法国3D打印机制造商QUALUP SAShas released a new system that enables users to closely control material flow as a means of ensuring the production of consistent-quality parts.
Known as the ‘Qu3-HT,’ QUALUP SAS’ printer features a monitoring system that allows users to make sure that filaments flow at a constant rate, and resulting prints aren’t subject to variations that impact on their dimensions, strength or finish.
该机器的自适应构建体积也比静态等效物更快地加热，从而使零件能够迅速由高温材料（如Peek或Pekk）制成。
Qualup SAS总裁Myriam Boichut解释说：“灯丝控制[系统]集成到打印机中，不断地测量灯丝的直径和卵形，精度为0.8µm。”“该仪器的三个目标是不断补偿细丝直径的变化，以便具有恒定的流速，与切片机所计算的相同，以确保通过打印报告的零件的重复性和质量每个部分提供。”
确保一致的灯丝流
在挤出过程中，许多商业丝发生在+/- 0.05mm左右的公差内。At first glance, this may appear to allow for 3D printing with a high degree of accuracy, but as QUALUP SAS points out, this leaves room for a variation in volume of up to 12% between the material’s maximum and minimum tolerances, making it tricky to ensure the quality and repeatability of resulting parts.
When it comes to heavier-duty polymers like PEEK, PEKK, PEI and PPSU, some material developers even market them as having tolerances of +/- 0.10mm, doubling the chances that they’ll suffer distortion. Such issues are somewhat caused by the way extruders control the rate filament flows at, known as the ‘mm-equivalent,’ which according to QUALUP SAS makes it “impossible to achieve consistent quality.”
为了为制造商提供更大的材料控制，因此该公司提出了一个新系统，该系统可以测量两个垂直平面中细丝的直径并计算出卵形。同时，在使用此数据来计算确保零件质量所需的补偿量之前，该系统在Qu3-HT的主板上查找材料的长度。
Once the 3D printer has completed this process, which is carried out at a frequency of 500Hz (or a check every 2s) and an accuracy of 0.8µm, it’s capable of producing a report certifying that two parts printed with the same G-code are identical, something QUALUP SAS says is impossible without measuring a filament’s diameter mid-extrusion.
“We decided to develop this feature a little over two years ago when one of our customers asked us to print stainless steel parts using a process similar toBASF’s Utrafuse 17-4，” Boichut补充说。“不可能用100％填充（丝）正确打印，高度充满了金属85/15的比例。要么有间隙和孔隙率，要么喷嘴变成犯规并在该部分引起痕迹。这项创新已深刻地提高了Qu3-HT印刷零件的质量和重复性，所有材料，尤其是高温聚合物。”
“It is now possible to certify the quality of Filament Fusion printed parts and that two [of the same] parts are identical.”
Introducing a revamped Qu3-HT
Filament control system aside, the 2022 edition of the Qu3-HT also packs several other features, designed to aid the consistency of users’ parts. One of the most distinctive aspects of the machine’s design is its adaptable bellow-style build chamber, which can not only be set up to print at any temperature between 30°C and 270°C, but physically adjusts to the size of components as they’re produced.
在此过程中，系统促进了大部分的创建，同时确保使用的任何材料保持在恒定温度下，以进一步改善可重复性。新的Qu3-HT室的适应性温度还使用户能够进行热处理，例如在印刷周期后进行退火，结晶和压力释放，并可能节省交货时间。
就机器的打印头本身而言，这些泵每小时都可以通过500升水循环，并确保它们不超过45°C的温度，即使在几个小时后，它们也不会超过45°C的温度。Qu3-HT的挤出机还结合了一组自密封连接器，这使得维护它们的维护比原本更容易，同时保护用户免受任何流体泄漏的影响。
在其他地方，对于那些寻求定制设置的人，Qualup SAS已将其最新系统安装在可互换的印刷床上，可以快速将其换成（由于其真空固定的环境），以解锁与高温金属的兼容性。同样，该公司提供了带有QU3-HT的预装台和热摄像头，可让用户精确地校准打印头（例如配置流量或PID），并更详细地分析系统的构建区域。
Technical specifications and pricing
Below are the technical specifications for the 2022 edition of the Qu3-HT system. Those interested in either finding out more about the machine or ordering it, cancontact QUALUP SAS for a quote。
| Technology | Fused Material Deposition |
| 构建音量 | 300 x 250 x 300mm |
| Resolution | 小于0.01mm（在所有三个轴中） |
| 喷嘴温度 | 300°C至500°C |
| Bed Temperature | 30°C to 250°C |
| 室温度 | 30°C to 270°C |
| 材料兼容性 | 窥视，佩克，PEI，PPSU，铜，铝，陶瓷 |
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Featured image shows the Qu3-HT 3D printer’s bellow system. Photo by Maël Duportal.
