TW202021785A - Additive manufacturing window module preventing powder in a working area of an additive manufacturing cavity from sticking to the surface of the window member - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an additive manufacturing window module, which generates a high-speed and high-pressure uniform protective airflow field under a laser penetrating window to prevent powder in a working area of an additive manufacturing cavity from sticking to the surface of the window member and affecting accuracy and effect of laser sintering. The Additive manufacturing window module includes an annular frame body which accommodates a window member at the center, wherein a gas diffusion space is provided at the inner side of the side wall of the annular frame body, the gas diffusion space has a gas tapered outlet facing a side of the inner side of the annular frame body, and the gas tapered outlet faces the window member; and a plurality of air inlet units, which are arranged around the outer side of the side wall of the annular frame body and communicated with the gas diffusion space. Gas is introduced by the air inlet units into the gas diffusion space and then pass through the gas tapered outlet to reach below the window member.

Description

Multilayer manufacturing window module

The present invention is related to multilayer manufacturing technology, and particularly refers to a multilayer manufacturing window module used in the laser sintering process of multilayer manufacturing.

In the current typical multilayer manufacturing equipment structure, the forming energy supply subsystem generates a laser or electron beam, passes through the window of a window module and enters the processing cavity, scans the powder surface inside the processing cavity, and performs sintering or melting forming; In the traditional window module application, a protective gas is blown to the window part of the window module to protect the glass from the erosion of powder. For example, the window module design of US patent US5876767, the external air enters the internal pipe from the inlet The pipe proceeds to the annular nozzle, and then ejects from the nozzle, and hits the image side surface of the lens toward the center of the annular shape. The window module design of US Patent No. US6583379 makes the high-pressure air flow parallel to the window. The disadvantage of the aforementioned conventional technology is that a relatively fast-flowing fluid is used to impact the protected surface, and the air flow is used to take away the floating powder in the gas protection space, so as to prevent the powder from eroding the protected surface. The method of protecting the glass from powder/dust sticking with gas is traditionally done by blowing directly. This method has disadvantages. The faster the air flow, the lower the pressure, and the faster the blowing speed. Although it is easier to take away the powder at the impact of the air flow, its low pressure characteristic makes it easy to attract the surrounding powder. The glass is still in danger of being contaminated by powder. Although the fast-moving fluid takes away the powder, according to Bernoulli’s law of fluid, the faster the flow rate, the lower the pressure. The low pressure generated by the fast jet will also attract the surrounding powder, so the faster flow may still produce Dust damage, poor surface protection effect. In order to be foolproof, additional powder adsorption equipment must be equipped to keep the powder as far away from the window glass as possible, which increases the purchase and operation costs of the laminated manufacturing equipment.

In order to solve the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a laminated manufacturing window module, which generates a high-speed and high-pressure uniform protective airflow field under the laser penetration window to prevent the powder in the working area of the laminated manufacturing cavity from sticking to The surface of the window affects the accuracy and effect of laser sintering.

The present invention is a laminated manufacturing window module, which is applied in the process of forming a laser sintered workpiece by layered manufacturing. The laminated manufacturing window module includes: a ring frame body, the center of which houses a window part, and the ring frame body There is a gas diffusion space inside the side wall, and one side of the gas diffusion space facing the inside of the annular frame has a gas tapered outlet, and the gas tapered outlet faces the window; a plurality of air inlet units are arranged around the The outer side of the side wall of the ring-shaped frame body is connected with the gas diffusion space, and the air inlet units introduce gas into the gas diffusion space, and then reach the bottom of the window through the gas tapered outlet.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a high-energy beam is directed toward the window member from above the annular frame, and the high-energy beam is a laser.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the air system introduced by the air intake unit It is an inert gas.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the gas system introduced by the air intake unit is nitrogen.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the cross-sectional area of the air inlet unit is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the gas diffusion space.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the cross-sectional area of the gas tapered outlet is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the gas diffusion space.

The above summary, the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings are intended to further explain the methods, means and effects of the present invention to achieve the intended purpose. Other objectives and advantages of the present invention will be described in the following description and drawings.

11‧‧‧Ring frame

11A‧‧‧Gas diffusion space

11B‧‧‧Gas tapered outlet

12‧‧‧Windows

13‧‧‧Air intake unit

FIG. 1 is a structural cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the laminated manufacturing window module of the present invention.

2 is a top view of the structure of an embodiment of the laminated manufacturing window module of the present invention.

