TWI768389B - A three dimensional printer with controllable flux for multiple materials - Google Patents

Abstract

Present invention is related to a three dimensional printer (3D printer or 3D printing device) with controllable flux for multiple materials. The said 3D printer comprises an extruding mixing part and several feeding mixing parts. The extruding mixing part is fluidic communicated with the feeding mixing parts with connection and monitoring by a flow meter. By introducing plastic particles into FDM 3D printing process accompanying with utilizing of multiple plastic materials and flow control and monitoring, the present invention provides a unique and alternative solution for the 3D printing technique.

Description

A multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device

The present invention relates to a multi-layer printing technology, or a technology that can also be called three-dimensional printing (Three Dimensional Printing, 3D printing), in particular to a multi-material printing technology with flow control effect between materials and a multi-layer printing technology. A build-up printing apparatus capable of realizing this technology.

The multi-layer printing technology provided by the present invention is first applied to the application of multi-color or multi-material printing, and its technical content and implementation are described in detail below, but the present invention is not limited to this application. Equivalent changes are within or within the scope of the present disclosure.

Multi-layer manufacturing technology and three-dimensional printing technology (Three Dimensional Printing, 3D printing) are undoubtedly a major contributor behind the promotion of economic and technological development in the 21st century. my country has even listed this technology as one of the key core technologies to promote "Industry 4.0" and "Digital Manufacturing", and it is also an important application technology for smart machinery innovation.

At present, the level of commercialization of the laminate manufacturing technology has enabled it to be widely and popularly invested in the research and development of major corporations, academic institutions and large or small and medium-sized enterprises. Various types of laminate manufacturing technologies, such as hot melt deposition Molding (FDM), light curing molding (SLA, DLP), material spray molding (NPJ, DOD), etc., provide developers with more technical energy to quickly build and promote the development of a new generation of technology. Among the above-mentioned multi-layered manufacturing technologies, hot melt deposition molding (FDM) is the most common and widely used. The thermoplastic material is introduced into the printing nozzle. Through the heating and pushing of the nozzle, the hot-melt thermoplastic material is gradually and accurately extruded along the preset processing and molding path. When the material cools and solidifies, the desired three-dimensional configuration is constructed layer by layer. finished product.

However, although hot melt deposition molding (FDM) has the advantages of relatively low cost and convenient processing, this machine can only process filamentous or linear thermoplastic materials, which also implies that thermoplastic materials need to be made into filaments. Or the processing cost of pre-processed raw materials that can only be used in linear form. Although the thermoplastic material itself has the characteristics of being able to be processed many times, its material strength, mechanical and physical properties will still be gradually lost with each high-temperature processing process, or even cause the problem of accelerated material cracking, and it is not always the case. All thermoplastic materials have the property that they can be processed into filamentous or linear materials, and the application of materials is relatively limited.

On the other hand, the current hot melt deposition molding technology (FDM) can only be processed by a single thermoplastic wire or wire, and the produced product is only composed of a single material. Going off the machine to replace other thermoplastic wires or wires of different materials not only makes the processing time and steps relatively complicated, but also may cause poor bonding effect of different materials before and after due to the time difference of replacing materials, which directly affects the product quality. quality.

In order to improve the above-mentioned limitation that the existing hot melt deposition molding (FDM) can only be processed with filamentous or linear thermoplastic materials, and the dilemma and various defects that the technology can only be processed with a single material, the present invention provides a multi-material and flow rate The controllable lamination printing device can solve the defects of the prior art or at least provide an alternative technical solution.

The present invention is a multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device, which comprises: an extrusion mixing section, which includes an extrusion mixing tank, an extrusion mixing element and an extrusion head, the extrusion mixing element can be Rotationally placed in the extrusion mixing tank, the extrusion head is arranged below the extrusion mixing tank; and a number of Each feeding and mixing section extends outward from the wall of the extrusion mixing tank. Each feeding and mixing section includes a feeding port, a mixing tank and a mixing piece. The mixing piece It is rotatably arranged in the mixing tank, and a material outlet is arranged at the junction between the feeding mixing part and the groove wall of the extrusion mixing tank, and makes the feeding mixing part and the extrusion mixing tank in fluid communication. , a flow meter is arranged between the discharge port and the feed mixing part.

Wherein, different materials are heated and mixed in each of the aforementioned feed mixing parts, and the materials at least contain thermoplastic particles, colorants or reinforcing materials, and the different materials heated and mixed by each feed mixing part are further mixed into the extrusion mixing part and mixed again. Extrude from the extrusion head.

