JP2020104524A - Three-dimensionally shaped object manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a three-dimensionally shaped object manufacturing device capable of detecting a serious defect or the like generated in a formation layer during manufacturing in the manufacturing process.SOLUTION: There is provided a three-dimensionally shaped object manufacturing device that can detect defects and the like in a step of a manufacturing process by performing: forming a layered solidified layer by subjecting a material located in a region set in accordance with a shape of the three-dimensional shaped object to solidifying processing thereto; supplying a new material to the upper part of the formed solidified layer; and repeatedly forming a new solidified layer by subjecting the new material to solidifying processing thereto, and by providing: a shaping unit that shapes a three-dimensional shaped object in which a plurality of solidified layers are laminated; and an inspection unit for inspecting already solidified layers in a course of laminating a plurality of solidified layers.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus.

Conventionally, a three-dimensional modeling apparatus that manufactures a three-dimensional model by sequentially stacking a plurality of formation layers is known (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-305777

However, since the manufacturing state is inspected after the manufacturing of the modeled object is completed, it is not possible to detect a serious defect or the like that has occurred in the forming layer during the manufacturing process.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus is configured to perform layered solidification by performing a solidification process on a material located in a region set according to the shape of the three-dimensional structure to be modeled. A plurality of solidified layers are formed by repeatedly forming a layer, supplying a new material to the upper portion of the solidified layer thus formed, and subjecting the new material to the solidifying treatment to form a new solidified layer. A three-dimensional model, wherein the three-dimensional model is formed by laminating a three-dimensional model, and an inspecting section for inspecting the inside of the three-dimensional model consisting of a solidified layer during the modeling of the three-dimensional model. The inside of the three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus is a portion covered with the solidified material.

According to the present invention, it is possible to detect defects and the like at the stage of the manufacturing process.

It is a perspective view of the three-dimensional-shaped object manufacturing apparatus by 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows typically the structure of the three-dimensional-shaped object manufacturing apparatus by 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the scanning path when an irradiation part irradiates a laser to a material layer. It is a schematic diagram explaining the relationship between a defect hole and a powder material. It is a flowchart explaining operation|movement of the three-dimensional molded object manufacturing apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the three-dimensional-shaped molded article manufacturing apparatus by a modification. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the structure manufacturing system by 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining operation|movement of the structure manufacturing system by 2nd Embodiment.

-First Embodiment-
A three-dimensional shaped object manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, a three-dimensional shaped object manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a three-dimensional shaped object using a known powder sintering laminating method is given as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a heat fusion laminating method is used. (FDM: Fused Deposition Modeling), a stereolithography method, an inkjet method, a gypsum powder laminating method, or the like may be used.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a three-dimensional shaped object manufacturing apparatus (hereinafter, manufacturing apparatus) 1, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the structure of the manufacturing apparatus 1. Note that, for the purpose of facilitating understanding, the following description will be given using an orthogonal coordinate system composed of X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis as shown in FIGS. The manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a modeling unit 10, an inspection unit 16, and a control device 17. The modeling unit 10 includes a material supply tank 11, a recoater 12, a lifting stage 13, an irradiation unit 14, and a cutting unit 15.

The material supply tank 11 is an accommodating container for accommodating a powder material, which is a modeling material for a three-dimensional structure, and a bottom surface 111 thereof moves in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) by a drive mechanism (not shown). .. As the powder material, for example, metal powder, resin powder, powder obtained by coating metal particles with a resin binder, or the like can be used. The metal powder may be a powder containing iron-based powder as a main component, or a powder containing at least one or more of nickel powder, nickel-based alloy powder, copper powder, copper-based alloy powder and graphite powder in the iron-based powder. good. For example, the amount of the iron-based powder having an average particle size of about 20 μm is 60 to 90% by weight, the amount of both or one of the nickel powder and the nickel-based alloy powder is 5 to 35% by weight, and the amount of the copper powder and the copper-based alloy powder is Examples of the powder include both or one of them in an amount of 5 to 15% by weight, and the amount of graphite powder in an amount of 0.2 to 0.8% by weight. As the resin powder, for example, a powder of nylon, polypropylene, ABS or the like having an average particle size of about 30 μm to 100 μm can be used. As the powder obtained by coating the metal particles with the resin binder, for example, those obtained by coating the surface of the metal particles with a phenol resin or those coated with nylon can be used.
The modeling material is not limited to the one using the powder material, and for example, a UV curable resin or a thermosetting resin may be used.

The recoater 12 supplies the powder material accommodated in the material supply tank 11 to the modeling tank 131 so that a layer having a predetermined thickness Δd (hereinafter referred to as a material layer) is formed while flattening the surface. The modeling tank 131 repeats formation of a material layer and formation of a solidified layer obtained by solidifying the formed material layer, and a modeling process for modeling a three-dimensional model by stacking a plurality of solidified layers. It is a work container for. The bottom surface of the modeling tank 131 is configured by the lifting stage 13. The elevating stage 13 is moved in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) by a drive mechanism (not shown) under the control of the control device 17 described later. As will be described later in detail, when the solidified layer is formed from the powder material supplied onto the elevating stage 13, the elevating stage 13 moves in the downward direction (Z axis + direction), and then the upper surface of the solidified layer ( A material layer is newly formed on the Z-axis side. This new material layer is solidified to form a solidified layer. By repeating this process, a plurality of solidified layers are laminated to form a three-dimensional shaped object.

The irradiation unit 14 irradiates the laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator 141 while scanning the surface of the material layer with the galvano mirror 142 to melt and solidify the powder material. When the powder material solidifies, a solidified layer is formed from the material layer. That is, the irradiation unit 14 performs a solidification process on the material layer. As the laser oscillator 141, for example, a carbon dioxide gas laser, an Nd:YAG laser, a fiber laser, or the like can be used, and the laser oscillator 141 emits infrared rays, visible rays, ultraviolet rays, or the like.
The irradiation unit 14 may irradiate the electron beam while scanning the surface of the material layer.

The cutting unit 15 is configured by a milling head or the like, and is two-dimensionally moved on the surface along the surface of the solidified layer by the drive mechanisms 151 and 152 under the control of the control device 17. Further, the cutting unit 15 is moved along the Z-axis direction by the drive mechanism of the vertical movement mechanism 153. That is, the cutting unit 15 is configured to be movable in three dimensions. The drive mechanism 151 includes a guide rail extending along the Y-axis direction, a motor, and the like. The cutting portion 15 is movably arranged with respect to the guide rail, and moves in the Y-axis direction along the guide rail by the driving force of the motor. The drive mechanism 152 is provided on the Y axis + side of the guide rail of the drive mechanism 151, and is provided on the guide rail extending along the X axis direction and on the Y axis − side of the guide rail of the drive mechanism 151. It is configured by a guide rail extending along the direction, a motor, and the like. The guide rails of the drive mechanism 151 move along the two guide rails of the drive mechanism 152 along the X-axis direction by the driving force of the motor. Therefore, the cutting portion 15 arranged on the guide rail of the drive mechanism 151 moves along the X-axis direction.
The driving mechanisms 151 and 152 have been described as an example in order to move the cutting section 15 in the XY directions, but the invention is not limited to this example, and the manufacturing apparatus 1 can move the cutting section 15 in the XY directions. Any mechanism can be provided.