The following is a specific example to illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those familiar with the art can easily understand the other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 together, which are the structural cross-sectional view and top view of an embodiment of the laminated manufacturing window module of the present invention. This embodiment is applied to the forming process of the laminated manufacturing laser sintered workpiece, as shown in the figure. Build windows The module includes: an annular frame body 11, the center of which houses a window member 12, the side wall of the annular frame body 11 has an annular gas diffusion space 11A, and the gas diffusion space 11A faces the inside of the annular frame body 11. One side is provided with a tapered gas outlet 11B, the tapered gas outlet 11B is facing the window member 12, and an annular narrow opening is formed on the inner side wall of the annular frame 11; more than six air inlet units 13 are arranged around the On the outer side of the side wall of the annular frame 11, the air intake units 13 introduce gas into the gas diffusion space 11A, and then reach the bottom of the window member 12 through the gas tapered outlet 11B.

According to the continuity of fluid and the law of conservation, the velocity of the air flow through the contraction section will increase, and vice versa, the velocity of the air flow through the expansion section will decrease. In the embodiment of the present invention, gas is introduced into the annular gas diffusion space from the gas inlet units. Since the cross-sectional area of the gas inlet unit is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the gas diffusion space, the gas will form in the gas diffusion space at a low speed but The high-pressure air flow then flows out of the annular gullet from the gas taper outlet, so that the airflow forms a circular distribution and overflows the gullet, and forms a layer of high-pressure protective gas area under the window member to prevent the build-up under the build-up manufacturing window module The powder in the sintering work area (not shown in the figure) is sprayed and adhered to the window, which affects the effect of the laser penetrating the window.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the gas introduced by the air inlet unit is inert gas or nitrogen. When the inert gas or nitrogen enters the gas diffusion space (large cross-sectional area) from the inlet unit (small cross-sectional area), it will slow down and diffuse from the gas. Space (large cross-sectional area) will accelerate when entering the gas tapered outlet (small cross-sectional area), and the gas will gradually shrink at the same time The tapered design of the outlet will further accelerate the inert gas or nitrogen, and then form a high-pressure, high-speed and uniform air flow protection layer under the window. The number of air intake units is preferably six, and they are evenly spaced (60°). In order to obtain an average annular air flow field effect, theoretically, the more the number of air intake units, the more uniform the annular air flow field under the window member. Therefore, those skilled in the art can increase the number of air intake units according to their needs. It is limited to the aspect disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a laminated manufacturing window module, which generates a high-speed, high-pressure uniform protective airflow field under the laser penetration window to prevent the powder in the working area of the laminated manufacturing cavity from sticking to the surface of the window. , Affecting the accuracy and effect of laser sintering. The invention utilizes the change of the cross-sectional area of the air inlet flow path to achieve the effects of rectifying, accelerating and pressurizing the inert gas or nitrogen, and can protect the window glass without additional powder adsorption equipment, and has a simple structure and low cost.

The above-mentioned embodiments are only illustrative of the features and effects of the present invention, and are not used to limit the scope of the essential technical content of the present invention. Anyone familiar with this technique can modify and change the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the rights of the present invention should be as listed in the scope of patent application mentioned later.

11‧‧‧Ring frame

11A‧‧‧Gas diffusion space

11B‧‧‧Gas tapered outlet

12‧‧‧Windows

13‧‧‧Air intake unit

Claims (7)

A laminated manufacturing window module is used in the process of forming a laser sintered workpiece for laminated manufacturing. The laminated manufacturing window module includes: an annular frame body, the center of which houses a window part, and the inside of the side wall of the ring frame body There is a gas diffusion space, and one side of the gas diffusion space facing the inside of the ring frame has a tapered gas outlet, and the tapered gas outlet faces the window; a plurality of air inlet units are arranged around the ring frame The outside of the side wall of the body communicates with the gas diffusion space, and the air inlet units introduce gas into the gas diffusion space, and then reach the bottom of the window through the gas tapered outlet. The laminated manufacturing window module according to claim 1, wherein a high-energy beam is directed toward the window member from above the annular frame. The laminated manufacturing window module according to claim 2, wherein the high-energy beam is a laser. The laminated manufacturing window module according to claim 1, wherein the gas system introduced by the air inlet unit is an inert gas. The laminated manufacturing window module according to claim 1, wherein the gas system introduced by the air inlet unit is nitrogen. The laminated manufacturing window module according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of the air inlet unit is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the gas diffusion space. The laminated manufacturing window module according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of the gas tapered outlet is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the gas diffusion space.

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