Further, the number of the aforementioned feed mixing parts can be three, which includes: a first feed mixing part extending outward from the outside of the tank wall of the extrusion mixing tank, which includes a first feeding port , a first mixing tank, a first mixing member placed in the first mixing tank and rotatable, and a combination of the first feeding mixing part and the tank wall of the extrusion mixing tank with a first discharge port, the first discharge port and the extrusion mixing tank are in fluid communication with each other, and the flow meter is arranged between them; a second feeding mixing part is from the outside of the tank wall of the extrusion mixing tank Extending outward, it includes a second feeding port, a second mixing tank, a second mixing member that is rotatable in the second mixing tank, and is connected with the second feeding mixing part. The junction between the walls of the extrusion mixing tank has a second outlet, the second outlet and the extrusion mixing tank are in fluid communication with each other and are provided with another flow meter; and a third feed mixing The part extends outward from the outside of the tank wall of the extruding mixing tank, which includes a third feeding port, a third mixing tank, and a third mixing part that is rotatable in the third mixing tank , and has a third discharge port at the junction between the third feed mixing part and the groove wall of the extrusion mixing tank, the third discharge port and the extrusion mixing tank are in fluid communication with each other and are provided with another A flow meter.

Wherein, the first material includes a thermoplastic plastic particle and a color material; the second material includes another thermoplastic plastic particle and another color material; and the third material includes another thermoplastic plastic particle and another color material.

Wherein, the first material includes a thermoplastic plastic particle; the second material includes another thermoplastic plastic particle; and the third material includes a reinforcing material. The reinforcing material can be carbon fiber or glass fiber.

Preferably, a static mixer is installed inside the extrusion head of the extrusion mixing section.

As can be seen from the above description, the present invention has the following advantages:

1. The multi-layer printing device provided by the present invention can make this technology no longer limited to the processing form of filamentous or linear materials. The combination of the feed mixing part and the control of the flow meter can achieve the effect of multi-material and flow control. The existing hot-melt deposition technology can only process filamentous or linear materials and the limitation of single and limited material selection. The invention can directly use plastic pellet raw materials for processing and manufacture, and the thermoplastic materials that can be selected are more diverse and extensive, and are free from the dilemma that the raw materials cannot be processed into silk and wire rods and then cannot be used.

2. The multi-layer printing device provided by the present invention can not only be applied to the production of multi-colored and multi-color finished products, but also can be combined with different types of composite materials to achieve a single finished product with different strengths under the same concept and logic. The effect is a major innovation and breakthrough in hot-melt deposition technology, which greatly improves the flexibility and applicability of this molding technology.

10: Multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device

11: Extrusion mixing section

111: Extrusion mixing tank

113: Extrusion Mixtures

13: The first feed mixing section

131: The first feeding port

132: The first mixing part

133: The first mixing tank

135: The first discharge port

15: The second feed mixing part

151: The second feed port

152: Second mixing piece

153: Second mixing tank

155: The second outlet

17: The third feed mixing section

171: The third feed port

172: The third mixing piece

173: The third mixing tank

175: The third outlet

18: Static mixer

19: Flowmeter

20: Extrusion head

A: The first material

B: Second material

C: The third material

D: Fourth material

F: holding plane

P: Finished product

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device of the present invention.

2 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing apparatus of the present invention.

3A is a schematic diagram of the multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing apparatus for producing multi-color or multi-color finished products according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

3B is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a static mixer installed inside the extrusion head of the extrusion mixing section of the present invention.

In order to understand the technical features and practical effects of the present invention in more detail, and to implement them according to the contents of the description, the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings are further described in detail as follows.

The first preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes the provided multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device 10 to produce multi-color or multi-colored products. Please refer to FIG. 1 , the multi-material and flow-controllable lamination printing device 10 includes an extrusion mixing part 11 and a first feeding mixing part 13 extending radially outward from the extrusion mixing part 11 , a A second feed mixing part 15 and a third feed mixing part 17 . The extrusion mixing part 11 is connected in fluid communication with the first feeding mixing part 13 , the second feeding mixing part 15 and the third feeding mixing part 17 .

Please refer to FIG. 2 , the extrusion mixing section 11 includes an extrusion mixing tank 111 , a rotatable extrusion mixing element 113 placed in the extrusion mixing tank 111 , and an extrusion mixing element 113 below the extrusion mixing tank 111 Extrusion head 20. Wherein, the extrusion mixing tank 111 is preferably a cylindrical or barrel-shaped tank body that can hold materials and is arranged in a vertical direction to the ground, and the extrusion mixing element 113 is arranged in the extrusion mixing part 113 with a screw or a structure similar to a screw. The extrusion head 20 is disposed at the bottom of the extrusion mixing tank 111 in the vertical direction and forms an opening.