The inspection unit 16 includes a three-dimensional shape measuring machine 161 and an X-ray inspection apparatus 162. The three-dimensional shape measuring machine 161 is provided above the cutting unit 15 and acquires data (contour shape data, surface shape data) regarding the surface shape of the solidified layer formed by the irradiation of the laser by the irradiation unit 14 to control the controller. Output to 17. As the three-dimensional shape measuring machine 161, a non-contact type measuring machine such as a laser scanner or a contact type measuring machine such as a touch probe can be used. Further, instead of the three-dimensional shape measuring device 161, a two-dimensional shape measuring device that acquires the contour shape data and the surface shape data of the solidified layer by using an imaging device may be adopted. It is preferable that the image measuring device includes an image pickup device having a telecentric imaging optical system, and that the contour shape of the solidified layer can be accurately determined even if a high-height uneven structure appears on the surface shape of the solidified layer. .. Further, it is preferable that the dark field illumination or the bright field illumination can be switched, and the unevenness of the surface of the solidified layer may be switched. Moreover, you may make it equip with the illuminating device which can also perform an oblique illumination together. Further, regarding the surface shape data, an SFF (Shape Form Focus) that measures the three-dimensional shape by detecting the in-focus position based on the in-focus measure of a plurality of different images acquired by moving the focus position by the imaging device. ) Method, using a confocal microscope, or measuring a three-dimensional shape by an interference image in which the reflected light from the solidified layer and the reflected light from the reference mirror interfere with each other. Further, the three-dimensional shape measurement may be performed based on a triangulation method such as a laser scanner or a pattern projection type shape measuring apparatus that measures a shape by projecting a pattern such as a lattice pattern. The non-contact type sensor, touch probe, or the like of the three-dimensional shape measuring machine 161 is movable along the Y-axis guide 161a or the X-axis guide 161b, and is located between the Y-axis guide 161a and the sensor or touch probe. A sensor, a touch probe, or the like can be moved to an arbitrary Z position by a Z-axis direction displacement mechanism (not shown) provided in the. Further, a tilt rotation mechanism may be provided between the Z-axis direction displacement mechanism and the sensor, the touch probe, or the like to acquire the shape data of the solidified layer from any direction.

The X-ray inspection apparatus 162 has an X-ray source 201 and a detector 202. The X-ray source 201 emits X-rays (cone beam) or fan-shaped X-rays that spread in a cone shape with the emission point as the apex under the control of the control device 17. The optical axis of the X-ray connects the emission point of the X-ray of the X-ray source 201 and the center of the imaging area of the detector 202 described later. The X-ray source 201 can emit at least one of X-rays generated at an accelerating voltage of about 0.1 to 20 keV and X-rays of about 20 KeV to several MeV.

The detector 202 has an incident surface orthogonal to the XY plane, and is arranged so that the transmitted X-rays emitted from the X-ray source 201 and transmitted through the solidified layer formed on the elevating stage 13 are incident on the incident surface. It The detector 2020 is composed of a scintillator section containing a known scintillation substance, a photomultiplier tube, a light receiving section, and the like. The detector 202 converts the energy of X-rays incident on the incident surface of the scintillator unit into light energy such as visible light or ultraviolet light and amplifies the light energy with a photomultiplier tube, and the amplified light energy is received by the light receiving unit. Is converted into electric energy and is output to the control device 17 as an electric signal. The detector 202 has a structure in which a scintillator portion, a photomultiplier tube, and a light receiving portion are each divided into a plurality of pixels, and those pixels are two-dimensionally arranged. Thereby, the intensity distribution of the X-rays emitted from the X-ray source 201 and passing through the solidified layer can be collectively acquired.

The detector 202 may convert the energy of the incident X-rays into electric energy without converting it into light energy and output it as an electric signal. The detector 202 is not limited to one in which pixels are arranged two-dimensionally. The detector 202 may be composed of a line sensor. Further, the detector 202 may have a structure in which the scintillator portion is directly formed on the light receiving portion (photoelectric conversion portion) without providing the photomultiplier tube.

The X-ray source 201 and the detector 202 are rotatably provided on the outer periphery of the modeling tank 131 by a rotation mechanism 203 while maintaining a relative positional relationship. The rotation mechanism is arranged so that the rotation center of the rotation mechanism 203 is near the center position of the mounting surface of the elevating stage 13. The rotation mechanism 203 is configured by, for example, an annular guide rail centering on the rotation axis Ax, a motor, and the like, and an X-ray emission point of the X-ray source 201 and an incidence surface of the detector 202 are mutually on the rotation axis Ax. It moves along the guide rails while holding the positions facing each other. That is, the X-ray source 201 irradiates the solidified layer with X-rays from all directions while rotating with respect to the solidified layer, and the detector 202 detects transmitted X-rays and outputs detection data to the control device 17. To do. The X-ray inspection apparatus 162 acquires internal data of the solidified layer such as the solidified state at the boundary surface between the solidified layers, the internal composition of each solidified layer, the crystal structure, and the stress distribution. That is, the detection data (projection data) detected by the detector 202 includes the above internal data and is output to the control device 17.

The X-ray inspection apparatus 162 irradiates the uppermost layer (Z-axis-side) or the solidified layer near the uppermost layer with X-rays among the plurality of solidified layers stacked on the elevating stage 13. The arrangement position in the Z direction is determined so that the projection data inside the three-dimensional model during manufacturing can be detected.
Further, the X-ray inspection apparatus 162, instead of acquiring the projection data in all directions for the solidified layer of the three-dimensional structure in the process of manufacture, for example, X-rays from different two directions (for example, 90° different directions). It is also possible to output the projection data of the three-dimensional shaped object in the manufacturing process, which is obtained by being emitted, to the control device 17. That is, after the X-ray inspection apparatus 162 has emitted the X-rays, the next X-rays may be emitted in a state of being rotated by 90° with respect to the elevating stage 13.
Further, instead of the X-ray inspection apparatus 162 rotating with respect to the solidified layer, the solidified layer may rotate with respect to the X-ray inspection apparatus 162. In this case, the solidified layer may be rotated relative to the X-ray inspection apparatus 162, for example, by rotating the elevating stage 13 by a rotating mechanism (not shown) around the rotation axis Ax.

The control device 17 has an unillustrated CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and is an arithmetic circuit that controls each component of the manufacturing apparatus 1 and executes various data processes based on a control program. Further, the defect information obtained by the control device 17 and the modeling condition information determined by the control device 17 can be connected to the network 182 via the interface 181. Through this network 182, defect information and the like can be transmitted to the processing device 183 that performs post-processing on the three-dimensional structure created by the manufacturing apparatus 1. Further, the defect information can be transmitted to the product management database 184 or the like used for quality control of the product. By doing so, it is possible to take prompt measures for the customer's request regarding the modeled object manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus 1. The control program is stored in a nonvolatile memory (not shown) in the control device 17. The control device 17 includes an analysis unit 171, a determination unit 172, and a change unit 173 as functions. The analysis unit 171 analyzes the shape of the formed solidified layer, the unevenness of the surface, the internal structure, or the like based on the inspection result of the inspection unit 16. Based on the analysis result by the analysis unit 171, the determination unit 172 determines whether to continue formation of the next material layer, correct the solidified layer, or various conditions for modeling (hereinafter referred to as modeling conditions). Determine whether to change or stop modeling. When it is determined by the determination object 172 that the modeling condition is to be changed, the changing unit 173 changes the modeling condition and outputs a signal to each unit according to the contents of the change. The inspection result by the inspection unit 16 and the analysis result by the analysis unit 171 are temporarily stored in the storage unit 180 provided in the control device 17. Details of the analysis unit 171, the determination unit 172, and the change unit 173 will be described later.

