Now "3D printing " is very popular, everyone is a buzz word. Let's come to know about 3D printing , from the literal point of view, it is the three-dimensional printing means. Currently , we are familiar with flat printer can only print text or graphics on paper , no height , and 3D printing can print a three-dimensional objects. The materials may also be used to select , including plastic , nylon , wood, sand , resin, metal, etc. , is fully consistent with the dimensions may be proportionally printed design to achieve the production of the graphic data from the physical direct rapid manufacturing . For example, an ordinary flat glass printer can only print a photo , but 3D printers can print a real cup, you can take this cup water.

While 3D printing is a new concept , but it is not a new technology, because from the beginning of the eighties of last century , various research institutes at home and abroad has begun to study their professional terminology called " rapid prototyping " or " rapid manufacturing " ( abbreviation RP). Now it was called " growth material manufacturing ," this argument is manufactured from a special way 3D printing and initiative.

Indeed, there is a big increase in timber manufacturing difference with traditional manufacturing . For example: the traditional manufacturing techniques are generally formed by cutting or manufacture of auxiliary mold blanks , and then a lot of the subsequent mechanical machining, ultimately meet the requirements of practical size . Casting from a variety of profiles blank or blanks to finished product, will use a variety of processing methods, but the basic principles are the same - to get the size required to remove material , called "minus material manufacturing ." The 3D printed using different techniques, i.e., the accumulation of material increases the measures adopted according to the final size required for the accumulation of material on a substrate , and stacked directly molded parts , molded parts or surface micro- machining performed to improve the surface finish after can be used. Compared to the traditional manufacturing process , 3D printing has many advantages, including :

1 , the material overall high utilization ;

2, no mold , manufacturing process less short period ;

3 , can produce parts of complex structures , such as internal conformal runner ;

4 , according to the requirements of the mechanical properties of design freedom , without considering the manufacturing process.

The analysis of the current implementations of 3D printing , printing efficiency mainstream 0.1 to about 2 kg / h , the print speed is not high , usually for single or rapid manufacturing small batches of parts, eliminates tooling costs and time. While 3D printing is not suitable for mass production, but can be made for the mass rapid manufacturing various molds .

Well , 3D printing how to achieve it , we talked about above, "stacking " law , yes , 3D printing technology is the way the material layer by layer stacking obtain three-dimensional kind.

First, get through the scanner or computer graphics software you need to print three-dimensional objects in the data , and then import the data into 3D printers , stratified treated with special software , each layer to form a two-dimensional graphic data , and specialized software for each layer based on two dimensional graphics data point line scan or print path planning and automatic programming, CNC G form printer identification code , and then the printer start these programs , point by point -by- side -by- line printing , until the completion of the physical molding . The basic idea is the first virtual data processing discrete and discrete data into an entity with a printer , a path decomposition technique is described as follows :

3D volume data - 2D surface data - 1D line data - 0D point data - G Code - print head scan - 0D point forming - 1D wire forming - 2D face shape - forming a multilayer stacked 3D stereo .

 

A metal 3D printing technology applications and the status quo

Initially 3D printing technology is the main application prototyping , design three-dimensional model into a real , validated design architecture , this 3D printed parts are " non-functional model " , the materials used are mainly paper, plastic and glue ; with 3D printing technology is mature, at home and abroad in recent years, many organizations began to try to direct printing parts , namely 3D printing real parts with functional materials include metal , polymer and ceramic materials. From the analysis of the technical difficulty , physical manufacturing capabilities of manufacturing harder than the model , on the one hand because of the physical manufacturing increased requirements for internal defects ; partly because higher molding temperature metals and other materials ( plastic melting temperature higher than about 10 X) , the print head temperature more complex design , and generation of large internal stress during solidification , prone to cracking, deformation, and air pores , forming process more complicated .

Of course, we are concerned about the physical manufacture of 3D printing is mainly functional , in which metal parts 3D printing is the biggest hot spots.

Currently, 3D printing metal parts main application areas are aviation, aerospace , military, mold manufacturing and medical fields for common characteristics of these areas is personalized, rapid manufacturing small quantities . Relatively speaking, the pace of development of medical applications of 3D printing industry faster than other areas of development slow , mainly due to the medical field full use of the 3D print personalized manufacturing characteristics, mechanical strength and efficiency requirements than 3D printing products low , the other areas of the print quality of the internal components , mechanical strength, molding speed , are made ​​with high precision requirements.

Print implementations classification from metal 3D, there are two, namely, sintered and cladding type . Using laser sintering 3D printing process typical of foreign companies , including Germany 's EOS, concept, SLM and other companies, Renishaw UK , Japan matsuura company ; Huazhong University of Science and Technology of China Lake Electrical Company , South China University of Technology ; using electronic beam sintering process ARCAM Swedish company , China 's Beijing Aeronautical manufacturing Institute ( 625 ) , the main advantage of these products is a high precision molding , molding drawback is the low speed limit on the size of the molding around 300mm ; mainly used medical and small molds.

Molding process using laser cladding typical 3D printing companies, including American companies and OPTOMEC POM companies, China 's Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics world laser company , Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an Platinum Split Company , Shenyang New Song Robot & Automation Co., Ltd., electron beam melting 3D printing typically cover molding companies, including American Sciaky company , China 's Beijing Aeronautical manufacturing Institute ( 625 ) . The main advantage of these products is a good metallurgical quality , molding speed, large molding size , but lower precision machining required to follow the typical applications of high-strength structural parts aviation , blade manufacturing , direct molding of various metal mold.

