JPS6237109A - Forming device for solid form - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a solid form precisely by controlling the layer thickness and the surface position of each resin layer correctly, by providing a resin surface optical detecting mechanism constituted of an optical system comprising an irradiation beam light source and condenser and of a received-light detecting part measuring and detecting a position of a resin surface, on the surface of a liquid photo-setting type resin layer. CONSTITUTION:An auxiliary scanning table 31 is lowered by dimensions of thickness of said supply resin layer 32 so that the surface of the supply resin layer 32 becomes a focal point position of an irradiation laser beam 29 at the time when an amount of a liquid photo- setting type resin material for a layer has been supplied to the inside of a resin holding vessel 30. A non-photo-setting wave length light 37 emitted from, an irradiation beam light source 33 to the surface of the supply resin layer 32 is made to incident through a slant direction and is received by a received light detecting part 36. Then formation of a high- precision solid form becomes possible by a method wherein a position deviation of the supply resin layer surface against a prescribed resin surface position is measured highly precisely by a non-contact mode, and feed back of a corrective signal to an elevator mechanism part and resin material supply mechanism of the auxiliary scanning table 31 is performed by detecting the position deviation between the position of a reflected light 38 from a prescribed resin surface position and that of a reflected light 39.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Summary] The present invention provides an apparatus for forming a three-dimensional shape displaying three-dimensional information in a layered manner using a liquid photocurable resin and a laser beam optical system. An optical system consisting of an irradiation beam light source and a condensing lens that obliquely impinges non-photocuring wavelength light on the surface of a liquid photocurable resin layer that is sequentially supplied and formed in the resin storage container corresponding to the container. By attaching a resin surface optical detection mechanism consisting of a system and a light reception detection section that measures and detects the position of the resin surface by receiving the reflected light of the incident light reflected on the resin layer surface, the supplied liquid photocurable The surface position of the mold resin layer can be measured and detected, and this detection signal controls the elevating mechanism of the sub-scanning table and the resin supply mechanism to accurately adjust the layer thickness and surface position of each resin layer, making the three-dimensional shape highly accurate. It is designed so that it can be formed.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention is directed to a three-dimensional shape forming apparatus that selectively exposes and hardens successively supplied liquid photocurable resin layers using a laser beam optical system to form a laminated three-dimensional model shape for displaying three-dimensional three-dimensional information. This invention relates to an apparatus configuration in which the surface positions of liquid photocurable resin layers that are sequentially supplied and formed can be optically detected and the surface positions of each resin layer can be accurately controlled.

As methods for displaying three-dimensional stereoscopic information, perspective view display, projection view display, contour line display, stereoscopic display using holography, etc. have been developed and are generally widely used. However, none of these methods is widely used. However, it is not always satisfactory to intuitively grasp and fully understand the displayed three-dimensional shape, and it is not easy to form and display non-existent three-dimensional virtual objects or three-dimensional bird figures.

For this reason, in recent years, in order to intuitively grasp 3D information and display it in an easy-to-understand manner, methods for relatively easily forming model-like 3D shapes have been developed, such as using photocurable resin and laser beam optical systems. It has been proposed to selectively photocure the photocurable resin based on 3D information using a 3D model to form a complex 3D model shape in a layered manner.

By the way, when forming such a laminated three-dimensional shape,
The surface position of each liquid photocurable resin layer sequentially supplied into the resin storage container is determined by controlling the amount of resin material supplied and calculating the resin layer thickness predicted from the amount of resin material supplied, that is, the increase in surface position. Since the adjustment is made by adjusting the elevating and lowering mechanism of the sub-scanning table on which the resin storage container is placed, there is a problem that the surface position of each resin layer is likely to be misaligned, and it is difficult to correct this misalignment. It is desired to solve this problem.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, photocurable resin was used and laser beam irradiation was used.

In order to form a model shape that displays three-dimensional three-dimensional information, first, as shown in FIG. The liquid photocurable resin material corresponding to the thickness obtained by dividing the three-dimensional model shape into several slices is supplied, and the surface of the supplied resin layer 5 is adjusted to the focal position of the laser beam 4 irradiated. Finely adjust the sub-scanning table 2 in the vertical direction so that the

Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (bl), based on a three-dimensional shape pattern signal obtained by dividing the three-dimensional model shape to be created into several slices on the surface of the resin layer 5, a laser beam optical system is sent to the scanning reflecting mirror 3. The reflected laser beam 4 or the sub-scanning table 2 is moved and scanned in the X and Y directions to perform laser beam irradiation, thereby forming a first cured resin layer 5a that is selectively cured by exposure.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (C1), the liquid photocurable resin material for the second layer is supplied, and the sub-scanning is performed again so that the surface of the supplied resin layer 6 becomes the focus position of the irradiated laser beam 4. After finely adjusting the table 2 in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. A bicured resin layer 6a is formed.

