TWI621482B - Module design of dispensing system for three-dimensional printing in multiaxis cnc machining - Google Patents

Abstract

A nozzle module manufactured by laminating a metal/ceramic/semiconductor colloidal powder and using a multi-axis control layer is suitable for being arranged on a spindle of a computer numerical control machining machine to form a computer numerical control processing device. When combined with the CNC machine tool, this module can display the forming function of the laminated manufacturing to achieve the characteristic accuracy and repeatability of the design. The nozzle module includes a feed screw, a screw pipe, a porous inlet port, a premixing chamber, and a high pressure injection zone. The feeding screw is arranged in the screw pipe and connected to the main shaft. The dispensing needle is connected to the screw pipe. The screw pipe is available for the input metal/ceramic/semiconductor dispersion. When the rubber feeding screw rotates with the main shaft, the dispersing colloid in the screw pipe is pushed to the dispensing needle, and the precise position is moved to establish and shape the geometric features.

Description

Nozzle module with three-dimensional printing metal function and computer numerical control processing device

The invention relates to a nozzle module and a computer numerical control processing device, in particular to a nozzle module with a multi-axis dimension printing metal colloid function and a computer numerical control processing device.

Computer Numerical Control Machining Center (hereinafter referred to as "CNC Machining Machine") is a metal automatic processing machine that can use a computer numerical control system to generate digital signals to drive a milling machine to perform precision machining operations. . The milling machine mechanism is a machine tool that mills a workpiece by a milling cutter, and includes a tool spindle that is movable up and down in the Z-axis direction and rotatable, and a platform that can move along the XY plane. The platform is used to place the workpiece to be machined, and then the workpiece is milled with the tool. The biggest characteristic of CNC machining is that it can store different cutting operations into a controller and drive the tool according to a control program. It can perform a variety of different steps in sequence, so it can accurately mill out various complicated shapes. .

However, it is impossible to form an additional metal structure on the workpiece by controlling the machining machine with the computer numerical value of the generally installed tool. In order to form additional metal structures on the workpiece or to repair the workpiece, researchers have begun to do some research on the cooperation between the nozzle and the laser process. The related technical developments are as follows: In 2006, Srdja Zekovic and other scholars analyzed the rapid sintering of the laser metal. In the Laser Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) process, the metal powder sprayed from the nozzle is mixed with a gas to form a fluid flow pattern to understand the phenomenon of metal processing.

In 2013, Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies of the United Kingdom produced a nozzle that can be mounted on a CNC machining machine to repair worn parts such as blades to save money. Source and cost benefits.

In 2014, Fraunhofer IWS in Germany produced a nozzle with a laser source, which splits the laser source into three beams and then focuses it. The concentrated beam can melt the metal wire and spray the solder on the metal wire for processing. The location.

In addition, the US RPM INNOVATION uses a specially designed nozzle to first use a laser to form a molten state of the workpiece surface, and then spray the metal powder material to the molten region to repair or manufacture the workpiece.

However, conventional nozzle structures are mostly used to spray metal in a powder state, and it is difficult to perform automatic control using a computer numerical control processing machine. Additional metal structures cannot be systematically added to the workpiece to be machined; and metal structures of different phase or different materials cannot be provided when repairing defective workpieces. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in the automation technology used to process or repair workpieces.

An object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle module which can be integrated with a laser device and is suitable for being mounted on a spindle or a tool holder of a conventional CNC machining machine, so that the CNC machining machine can increase the multi-axis dimension function, especially For the multi-axis dimension of the metal material, the metal structure of different phase states or different materials can be additionally added to the metal parts, and the repairing ability of the CNC machining machine for the defective metal parts can be strengthened, so that the repaired metal parts are retained. Or exceed the original mechanical strength and operational functions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer numerical control processing device suitable for driving a novel nozzle module by a numerical control program and in conjunction with a laser sintering process to achieve the function of three-dimensional printing of metal materials.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a nozzle module having a three-dimensional printing metal function, which is suitable for mounting on a spindle of a CNC machining machine for processing and repairing a metal part. The nozzle module includes a feeding screw, a screw pipe and a dispensing needle. The feed screw is connected to the spindle of the computer numerical control machining machine. The screw pipe is provided with a rubber screw disposed therein and has a gel inlet for inputting a metal colloid. The dispensing needle is connected to the screw pipe and has a gel outlet. When the rubber feeding screw rotates with the main shaft, the metal colloid in the screw pipe is pushed to the dispensing needle, and then ejected from the colloidal ejection port to a repairing position of the metal part.

