JPH081794A - Method and apparatus for producing three-dimensional matter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the production time of three-dimensional matter. CONSTITUTION:A three-dimensional matter manufacturing apparatus 1 is constituted of a bathtub 2 receiving a liquid photo-setting resin R cured by the irradiation with light, the molding stand 3 liftable in the bathtub 2, a doctor blade 4 as a smoothing member movable in a horizontal direction so as to stroke the surface R0 of the liquid photo-setting resin R and the light irradiation device 10 arranged above the bathtub 2 to focus light L on the surface R0 of the liquid photosetting resin R to selectively irradiate the same. When the scanning of the light L passes the intersecting point of two-dimensional data and a scanning line, a control signal I is supplied to a light modulation device 14 to change over the device 14 from a cut-off state to a transmission state or from a transmission state to a cut-off state to selectively irradiate the liquid photo-setting resin with the light L on the basis of the two-dimensional data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is generated by dividing three-dimensional shape data of a three-dimensional model designed by three-dimensional CAD or three-dimensional shape data measured by a three-dimensional shape measuring instrument into multiple layers on a horizontal plane. A plurality of two-dimensional data are selected in order, and the surface of the liquid photo-curable resin is selectively irradiated with light based on each of the two-dimensional data selected in that order to form a resin thin film one after another. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing an original object, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by efficiently scanning the light.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A technique itself for producing a three-dimensional object having a desired shape by successively laminating thin films formed by selectively irradiating light on the surface of a liquid photocurable resin is well known. JP-A-61-1114818, JP-A-4-169221, JP-A-4-169222, JP-A-5-8307, and JP-A-5-38763.
It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No.

In the technique for manufacturing such a three-dimensional object, since each thin film is a relatively thin film having a thickness of usually 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, an object having a certain size is manufactured. In order to do so, a large number of thin films have to be laminated, and there is a problem that the manufacturing time becomes long. Therefore, various efforts have been made to shorten the manufacturing time. For example, the above-mentioned JP-A-61-114881.
In the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 8, the time required for smoothing the liquid photocurable resin that newly covers the upper surface of the thin film generated by selectively irradiating the surface of the liquid photocurable resin with light. It has been developed for the purpose of shortening the length of the liquid photocurable resin, and a brief explanation is that a smooth plate having a length corresponding to the width of the bath is placed on the bath containing the liquid photocurable resin, and the bath is inserted from the resin supply port. It has a structure in which the smooth plate is horizontally moved so as to stroke the liquid photocurable resin supplied therein. With such a structure, even if the liquid photocurable resin has a high viscosity (usually about 5 to 200 poise), its surface can be smoothed within a relatively short time. It was possible to reduce the total time required to manufacture the original object.

[0004]

However, the effect of shortening the time required by the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-114818 has not yet reached a sufficiently satisfactory level, and the time required can be further shortened. The development of technology was desired. In particular, in an actual three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus, a part irradiated with light is cured to become a real part (a part where the substance exists), and conversely, a part not irradiated with light is not cured and is a vacant part ( Since there is no entity), the scanning of light is stopped once when the scanning of light approaches the contour line (border between the real part and the empty part) of the two-dimensional data,
When moving from the real part to the empty part, the light was blocked, when moving from the empty part to the real part, light was emitted, and then the scanning of light was restarted. When the scanning of light is stopped at the boundary between the space and the space, it takes time due to the motion characteristics due to the load inertia of the mechanism for scanning light, and the total time required for manufacturing the three-dimensional object is accordingly increased. There was a problem that it would be long. Such a problem is caused by any one of the whole area irradiation mode, the isolated irradiation mode, and the inner area non-irradiation mode with respect to the inner region of the contour surface, as in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-169222. Since it is selected and performed, it becomes remarkable when the scanning line of light intersects with many contour lines.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to such a point, and a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object in which the required time can be further shortened by devising selective irradiation of light, and It is intended to provide a manufacturing apparatus.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 forms a thin film by selectively irradiating the surface of a liquid photocurable resin with light based on two-dimensional data. In the method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object having a desired shape by repeatedly performing a thin film forming step of forming a thin film and a thin film coating step of thinly covering the upper surface of the thin film with the liquid photocurable resin, the light is blocked at an arbitrary timing. With possible light blocking means, the coordinates of the intersection of the scanning line of the light and the contour line of the two-dimensional data are obtained in advance, and during the thin film forming step, the scanning of the light scans the intersection. Light is selectively emitted by switching the state of the light blocking means at the timing of passage.