Thereafter, in a similar process, as shown in FIG. 3(e), the supplied second layer of liquid photocurable resin layer 7 is selectively exposed and cured to form a third cured resin layer 7a. Finally, a laminated three-dimensional cured resin image is formed in these liquid photocurable resin materials.

By taking out this three-dimensional cured resin image from the liquid photocurable resin material and washing away the liquid photocurable resin material with a cleaning solution or the like, desired three-dimensional three-dimensional information is obtained as shown in FIG. 3 (fl). A three-dimensional model shape 8 is created to display the .

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, when forming a laminated three-dimensional shape by the conventional forming method as described above, the resin container I
5.6 Layer-by-layer liquid photocurable resin layer sequentially supplied inside
．． Control of the surface position in step 7 involves controlling the amount of resin material supplied on a layer-by-layer basis and adjusting the resin layer thickness predicted from the amount of resin material supplied, that is, the increase in surface position, on the sub-scanning table 2 on which the resin container 1 is placed. Because the adjustment is made by the lifting mechanism, it is easy for the surface position of each resin layer to shift, and since it is not possible to perform appropriate correction processing for the positional shift, it is not possible to obtain a highly accurate three-dimensional shape. There was a drawback.

In view of these conventional drawbacks, the present invention optically detects the surface position of each supplied resin layer that is displaced due to the supply of liquid photocurable resin material, and uses this detection signal to determine the amount of resin material supplied and the lifting mechanism. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel three-dimensional shape forming apparatus that can form a highly accurate three-dimensional shape by controlling the surface position of the resin layer and accurately adjusting the surface position of the resin layer.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a laser device 21, an optical modulator 22, a reflector 23, a lens 2, and a
4.25. A liquid photocurable resin layer that is sequentially supplied into the resin container 30 by reflecting the laser beam 29 from the laser beam optical system consisting of the rotating polygon mirror 26 and the fθ lens 27 by the scanning reflector 28. In addition to the above-mentioned laser beam optical system, for a device that selectively hardens the resin layer 32 by irradiating the surface of the resin layer 32 to form a stacked three-dimensional shape,
Light that is incident on the surface of the liquid photocurable resin layer 32 at a certain inclination angle is reflected, and the reflection direction position of the reflected light changes depending on the fluctuation of the resin layer surface position. An optical system consisting of an irradiation beam light source 33 such as a semiconductor laser device for projecting curing wavelength light 37 from an oblique direction and condensing lenses 34 and 35 receives reflected light 39 reflected from the surface of the resin layer. A resin surface optical detection mechanism is provided, which includes a light reception detecting section 36 consisting of an array of light receiving elements and the like that detects the position of the resin surface.

[For production]

Therefore, in a three-dimensional shape forming apparatus equipped with a resin surface optical detection mechanism, in order to form a three-dimensional shape with a length of 81 m, necessary liquid photocuring molds are sequentially placed in the resin container 30. When the resin material is supplied, the sub-scanning table 31 is lowered by the thickness of the supplied resin layer 32 so that the surface of the supplied resin layer 32 becomes the focus position of the irradiated laser beam 29, and the supplied resin is lowered by the thickness of the supplied resin layer 32. Non-photocuring wavelength light 37 emitted from an irradiation beam light source 33 such as a semiconductor laser element in a resin surface optical detection mechanism through a condenser lens 34 and 35 is incident on the surface of the layer 32 from an oblique direction. , the reflected light 39 reflected from the resin surface is received by a light detection section 36 consisting of an array of light receiving elements or the like.

Then, by detecting the positional deviation between the receiving position of the reflected light from the specified resin surface position and the receiving position of the reflected light 39 from the supplied resin surface, the position of the supplied resin layer surface relative to the specified resin surface position is detected. It becomes possible to measure positional deviations with high precision without contact.

