DE4102257A1 - Appts. for mfg. reinforced components in laser-cured polymer - has laser-curable polymer in bath, laser directed at polymer surface where fibres pass through polymer and are guided relative to laser beam angle - Google Patents

Abstract

Appts. is for mfg. plastic components based on polymers cured by a high energy source, e.g. laser. The polymer is held in a container through which a component supporting tray passes vertically downwards as the swivelling laser is directed at the polymer surface. Localised curing of the polymer occurs close to the laser beam and the component is built up in layers as the supporting tray descends vertically through the polymer. Reinforcement is added to the component during the layer building stage by guiding load-bearing fibres through the polymer and at right angles to the fluid surface and holding them at the container base. Guiding elements above the fluid surface move horizontally, pref. in a straight line to enable the fibres within the fluid to always lie in a predetermd. cured zone. USE/ADVANTAGE - The appts. mfrs. components of desired profile using laser-cured polymers and enables reinforced, complex, single-piece shapes to be mfd., thus broadening the area of use of such component

Description

The invention relates to a device in the preamble of claim 1 specified Art.

A device for producing any ge is known molded plastic parts, consisting of one with one  liquid curable by high-energy radiation filled pan, one moving inside the liquid Lichen holder for the body and a radiation source for high-energy radiation, especially a laser. The laser is used to locally harden the liquid and can be targeted to specified surface elements align the surface of the liquid so that there are layers are curable, their depth of penetration into the liquid on the intensity and the sweeping speed depends on the laser beam. The bracket dips out gradually increasing from the surface of the liquid kal into the liquid and thus causes the be already hardened layers in the liquid ken. The control of the laser beam is dependent on speed of the surface coordinates of the to be manufactured Body.

The main feature of this device is that very intricately shaped body, especially plastic parts that can be produced in one piece. But just such integrally formed and / or complicated contours showing parts are often subjected to extreme loads puts. Therefore, subsequent consolidation is often necessary the surface using complex coating technology necessary. Another disadvantage is the low strength the low dynamic resilience speed of the plastic produced in the manner mentioned body. This is one reason that a wide range of users So far, the device mentioned above has not been used for wear came.

The invention has for its object for a front direction of the type mentioned, means for strengthening increase, especially of the surface layer, of the specify body to be manufactured, so that the Einsatzbe range of the device is expanded.

This task is carried out with the characteristic features of the Claim 1 solved.

The invention is based on the finding that fibers different properties in the curing zone of the liquid-curing radiation and therefore preferably also in the surface layer of the body to be manufactured are fusible and thus increase strength in the forth placed body act. Fiber reinforced plastics white high strength values and good stress properties create and are used in many areas. There at are the possible uses in general fiber-reinforced plastic many times higher than for fiberless plastics. In particular, increases the tensile strength of the fiber-reinforced plastic in erection.

It is particularly advantageous here that the fibers in the we substantially perpendicular to the liquid surface and at the lower ends with a bracket during the Curing process are provided. Thereby the fibers in the Be to be cured in a simple manner rich in the bottom layer of the body to be manufactured applicable. At the beginning of the production process, the Fibers caught at their lower ends by the curing beam  and thus in the area of the liquid to be hardened brought in. Optionally, the lower ones are advantageous Fiber ends with the, in particular sieve-like, holder or one, preferably with slots for clamping the Fiber ends provided, disc on the bottom of the tub verbun the. The fibers can be processed with little effort in line with the liquid for hardening fi xbare, so that the lowest, outer contours of the body essentially of the equivalent form that match the fixed fiber ends in their total take next to each other.

Feed-through eyelets are preferably used to guide the fibers having brackets provided in a to the rivers liquid surface parallel plane are movable. Ent speaking of the deflection of the curing beam Movements of the holder on a controller in such a way coordinated with each other so that the moving Hal guided fiber and the curing beam on the Cross the liquid surface during the curing process. The Control pulse for deflecting the beam of radiation Source also serves to guide the holder to cross the next of the curing beam the fiber. The brackets are accordingly on radia len straight lines with a common intersection arranges.

According to a further advantageous development the fibers through the eyelets of the controlled holder carried out, within which they are each under a ge know preload are slidably mounted. This preload  tion is by conventional means, such as spring arrangements, kept almost constant.

The fibers are preferably mounted on axially rotatable Supply spools wound up, whereby exactly the company unwinds from the coil, which corresponds to the Au The outer contour of the body to be manufactured is required. Is the fiber end connected to the bracket, the by gradually immersing the bracket in the Radiation-curable liquid caused portion out lichen.

The device is particularly suitable for production thin-walled hollow body, such as housing parts. However, the production of compact bodies is also possible. The solidification of the layers within the from the hardened blasting solidified outer contour can by continuous Nuclear painting with the curing beam reali be settled. This process is repeated after everyone Circulation of the curing beam within the new contour. The holders for guiding the fibers are made during this Program phases not controlled.

Is the radiation-curable liquid for example around plastic curing with UV light, is the radiation source, preferably a laser, on the tuned ultraviolet wavelength range.

