應用於粉凝式3D積層製造之微液滴控制實驗平台的設計與實作

Abstract

本研究目的為規劃與實現粉凝式積層製造實驗平台的設計與實作，其中採用PLC系統及人機介面來進行製程路徑的規劃與控制，系統具備體積小、方便安裝、系統開發與修改容易、穩定性高、擴充容易、價格低、接點壽命高等。柱塞式噴嘴效能主要受到衝程設定值與氣壓源大小控制的影響，故柱塞式微液滴型的成形技術與規劃設計新的列印路徑應用，亦為本研究的重點。 柱塞式微液滴產生器是把水以很快的速度從噴嘴噴出，依靠水的動量使水脫離噴嘴，每次噴射量都為定值，目前普遍的噴射頻率是100赫茲到200赫茲。傳統平面堆疊方式於列印物件時需要確時掌握製程的參數，本研究的設計與研發成果將可提供迅速簡便的測試與實驗平台，提高製程的效率。本研究為改善這些問題，列印前建立最佳化參數，再設定成形路徑，提高列印的品質。 本實驗平台可依實驗需求進行不同組合，設計一採龍門式設計，噴嘴固定、工作平台可XY軸移動並以半自動方式進行粉末進給；設計二為XYZ軸三軸運動來進行實驗。主要功能及優點是可自訂規劃路徑並可依需求使用絕對位置或相對位置來進行實驗，成品設計上利用3D CAD繪圖軟體Inventor等進行圖面設計及分析並於實驗中制定各種影響參數加以記錄對於成形零件的影響，做為3D製程的參數設定依據。 已完成機構設計與系統建構以及柱塞式噴嘴系統的組裝測試，並利用PLC自動化程式來達到粉凝式3D積層製造成形的測試驗證，針對初步成形零件來進行各相關製程參數的改良來達到平台的最佳化設計，可提供粉凝式積層製造列印技術的應用與參考。未來將繼續結合系統整合設計與驗證，可提供粉凝式3D積層製造製程參數評估與驗證的應用與參考。

關鍵詞：粉凝式積層製造、柱塞噴頭、微液滴、PLC程式、人機介面、路徑的規劃與控制

The purpose of this research is to develop and apply the powder condensing additive manufacturing 3D printing experiment platform for evaluating the design and performance of the micro-droplet device proposed by the study. A PLC system and human interface are developed and installed for carrying out the task of path editing and control processes of the multi-axis numerically controlled platform. A nozzle plunger head device model is one of the focus of the study. The nozzle plunger device is designed to generate the micro droplet controlled by the setting of parameters, such as stroke distance, air pressure etc. The plunger micro droplet generator providing the water droplet generation at a feasible ejecting rate as setting. The ejecting performance can be higher to about 100 Hz to 200 Hz. The research of the current experiment platform design provides quick and easy operating processes of powder 3D printing experiment and enhanced improvement of the efficiency of the platform. The best parameters of the 3D printing operating processes are planed to search and study before printing by using the current platform to enhance the quality of the print.

The proposed design of experiment platform can be reassembled in different combinations as request of research applications. For example, the first design module is constructed in gantry structure for the case that nozzle will move. The second design is combined as fixed nozzle style. Both cases are composed of a powder feeding module. The structure elements are analyzed by using ANSYS or INVENTOR system for verification. Based on the supporting of the proposed powder condensing 3D printing experiment platform, several parameter evaluation and 3D product producing experiments are implemented. The fluid animation of micro droplet generation is also compared with the experiment visualization processing data for advanced performance improvement.

Keywords: powder condensing additive manufacturing, plunger head, micro droplet, PLC program, human interface, the path of planning and control