In addition, the present invention also provides a computer numerical control processing device (hereinafter referred to as "CNC processing device") having a three-dimensional printing metal function, comprising a platform, a nozzle module, a spindle driving system, a gas system, and a Laser light source system, a metal colloid system and a computer numerical controller. The platform is used to place and move metal parts. The nozzle module is used to spray the metal colloid onto the metal part and sinter it. The spindle drive system is electrically connected to the computer numerical control spindle of the machining machine. The gas system is connected to the intake line to regulate the flow of the desired gas species. The laser light source system is electrically connected to one of the laser unit of the nozzle module. The metal colloid system is used to drive the loading of the colloid and calculate the amount of colloidal discharge. The computer numerical controller includes a numerical control program (NC). The numerical control program includes a call nozzle module, a drive spindle to control the rotation of the rubber feed screw, calculate the discharge amount of the metal colloid, and control a gas to be ejected through the gas pipeline. A gas-covered region is formed to cover the metal parts, and the metal colloid sprayed from the laser nozzle assembly is activated.

In an embodiment, the nozzle module further includes a laser device fixed to one side of the spindle. When the spindle moves, the laser device, the feeding screw and the dispensing needle simultaneously As the spindle moves and the relative positions of the three are not changed by movement, the laser device and the gel exit opening can simultaneously aim at the repair position.

In an embodiment, the nozzle module further includes a fixing member that connects the laser device and the main shaft.

In an embodiment, the nozzle module further includes an annular gas pipe and an air inlet pipe, wherein the annular gas pipe is connected to the air inlet pipe and surrounds the glue needle to form a gas covering area to cover the repairing position. .

In one embodiment, the nozzle module further includes a cutter joint structure, one end of which is selectively connected or separated from the main shaft for replacing the nozzle module, and the other end of which is connected to the rubber screw.

In one embodiment, the nozzle module further includes a glue inlet pipe connected to the gel inlet of the screw pipe, wherein the metal colloid is a mixture of a metal powder and a high molecular polymer.

In an embodiment, the dispensing needle can be selectively connected to the screw pipe or divided Leave to replace the glue needle.

In an embodiment, the material of the metal colloid and the metal part may be different metals.

The nozzle module of the present invention can convert a conventional multi-axis CNC machining machine into a unique CNC machining device having a multi-axis dimension printing metal function by laser sintering. The nozzle module can be controlled by the NC program, such as the position of the control platform, the dose of the metal colloid, the gas flow rate, and the laser device. The computer numerical control processing device can cooperate with CAD/CAM to calculate the position and size of the metal parts to be repaired, and set the sintering path. The metal parts on the metal parts are stacked to form the metal structure to be repaired, so that the repaired metal parts can be retained or exceeded. Mechanical strength and operational function.

100‧‧‧ nozzle module

110‧‧‧Inlet screw

120‧‧‧Glue needle

121‧‧‧Colloid exit

130‧‧‧Laser device

140‧‧‧ screw pipe

141‧‧ ‧ Colloid entrance

142‧‧‧The outer casing of the screw pipe

150‧‧‧Tool joint structure

160‧‧‧Inlet pipe

161‧‧‧ hollow nut

170‧‧‧ gas pipeline

180‧‧‧Intake pipe

190‧‧‧Fixed parts

200‧‧‧metal colloid

300‧‧‧Computer numerical control processing device (CNC processing device)

310‧‧‧ Spindle

320‧‧‧Spindle drive system

330‧‧‧ gas system

340‧‧‧Laser light source system

350‧‧‧Metal colloid system

360‧‧‧Computer numerical controller

370‧‧‧ platform

400‧‧‧Metal parts

P‧‧‧Repair location

R‧‧‧ gas coverage area

Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing the structure of a head module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A and 2B are diagrams showing the structure and operation of a gas pipe of a nozzle module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing the structure and operation of a laser device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4A-4C is a schematic view, a disassembled schematic view and an enlarged schematic view of a nozzle module of another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a computer numerical control processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more <RTIgt; Furthermore, the directional terms mentioned in the present invention, such as upper, lower, top, bottom, front, rear, left, right, inner, outer, side, surrounding, central, horizontal, horizontal, vertical, longitudinal, axial, Radial, uppermost or lowermost, etc., only refer to the direction of the additional schema. Therefore, the directional terminology used is for the purpose of illustration and understanding of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of a showerhead module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The nozzle module 100 of the present invention needs to be installed in a tool holder of a CNC machining machine; and, CNC The processing machine can automatically change the nozzle modules of different specifications through the numerical control program (Numerical Control, hereinafter referred to as "NC program"). As shown in Fig. 1, the spindle 310 is located in a tool magazine of a CNC machining machine, which is generally used to mount a tool. However, the nozzle module 100 of the present invention has a tool joint structure 150 that can be selectively connected or separated from the spindle 310, so that a metal part can be processed or repaired in conjunction with a CNC machining machine and its preset NC program script. The nozzle module can also be replaced automatically.