Therefore, by feeding back the correction signal for this positional deviation to the elevating mechanism section of the sub-scanning table 31 and the resin material supply mechanism, the surface position of the supplied resin layer can be accurately controlled to a specified surface position, and the height can be increased. It becomes possible to form a three-dimensional shape with a ti degree.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a three-dimensional shape forming apparatus according to the present invention.

In the figure, 21 is a laser device, 22 is an optical modulator using a functional element such as an electro-optic effect, 23 is a reflecting mirror, 24, 2
5 is a lens, 26 is a rotating polygon mirror, 27 is an fθ lens, 2
Reference numeral 8 denotes a scanning reflecting mirror, which constitutes a laser beam optical system.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a resin storage container in which a liquid photocurable resin material 32 is stored. It is placed.

Furthermore, apart from the laser beam optical system, the surface of each liquid photocurable resin layer 32 sequentially supplied and formed in the resin storage container 30 is set at a wavelength at which the liquid photocurable resin layer 32 is not photocured. An irradiation beam light source 33 such as a semiconductor laser device and a condensing lens 34 for incident light from an oblique direction.
．． 35; and a light-receiving detection section comprising a light-receiving element configured in an array of a number of light-receiving cells 36a that receive the reflected light reflected from the surface of the resin layer and detect the position of the resin surface. A resin surface optical detection mechanism consisting of 36 is attached.

Thus, the liquid photocurable resin layer 32 is sequentially supplied and formed into the resin container 30 by the resin surface optical detection mechanism.
In order to detect the surface position shift, as shown in FIG. The deviation from the surface position 42 of the liquid photocurable resin layer 32 supplied and formed to the resin layer surface position 41 is calculated as
1, the deviation of the reflection position between the reflected light 38 at the specified surface position 41 of the resin layer 32 and the reflected light 39 at the surface position 42 of the supplied resin layer 32 which is shifted by the Δβ value is The deviation ΔSa in the direction parallel to the surface of , and the deviation Δsb in the vertical direction are expressed by the following equation.

Δ5a=2・Δ(1-tan θ...(l) Δ5b=
2・Δl (2) Also, from the above relational expression, when the incident angle θ is 45 degrees or less, the specified resin layer 3
The width of the reflected positional deviation ΔSa in the direction parallel to the surface of 2 is small, and conversely, when the incident angle θ is set to 45 degrees or more, the width of the reflected positional deviation ΔSa is greatly expanded.

Therefore, the incident light 37 from the irradiation beam optical system is made incident on the surface of the supply resin layer 32 at an incident angle θ of 45 degrees or more, and the incident light 37 is reflected at a prescribed surface position 41 of the resin layer 32. Supply resin layer 32 surface position 42
By determining the displacement ΔSa of the reflection position in the parallel direction, it is possible to optically and non-contactly measure the displacement Δl of the supplied resin layer surface position 42 from the specified resin layer surface position 4. becomes.

The liquid photocurable resin material used is, for example, photocurable by irradiation with ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 400 nm or less, and
If an ultraviolet curable resin material that does not harden when irradiated with light of about 0 nm is used, the irradiation beam light source 33 has an emission wavelength of 78 nm.
A semiconductor laser element of about 0 nm, a light emitting diode, or the like can be used. When the light from these light sources 33 contains a wavelength component to be photocured, the light from the light sources 33
A wavelength band filter, a cut filter, or the like that cuts only the photocuring wavelength may be interposed between the photocuring resin layer 3 and the surface of the photocuring resin layer.

Also, the positional deviation ΔS of the reflected light 39 on the surface of the supplied resin layer 32
The light receiving detection unit 36 for measuring a may be a light receiving element that has a plurality of light receiving cells integrated into an array, a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a straight line, or a light receiving element that changes the light receiving output using a knife, a slit, etc. A device with a light-receiving element configuration is used.

When applying a light-receiving element in which the plurality of light-receiving cells are integrally configured in an array at a predetermined pitch P, the condenser lens 34.35 by adjusting the settings of the light receiving cell 36a.
be equal to the arrangement pitch P.

r=P-cos θ (3) In this way, the output of the light reception detection section 36 can be obtained from one light receiving cell or two light receiving cells into which the reflected light 39 from the surface of the supply resin layer 32 is incident. If the reflected light 39 is incident on the center of the light-receiving cell that produces the maximum output among the light-receiving cells that generate the output, the maximum error in measuring the positional deviation on that light-receiving cell is ±P. /2.