On the other hand, in order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 2 is a light irradiating means for selectively irradiating the surface of a liquid photocurable resin with light based on two-dimensional data to form a thin film. And a thin film coating means for thinly covering the upper surface of the thin film with the liquid photo-curable resin, in a three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus, the light irradiation means is caused to scan the light along a predetermined scanning line. A light scanning unit, a light blocking unit capable of blocking the light at an arbitrary timing, and a state of the light blocking unit when the light scanning passes through the intersection of the scanning line and the contour line of the two-dimensional data. And a cutoff state switching means for switching.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the state of the light blocking means is changed at the timing when the actual light scanning passes through the intersection between the light scanning line and the contour line of the two-dimensional data which is obtained in advance. Since the switching is performed, selective light irradiation based on the two-dimensional data is performed without temporarily stopping the light scanning.

Also, in the invention according to claim 2, since the blocking state switching means switches the state of the light blocking means when the light scanning passes through the intersection, the light scanning by the light scanning means is performed. Even if it is not stopped once, selective irradiation of light is performed based on the two-dimensional data.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a liquid photocurable resin R that is cured by being irradiated with light. The bathtub 2 accommodated therein, a molding base 3 that can be moved up and down in the bathtub 2, and a doctor blade 4 that is horizontally movable so as to stroke the surface R ₀ of the liquid photocurable resin R.
And a light irradiating device 10 arranged above the bath 2 and capable of irradiating the light L along a predetermined scanning direction by focusing on the surface R ₀ of the liquid photocurable resin R. There is.

Of these, the molding pedestal 3 has an upper surface 3a parallel to the surface R ₀ of the liquid photocurable resin R, and is placed at an arbitrary position in the vertical direction in the bathtub 2 by an elevating device (not shown). It can be displaced. Further, the doctor blade 4 is a flat plate-shaped member having a width slightly shorter than the width of one side of the bathtub 2 (direction orthogonal to FIG. 1), and the tip 4a formed at an acute angle has a surface R of the liquid photocurable resin R.
Suspended vertically to touch ₀ slightly,
By a driving device (not shown), it can be moved along the surface R ₀ in the left-right direction of FIG. 1 (thickness direction of the doctor blade 4) over substantially the entire widthwise direction of the bathtub 2.

The light irradiating device 10 is, for example, He-
The main body 12 is composed of a Cd laser (not shown), a converging lens 11 and the like, and its main body 12 can freely move back and forth in the X-axis direction by a ball screw 13A extending in the horizontal X-axis direction. The screw 13A can be freely moved back and forth in the Y-axis direction by a ball screw 13B extending in the Y-axis direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction.
Can be displaced to any position on the horizontal plane. Therefore, the scanning lines of the light L emitted from the light irradiation device 10 are parallel to the X-axis direction, and the scanning lines are sequentially arranged in the Y-axis direction. The ball screws 13A, 1
3B is driven to rotate by an electric motor (not shown), and a ball nut screwed with the ball screws 13A and 13B is not particularly shown.

Further, the light irradiating device 10 has a light modulating device 14 capable of blocking or transmitting the light L in its main body 12. The light modulating device 14 is a microcomputer (not shown) or a necessary storage device. , Either the state of blocking the light L or the state of transmitting the light L is adopted in accordance with the control signal I supplied from the controller 15 including an interface circuit and the like.

Further, the position sensor 16A for detecting the X-axis direction position of the main body 12 by monitoring the rotation state of the ball screw 13A, and the Y-axis direction position of the main body 12 by monitoring the rotation state of the ball screw 13B. And a position sensor 16B for detecting the position sensor 1
The position detection signals D _X and D _Y output by 6A and 16B are supplied to the controller 15.

The controller 15 has three-dimensional shape data of a three-dimensional object manufactured by the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus 1 (note that the three-dimensional shape data is actually designed by a three-dimensional CAD or a three-dimensional shape measuring instrument). Is generated by measuring an object.) Is stored in multiple layers on a horizontal plane, and the two-dimensional data is stored. The two-dimensional data is selected in order from the bottom layer side, and the selection is made. The control signal I is output to the light modulator 14 so that the light L is selectively emitted based on the one set of two-dimensional data.