The main components of the nozzle module 100 include a feeding screw 110, a dispensing needle 120 and a laser device 130. The rubber feeding screw 110 is disposed in a screw pipe 140, and its upper end is connected to the tool joint structure 150, thereby being connected to the spindle 310 of the CNC machining machine, so that it can move or rotate with the spindle 310. The screw conduit 140 has a gel inlet 141 that is connected to a glue inlet conduit 160. One end of the dispensing needle 120 is connected to the screw duct 140, and the other end has a colloidal opening 121. The laser device 130 is fixed to one side of the main shaft 310. A technical feature of the present invention is that when the spindle 310 moves, the laser device 130, the screwing screw 110 and the dispensing needle 120 simultaneously move with the spindle 310, and the relative positions of the three are not changed by the movement, so that The laser device 130 and the colloidal exit port 121 can simultaneously aim at the same position.

It is worth mentioning that the metal colloid 200 suitable for the embodiment of the present invention may be a mixture of a metal powder and a high molecular polymer. When the metal part is repaired by the head module 100 of FIG. 1, the metal colloid 200 is input from the glue feeding pipe 160 and enters the screw pipe 140 through the glue inlet 141. Referring to FIG. 2A at the same time, when the spindle 310 rotates, the feeding screw 110 rotates along with the spindle 310, thereby pushing the metal colloid 200 in the screw pipe 140 to the dispensing needle 120, and then the metal colloid by the colloidal opening 121. 200 is shot at the repair position P of the metal part 400; the metal colloid 200 at the repair position P is then sintered by the laser device 130.

It should be emphasized that in order to enable the nozzle module 100 to perform the required actions in conjunction with the CNC machining machine and its preset NC program, the design of the rubber screw 110 needs to be directly or indirectly coupled to the spindle 310, with the spindle 310 Driven, and can accurately control the discharge amount of the metal colloid 200 through the NC program. The laser device 130 needs to maintain the position relative to the dispensing needle 120 at all times to be aimed at the repairing position P at the same time, and adjust the parameters of the laser device 130 through the NC program to perform the metal colloid 200 emitted from the dispensing needle 120. sintering. In order to match the particle size of the metal powder contained in the different metal colloids 200, the dispensing needle 120 can be selectively connected to the screw pipe 140. Or separate to replace the dispensing needles of different apertures; in other words, the dispensing needles 120 need to be able to be quickly and automatically disassembled. In addition, the material of the dispensing needle 120 needs to be able to overcome the high temperature of the laser.

2A and 2B are schematic views showing the structure and operation of the gas pipe of the nozzle module 100 of the present invention. The gas pipe of the nozzle module 100 includes a gas pipe 170 and an air inlet pipe 180 for spraying a gas to cover the metal part 400 to cooperate with the laser sintering process. The upper half of Fig. 2B is a side view of the gas pipe, and the lower half is a cross-sectional view of A-A in a side view. The side view shows the gas conduit 170 connected to the inlet conduit 180; the cross-sectional view shows the gas conduit 170 surrounding the dispensing needle 120. In addition, FIG. 2B also shows that the gas conduit 170 partially surrounds the circumference of the screw conduit 140. Gases suitable for use in embodiments of the invention include, but are not limited to, inert gases or reducing gases. The gas is input from the intake duct 180 and is ejected through the gas duct 170 to the repair position P, and the size of the gas-covered region R can be controlled by the gas duct 170.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the structure and operation of the laser device of the nozzle module of the present invention. The number of laser devices 130 of the present invention is not limited to one. In order to enable the laser device 130 to move along with the spindle 310, the nozzle module 100 further includes a fixing member 190 for connecting the laser device 130 to the outer casing 142 of the screw pipe 140, so that the laser device 130 can be fixed to the laser device 130. The cutter joint structure 150, the feed screw 110 and the dispensing needle 120 are on both sides or around. When the tool joint structure 150 is coupled to the spindle 310, the laser device 130 can move with the spindle 310. As the spindle 310 moves, the relative position between the laser device 130 and the dispensing needle 120 does not change, and both can maintain aiming at the same position at all times.