Second, intelligent robotics and composite technology will really start 3D printing applications market

Although 3D printing is very hot, there are many companies and governments have also launched 3D printing or promotional items , but the real with 3D printing to make fewer products. The key problem is there technical problems , print speed and accuracy , precision and strength print conflicting technical indicators plagued manufacturers and end-users , of course, operate specialized, expensive raw materials and other problems , and ultimately keep them on the sidelines .

Under the technical conditions at this stage , intelligent and complex 3D printing technology is very effective solution compatible with existing drawbacks, significantly enhance the performance of 3D .

1,3 D printing intelligent control

Currently, most 3D abroad have adopted a "blind " to fight the process , the need to summarize large amounts of process data , the molding process is very complex, often every shape parts , each of which materials need to constantly test , almost each layer to summarize the process parameters. And when an exception occurs during molding , the system does not recognize , it is not automatically adjusted , if not human intervention , will result in forming or the defect can not continue to stay in the workpiece , the machine must be operated by experienced professional and technical personnel at all times observe the molding state to make a more qualified parts , seriously affected the popularity of metal 3D printing .

 

Therefore, I believe intelligent 3D printer is very important , like people , the 3D printer to install the "eye" is very necessary , by looking at the state of the object at any time to adjust the external human attitude and behavior , for 3D printers, is to adjust process parameters.

Therefore, the " intelligent recognition and feedback function" is an urgent need for rapid prototyping system to solve the problem by process parameters than the simple accumulation , so judge for yourself 3D printing equipment , intelligent adjustment to allow rapid prototyping process becomes complex simpler, more practical and generalization . Intelligent recognition system will provide a lot of data forming process , and hope to accumulate large amounts of data through practice , so 3D printer to change , " smart" , and ultimately through software development allows 3D printer with self-learning function , so it is indeed thinking 3D printing system needs to have the features , but also in line with the characteristics of the robot.

3D printing technology from the basic point of view, he piled every point of each layer is a special process , poor control , and cutting machine is very different , each knife down the machine are controlled , this is what they will use different control the root causes of the way . Compared CNC technology , 3D printing process and the welding robot control system closer .

So, fuzzy control, 3D real-time control will be an important feature of the print control technology , so the exact way it should be our choice selected master robot , rather than the machine , whether it is 6 or 3 -axis coordinate joint control mode determines the types of systems . Therefore, from a professional point of view, called "3D printing robot" is more suitable for this it is also in line with its development.

2 , changes in the composite material technology to obtain high-speed high-resolution 3D printing products

For high-performance metal components , 3D printing directly molded finish and accuracy can not meet the requirements , especially with the location accuracy is not guaranteed and can not be installed using precision molding problems limit the promotion and application of 3D printing.

To improve the accuracy of 3D printing molding parts , the conventional method is to reduce the size of printed dots 3D improve the resolution , such as increased convergence of the laser beam , so that small changes in the melting area , a single melting area size to the micron level, but to ultrafine material supply great difficulty , while smaller melting zone will bring significant reduction forming speed , efficiency reduce unsuitable for industrial applications . In short , the conventional idea of 3D printing are:

High-speed access to low-resolution 3D printing products, low-speed high-resolution 3D printing products .

So, we just from a new technology features , the new technology is compatible with the old technology , and inheritance is very important, is a must, otherwise, it is in the air. Obviously , 3D is also subject to the law of development, combined with increased material manufacturing cut cut timber manufacturing technology , both of which are highly compatible to make 3D printing and rapid development.

Specifically, it is the traditional milling machine 3D printing technology into the molding process, the printing process is still using low-resolution , high-speed molding process guarantees , and then milling measures to ensure the molding precision, technical precision parts used in the final molding standards.

At present, Japan and the United States Fabrisonic Matsuura Machinery companies have begun to try to milling and 3D printing technology integration, domestic Shenyang New Song Robot & Automation Co., Ltd. has begun 3D printing composite technology development , to achieve the type of runner with injection molds, rapid manufacturing blades, propellers and other complex components.

 

Three , 3D printing "industrial revolution" need for innovation

For 3D printing, we mixed, optimists think : using 3D printing technology means a revolution , will give future manufacturing, production patterns and human social life brought about a profound impact and change , 3D printing will subvert traditional manufacturing ; negative believe : 3D printing has many problems , there would be no future , it is impossible to have an impact on traditional industries.

Both attitudes are reasonable, viewpoint change is because 3D printing in line with the law of industrial development, the idea of 3D printing is recognized ; opposing view is that illustrate practical problems currently exist 3D printing .

Therefore, we will actively and fairly to look at 3D printing.

Our existing 3D printing technology point of view, it 's really a lot of problems need to be improved , otherwise as a negative person said no future. Of course, we also analyzed above , intelligent and complex technology will solve some problems , this seems to be a great breakthrough , but the long-term development , 3D printing method must innovations , including materials, the print head to print work print control technologies.

3D printing is a new digital manufacturing technology , its development will bring changes to the way we live and work, but it will surely inherit certain period of time prior art , it is a useful complement to traditional industries . With advances in technology , particularly the application of interdisciplinary science , will give a huge breakthrough 3D printing technology , will develop into manufacturing protagonist. Future truly simple operation , high efficiency , high precision, low cost , 3D printing will bring the "industrial revolution" !