Specifically, the coordinates of the intersection of the two-dimensional data and the scanning line of the light L are obtained in advance, and when the light L is actually irradiated, the main body 12 is not stopped halfway and the constant speed is maintained. On the other hand, when the scanning line passes through the intersection, the state of the light modulation device 14 is switched (when shifting from the real part to the empty part, the light modulation device 14 is switched from the transmission state to the blocking state, On the contrary, at the time of shifting from the empty part to the real part, the light modulator 14 is switched from the blocking state to the transmitting state) so that the selective irradiation of the light L according to the two-dimensional data is performed.

That is, the controller 15 stops the movement of the main body 12 (that is, the scanning of the light L) when switching from the state of irradiating the light L to the state of blocking the light L (or the state of irradiating the light L). Without the light modulator 14
The control is executed only by switching the state of. 2 (a) to 2 (a) to describe the basic operation for manufacturing a three-dimensional object having a desired shape by the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus 1.
A description will be given together with (d).

That is, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the molding frame 3 is placed at an initial position where a thin layer (about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm) of the liquid photocurable resin R is formed on the upper surface 3a thereof. The liquid photo-curable resin R is cured by selectively irradiating the light L from the light irradiation device 10 while maintaining this state, and the thin film 5a is formed on the upper surface 3a (thin film forming step). In addition,
The irradiation of the light L in this thin film forming step is performed by the controller 15 appropriately switching the state of the light modulator 14 by the control signal I as described above.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the outer contour line C
There is two-dimensional data in which the area surrounded by ₁ and the inner contour line C ₂ is the real part, and the intersection of these contour lines C ₁ , C ₂ and one scanning line S is P ₁ from the base point side of the scanning line S. , P ₂ , P ₃
And P ₄ . And the controller 15
Are obtained from the position sensors 16A and 16B when the coordinates of the intersections P _{1 to} P ₄ are obtained in advance before the light L is actually emitted and the light L is emitted along the scanning line S. The scanning position of the light L is recognized based on the position detection signals D _X and D _Y , and when the scanning position coincides with the intersection P ₁ , the control signal I is output to switch the optical modulator 14 from the cutoff state to the transmission state. , Then, when the scanning position coincides with the intersection point P ₂ ,
The control signal I is output to switch the light modulation device 14 from the transmission state to the blocking state, and when the scanning position coincides with the intersection point P ₃ , the control signal I is output to shift the light modulation device 14 from the blocking state to the transmission state again. When the switching is performed and the scanning position coincides with the intersection point P ₄ , the control signal I is output and the optical modulator 1
4 is switched from the transmission state to the blocking state. This allows
Since only the real part of the two-dimensional data is irradiated with the light L, if the light L is irradiated along all the scanning lines, a ring shape surrounded by the contour lines C ₁ and C ₂ as shown in FIG. A thin film will be formed.

When the lowermost thin film 5a is formed, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the molding frame 3 is lowered by a predetermined distance. The descending distance of the molding pedestal 3 corresponds to the thickness of the thin films formed one after another (about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm). Immediately after the molding stand 3 is lowered, the surface tension of the liquid photocurable resin is large, and the descending distance of the molding stand 3 is very small. Therefore, as shown in FIG. The surrounding liquid photo-curable resin does not enter the upper part.

Therefore, in this embodiment, after the molding frame 3 is lowered by a predetermined distance, the doctor blade 4 is moved at a predetermined speed so as to stroke the surface R ₀ (thin film coating step).
Then, as shown in FIG. 2C, the doctor blade 4
Since the liquid photo-curable resin R moves so as to be dragged to the tip 4a of the liquid photo-curable resin R, the liquid photo-curable resin R also enters the thin film 5a, and a thin layer of the liquid photo-curable resin R is formed on the thin film 5a. The doctor blade 4 evens out fine irregularities on the surface R ₀ , and the surface R ₀ is substantially smoothed when the movement of the doctor blade 4 is completed. In other words, immediately after lowering the molding frame 3, the doctor blade 4
By moving the surface R of the liquid photocurable resin R
The time until ₀ is smoothed is greatly reduced.

When the surface R ₀ is smoothed, as shown in FIG. 2D, light L is selectively irradiated again from the light irradiation device 10 to cure the liquid photo-curable resin R, and the thin film 5a is formed. Then, the thin film 5b of the next stage is formed (thin film forming step). At this time, the scanning of the light L emitted from the light irradiating device 10 is performed based on the upper two-dimensional data of the one two-dimensional data selected when the thin film 5a of the lowermost layer is formed.