Please refer to FIG. 4A-4C. FIG. 4A-4C is a schematic diagram, a connection schematic diagram and an enlarged schematic view of a nozzle module 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which the glue feeding pipe 160 and the screw pipe 140 are disassembled. It is to be noted that, in order to facilitate the description of how the glue inlet pipe 160 and the screw pipe 140 are connected and disassembled, the laser device 130 is not illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4C, and the feed pipe 160 in FIG. 4C is illustrated. The housing at the junction with the screw conduit 140 is shown in cross section. In another aspect, the laser device 130 is one of the components that are selectively included in the showerhead module 100. As shown in FIG. 4A-4C, one side of the glue feeding pipe 160 may be provided with a hollow nut 161 sized and shaped to correspond to the glue inlet 141, and the hollow nut 161 may be locked to the screw by means of a screw. a colloid inlet 141 (the colloid inlet 141 is also provided with a thread corresponding to the hollow nut), and the metal colloid can enter through the hollow portion (not shown) of the hollow nut 161 In the glue pipe 160. On the other hand, it can also be seen from the figures 1-3 or 4A-4C that the laser device 130 and the air inlet duct 180 are fixed to the nozzle mold of the present invention by means of socket and screw locking. Group 100. For example, in the first to third embodiments, the laser device 130 and the air inlet duct 180 are supported by the fixing member 190 to provide a fixing effect; and, for example, in the 4A-4C, the air inlet duct 180 is The fixing member 190 is sleeved to produce a fixing effect. In other words, the nozzle module 100 of another embodiment of the present invention can be removed by disassembling the various pipeline components (such as the laser device 130, the feeding conduit 160 and the intake conduit 180). The nozzle module 100 is housed.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a computer numerical control processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The computer numerical control processing device (hereinafter referred to as "CNC processing device") 300 is composed of a CNC machining machine and a head module 100 mounted thereon. The CNC machining machine includes a spindle 310, a spindle drive system 320, a gas system 330, a laser light source system 340, a metal colloid system 350, a computer numerical controller 360 (hereinafter referred to as "CNC controller"), and a platform 370. . The nozzle module 100 is coupled to the spindle 310 of the CNC machining machine by a tool joint structure 150. The spindle drive system 320 is used to drive the spindle 310. The gas system 330 is connected to the intake duct 180 for regulating the type or flow of the gas. The laser source system 340 is electrically coupled to the laser device 130. The metal colloid system 350 is used to calculate the amount of metal colloid 200 ejected. The computer numerical controller 360 calls the nozzle module 100, drives the spindle 310 through the spindle driving system 320 to control the rotation of the rubber feeding screw 110, calculates the discharge amount of the metal colloid 200 by using the metal colloid system 350, or controls the mixing of the metal powder and the high molecular polymer. The ratio, and the size of the gas-covered region R is controlled by the gas system 330, and the metal colloid 200 ejected by the laser device 130 is activated. The platform 370 is used to place the metal part 400 and can be moved in a horizontal direction.

In one embodiment, the metal colloid 200 ejected from the nozzle module 100 of the CNC processing apparatus 300 may have a phase and metal material type that is different from the metal part 400 to be repaired.

Compared with the prior art, the improvement of the present invention is that the structure of the nozzle module 100 can compensate for the shortcomings of the Laser Direct Rapid Deposition (DLD) technology, and is transparent to the metal part 400 to be repaired. The showerhead module 100 controls the dose of the metal colloid 200 and controls the type of the ejected gas and the size of the covered area while passing through the laser device 130. The metal colloid 200 is sintered to rebuild the metal structure on the crucible portion of the metal part 400, and the reconstructed metal structure satisfies the original design structural strength and dimensional accuracy of the metal part 400, and even the repaired metal part 400 can be retained or Exceeds the original mechanical strength and operational functions.

In summary, the nozzle module 100 of the present invention can be installed on an existing CNC machining machine and operated by the NC program control nozzle module 100. The NC program can control the position of the platform 370, the dose of the metal colloid 200, the gas flow rate, the laser device, etc., and the CAD/CAM calculates the position and size of the metal part 400 to be repaired, and sets the sintering path to provide a high degree of freedom. Maintenance technology.