The first feeding and mixing part 13 extends outward from the outside of the tank wall of the extrusion mixing tank 111 , and includes a first feeding port 131 , a first mixing tank 133 , which is placed in the first mixing tank A first mixing member 132 in 133 is rotatable, and a first discharge port 135 is provided at the junction between the first feeding mixing part 13 and the groove wall of the extruding mixing groove 111, and the first discharge The port 135 and the extrusion mixing tank 111 are in fluid communication with each other, and a flow meter 19 is arranged therebetween.

The structure of the second feeding mixing part 15 is basically the same as that of the first feeding mixing part 13, and also includes a second feeding port 151, a second mixing tank 153, and a second mixing tank 153 placed in the second mixing tank. A second mixing member 152 in 153 is rotatable, and a second discharge port 155 is provided at the junction between the second feeding mixing part 15 and the groove wall of the extruding mixing tank 111, the second discharging The port 155 is in fluid communication with the extrusion mixing tank 111 and is also provided with another flow meter 19 . The structure of the third feeding and mixing part 17 is also the same, including a third feeding port 171 , a third mixing tank 173 , and a third mixing member rotatably placed in the third mixing tank 173 . 172, and a third outlet 175 is provided at the junction between the third feed mixing part 17 and the wall of the extrusion mixing tank 111, and the third outlet 175 and the extrusion mixing tank 111 are mutually Fluid communication is also provided with another flow meter 19 .

Referring next to FIG. 3A , the method for producing a multi-color or multi-colored product in this embodiment is firstly to inject a first material A from the first feeding port 131 into the first feeding mixing part 13 for the first mixing The materials 132 are heated and mixed in the first mixing tank 133 . In this embodiment, the first material A at least includes a thermoplastic plastic particle and a colorant. Under the favorable factors of the present invention, the first material A may further include other functional additives, such as but not limited to fillers or phase Containers, etc. The first material A is heated in the first mixing tank 133 , and the thermoplastic plastic pellets in the first mixing element 132 are rotated and melted and mixed with the color material to form the fluidity. First Material A.

Similarly, the second feed mixing part 15 and the third feed mixing part 17 each contain a second material B and a third material C, and are heated and melt-mixed by corresponding devices to have fluidity The second material B and the third material C, the first material A, the second material B and the third material C have different colors in this embodiment. After the first material A, the second material B and the third material C are uniformly mixed in the respective mixing parts and form a fluid with fluid flow, the first material A, the second material B and the third material C pass through the first discharge port 135 and the first discharge port 135 of each feeding mixing part. The second discharge port 155 and the third discharge port 175 discharge materials into the extrusion mixing part 11, and the extrusion mixing element 113 is heated and mixed again to form a fluid fourth material D. The fourth material D is then extruded from the extrusion head 20 in a filament shape to a holding plane F, and is gradually stacked on the holding plane F to form a finished product P.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 3B , a static mixer 18 (Static Mixer) can be selectively installed inside the extrusion head 20 of the extrusion mixing section 11 of the present invention, so that the materials are mixed more uniformly. The static mixer 18 is a continuous stirring device that does not require external power. As long as the fluid passes through, the flow energy through the fluid itself is converted into the power required for mixing, and the product is dispersed through the accurately produced blades, and the mixing effect is reversed. , high efficiency, low energy efficiency.

This embodiment passes through the first material A, the second material B and the third material from the first feed mixing part 13 , the second feed mixing part 15 and the third feed mixing part 17 C, use the flow meter 19 to control the amount it enters the extrusion mixing section 11, so that the extrusion mixing section 11 can mix three-color materials and continuously produce the fourth material D with different colors, so that the processing The finished product P can have a multicolored or multicolored effect in different colors. The mixing ratio of each color can be achieved through the flow meter 19 to control and monitor the output of the respective feed mixing parts.

Specifically, in this embodiment, the first material A is red, the second material B is yellow, and the third material C is blue. Under the control and monitoring of the flow meter 19, these three materials are required in sequence. Materials A, B, and C are introduced into the first feed mixing part 13 for mixing, and different shades of purple (red plus blue), green (yellow plus green), orange (red plus yellow) or brown (red plus blue) can be prepared. yellow and blue) and other colors.

The second preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes the provided multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device 10 to produce a finished product of composite materials. The structure of the device provided in this embodiment is basically the same as that of the first preferred embodiment, except that the inputted first material A, the second material B and the third material C can be transformed into plastic particles and reinforcing materials. For example, the first material A and the second material B are two different thermoplastic materials, and the third material C is a reinforcing material, such as carbon fiber or glass fiber. In this way, in this embodiment, through the control of the flow meter 19 , the plastic pellets of the first material A and the reinforcing fibers of the third material C can be mixed in the extrusion mixing part 11 to form the first type and the fourth type. Material D, and extruded It is made on the holding plane F, and then the second material B is continuously supplied to the extrusion mixing section 11 to be mixed into the second material D and the fourth material D is extruded on the holding plane F, so as to form The finished product P with different composite material combinations. In this embodiment, the flow meter 19 is used to control the mixing ratio of plastic and reinforcing material, or to switch the mixing ratio of plastic and different reinforcing fibers (glass fiber/carbon fiber) at any time when printing different parts, so as to achieve both cost control and high-strength products .