The operation of the manufacturing apparatus 1 having the above configuration will be described.
First, the powder material in the material supply tank 11 is supplied to the modeling tank 131, and a material layer is formed on the elevating stage 13 (material layer forming step). In the material layer forming step, the elevating stage 13 of the modeling tank 131 moves downward (Z axis + direction) by the thickness Δd of the material layer under the control of the controller 17, and the bottom surface 111 of the material supply tank 11 moves by a predetermined amount. Move upward (Z-axis direction). The recoater 12 moves the upper part of the material supply tank 11 from the end on the X axis − side in the X axis + direction to the upper surface of the molding tank 131 to the vicinity of the end on the X axis + side to move the powder material. The material layer is evenly formed to a predetermined thickness Δd while being transferred onto the elevating stage 13.

The formed material layer is irradiated with laser from the irradiation unit 14, and the solidified powder material of the material layer is solidified to form a solidified layer (laser irradiation step). In the laser irradiation step, the laser from the irradiation unit 14 scans the surface of the material layer as described above. The path scanned by the laser (scanning path) is generated based on the design information of the three-dimensional model manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus 1, for example, three-dimensional shape data of the model such as CAD data and STL (stereolithography) data. It is set from the fault model information. Therefore, according to the position of the elevating stage 13 in the Z direction, the control device 17 sets the laser irradiation area by the irradiation unit 14 based on the shape information of the corresponding tomographic model, and lasers the material layer in the laser irradiation area. The scanning path of the laser is set so that the laser beam is irradiated. When modeling is performed while forming a support part that supports the modeled object in order to prevent the modeled object from falling over or being damaged during the modeling process, information on the support part is also included in the design information, that is, the fault model information. Further, when generating the fault model information, it is preferable to generate the fault model information in consideration of the shape change due to thermal expansion, instead of directly using the design information of the three-dimensional model. In particular, when the solidified layer is formed, the solidified layer has a higher temperature due to the laser irradiation than at room temperature. However, when there is a large difference between the temperature in the environment where the modeled object is used and the temperature when the solidified layer is formed, the linear expansion coefficient due to the temperature difference is taken into consideration to generate the fault model information. It is preferable.
Further, it is preferable to set allowable tolerance information calculated based on the CAD data for each tomographic model information. For this allowable tolerance information, for example, the allowable tolerance information can be set for each tomographic model information in a manner described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-59014.

FIG. 3 schematically shows an example of the scanning path. FIG. 3A is tomographic model information of the three-dimensional modeled object corresponding to the current Z position of the lifting stage 13. Then, the contour is schematically shown as a contour line L1. FIG. 3B shows a scanning path R created based on the contour line L1 shown in FIG. The control device 17 converts the coordinates of the contour line L1 in the tomographic model information into the XY coordinates in the material layer, and calculates the contour line L2 on the surface of the material layer. The scanning path R is created, for example, so that the region inside the contour line L2 is scanned after the laser is scanned along the contour line L2. In FIG. 3B, from a point P1 on which the contour L2 is present, a path R1 that advances along the contour L2 on a contour L2 or outside by a predetermined distance from the contour L2 and reaches the point P1 again (see FIG. 3 (b) is shown as a scanning route R and a route R2 (shown as a dashed line in FIG. 3B) that travels from the point P1 in the area surrounded by the contour line L2 to reach the point P2 is created. Here is an example. By using such a scanning path R, the contour of the three-dimensional structure of the material layer, that is, the portion that becomes the outer surface of the three-dimensional structure is first solidified by laser irradiation, and then the three-dimensional structure is formed. The inner part is solidified by laser irradiation. As a result, one solidified layer of the three-dimensional modeling portion formed by stacking a plurality of solidified layers is formed, and is joined to the already formed solidified layer.

The solidified layer formed by the laser irradiation step is inspected by the inspection unit 16 for the solidified state (inspection step). In the inspection step, as described above, the three-dimensional shape measuring machine 161 detects the contour shape data and the surface shape data regarding the surface shape of the solidified layer, and the X-ray inspection apparatus 162 outputs the internal data regarding the internal state of the solidified layer. To be detected. The analysis 171 of the control device 17 analyzes the state of the solidified layer using the inspection result obtained in the inspection step, and the determination unit 172 determines whether or not the next material layer and the solidified layer can be formed (determination step). That is, the determination unit 172 forms the next material layer and the solidified layer (next layer formation) or performs a correction step on the solidified layer according to the analysis result of the shape, the surface state, the internal structure, etc. of the solidified layer. It is determined whether the subsequent layer formation is performed, the molding conditions are changed, or the subsequent layer formation is not performed (modeling stop). The above-mentioned molding conditions include irradiation conditions of a laser for irradiating the material layer, preheating temperature of the powder material, supply of the powder material, and the like. The details of the step of analyzing and determining the state of the solidified layer will be described later.

As a result of the analysis, when the solidified layer does not include a significant error or defect, the determination unit 172 determines the formation of the next layer, and the manufacturing apparatus 1 performs the above-described material layer forming step to perform the solidified layer formation. A new material layer is formed on top. The manufacturing apparatus 1 performs the laser irradiation step, the inspection step, and the determination step again on this new material layer. As a result of the analysis, when the solidified layer has a correctable error or defect, the determining unit 172 determines that the solidified layer is subjected to the correction process and then the next layer is formed. In this case, the manufacturing apparatus 1 performs the inspecting step and the determining step again on the solidified layer subjected to the correcting step after performing the correcting step described below. According to the determination result in this determination step, the manufacturing apparatus 1 performs the next layer formation or the correction step again. In each of the above cases, the determination unit 172 determines to change the modeling condition at the stage of forming the next layer, depending on the analyzed error and the degree of the defect. As a result of the analysis process by the analysis unit 171, when there is an uncorrectable error or defect in the solidified layer, the determination unit 172 determines the modeling stop of the three-dimensional structure. In this case, the manufacturing apparatus 1 does not perform the subsequent steps. The manufacturing apparatus 1 repeats the above-described steps to stack a plurality of solidified layers that do not include significant errors or defects to manufacture a three-dimensional structure.

That is, the manufacturing apparatus 1 supplies the modeling material in a layered manner on the solidified layer that has already been solidified, and performs the solidification treatment on the material layer formed by supplying the material in a layered manner to form the layered material. A solidified layer is formed. The manufacturing apparatus 1 repeatedly forms a solidified layer by a solidifying process on a new material layer formed on the layered solidified layer to manufacture a three-dimensional structure in which a plurality of solidified layers are stacked. The manufacturing apparatus 1 causes the inspection unit 16 to inspect the solidified state of the solidified layer before forming a new material layer on the solidified layer.