On the other hand, the specified resin layer surface position 4 of the supply resin layer surface position 42
Since the ratio of the positional deviation Δl from 1 to the amount of change in the light receiving position on the light receiving detection unit 36 is expressed by equation (1), the maximum measurement error Δle of the supply resin layer surface position 42 is It is determined by the following equation using the incident angle θ of the incident light 37 from the optical system.

Δie = ±P/4・tan θ... (41 Therefore, using the light receiving detection section 36 in which the arrangement pitch P of each light receiving cell 36a is 600 μm, the beam of the incident light 37 from the irradiation beam optical system is applied to the surface of the supply resin layer 32. If the diameter r is 155 μm and the incident angle θ is 75 degrees, it becomes possible to detect the position of the surface of the supplied resin layer 32 with a measurement accuracy of ±40 μm.

Now, in order to form a three-dimensional model shape that displays three-dimensional three-dimensional information using such an apparatus configuration, as shown in FIG.
A liquid photocurable resin material 32 of a first component corresponding to the thickness obtained by dividing the three-dimensional model shape to be created into several slices is supplied into the container.

Next, the diameter r of the laser beam 37 from the irradiation beam light source 33 consisting of a semiconductor laser element or the like is adjusted to be equal to the arrangement pitch P of the light receiving cells 36a of the light receiving detector 36 using the condensing lens 34°35. The light is irradiated onto the surface of the liquid photocurable resin layer 32 at a predetermined angle of incidence θ.

The reflected light 39 reflected from the surface is received by the light receiving and detecting section 36, and the surface position of the liquid photocurable resin layer 32 of the first component is detected by the above-described measuring method.

At this time, if the surface position of the resin layer 32 is lower than the specified surface position, the detection signal is fed back to the elevating mechanism of the sub-scanning table 31 or the resin supply mechanism to bring the resin layer to the specified surface position. Control.

By this surface position control, f with respect to the surface of the resin layer 32 is
The focal position of the θ lens 27, that is, the condensing position of the exposure hardening laser beam 29 is also set.

Therefore, the sub-scanning table 31 on which the resin storage container 30 was placed was sub-scanned in the direction of arrow A, and the three-dimensional model shape to be created was divided into several slices on the surface of the resin layer 32. A first cured resin layer is formed by selectively exposing and curing the resin by main-scanning irradiation with the laser beam 29 based on the three-dimensional pattern signal of the first layer.

Thereafter, the same process operations are repeated to sequentially form exposed photocurable resin layers with accurately controlled layer thicknesses, and this laminated three-dimensional cured resin image is taken out from the liquid photocurable resin material in the same way as before. By performing the removal process of the liquid photocurable resin material, it becomes possible to easily obtain a three-dimensional model shape that displays three-dimensional three-dimensional information with high precision.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the three-dimensional shape forming apparatus according to the present invention, in order to form a laminated three-dimensional shape, the photocurable resin layer is sequentially supplied into the resin storage container each time the photocurable resin layer is formed. It becomes possible to accurately measure and detect the surface position of the liquid photocurable resin layer for each layer, making it easier to adjust the layer thickness and surface position of the resin layer, and making it possible to easily adjust the layer thickness and surface position of the resin layer. It has the excellent advantage of being able to form a model shape with high precision.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the three-dimensional shape forming apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram explaining the principle of the resin surface optical detection mechanism in the three-dimensional shape forming apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part for explaining a method of forming a three-dimensional shape. 1 and 2, 21 is a laser device, 27 is an fθ lens, 28 is a scanning reflector, 29 is a laser beam, 30 is a resin container, 31 is a sub-scanning table, and 32 is a liquid photocurable resin layer. , 33 is an irradiation beam light source, 34° 35 is a condensing lens, 36 is a light receiving detection unit,
36a is a light receiving cell, 41 is a specified resin layer surface position, 42
The surface positions of the resin layers that have come off are shown. Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an apparatus that sequentially irradiates the surface of the supplied liquid photocurable resin layer with light to selectively cure the resin layer and form a laminated three-dimensional shape, the supplied liquid photocurable resin layer is an optical system that makes non-photocuring wavelength light incident on the resin layer surface from an oblique direction; and a light reception detection section that detects the position of the resin surface by receiving reflected light that is reflected by the incident light on the resin layer surface. A three-dimensional shape forming device comprising: a resin surface optical detection mechanism;