Bottom element for an additive manufacturing system, and additive manufacturing system

Abstract

An additive manufacturing system, in particular a 3D printer, including a bottom element. The bottom element includes at least one funnel and/or air outlet, wherein at least one sieve and/or grid element is arranged in the area of the funnel and a plate element is arranged opposite the sieve.

Claims

1. An additive manufacturing system comprising: a build-up chamber; and a bottom element, wherein the bottom element is arranged in a lower area of the build-up chamber; the bottom element comprising: a funnel and/or air outlet, wherein at least one sieve and/or grid element is arranged in an area of the funnel; and a plate element arranged opposite the at least one sieve and suspended in a center of the funnel by one or more struts attached to a carrier plate, wherein the carrier plate delimits a lower plane of the build-up chamber.

2. The additive manufacturing system according to claim 1, wherein the funnel comprises a connection element which is connected to an air suction element.

3. The additive manufacturing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sieve is designed as a filter and/or pre-filter.

4. The additive manufacturing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sieve is arranged in and/or on the bottom element so as to be detachable and/or removable.

5. The additive manufacturing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sieve, in a mounted state, is arranged at a bottom side and end side of the funnel.

6. The additive manufacturing system according to claim 1, wherein the funnel is a circular funnel with a diameter decreasing continuously at least in sections.

7. The additive manufacturing system according to claim 5, wherein a longitudinal axis of the funnel is vertically arranged in the mounted state of the bottom element.

8. The additive manufacturing system according to claim 1, wherein the plate element is circular.

9. The additive manufacturing system according to claim 1, wherein the struts are arranged uniformly and/or in a star shape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

(1) Further details and advantages of the invention shall now be explained by means of an exemplary embodiment which is shown in more detail in the drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the additive manufacturing system according to the invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the additive manufacturing system according to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is drawn to scale, although other relative dimensions may be used, if desired.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) FIGS. 1-2 show example configurations with relative positioning of the various components. If shown directly contacting each other, or directly coupled, then such elements may be referred to as directly contacting or directly coupled, respectively, at least in one example. Similarly, elements shown contiguous or adjacent to one another may be contiguous or adjacent to each other, respectively, at least in one example. As an example, components laying in face-sharing contact with each other may be referred to as in face-sharing contact. As another example, elements positioned apart from each other with only a space there-between and no other components may be referred to as such, in at least one example. As yet another example, elements shown above/below one another, at opposite sides to one another, or to the left/right of one another may be referred to as such, relative to one another. Further, as shown in the figures, a topmost element or point of element may be referred to as a “top” of the component and a bottommost element or point of the element may be referred to as a “bottom” of the component, in at least one example. As used herein, top/bottom, upper/lower, above/below, may be relative to a vertical axis of the figures and used to describe positioning of elements of the figures relative to one another. As such, elements shown above other elements are positioned vertically above the other elements, in one example. As yet another example, shapes of the elements depicted within the figures may be referred to as having those shapes (e.g., such as being circular, straight, planar, curved, rounded, chamfered, angled, or the like). Further, elements shown intersecting one another may be referred to as intersecting elements or intersecting one another, in at least one example. Further still, an element shown within another element or shown outside of another element may be referred as such, in one example.

(5) FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an additive manufacturing system 10 according to the invention comprising a bottom element 12 according to the invention.

(6) The additive manufacturing system 10 is a 3D printer in the exemplary embodiment shown.

(7) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the interior of the build-up chamber 14, in which the print head (not illustrated in more detail) is arranged.

(8) The bottom element 12 including the funnel 16 is arranged in the bottom area of the build-up chamber 14.

(9) The funnel 16 is a circular funnel 16, which has a continuously decreasing diameter over its entire height.

(10) On the bottom side of the funnel 16, a sieve 18 is arranged.

(11) Here, the sieve 18 is arranged at the bottom side and end side of the funnel 16.

(12) The sieve 18 is arranged so as to be detachable and removable from the bottom element 12.

(13) The sieve 18 is a filter or pre-filter. The sieve 18 is also designed as a so-called HEPA filter in an advantageous configuration.

(14) Behind and downstream of the sieve 18, the funnel 16 can be used to establish the connection to the air aspiration or air treatment of the additive manufacturing system 10. Here, the corresponding connection element 20 to the air aspiration of the additive manufacturing system 10 is shown to some extent.

(15) As can be taken from the Figure, the longitudinal axis of the funnel 16 is vertically arranged in the mounted and erected state of the bottom element 12.

(16) It is also evident that opposite the sieve 18 on the funnel 16, a plate element 22 is arranged on the side of the construction space, on which components can be built up.

(17) The plate element 22 has a circular design and is positioned accordingly in the middle of the construction space-side opening of the funnel 16.

(18) This can be seen in particular in section A-A.

(19) The plate element 22 is attached to a carrier plate 26 by means of several struts 24, with the carrier plate 26 delimiting a lower plane of the build-up chamber 14.

(20) The function of the bottom element 12 can be described as follows:

(21) When building up a 3D printed part, corresponding printing residues may occur, which are pushed by the corresponding air supply in the build-up chamber 14 via the plate 22 toward the gaps between the struts 24.

(22) At this place, these are moved toward the sieve 18 by the corresponding air mass flow, but also by gravity, as they fall down in the funnel 16 or are blown by the air mass flow toward the sieve 18.

(23) This ensures that the plate element 22 can be kept clean and free of impurities.

(24) The funnel geometry may also be selected such that the funnel acts as a separator and collects and accumulates dirt residues, impurities and the like. Subsequently, these contaminants are not aspirated by the air flow from the centrifugal fan and can instead be collected in a collecting container and thus easily removed.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(25) 10 additive manufacturing system 12 bottom element 14 build-up chamber 16 funnel 18 sieve 20 connection element 22 plate element 24 struts 26 carrier plate