Next, the analysis of the state of the solidified layer using the inspection result and the determination step will be described. In the following description, the analysis and determination step for the contour of the solidified layer, the analysis and determination step for the surface of the solidified layer, the analysis and determination step for the boundary surface between the solidified layers, and the internal state of the solidified layer It is divided into the analysis and determination steps of.
(1) Analysis and determination process for the contour of the solidified layer The analysis unit 171 analyzes the contour shape data output from the inspection unit 16 and the design information or the shape information assumed at the temperature at the time of solidification from the design information. Compare. The analysis unit 171 calculates the error that the contour of the solidified layer indicated by the contour shape data has with respect to the contour line L1 of the tomographic data information indicated by the design information. When the error calculated by the analysis unit 171 is within the allowable tolerance range, the determination unit 172 determines that the next layer can be formed without changing the modeling conditions.

Of the contours of the solidified layer, a region where the calculated error exceeds the tolerance range but the contour of the solidified layer is larger than the contour line L1 of the design information is called an error region. By cutting this error region by the cutting unit 15, it is possible to correct the contour of the solidified layer to match the contour line L1 shown in the design information. Therefore, in this case, the determination unit 172 determines that the next layer can be formed without changing the modeling conditions, though the correction process is necessary. When it is determined that the correction process is necessary, the amount of error calculated by the analysis unit 171 and the position of the error region of the solidified layer are stored in the storage unit 180 as correction processing data. When the analyzing unit 171 analyzes that the contour of the solidified layer is smaller than the contour line L1 of the design information by exceeding the tolerance range, the determining unit 172 determines that the error of the solidified layer cannot be corrected. Deemed to be judged to stop modeling. When the error is smaller than the tolerance range but the error value is less than the predetermined value, the material layer is formed again at the position where the error occurs in the material layer, and then the beam is irradiated to solidify the material layer. You may make corrections.

When it is determined that the correction process is necessary, the control device 17 causes the cutting unit 15 to perform the correction process on the solidified layer. The cutting unit 15 reads the correction processing data stored in the storage unit 180 and cuts the error amount from the solidified layer at the position of the error region of the solidified layer. The above-described inspection step and the analysis and determination step based on the inspection result are performed again on the solidified layer that has undergone the correction step. That is, the correction process, the inspection process, and the determination process are repeated until the error of the solidified layer falls within the tolerance range.

Note that the correction step may not be performed each time the solidified layer is formed, and after the predetermined number of solidified layers are stacked or after the entire shape of the three-dimensional structure is formed, the correction step requires solidification. A correction process may be performed on the layer. In this case, the correction processing data stored in the storage unit 180 includes information about the position of the error and the amount of the error in the solidified layer, and the cutting unit 15 includes the information. Based on the correction process.

(2) Analysis and determination process for the surface of the solidified layer The analysis unit 171 compares the surface shape data output from the inspection unit 16 with the molding acceptability data and the design information. Based on the surface shape data, the analysis unit 171 determines the presence or absence of a convex portion, a concave portion, a closed hole, an opening or the like (hereinafter collectively referred to as a defective hole) that does not exist in the design information on the surface of the solidified layer. To detect. When a defect hole or a convex portion is detected on the surface of the solidified layer, the analysis unit 171 determines whether the detected position of the defect hole is outside the contour line L1 indicated by the design information. When the position of the defect hole is inside the contour line L1, the analysis unit 171 analyzes the shape of the detected defect hole or the generation position of the defect hole. The characteristics of the defect hole analyzed include, for example, the size of the defect hole, the cross-sectional shape of the defect hole, and the depth of the defect hole. In addition, based on the unevenness information of the surface (for example, information on the maximum height difference regarding the unevenness and the spatial frequency information of the unevenness of the surface), the unevenness state of the surface of the solidified layer is also analyzed.

As shown in the cross-sectional view of the solidified layer in FIG. 4A, when the size of the defect hole H (opening diameter D1) on the surface of the solidified layer is larger than the particle diameter D2 of the powder material Q, the next layer is formed. The powder material Q which is sometimes supplied can enter the defect hole H. Therefore, the defect hole H can be closed and repaired by performing the laser irradiation process on the material layer formed as the next layer. However, even if the size of the defect holes H on the surface of the solidified layer is larger than the particle size of the powder material Q, if the size of the defect holes H becomes smaller as the distance in the cross-sectional direction increases, the next layer is formed. The supplied powder material Q does not reach the bottom of the defect hole H. For example, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the defect hole H has a V-shaped cross section, that is, when the size of the bottom of the defect hole H is smaller than the particle size of the powder material Q. A void h is formed between the powder material Q and the bottom of the defect hole H. In this state, even if the powder material Q is newly supplied onto the solidified layer having the defect holes H and the laser irradiation step is performed, the cavity h cannot be repaired. Further, as shown in FIG. 4C, when the defect hole H is deep, the defect hole H may not be completely closed unless the amount of the powder material Q supplied at the time of forming the next layer is sufficient. is there. In addition, it is possible to determine whether the powder supplied on the solidified layer can be sufficiently sintered with the already formed solidified layer based on the unevenness information of the solidified layer.

In consideration of the above points, the analysis unit 171 determines whether the size of the defect hole H on the surface and the size of the bottom portion is larger than a predetermined value, whether the depth of the defect hole H is larger than a predetermined value, or unevenness. Analyze the state. The predetermined value is preferably a value determined based on the particle size of the powder material Q. When the analysis unit 171 analyzes that the size of the defect hole H is larger than a predetermined value and the depth of the defect hole H is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the determination unit 172 determines that the powder supplied during the formation of the next layer. It is determined that the defect hole H can be closed by the material Q and the next layer can be formed. If the analysis unit 171 analyzes that the size of the defect hole H is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the depth of the defect H hole exceeds a predetermined value, or that the concavo-convex state greatly deviates from the allowable state, The determination unit 172 determines to change the modeling conditions and form the next layer.

The following examples can be given as examples of changes in molding conditions.
For example, when the defect hole H is large or the defect hole H is deep, a large amount of powder material Q needs to enter the defect hole H in order to close the defect hole H. In this case, the changing unit 173 increases the supply amount of the powder material Q, which is the forming condition when forming the next layer, as the forming condition. In order to increase the supply amount of the powder material Q, for example, the moving speed of the recoater 12 may be slowed down, or the number of times the recoater 12 supplies the powder material Q may be increased.

In order to reliably solidify the powder material Q that has entered the defect hole H as described above, it is necessary to increase the laser irradiation amount to at least the material layer of the next layer formed above the defect hole H. In this case, the changing unit 173 changes the laser scanning path R from the irradiation unit 14 or slows the laser scanning speed as the laser irradiation condition that is the modeling condition, that is, the solidification processing condition, for example. You can increase the strength of. Therefore, since the laser irradiation amount in the vicinity of the defect hole H can be increased, the laser can act on the powder material Q having entered the defect hole H to solidify it. As a result, the defect hole H can be corrected when the material layer forming step for the next layer and the laser irradiation step are performed.
When the irradiation unit 14 irradiates the electron beam, the changing unit 173 may change the degree of vacuum of the atmosphere irradiated with the electron beam as the solidification processing condition.

When the laser irradiation step is performed on the material layer of the next layer, even if the supply amount of the powder material Q is changed as a modeling condition, in order to prevent similar defect holes H from being generated in the solidified layer of the next layer. good. In this case, the supply amount of the powder material Q is reduced so that the thickness Δd of the material layer formed when forming the next layer becomes a smaller value. By reducing the thickness Δd of the material layer (that is, reducing the thickness of the material layer), the efficiency of heat transmitted by the laser emitted from the irradiation unit 14 through the material layer is increased, and uneven solidification occurs. Can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the generation of the defect holes H in the solidified layer formed in the subsequent steps.