In the following, the structure and handling of one with a Laser radiation source equipped device for manufacturing position of plastic parts described in more detail. At the  This special device are the reinforcing fibers Coils are wound and are controlled via controllable fiber neck ter led. The fiber ends are circular in slots shaped, fixable on the bottom of the plastic tub trapped.

Before starting up the system, the coils are on axes put on and the fiber ends are over fiber tension constant holder through eyelets of the fiber holder deln. These measures must also be taken when changing bobbins to lead. Then the fiber ends are determined by certain dimensions the holder designed as a sieve and in peripheral slits of the circular disc pinched. Crossings of the fibers in the tensioned state are too avoid. After placing the disc on the floor insert the sieve and the plate of the tub Setting the fiber tensions. The tub will be up to ner depth that is at least the height of the to be manufactured Plastic part corresponds with liquid plastic ge fills. The shape of the plastic part to be produced by entering the control program for the movement course of the laser beam. After starting the The program will lead the laser beam, the fiber holder and that Sieve precisely coordinated movements. Is the Manufacturing process completed, the disc can Sieve and the solidified plastic part from the tub be excavated. Finally, the plastic part severed from the fibers and the severed ends of the Fibers are removed from the slits in the disc.

In order to cover the curing radiation by the company to avoid the latter are the latter with regard to their free  Ends preferably displaceable in the radial direction, while the radiation source is not just in their direction is changeable by inclination, but also if necessary by a length in the tangential direction on a vertical axis of the workpiece.

Advantageous developments of the invention are in the Un claims marked or become below together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the Invention illustrated with reference to the figures. Show it:

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a device according to the invention at the beginning of the production sequence,

Fig. 1a, the outlines of the solidified body accordingly Fig. 1,

Fig. 2, only one fiber schematically simplified apparatus of FIG. 1 supply sequence on display during the Ferti,

Fig. 2a shows the outline of the solidified body accordingly Fig. 2,

Fig. 3, on the presentation of only a fiber schematically simplified device according to Fig. 1 to the end of the production sequence,

Fig. 3a shows the outline of the solidified body accordingly FIG. 3 with surrounding fibers,

Fig. 4 shows a section through the greatly enlarged layers and Ver

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the displacement straight line of the fiber guide elements relative to the laser beam deflection.

The device shown in Fig. 1 consists in wesent union of a box-shaped trough 1 , which is filled with liquid plastic 2 , a within the plastic bath perpendicular to its surface 3 movable sieve 4 , a laser 5 , the plastic-curing beam 6 on the plastic surface 3 is directed as well as several fibers 7 , which are clamped in peripheral slots 8 of a circular disk 9 fixed to the bottom of the tub 1 , through meshes 10 ( FIG. 4) of the sieve 4 via parallel to the solidified surface 11 ( FIG. 2 'and 3 ') of the plastic part 12 to be produced ( Fig. 3') ver sliding eyelets 13 , means 14 for adjusting and Kon constant holding the fiber tension and rotatably mounted on axes 15 coils 16 are guided.

The laser beam 6 can be deflected in such a way that contours 17 can be hardened on the plastic surface 3 , which delimit layers of the surface 11 of the plastic part 12 to be produced , the sieve 4 being immersed in the plastic bath 3 starting from the plastic surface 3 at the curing speed perpendicular to the plastic surface 3 . The eyelets 13 are movable in a plane parallel to the plastic surface 3 and individually controllable in accordance with the deflection of the laser beam 6 , so that the fiber 7 guided with the actuated eyelet 13 and the laser beam 6 cross on the plastic surface 3 .

The sequence of movements of the laser beam 6 , the eyelet 13 ', which leads the picked fiber 7 ' and the sieve 3 as the manufacturing process continues is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Figs. 2a and 3a show the time in jewei production stage already solidified portion of the produced Kunstststoffteiles 12th The contours assigned to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are designated 17 a, 17 b and 17 c. It can be seen that the eyelet 13 'is slidable along a straight line parallel to the plastic surface 3 , the change in position of the eyelet 13 ' relative to the previous passage of the laser beam depending on the change in the deflection angle 18 of the laser beam 6 .

In Fig. 4, the third pass and thus the structure of the third layer is shown in a greatly enlarged sectional view.

In order to avoid overlaps between the mechanical control elements 19 ( FIG. 1), the eyelets 13 and the fibers 7 on the one hand and the laser beam 6 ( FIG. 1) on the other hand, the straight lines of displacement 20 ( FIG. 5) of the eyelets 13 and the control elements 19 arranged such that the laser beam 6 at the greatest possible deflection, as shown in FIG. 5, immediately adjacent to the control elements 19 or eyelets 13 . The straight lines of displacement 20 therefore do not intersect at one point but on a circle 21 arranged concentrically around the deflection cone of the laser beam 6 . Since the diameter of this circle 21 of the straight line intersection points inte resse a uniform overvoltage of the surface 11 of the plastic part 12 to be manufactured with fibers 7 must be as small as possible, the plane of the circle 21 of the intersection points of the straight line 20 is arranged just below the deflection center 22 of the laser beam 6 .

