven ring gear to drive the movable ring to rotate.

In the present invention, the 3D printing device further includes a microcontroller, which is disposed on the mobile base and electrically connected to the temperature sensor for receiving a sensing signal from one of the temperature sensors, And controlling process parameters of the laser light transmitter according to the sensing signal.

In the present invention, the printing unit further has two opposite X-axis limit switches and two opposite Y-axis limit switches. The two X and Y-axis limit switches are respectively disposed on two opposite sides of the moving base to ensure operation. Process safety.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a temperature monitoring method for the aforementioned 3D printing device, including the following steps: a) controlling the laser light emitter to emit the laser beam to a workpiece to be processed, so that the laser beam Forming a processing point on the surface of the workpiece to be processed; b) controlling the moving base to drive the laser light emitter so that the laser beam of the laser light emitter moves along a processing path; c) controlling the movable ring to drive the The temperature sensor rotates around the emission point of the laser beam, so that the temperature sensor is kept in front of the processing path of the laser beam, and is used to sense in advance that the surface of the workpiece to be processed is in front of the processing point. Temperature change. In addition, the aforementioned temperature monitoring method further includes a step d), the microcontroller receives the temperature change sensed by the temperature sensor, and adjusts the process parameters of the printing unit in real time according to the sensing result.

The detailed structure, characteristics, assembly or usage of the 3D printing device provided by the present invention will be described in the detailed description of the subsequent embodiments. However, those having ordinary knowledge in the field of the present invention should understand that the detailed descriptions and the specific embodiments listed in the implementation of the present invention are only used to illustrate the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the patent application of the present invention.

Please refer to FIG. 1 first. The machine 10 shown in the figure includes a frame 11. Two opposite sides of the frame 11 are provided with two opposite X-axis slide rails 12 and two opposite Y-axis slide rails 16. One of the X-axis slide rails 12 is provided with an X-axis drive source 13, the other X-axis slide rail 12 is provided with an X-axis slide stage 14, and the X-axis drive source 13 and the X-axis slide stage 14 are connected by an X-axis. The rods 15 are connected together, so that the X-axis driving source 13 can drive the X-axis slide table 14 to move along an X-axis direction through the X-axis link 15. In addition, one of the Y-axis slide rails 16 is provided with a Y-axis driving source 17. The other Y-axis slide rail 16 is provided with a Y-axis slide table 18, and the Y-axis drive source 17 and the Y-axis slide table 18 are connected by a Y-axis link 19, so that the Y-axis drive source 17 can pass through Y The shaft link 19 drives the Y-axis slide 18 to move along a Y-axis direction.

Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3 again. The 3D printing device 20 of the present invention includes a printing unit 30, a sensing unit 40 and a microcontroller 50.

The printing unit 30 has a moving base 31, the moving base 31 has an X-axis perforation 32 and a Y-axis perforation 33, and the X and Y axis perforations 32 and 33 are staggered up and down. The moving base 31 is perforated by the X and Y axes, respectively. 32 and 33 are mounted on the X and Y axis links 15, 19, so that the moving seat 31 can be driven by the X and Y axis links 15, 19 to move along the X axis direction and the Y axis direction. In order to avoid the collision of the mobile base 31 during the movement, two opposite X-axis limit switches 34 and two opposite Y-axis limit switches 35 are installed on two opposite sides of the mobile base 31 to ensure the safety of the operation process. . In addition, the printing unit 30 further has a laser light emitter 36, and a top end of the laser light emitter 36 is fixed to the moving base 31 for emitting a laser beam L to the workpiece 60 to be processed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sensing unit 40 includes a servo motor 41, a driving gear 42, a driven ring gear 43, and a movable ring 44. The servo motor 41 is provided on the moving base 31. The driving gear 42 is connected to the servo motor 41. The driven gear ring 43 is rotatably sleeved on the laser light transmitter 36 and is engaged with the driving gear 42. The movable ring 44 is rotatably sleeved on The bottom end of the laser light emitter 36 is coaxially connected to the driven ring gear 43. Accordingly, the servo motor 41 uses the engagement relationship between the driving gear 42 and the driven ring gear 43 to drive the movable ring 44 to rotate relative to the laser light emitter 36. In addition, the sensing unit 40 further has a temperature sensor 45. The temperature sensor 45 is disposed on the movable ring 44 so that the temperature sensor 45 can rotate around the emission point of the laser beam L through the movable ring 44. .

The microcontroller 50 is disposed on the mobile base 31 and is electrically connected to the temperature sensor 45 to receive a sensing signal from one of the temperature sensors 45 and control the process parameters of the printing unit 30 according to the sensing signal, such as mobile The moving speed of the pedestal 31, the transmission power of the laser light emitter 36, and the powder feeding rate of the laser light emitter 36, and the like.