In the above example, the case where the molding conditions are changed according to the characteristics of one defect hole H has been described, but the defect hole H exists in the position (that is, the positional relationship with the contour) in the solidified layer or in the vicinity thereof. The molding conditions may be changed according to the positional relationship with other defect holes, the number and size of other defect holes existing in the vicinity, the distribution of generation of the defect holes H, and the like. For example, when a large number of defective holes are present in the vicinity of the defective holes H, the moving speed of the recoater 12 is slowed down as described above to slow down the supply rate of the powder material Q to the area where the solidification treatment is performed, or 1 It suffices to increase the number of times the recoater 12 supplies the powder material Q with respect to the solidification to increase the supply amount of the powder material Q when forming the next layer.

When the size of the analyzed defect hole H is larger than the predetermined value but the difference from the particle size of the powder material Q is small, the molding condition may be changed. For example, as shown in FIG. 4D, the molding condition may be changed when the size of the defect hole H and the particle size of the powder material Q are substantially equal. In such a case, the powder material Q supplied at the time of forming the next layer is less likely to enter the defect hole H, so that the moving speed of the recoater 12 is slowed or the number of times the recoater 12 supplies the powder material Q is increased. As a result, the powder material Q is surely inserted into the defect hole H. Further, at the position where the powder material Q has entered the defect hole H, the intensity of the laser beam at the time of laser irradiation is increased or the scanning speed of the laser beam is slowed down, so that the powder material Q that has entered the defect hole H is also sufficient. The deflection angular velocity of the galvanometer mirror 142 may be changed or the output of the laser light source 141 may be controlled so as to be solidified.

As a modification of the molding conditions, powder materials Q having different particle sizes may be supplied at the time of forming the next layer. For example, in the case shown in FIG. 4B, by supplying the powder material Q having a smaller particle diameter, the powder material Q can enter the bottom of the defect hole H at the time of forming the next layer. Even when the size of the defect hole H and the particle size of the powder material Q are substantially equal, by supplying the powder material Q having a smaller particle size, the powder material Q can be more reliably introduced into the defect hole H. It is possible to make it. When the next layer is formed by using the powder materials Q having different particle diameters, the intensity of the laser irradiated by the irradiation unit 14, the scanning speed of the laser light, and the like are also the same as those of the powder material Q after the change. It is preferable to change it accordingly.

When the powder material Q having a different particle size is changed as a change in the molding condition, for example, a notification that the powder material Q having a different particle size is exchanged is given by voice or the like, and the user is notified of the particle size of the material supply tank 11. The powder is supplied to the material supply tank in which different powder materials Q are stored. Alternatively, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a plurality of material supply tanks 11 in which powder materials Q having different particle diameters are housed, and each material supply tank 11 is moved to a lower part (Z) of the recoater 12 by a drive unit (not shown). It may be configured to be movable in the (axis-side) direction. In this case, when the determination unit 172 determines to change to the powder material Q having a different particle size, based on the analysis result by the analysis unit 171, the powder material Q having a particle size suitable for forming the next layer is stored. It is advisable to move the material supply tank so that it is located below the recoater 12.

In the above description, the predetermined value to be compared with the size of the defect hole H is determined based on the particle size of the powder material Q, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the size of the defective hole H that cannot be corrected by the HIP process for the completed modeled object may be determined as a predetermined value.

(3) Analysis and determination process for boundary surface between solidified layers The analysis unit 171 compares the internal data output from the X-ray inspection apparatus 162 of the inspection unit 16 with the design information. The analysis unit 171 detects the presence/absence of a defect hole H in the solidified layer which cannot be measured by the three-dimensional shape measuring machine 161 and is generated on the Z-axis + side. When such a defect hole H is detected on the Z axis + side of the solidified layer, the determination unit 172 determines that the shaping conditions at the time of forming the next layer need to be changed. In this case, as a modification of the modeling condition, the modification unit 173 reduces the supply amount of the powder material Q so that the thickness Δd of the material layer formed at the time of forming the next layer becomes a smaller value. In this case, the changing unit 173 reduces the supply amount of the powder material Q according to the detected shape and size of the defect hole H, the number of the defect holes H, and the like. Further, as the thickness Δd of the material layer is reduced, the changing unit 173 changes the laser scanning path R from the irradiation unit 14, slows the laser scanning speed, and increases the laser intensity. I will let you. As a result, with respect to the material layer, heat generated by the laser irradiated from the irradiation unit 14 is transmitted more efficiently through the material layer, unevenness is suppressed during solidification, and defect holes are solidified in the subsequent layers. Generation of H can be suppressed.
The preheating temperature for the powder material Q stored in the material supply tank 11 may be increased in order to further increase the efficiency of heat transmitted through the powder material Q during laser irradiation.

(4) Analysis and determination process for the internal state of the solidified layer The analysis unit 171 uses the internal data output from the X-ray inspection apparatus 162 of the inspection unit 16 to determine the composition, crystal distribution, stress distribution, etc. of the solidified layer. Analyze. In this case, the analysis unit 171 uses the detection data (projection data) output from the detector 202 of the X-ray measurement apparatus 162 to calculate the absorption coefficient of the solidified layer from the intensity of the transmitted X-rays that have passed through the solidified layer. To do. The analysis unit 171 compares the calculated absorption coefficient with the absorption coefficient in the case of normal solidification, and detects whether the difference is within a predetermined range. When it is analyzed that the difference is within the predetermined range, the determination unit 172 determines that the inside of the solidified layer is appropriately solidified, and determines that the next layer can be formed.

When it is analyzed that the calculated difference exceeds the predetermined range, the determination unit 172 determines that the inside of the solidified layer is not properly solidified, and determines that the correction step is performed. For example, when the density of the solidified layer is low, that is, when the solidified layer is insufficiently solidified, heat is applied to the solidified layer by irradiating the solidified layer with a laser again to accelerate the solidification of the solidified layer. Increase density. Further, the determination unit 172 determines the change of the shaping condition at the time of forming the next layer. The changing unit 173 changes the thickness of the material layer formed when the next layer is formed, changes the laser scanning path R from the irradiation unit 14, and changes the laser scanning speed in accordance with the calculated difference. Change the molding conditions such as the change of the, the intensity of the laser, and so on. As a result, the stress can be kept substantially uniform for each of the laminated solidified layers, so that the reduction in strength of the finally manufactured three-dimensional structure can be suppressed.
When the difference calculated by the analysis unit 171 is largely deviated from the predetermined range, the determination unit 172 may determine that the correction processing of the solidified layer is impossible and determine the stop of the modeling.