Compared with the related related art, the present invention has the following advantages:

1. The design of the nozzle module 100 can be installed on a conventional multi-axis CNC machining machine, and cooperates with the laser sintering process to convert the conventional multi-axis CNC machining machine into a unique multi-axis dimension printing function. Working machine.

2. Different from the current metal three-dimensional printing technology is still limited to the powder coating process, the metal multi-axis dimension printing function of the nozzle module 100 can realize the multi-axis dimension free surface printing process.

3. The CNC processing apparatus 300 of the present invention can provide a cavity to simultaneously accommodate various metal materials for kneading therein, and then spray the composite material out of the nozzle module 100 to perform precise repair and reconstruction of the metal part 400.

4. Since the nozzle module 100 can be mounted on a CNC machining machine, an ISO code can be used to create a machining path or a sintering path through a macro instruction, or a user-friendly software such as Siemens. NX, Pro-Engineer, programming directly.

The design of the nozzle module 100 breaks the framework of the existing CNC machining machine, and the CNC machining machine increases the function of printing the metal material in the multi-axis dimension, thereby simplifying the metal processing steps and reducing the consumption of the repair material, and efficiently customizing or Repairing metal parts; at the same time improving the conventional Laser Squeeze Direct Laser Deposition technology, changing the repair material from the metal powder form to the metal colloid, preventing the laser unsintered powder from scattering and avoiding the formed metal The high surface roughness of the structure or environmental problems contributes to the development of the processing machine industry.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in its preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention, and any person skilled in the art can make it without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Various changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (8)

A nozzle module having a three-dimensional printing metal function, which is suitable for being installed on a computer numerical control (CNC) processing machine for processing and repairing a metal part, the computer numerical control processing machine has a spindle The nozzle module comprises: a rubber feeding screw connecting the main shaft; a screw pipe for the rubber feeding screw to be disposed therein, and a rubber inlet for inputting a metal colloid into the screw pipe; a glue needle head connected to the screw pipe and having a gel discharge port. When the rubber feed screw rotates with the main shaft, the metal colloid is pushed from the screw pipe to pass through the glue needle, and then exits from the gel body. a port is ejected to a repairing position of the metal part; a laser device is fixed to one side of the main shaft, and when the main shaft moves, the laser device, the feeding screw and the dispensing needle simultaneously follow The spindle moves, and the relative positions of the three are not changed by the movement, so that the laser device and the colloidal exit port can simultaneously aim at the repairing position; and a gas pipeline and An intake conduit, wherein the gas pipe connected to the intake duct, and the plastic surrounding the needle, wherein the laser device and the intake duct is attached to the socket with a lock screw is fixed on the head module. The nozzle module having the three-dimensional printing metal function as described in claim 1 further includes a fixing member connecting the laser device and the spindle. The nozzle module having the three-dimensional printing metal function as described in claim 1 of the patent application further includes a cutter joint structure, one end of which is selectively associated with the main The shaft is connected or separated, and the other end is connected to the feeding screw. The nozzle module having the three-dimensional printing metal function as described in claim 1 further includes a glue inlet pipe connecting the gel inlet of the screw pipe, wherein the metal colloid is a metal powder and a mixture of high molecular polymers. The nozzle module having the three-dimensional printing metal function as described in claim 1, wherein the dispensing needle is selectively connected or separated from the screw pipe. A computer numerical control processing device having a three-dimensional printing metal function, comprising: a platform for placing and moving the metal part; and the nozzle module according to claim 1 for the metal colloid Sprayed onto the metal part; a spindle drive system electrically connected to the computer to control the spindle of the machining machine; a gas system connected to the intake pipe; and a laser light source system electrically connected to the nozzle module a laser device; a metal colloid system for measuring the metal colloid; and a computer numerical controller comprising a numerical control program, the content of the numerical control program comprising calling the nozzle module, driving the spindle to control the feeding screw Rotating, driving the metal colloid system to calculate the discharge amount of the metal colloid, driving the gas system to control a gas to be ejected through the gas pipe to form a gas covering area to cover the metal part, and initiating the laser device to sinter the nozzle mold The metal colloid sprayed from the group. A computer numerical control processing device having a three-dimensional printing metal function as described in claim 6 wherein the metal colloid and the metal component are made of different metals. The computer numerical control processing device with a three-dimensional printing metal function according to claim 6, wherein the nozzle module comprises a fixing member connecting the laser device and the main shaft.