The above is the structure of the 3D printing device 20 of the present invention. The temperature monitoring method of the present invention is described below, please refer to FIG. 4:

a): The microcontroller 50 controls the laser light emitter 36 to emit a laser beam L to the workpiece 60 to be processed, so that the laser beam L forms a processing point W on the surface of the workpiece 60 to be processed.

b): The micro-controller 50 controls the moving base 31 to drive the laser light emitter 36 so that the laser beam L of the laser light emitter 36 moves along a processing path P.

c): The micro-controller 50 controls the movable ring to drive the temperature sensor 45 to rotate around the emission point of the laser beam L, so that the temperature sensor 45 is always kept in front of the processing path P of the laser beam L. The temperature change of the surface of the workpiece 60 to be processed in front of the processing point W is sensed.

d): The microcontroller 50 receives the temperature change sensed by the temperature sensor 45, and adjusts the process parameters of the printing unit 30 in real time according to the sensing results, such as the aforementioned moving speed of the mobile base 31, lightning The transmission power of the laser light emitter 36 and the powder feed rate of the laser light emitter 36 are provided.

It can be known from the above that the 3D printing device 20 of the present invention senses the temperature in front of the processing path P of the laser beam L by the temperature sensor 45 and adjusts the process parameters, such as the temperature in front, after the analysis by the microcontroller 50 If it is higher than one of the reference temperatures set by the microcontroller 50, the microcontroller 50 will control the laser light transmitter 36 to reduce the transmission power, otherwise it will increase the transmission power, or when it needs to turn in front, the microcontroller 50 It will control the mobile seat 31 to accelerate or decelerate, and adjust the transmission power of the laser light transmitter at the same time. In principle, reduce the transmission power when decelerating and increase the transmission power when accelerating. This can keep the temperature of each processing point W stable. State to solve the problem of poor accuracy caused by temperature irregularity in conventional technology.

10‧‧‧machine

11‧‧‧frame

12‧‧‧X-axis slide

13‧‧‧X-axis drive source

14‧‧‧X-axis slide table

15‧‧‧X-axis link

16‧‧‧Y-axis slide

17‧‧‧Y-axis drive source

18‧‧‧Y-axis slide table

19‧‧‧Y-axis link

20‧‧‧3D printing device

30‧‧‧Printing Unit

31‧‧‧mobile seat

32‧‧‧X-axis perforation

33‧‧‧Y-axis perforation

34‧‧‧X-axis limit switch

35‧‧‧Y-axis limit switch

36‧‧‧laser light transmitter

L‧‧‧laser beam

P‧‧‧Processing path

40‧‧‧sensing unit

41‧‧‧Servo motor

42‧‧‧Drive gear

43‧‧‧ driven gear ring

44‧‧‧ Movable ring

45‧‧‧Temperature sensor

50‧‧‧Microcontroller

60‧‧‧Work piece to be processed

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a 3D printing device cooperating with a machine according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a 3D printing device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the 3D printing device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the operation of the 3D printing device of the present invention.

Claims (6)

A 3D printing device includes: a printing unit having a mobile base and a laser light emitter, the laser light emitter is fixed on the mobile base to emit a laser beam; and a sensing unit, There is a movable ring and a temperature sensor, the movable ring is rotatably sleeved on the laser light transmitter, and the temperature sensor is provided on the movable ring, so that the temperature sensor can be passed through the movable ring. Rotate around the emission point of the laser beam. The 3D printing device according to claim 1, wherein the sensing unit further includes a servo motor, a driving gear and a driven ring gear, the servo motor is disposed on the moving base, and the driving gear is connected to the servo motor. The driven toothed ring is coaxially connected to the movable ring and is engaged with the driving gear. The 3D printing device according to claim 1, further comprising a microcontroller, which is disposed on the mobile base and is electrically connected to the temperature sensor for receiving one of the temperature sensors. Signals, and control the process parameters of the printing unit according to the sensing signals. The 3D printing device according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit further has two opposite X-axis limit switches and two opposite Y-axis limit switches, and the two X and Y-axis limit switches are respectively disposed on the moving seat. Two opposite sides. A temperature monitoring method for a 3D printing device according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: a) controlling the laser light emitter to emit the laser beam to a workpiece to be processed, so that the laser beam is at the to-be-processed A processing point is formed on the surface of the workpiece; b) controlling the moving base to drive the laser light transmitter so that the laser beam of the laser light transmitter moves along a processing path; and c) controlling the movable ring to drive the temperature sensing The device rotates around the emission point of the laser beam, so that the temperature sensor is kept in front of the processing path of the laser beam, and is used for pre-sensing the temperature change of the surface of the workpiece to be processed in front of the processing point. . The temperature monitoring method according to claim 5, further comprising a step d), a microcontroller receives the temperature change sensed by the temperature sensor, and adjusts the process parameters of the printing unit in real time according to the sensing result. .