The operation of the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The processing shown in FIG. 5 is performed by executing a program in the control device 17. This program is stored in a memory (not shown) in the control device 17, and is activated and executed by the control device 17.
In step S1, a material layer forming step of supplying the powder material Q stored in the material supply tank 11 by the recoater 12 onto the elevating stage 13 is performed, and then the process proceeds to step S2. In step S2, a laser irradiation process of irradiating the material layer with a laser by the irradiation unit 14 to solidify the powder material Q of the material layer to form a solidified layer is performed, and the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, the inspection unit 16 performs an inspection step of detecting contour shape data, surface shape data, and internal data relating to the solidified layer, and then proceeds to step S4. In step S4, the analysis unit 171 analyzes the state of the solidified layer by comparing the contour shape data, the surface shape data and the internal data detected by the inspection unit 16 with the design information, and the determination unit 172 determines the analysis unit 172. The determination process based on the analysis result of step 171 is performed, and the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the determination unit 172 determines whether the next layer can be formed. When it is determined that the next layer can be formed, step S5 is affirmed and the process proceeds to step S6. When it is not determined that the next layer can be formed, step S5 is denied and the process proceeds to step S9 described later. In step S8, the determination unit 172 determines whether or not it is determined that the shaping condition needs to be changed. If it is determined that the molding conditions need to be changed, step S6 is positive and the process proceeds to step S7. In step S7, the changing unit 173 changes the modeling conditions according to the analysis result of the solidified layer by the analyzing unit 171 in step S4, and the process proceeds to step S8. When it is determined that the change of the molding condition is not necessary, the step S6 is denied and the process proceeds to the step S8. In step S8, it is determined whether the processing has been completed for all the solidified layers. When the processing is completed for all the solidified layers, step S8 is affirmed and the processing is completed. When it is necessary to form the solidified layer after the next layer, step S8 is denied and the process returns to step S1.

When step S5 is denied, the process proceeds to step S9, and it is determined by the determination unit 172 whether or not the correction process determines that the correction is possible. If it is determined that the correction is possible, the affirmative determination is made in step S9, and the flow advances to step S10. In step S10, a correction process is performed on the solidified layer by the irradiation part 14 and the cutting part 15 according to the analysis result of the analysis part 171, and the process returns to step S3. If it is not determined that the correction is possible, step S9 is denied and the process proceeds to step S11. In step S11, the modeling of the three-dimensional model is stopped and the process ends.

In addition, all the inspection results by the inspection unit 16 performed on each solidified layer during manufacturing of the modeled object are stored in the storage unit 180, and the analysis unit 171 analyzes the finished three-dimensional modeled object. You can go. In this case, the analysis unit 171 may analyze how the size of defects such as cavities generated inside the solidified layer during the manufacturing process changes. Alternatively, when the manufacturing apparatus 1 manufactures a plurality of three-dimensional molded objects having the same shape, the analysis unit 171 detects defects such as cavities inside the n-th three-dimensional molded object, Even if the size, shape, number, generation position and distribution of defects are analyzed by comparing with defects such as the n+1)th 3D object good. That is, the analysis unit 171 may analyze the change over time in the defect occurrence tendency. Based on the analysis result by the analysis unit 171, for example, when the size of the defect tends to increase, when the number of defects tends to increase, or the position where the defect occurs is performed after the three-dimensional structure is manufactured. When there is a tendency to occur in a position that is difficult to be complemented by an apparatus (for example, HIP processing, infiltration processing, impregnation processing, etc.), the determination unit 172 changes the modeling conditions for the three-dimensional model to be manufactured next. May be determined.

According to the above-described first embodiment, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(1) The inspection unit 16 inspects the state of the layered solidified layer that has already been formed during the manufacturing of the three-dimensional structure. In this case, the inspection unit 16 inspects the state of the layered solidified layer before forming a new layered material layer on the layered solidified layer. Therefore, since the state of the solidified layer can be inspected for the three-dimensional model in the process of manufacturing, the model being manufactured has sufficient strength as a product, that is, a serious defect as a product. Since it is possible to manufacture the three-dimensional structure while confirming that the three-dimensional structure is unlikely to have, it is possible to ensure the quality of the completed three-dimensional structure. In addition, the inspection was performed only when the manufacturing of the three-dimensional model was completed, and at that time, unlike the case where a serious defect that would make the three-dimensional model a defective product was found, it was spent on manufacturing the defective product. Time can be prevented from being wasted, and manufacturing efficiency can be improved. In particular, the inspection is performed every time when the solidified layer is formed for each one or a plurality of layers, and the correction processing can be performed before the next solidified layer is formed. Therefore, even when forming a solidified layer with different dimensions, such as in the middle of molding a shape that is hollow like a vase and has a narrow opening and a wide space in the middle part, an accurate shape can be obtained. Can be shaped. The inspection step may be performed for each solidified layer or for each plurality of layers. Further, the interval of the inspection process may be changed during the molding. In particular, the interval of the inspection process may be changed at the timing when the formation conditions of the material layer and the solidification conditions of the solidified layer are changed. In particular, the interval of the inspection process may be changed when the powder material used is changed. Furthermore, when forming a portion where the shape correction work of the three-dimensional model is difficult after completion, for example, a valley portion is formed, an inspection process is performed for each layer, and the shape correction work after completion is easy. The part may be subjected to the inspection process for each of a plurality of layers.

(2) Based on the result of the inspection performed on the layered solidified layer by the inspection unit 16, the changing unit 173 determines the formation conditions for forming a new material layer and the solidification processing for the new material layer. At least one of the solidification processing conditions is changed. Therefore, various conditions at the time of forming the next layer can be changed according to the situation such as defects generated in the solidified layer during manufacturing, so that the defects generated in the solidified layer may be corrected or defects may occur in the next layer or later. Preventing and producing high quality 3D objects.

(3) The changing unit 173 sets the supply amount of the powder material for forming the new material layer, that is, the supply rate of the powder material supplied at the time of forming the next layer, as the formation condition when forming the new material layer. At least one of the thickness of the material layer of the next layer and the number of times of supplying the powder material as the material layer of the next layer is changed. Therefore, depending on the defect holes generated in the solidified layer, a powder material suitable for correcting the defect holes in the solidified layer and/or preventing the generation of defective holes at the time of forming the next layer is provided, and a high-quality three-dimensional structure is obtained. Enables manufacturing.

(4) The changing unit 173 changes the amount of the powder material according to at least one of the shape and size of the defect hole detected on the surface of the layered solidified layer by the inspection unit 16. Therefore, the defect can be repaired by closing the defect hole generated in the solidified layer by the powder material supplied at the time of forming the next layer. That is, the formation of the next layer and the correction of the defect hole can be performed at the same timing, which contributes to the reduction of the manufacturing time.

(5) When the inspection unit 16 detects a plurality of defect holes on the surface of the layered solidified layer, the changing unit 173 determines the shape and size of each of the plurality of defect holes and the positional relationship between the plurality of defect holes. Change the amount of powdered material accordingly. Therefore, it is possible to supply the powder material in an amount suitable for the correction of the defective hole according to the generation state of the defective hole, so that the defective hole can be surely corrected and the quality of the three-dimensional structure can be secured. ..

(6) The changing unit 173 changes the amount of the powder material according to the defect hole detected inside the layered solidified layer by the inspection unit 16. That is, the changing unit 173 changes the thickness of the powder material so that the thickness of the new material layer becomes thin according to any one of the shape, size, and number of the defect holes detected inside the layered solidified layer. Change the amount. Therefore, depending on the defect pores in the solidified layer generated due to insufficient solidification during the solidification process, the solidification conditions during the formation of the next layer are changed. It is possible to prevent the generation of defective holes due to defects.

