The present invention is in the field of 3D printers and more particularly guide and module nozzles for fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers.
3D printing is a process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape from a digital model. 3D printing is achieved using an additive process, where successive layers of material are laid down in different shapes. 3D printing is also considered distinct from traditional machining techniques, which mostly rely on the removal of material by methods such as cutting or drilling (subtractive processes).
A materials printer usually performs 3D printing processes using digital technology.
Additive manufacturing takes virtual blueprints from computer aided design (CAD) or animation modeling software and “slices” them into digital cross-sections for the machine to successively use as a guideline for printing. Depending on the machine used, material or a binding material is deposited on the build bed or platform until material/binder layering is complete and the final 3D model has been “printed.”
To perform a print, the machine reads the design and lays down successive layers of liquid, powder, paper or sheet material to build the model from a series of cross sections. These layers, which correspond to the virtual cross sections from the CAD model, are joined or automatically fused to create the final shape. The primary advantage of this technique is its ability to create almost any shape or geometric feature.
Typical layer thickness is around 100 micrometers (μm), although some machines such as the Objet Connex series and 3D Systems' ProJet series can print layers as thin as 16 μm. X-Y resolution is comparable to that of laser printers. The particles (3D dots) are around 50 to 100 μm in diameter.
Construction of a model with contemporary methods can take anywhere from several hours to several days, depending on the method used and the size and complexity of the model. Additive systems can typically reduce this time to a few hours, although it varies widely depending on the type of machine used and the size and number of models being produced simultaneously.
Several different 3D printing processes have been invented since the late 1970s. The printers were originally large, expensive, and highly limited in what they could produce.
A number of additive processes are now available. They differ in the way layers are deposited to create parts and in the materials that can be used. Some methods melt or soften material to produce the layers, e.g. selective laser melting (SLM) or direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), selective laser sintering (SLS), fused deposition modeling (FDM), while others cure liquid materials using different sophisticated technologies, e.g. stereolithography (SLA). With laminated object manufacturing (LOM), thin layers are cut to shape and joined together (e.g. paper, polymer, metal).
Fused deposition modeling (FDM) uses a plastic filament or metal wire that is wound on a coil and unreeled to supply material to an extrusion nozzle, which turns the flow on and off. The nozzle heats to melt the material and can be moved in both horizontal and vertical directions by a numerically controlled mechanism that is directly controlled by a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software package. The model or part is produced by extruding small beads of thermoplastic material to form layers as the material hardens immediately after extrusion from the nozzle. Stepper motors or servo motors are typically employed to move the extrusion head.
The extruder is divided into two main parts:
The hot-end has three main parts:
Various polymers are used, including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polylactic acid (PLA), high density polyethylene (HDPE), PC/ABS, and polyphenylsulfone (PPSU). In general the polymer is in the form of a filament, which can be fabricated from virgin resins or from post-consumer waste by recyclebots.
The most common problem with 3D printer is material being stuck inside the filament guide or the nozzle.
In existing extruders, the filament guide is mechanically connected to the feeding mechanism and the heating block is mechanically connected to the filament guide. The nozzle is mechanically connected at the bottom part of the heating block. When maintenance of the filament guide is required, it is necessary to disassemble the heating block that has electrical wires before it is possible to take apart the filament guide. This operation is complex and not practical for unprofessional users of consumer products.
In the last years, 3D printers entered the consumer market and are not anymore expensive products for just engineers and industrial designers. Just a few years ago, sales of 3D printers included service by professional technicians. However, in today's fast growing low level market, easy maintenance and repair become essential.
According to the present invention there is provided a Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printer extruder comprising: a filament feeding mechanism; a heating block unit; a motor configured to operate the feeding mechanism; and a detachable integrated filament guide and nozzle unit module (DFGNM) configured to be removed without taking apart the heating block unit.
The DFGNM may be connected to the heating block unit.
The heating block may be rigidly and directly connected to the extruder body.
The rigid and direct connection of the heating block to the extruder body may be by a “C shaped” construction.
The rigid and direct connection of the heating block to the extruder body may be by spacers.
The filament guide and the nozzle may be connected by thread.
The filament guide and the nozzle may be connected by welding.
The filament guide may be connected to the extruder feeding mechanism by one of slide fitting and thread.
I may not be necessary to readjust the nozzle height after replacement.
For better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings.
With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. In the accompanying drawings:
The present invention provides a new mechanical design of the most critical/important component of any FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printer: the extruder. Unlike existing designs, the new mechanical design enables the replacement of the most critical and problematic components of the 3D printers' extruder, the filament guide and the nozzle, which constitute a single detachable module that is very easy to replace without the need to disassemble the heating block and without disconnecting any electricity wires. The module can be detached from the heating block by easy unclamping or other simple operation, and can be replaced with a new one.
In the novel mechanical design of the extruder, the hot-end is mechanically attached to the filament feeding mechanism but the filament guide and nozzle unit is detachable by simple clamp or similar mounting.
Another important feature of the design is that replacing the filament guide and the nozzle module does not change the nozzle height so that it is not necessary to readjust the nozzle height. Thus such a maintenance operation is similar to replacing an ink cartridge on inkjet printer.
A fan 275 (
At the bottom of
The filament guide 265 is connected to the extruder feeding mechanism housing 250 by slide fitting or thread, i.e. not a rigid connection, so it is possible to detach it downward.
In existing designs, the heating block is connected to the guide and the guide is connected to the feeding mechanism permanently so in order to take apart the guide it is necessary to take apart the heating block, which means to take apart almost the entire hot end. According to the present invention's hot end construction, there is a connection between the heating block and the feeding mechanism (as shown in
Existing hot end design 500 comprises:
The novel hot end design 300 comprises:
The DFGNM 400 is attached to the heating block by simple clamp or by thread.
The novel extruder of the present invention is also compatible with 3D printer extruders that use glass as the deposit material (melted glass flows in the guide and the nozzle).
This patent application is the United States National Phase of PCT Application No. PCT/IB2014/065287 filed 14 Oct. 2014, which claims priority from and is related to Israeli Patent Application Serial Number 229012, filed 21 Oct. 2013, each of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2014/065287 | 10/14/2014 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20160279853 A1 | Sep 2016 | US |