In addition, in the present invention, the carbon fiber or glass fiber is mixed and stirred through the third feed mixing part, and the carbon fiber or glass fiber can be maintained at a specific length through a specific mixing element (or screw) helical structure spacing to achieve the addition of The effect of specific strength adjustment and maintenance on other plastics.

The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. All other equivalent changes or modifications without departing from the spirit disclosed by the present invention shall be included in the present invention. within the scope of the patent application.

10: Multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device

11: Extrusion mixing section

13: The first feed mixing section

131: The first feeding port

133: The first mixing tank

15: The second feed mixing part

17: The third feed mixing section

19: Flowmeter

20: Extrusion head

Claims (7)

A multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device, comprising: an extrusion mixing section, which includes an extrusion mixing tank, an extrusion mixing element and an extrusion head, the extrusion mixing element is rotatably positioned It is placed in the extrusion mixing tank, and the extrusion head is arranged below the extrusion mixing tank; several feed mixing parts, each feeding mixing part is extended from the groove wall of the extrusion mixing tank, and each feed mixing part is arranged. The material mixing part includes a feeding port, a mixing tank and a material mixing part, the material mixing part is rotatably arranged in the mixing tank, and a material outlet is arranged in the feeding mixing part and the extrusion mixing part The joint between the tank walls of the tank makes the feed mixing part communicate with the extrusion mixing tank in fluid communication, and a flow meter is arranged between the discharge port and the feed mixing part; and each feed mixing part is heated and mixed separately Different materials, the materials at least include thermoplastic particles, colorants or reinforcing materials, and the different materials heated and mixed by each feed mixing section further flow into the extrusion mixing section to be mixed again and extruded from the extrusion head. According to the multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device of the claim 1, the number of the feed mixing parts is three, which comprises: a first feed mixing part from the extrusion mixing tank. The outside of the tank wall extends outward, which includes a first feeding port, a first mixing tank, a first mixing element placed in the first mixing tank and rotatable, and a first material feeding There is a first discharge port at the joint between the mixing part and the groove wall of the extrusion mixing tank, the first discharge port and the extrusion mixing tank are in fluid communication with each other, and the flowmeter is arranged between them; a first discharge port and the extrusion mixing tank are in fluid communication with each other. The two-feed mixing section extends outward from the outside of the tank wall of the extrusion mixing tank, and includes a second feeding port, a second mixing tank, and a rotatable first material placed in the second mixing tank. A second mixing element, and a second discharge port at the junction between the second feed mixing part and the wall of the extrusion mixing tank, and the second discharge port and the extrusion mixing tank are in fluid communication with each other And is provided with another flow meter; and a third feed mixing part extends outward from the outside of the tank wall of the extrusion mixing tank, which includes a third feeding port, a third mixing tank, placed in the A third mixing member rotatable in the third mixing tank, and in the There is a third outlet at the joint between the third feed mixing part and the wall of the extrusion mixing tank, the third outlet is in fluid communication with the extrusion mixing tank and is provided with another flow meter. According to the multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device of claim 2, a first material, a second material and a third material are respectively put into the first feed mixing part, the second material The feed mixing part and the third feed mixing part are heated and mixed; and after the first material, the second material and the third material are uniformly mixed in the respective mixing parts and form a fluid with a fluid flow, pass through each feed The first discharge port, the second discharge port, and the third discharge port of the material mixing part flow into the extrusion mixing part, and the flow meter controls the first material, the second material and the The amount of the third material flowing into the extrusion mixing part is heated and mixed again by the extrusion mixing part to form a fluid fourth material, and the fourth material is then extruded from the extrusion head in a filament form to a A holding plane is stacked on the holding plane to form a finished product. The multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device of claim 3, wherein: the first material includes a thermoplastic pellet and a color material; the second material includes another thermoplastic pellet and another color material; And the third material includes another thermoplastic plastic pellet and another color material. The multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device of claim 3, wherein: the first material comprises a thermoplastic pellet; the second material comprises another thermoplastic pellet; and the third material comprises a Reinforcing material. The multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device of claim 5, wherein: the reinforcing material comprises glass fiber or carbon fiber. For example, the multi-material and flow-controllable multi-layer printing device of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, a static mixer is installed inside the extrusion head of the extrusion mixing section.

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