(7) The changing unit 173 changes the solidification processing condition according to the changed supply amount of the powder material. The changing unit 173 changes the scanning path R of the energy beam of the laser, the electron, or the like, which is irradiated by the irradiation unit 14, the scanning speed, and the intensity of the energy beam, in accordance with the increase in the supply amount of the changed powder material. Change at least one. Therefore, it becomes possible to supply the energy required for solidification to the powder material increased to fill the defect holes on the surface of the solidified layer, and suppress the generation of the defect holes during the formation of the next layer.

(8) The changing unit 173 changes the solidification processing condition according to the composition state of the layered solidified layer detected by the inspection unit 16. That is, the changing unit 173 changes the scanning path R of the energy beam at the time of forming the next layer, changes the scanning speed of the energy beam, and changes the intensity of the energy beam. As a result, the stress can be kept substantially uniform for each of the laminated solidified layers, so that the reduction in strength of the finally manufactured three-dimensional structure can be suppressed.

(9) The design information of the three-dimensional structure is compared with the layered solidified layer inspected by the inspection unit 16, and when the inspected layered solidified layer includes a defect hole, the changing unit 173 Change the molding conditions. Therefore, it is possible to accurately manufacture the three-dimensional structure based on the design information.

(10) The determination unit 172 determines whether to form a new material layer based on the result of the inspection of the layered solidified layer by the inspection unit 16. That is, the design information of the three-dimensional structure and the layered solidified layer inspected by the inspection unit 16 are compared, and when the layered solidified layer includes a defect hole, the determination unit 172 causes the determination unit 172 to determine the state of the defect hole. Depending on, it is determined whether to form a new material layer or stop the production of the three-dimensional structure. Therefore, by stopping the production of the three-dimensional modeled product that will include a serious defect as a product, it is possible to prevent wasting time and materials for the production of a defective product, and to manufacture the three-dimensional modeled product. Contributes to cost reduction.

(11) The determining unit 172 determines whether or not the defective hole can be repaired, and when it is determined that the defective hole can be repaired, determines that the next layer can be formed. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately determine whether or not the next layer can be formed according to the state of occurrence of the defect hole.

(12) When the determination unit 172 determines that the correction is possible, the modeling unit 10 performs a correction process by the cutting unit 15 and then forms a new material layer. In this case, when the contour shape L2 of the layered solidified layer has an error portion having an error larger than a predetermined value as compared with the contour shape L1 in the design information of the three-dimensional structure, the cutting portion 15 removes the error portion. To cut. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a three-dimensional structure having an outer shape that conforms to the design information.

The following modifications are also within the scope of the present invention, and one or more modifications can be combined with the above-described embodiment.
(1) The material layer is not formed on the solidified layer that has already been formed by a recoater or the like, but the powder material is sprayed onto a region set according to the shape of the three-dimensional structure to be formed, and at the same time, the laser is applied. You may change to the processing method which irradiates light or an electron beam and solidifies. In this case, the step of forming the “material layer made of material” corresponds to the step of spraying the powder material.
(2) Instead of performing the inspection by the inspection unit 16 each time the solidified layer is formed, the inspection by the inspection unit 16 may be performed each time a plurality of solidified layers are formed. In addition, based on the result of performing the inspections each time the solidified layer is formed by the inspection unit 16 a plurality of times, the inspection unit 16 performs plural inspections when a serious defect does not occur in the already formed solidified layer. You may change so that it may be performed every time a solidified layer is formed.

(3) The X-ray source 201 of the X-ray inspection apparatus 162 may be fixedly arranged with respect to the elevating stage 13, and the detector 202 may be rotatably arranged with respect to the elevating stage 13. The structure of the manufacturing apparatus 1 in this case is shown in FIG. The X-ray source 201 is arranged below the elevating stage 13 (on the Z axis + side) such that the X-ray emission point is located on the rotation axis Ax. The detector 202 is provided above the irradiation unit 14 (on the Z axis side) so as to be movable along a guide rail 204 extending in an arc shape from the rotation axis Ax. The guide rail is rotated about the rotation axis Ax by a drive unit (not shown) such as a motor. That is, by moving along the guide rail rotating around the rotation axis Ax, the detector 202 emits the transmitted X-rays emitted from the X-ray source 201 and transmitted through the elevating stage 13 and the solidified layer from various directions. Can be detected. In addition, by acquiring projection images from various directions while rotating the detector 202 and reconstructing the projection images from these projection images by using a laminography technique, it is possible to acquire a tomographic shape of an arbitrary solidified layer. Is also possible. In particular, it is effective when inspecting in real time the bonding state between the layer that has been subjected to the solidification treatment by being irradiated with laser light or the like and the layer below the layer.

(4) Instead of the X-ray inspection device 162, a gamma-ray inspection device that detects internal data of the solidified layer using transmission gamma rays that have passed through the solidified layer may be used. An ultrasonic echo flaw detector that detects an internal defect or the like from a time delay TOF (Time Of Light) with respect to an echo that outputs an ultrasonic pulse to the solidified layer and reflects the ultrasonic pulse may be used. Further, a diffracted light inspection apparatus for detecting a diffraction angle when an X-ray, a gamma ray or an infrared ray applied to the solidified layer is diffracted by an internal defect or the like when passing through the solidified layer to detect the internal defect or the like of the solidified layer. May be used.

(5) The manufacturing apparatus 1 may be provided in a predetermined work chamber that can be shielded from the outside, and the three-dimensional structure may be manufactured in the work chamber. In this case, the work chamber may include an exhaust device for exhausting the work chamber, and the exhaust device may collect spatter scattered during laser irradiation during formation of the solidified layer in a debris recovery device provided outside the work chamber. As a result, the three-dimensional object being manufactured and the manufacturing apparatus 1 can be protected from scattered debris, high-quality molded objects can be manufactured, and the performance of the manufacturing apparatus 1 can be maintained for a long time. it can.

(6) An inspection device for inspecting the modeling material contained in the material supply tank 11 can be provided. By using, for example, an X-ray inspection device as the inspection device, projection data inside the modeling material housed in the material supply tank 11 is acquired, and the analysis unit 171 analyzes the projection data to analyze the inside of the modeling material. Defects such as holes may be detected. When the modeling material contains a large defect based on the detection result, the manufacturing apparatus 1 can display the detection result on a monitor (not shown) or the like to notify the user. Therefore, the user can know in advance that the modeling material accommodated in the material supply tank 11 is not suitable for use in manufacturing a three-dimensional structure, and thus a modeling suitable for manufacturing a three-dimensional structure. It is possible to take measures such as replacing the material.

(7) The molding condition is not limited to the one in which the molding condition is changed based on the defect hole H of the solidified layer inspected by the inspection unit 16. For example, the three-dimensional shape measuring machine 161 measures the thickness up to the upper surface of the solidified layer formed from the elevating stage 13, and the analysis unit 171 compares the measured thickness with the height indicated in the design information. Calculate the amount of error. When the analysis unit 171 analyzes that the measured thickness is lower than the height indicated by the design information by the error amount, the determination unit 172 determines that the powder material is supplied according to the error amount when forming the next layer. Change the molding conditions so that the amount increases. When the analysis unit 171 analyzes that the measured thickness is higher than the height indicated by the design information by the error amount, the determination unit 172 determines that the powder material is supplied according to the error amount when forming the next layer. It is determined that the correction can be performed by changing the modeling conditions so that the amount decreases, or by cutting the error amount with the cutting unit 15.
(8) Regarding the method of forming the material layer, the method of supplying and forming the powder material Q on the solidified layer has been described in the above description, but it may be appropriately changed depending on the material used. For example, when solidifying a liquid material to manufacture a three-dimensional structure, the solidified layer is solidified by immersing the solidified layer in a predetermined depth direction from the liquid surface of the modeling tank 131 filled with the liquid material. A material layer may be formed on the layer. Alternatively, the material may be sprayed or extruded directly on the solidified layer.