The control of the eyelets 13 also ensures that with decreasing laser beam deflection two consecutive passages and consequently with local rejuvenation of the plastic part to be generated, only the eyelet 13 'just controlled affects the circle 21 of the intersection points of the straight line 20 Ver. This eyelet 13 'is immediately moved back to the far outside of the circle 21 of the intersection points after the melting of the fiber 7 ' carried with it. This ensures that mutual impediments to the fibers 7 do not occur.

The shape of the plastic part to be produced is determined by the movement sequences of the laser beam 6 . Within the scope of the deflection of the laser beam 6 and the Ver shifting area of the eyelets 13 , any shape of plastic body 12 can be genetically generated with fibers 7 and coated with fibers 7 .

The device allows both the production of hollow bodies and compact bodies. To solidify the layer located within the outer contour 17 the program is to make for the movement of the laser beam 6 in such a way that after each full revolution of the La serstrahls 6, a meandering sweeping the inscribed by the outer contour 17 layer. The control of the eyelets is interrupted during the solidification process of the inner layer.

The handling of the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS . 1, 2 and 3 of a device according to the invention for the production of plastic parts 12 is described. In this device, the fibers 7 are wound on spools 16 and are guided over controllable eyelets 13 . The fiber ends can be clamped in slots 7 of a circular disc 8 and the disc 8 is at the bottom of the plastic tub 1 fixier bar.

After placing the bobbins 16 on the axes 15 , the fiber ends 7 '' are threaded through the fiber tension stabilizer 14 through the eyelets 13 and through the meshes 10 of the sieve 4 , which are the contour 17 a of the first curing layer closest. Then the fiber ends 7 '' are clamped in the peripheral slots 8 of the circular disk 9 . Crossings of the fibers 7 are to be avoided. After the disc 9 on the Bo denplatte the tub 1 is fixed, the sieve 4 is inserted into the tub 1 and the fiber tension is adjusted. The tub 1 is filled with liquid plastic 2 to a depth that corresponds at least to the height of the plastic part 12 to be produced. The shape of the plastic part 12 to be produced is determined by entering the control program for the movement sequence of the laser beam 6 . After starting the program, the laser beam 6 , the eyelets 13 and the sieve 4 execute movements which are precisely coordinated with one another. If the production process is completed, the disk 9 , the sieve 4 and the solidified plastic part 12 are removed from the tub 1 . The plastic part 12 is then in the form shown in Fig. 3a. Finally, the fiber remnants are separated from the plastic part 12 and the ends 7 '' of the fibers 7 are removed from the slots 8 of the disc 9 .

The invention is not restricted in its implementation to the preferred embodiment given above game. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable which of the solution shown also in principle make use of different types.

Claims (10)

1. Device for the production of any shaped plastic body using a device consisting of a liquid filled by high-energy radiation curable liquid, a slidable within the liquid in the vertical direction, in particular ta plate-like, holder for a body to be manufactured and a source for the high-energy Radiation, in particular a laser, the beam of which is directed onto the surface of the liquid and can be deflected in such a way that in the liquid phase in the region of the liquid surface, structures can be hardened, which form the volume of the body to be produced in layers, the holder being essentially the steps corresponding to the depth of hardening are immersed increasingly deeper into the liquid, characterized in that tensile fibers ( 7 ) directed substantially perpendicular to the liquid surface ( 3 ) for reinforcing the body ( 11 ) to be produced with their un teren ends ( 7 '') are provided with the bracket ( 4 ) carried along and above half the liquid surface ( 3 ) by movable in the horizontal direction guide means ( 19 ), preferably ent along a straight line ( 20 ), are arranged such that they can be tracked are always in the assigned area within the liquid ( 2 ) to be hardened. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the fibers ( 7 ) with their lower ends ( 7 '') are fixed to the, in particular designed as a sieve, holder ( 4 ). 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the fibers ( 7 ) with their lower ends ( 7 '') with a fixed on the bottom of the tub ( 1 ) located disc ( 9 ) or plate. 4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the disc ( 9 ) on its circumference slots ( 8 ) for receiving the fiber ends ( 7 '') has. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for guiding the fibers ( 7 ) bushing eyelets ( 13 ) having guide means ( 19 ) are provided which are movable in a plane substantially parallel to the liquid surface ( 3 ) and corresponding to the Deflection of the curing beam ( 6 ) can be controlled individually. 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the Fa sern ( 7 ) are guided under preload. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the obe ren areas of the fibers ( 7 ) on rotatably mounted before reel spools ( 16 ) are wound. 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the radiation source ( 5 ) is not only controllable in its beam direction, but is also slidably mounted by such an amount in ho rizontal direction, so that an overlap of the beam by this displacement ( 6 ) with a fiber ( 7 ) outside the area to be hardened can be avoided. 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that the fiber-guiding eyelets ( 13 ) along one of the maxima len beam deflection cone surrounding the concentric circle ( 21 ) intersecting straight lines ( 20 ) are displaceable and after each Activate position far outside the circle ( 21 ). 10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fibers ( 7 ) are knitted fabrics.