After the thin film 5b is formed, the molding frame 3 is lowered again by a predetermined distance as in FIG.
Move the doctor blade 4 in the same manner as in (c), and
Similarly to (d), the light L is selectively emitted, and then again shown in FIG.
Similar to (b), the molding pedestal 3 is lowered by a predetermined distance, and so on, and the operations shown in FIGS. 2B to 2D are repeatedly executed.

Then, since the thin films 5a, 5b, ... Are successively laminated on the upper surface 3a of the molding stand 3, the above-mentioned three-dimensional shape data is divided into multiple layers on a horizontal plane to generate two-dimensional data. The molding of the three-dimensional object having the desired shape is completed when the above-described repeated operation is performed for all of them. In the present embodiment, when the light L is selectively emitted based on the two-dimensional data, the state of the light modulator 14 is switched, so the scanning of the light L is stopped halfway. You don't have to. That is, the ball screw 13A
Also, since it is not necessary to frequently stop the electric motor or the like that rotationally drives this, the scanning time can be shortened by the time required for stopping and driving, and the manufacturing time of the three-dimensional object can be greatly shortened, improving the production efficiency. It is possible.

Here, in this embodiment, the light irradiation device 10 corresponds to the light irradiation means, the molding frame 3 and the doctor blade 4 correspond to the thin film coating means, and the ball screws 13A, 13 are used.
B, a ball nut (not shown), and an electric motor correspond to the light scanning means, the light modulator 14 corresponds to the light blocking means, and the controller 15 and the position sensors 16A and 16B correspond to the blocking state switching means.

In the above embodiment, the thin films 5a, 5b, ... Are laminated one after another while the molding pedestal 3 is lowered, but the type of the three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus 1 to which the present invention is applicable is limited to this. For example, in addition to the structure of the above-described embodiment, a form in which a predetermined amount of the liquid photocurable resin R is replenished after the molding frame 3 is lowered may be used, or JP-A-61-114818. The method disclosed in the official gazette, that is, without providing a vertically movable molding pedestal 3, a lowermost thin film is formed on the bottom surface of the bath 2, and then a predetermined amount of the liquid photocurable resin R is replenished and its surface R ₀ The doctor blade 4 is moved along the surface to smooth the surface, and light is irradiated to form a thin film in the next stage, and a predetermined amount of the liquid photocurable resin R is again formed.
It may be a device of a type in which thin films are successively stacked on the bottom surface of the bathtub 2 to manufacture a three-dimensional object by replenishing.

[0027]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1 or 2, selective irradiation of light is handled by appropriately switching the state of the light blocking means. Since it is possible to selectively irradiate light without stopping the scanning in the middle of the process, it is not necessary to stop the mechanism for scanning the light frequently, and the scanning time is shortened by the time required for stopping and driving it. This has the effect of significantly reducing the manufacturing time of the original object and improving the production efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a basic operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating light scanning.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus 2 Bathtub 3 Molding stand 4 Doctor blade 5a, 5b Thin film 10 Light irradiation device (light irradiation means) 11 Converging lens 12 Main body 13A, 13B Ball screw (light scanning means) 14 Light modulation device (light block) 15) Controller (shut-off state switching means) 16A, 16B Position sensor R Liquid photo-curable resin R ₀ Surface L Light C ₁ , C ₂ Contour line S Scan line P _{1 to} P ₄ Intersection point

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A thin film forming step of selectively irradiating the surface of a liquid photocurable resin with light based on two-dimensional data to form a thin film, and a thin film covering the upper surface of the thin film with the liquid photocurable resin. In a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object having a desired shape by repeatedly performing a thin film coating step, a light blocking unit capable of blocking the light at an arbitrary timing is provided, and a scanning line of the light and the two-dimensional data are provided. The coordinates of the intersection with the contour line are obtained in advance, and in the thin film forming step, light is selectively emitted by switching the state of the light blocking means at the timing when the scanning of the light passes through the intersection. A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object, comprising: 2. Light irradiation means for selectively irradiating the surface of the liquid photo-curable resin with light based on two-dimensional data to form a thin film, and the upper surface of the thin film is thinly covered with the liquid photo-curable resin. In a three-dimensional object manufacturing apparatus including a thin film coating means, an optical scanning means for causing the light irradiation means to scan the light along a predetermined scanning line, and a light capable of blocking the light at an arbitrary timing. A blocking means and blocking state switching means for switching the state of the light blocking means when the light scanning passes through the intersection of the scanning line and the contour line of the two-dimensional data. Original object manufacturing equipment.