-Second Embodiment-
A structure manufacturing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The structure manufacturing system of the present embodiment creates a molded product such as an electronic component including a vehicle door portion, an engine portion, a gear portion, and a circuit board.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a structure manufacturing system 600 according to this embodiment. The structure manufacturing system 600 includes the three-dimensional shaped object manufacturing apparatus (manufacturing apparatus) 1 described in the first embodiment or the modified example, a designing apparatus 610, and a control system 630.

The design device 610 is a device used by a user when creating design information regarding the shape of a structure, and performs a design process of creating and storing design information. The design information is information indicating the coordinates of each position of the structure. The design information is output to the manufacturing apparatus 1 and the control system 630 described later. The manufacturing apparatus 1 uses the design information created by the design apparatus 610 to perform a molding process of creating and molding a structure.

The inspection unit 16 of the manufacturing apparatus 1 performs the measurement process of measuring the shape of the structure molded by the modeling unit 10, as described in the first embodiment or the modification. The inspection unit 16 of the manufacturing apparatus 1 outputs, to the control system 630, information indicating the coordinates of the structure, which is the measurement result of measuring the structure (hereinafter referred to as shape information). The control system 630 includes a coordinate storage unit 631 and an inspection processing unit 632. The coordinate storage unit 631 stores the design information created by the design device 610 described above.

The inspection processing unit 632 determines whether the structure molded by the modeling unit 10 of the manufacturing apparatus 1 has been molded according to the design information created by the design apparatus 610. In other words, the inspection processing unit 632 determines whether the molded structure is a non-defective product. In this case, the inspection processing unit 632 reads out the design information stored in the coordinate storage unit 631 and performs the inspection process of comparing the design information with the shape information input from the inspection unit 16 of the manufacturing apparatus 1. The inspection processing unit 632 compares, for example, the coordinates indicated by the design information with the coordinates indicated by the corresponding shape information as the inspection processing, and when the inspection processing results show that the coordinates of the design information and the coordinates of the shape information match. Determines that the product is a non-defective product molded according to the design information. When the coordinates of the design information and the coordinates of the corresponding shape information do not match, the inspection processing unit 632 determines whether the difference between the coordinates is within a predetermined range, and if the difference is within the predetermined range, the repair is performed. Judge as possible defective product.

When it is determined that the defective product is repairable, the inspection processing unit 632 outputs repair information indicating the defective portion and the repair amount to the modeling unit 10 of the manufacturing apparatus 1. The defective portion is the coordinate of the shape information that does not match the coordinate of the design information, and the repair amount is the difference between the coordinate of the design information and the coordinate of the shape information in the defective portion. The modeling unit 10 performs repair processing for reworking a defective portion of a structure based on the input repair information. The modeling unit 10 causes the cutting unit 15 to perform processing such as cutting of a defective portion, for example.

The processing performed by the structure manufacturing system 600 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
In step S111, the designing device 610 is used when the user designs a structure, the designing process creates and stores design information regarding the shape of the structure, and the process proceeds to step S112. Note that the present invention is not limited to only the design information created by the designing device 610, and if design information already exists, input of the design information to obtain the design information is also included in one embodiment of the present invention. Be done. In step S112, the modeling unit 10 of the manufacturing apparatus 1 performs a molding process to create and mold a structure based on the design information, and proceeds to step S113. In step S113, the inspection unit 16 of the manufacturing apparatus 1 performs the measurement process, measures the shape of the structure, outputs the shape information, and proceeds to step S114.

In step S114, the inspection processing unit 632 performs an inspection process of comparing the design information created by the design apparatus 610 with the shape information measured and output by the inspection unit 16, and the process proceeds to step S115. In step S115, the inspection processing unit 632 determines whether the structure molded by the modeling unit 10 of the manufacturing apparatus 1 is a non-defective product based on the result of the inspection process. If the structure is non-defective, that is, if the coordinates of the design information and the coordinates of the shape information match, a positive determination is made in step S115 and the processing ends. If the structure is not a non-defective product, that is, if the coordinates of the design information do not match the coordinates of the shape information, or if a coordinate that does not exist in the design information is detected, a negative determination is made in step S115 and the process proceeds to step S116.

In step S116, the inspection processing unit 632 determines whether the defective portion of the structure can be repaired. If the defective portion is not repairable, that is, if the difference between the coordinates of the design information and the coordinate of the shape information in the defective portion exceeds a predetermined range, a negative determination is made in step 116 and the processing ends. If the defective portion can be repaired, that is, if the difference between the coordinates of the design information and the coordinate of the shape information in the defective portion is within the predetermined range, an affirmative decision is made in step S116 and the operation proceeds to step S117. In this case, the inspection processing unit 632 outputs the repair information to the modeling unit 10 of the manufacturing apparatus 1. In step S117, the modeling unit 10 performs repair processing on the structure based on the input repair information and returns to step S113. As described above, the modeling unit 10 causes the cutting unit 15 to perform processing such as cutting of a defective portion, for example.

The structure manufacturing system according to the second embodiment described above has the following effects.
(1) The inspection unit 16 of the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the structure manufacturing system 600 performs the measurement process of acquiring the shape information of the structure created by the molding device 620 based on the design process of the designing device 610, and the control system 630. The inspection processing unit 632 performs the inspection process of comparing the shape information acquired in the measurement process with the design information created in the design process. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the structure is a non-defective product created according to the design information by inspecting the structure for defects and acquiring information inside the structure by nondestructive inspection. Contribute to.

(2) Based on the comparison result of the inspection process, the modeling unit 10 of the manufacturing apparatus 1 performs the repair process of performing the molding process again on the structure. Therefore, when the defective portion of the structure can be repaired, the same process as the molding process can be performed on the structure again, which contributes to the manufacture of a high quality structure close to the design information.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments as long as the characteristics of the present invention are not impaired, and other forms conceivable within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention. ..

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Three-dimensional-shaped molded article manufacturing apparatus (manufacturing apparatus), 10... Modeling part, 11... Material supply tank,
12... Recoater, 13... Lifting stage,
14... Irradiation part, 15... Cutting part,
16... Inspection unit, 17... Control device,
161... Three-dimensional shape measuring machine, 162... X-ray inspection apparatus,
171... Analysis unit, 172... Judgment unit, 173... Change unit 600... Structure manufacturing system, 610... Design device,
630... Control system, 632... Inspection processing unit

Claims (1)

A layered solidified layer is formed by solidifying the material located in the area set according to the shape of the three-dimensional modeled object, and new material is supplied to the upper part of the solidified layer formed above. Then, repeating the formation of a new solidified layer by subjecting the new material to the solidification treatment, and a modeling unit for modeling a three-dimensional structure in which a plurality of solidified layers are laminated,
In the middle of modeling the three-dimensional model, an inspection unit for inspecting the inside of the three-dimensional model consisting of a solidified layer,
The three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus, wherein the inside of the three-dimensional structure is a portion covered with the solidified material.

Images