JP2000094528A - Squeezee device of photofabrication apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the defective part of a resin film by forming the uncured resin film on the cured resin film uniformly in squeezees. SOLUTION: A squeezee device 200 is composed of the first squeezee 18L and the second squeezee 18R. A doctor blade 21L and a doctor blade 21R are fixed to the first squeezee 18L and the second squeezee 18R, respectively, so that the cutting edge angles of the armatures 22L, 22R of the tip parts are arranged to scrape off an uncured resin 4. The first squeezee 18L scrapes off the uncured resin 4 from the end part A of a cured resin layer 17 toward the middle C, and the second squeezee 18R scrapes off the resin 4 from end part B of the resin layer 17 toward the other end A, and the squeezees move while forming an uncured resin layer 4F of a prescribed thickness.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical molding apparatus, and when a photocurable resin accommodated in a molding tank is cured by exposure to laser light according to product shape data, a predetermined surface is exposed to the laser light. The present invention relates to a squeegee device for forming an uncured resin film having a thickness.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an optical molding apparatus exposes a photocurable resin filled in a molding tank to laser light according to shape data created by a three-dimensional CAD system. The laser beam condensed on the liquid surface of the photocurable resin is exposed and cured according to the product cross-sectional shape, and is supported on an elevator located slightly below the liquid surface.

When the resin curing for one cross-sectional shape is completed, the elevator is lowered by a small amount, whereby the uncured resin is filled on the cured resin layer, and the uncured layer having a uniform thickness is formed on the cured resin layer. In order to make the uncured resin layer, the excess uncured resin on the cured resin layer is made uniform while scraping it off with a squeegee device, and a new uncured resin film is formed on the cured resin.

Then, the photocurable resin film is cured on the cured resin according to the next cross-sectional shape according to the scanning data on the next cross-sectional shape data, and is laminated on the cured resin.

[0005] In this manner, the resin curing by scanning with the laser beam in accordance with the sectional shape at minute intervals, the lowering of the elevator, and the scraping of the uncured resin by the squeegee are repeated, whereby each sectional shape is obtained. A three-dimensional model of the product is created as a laminate of cured resin cured in the same manner.

[0006]

As described above, it is important for the optical molding apparatus to laminate and cure the photocurable resin at a predetermined pitch. In order to laminate at a predetermined pitch, it is necessary to fill the cured layer with an uncured resin at a constant thickness every time the layer is further cured.

[0007] Therefore, it is important to perform a stable scraping operation of the uncured resin by the squeegee device. However, a molded article having a small cross-sectional shape can obtain a sufficient amount of uncured resin applied to the squeegee to scrape from one end to the other end of the cured layer. While the device is scraping the uncured resin from one end of the cured layer to the other, the amount of uncured resin runs short,
Not only can an uncured resin having a constant thickness be formed, but also a defective portion where the uncured resin is not formed may be formed. Also, when using a relatively high-viscosity photo-curable resin, the photo-curable resin is cured on the cured resin layer,
The elevator descends by one layer, and the uncured light-cured resin flows into the elevator. At this time, the uncured light-cured resin does not flow quickly due to the viscosity of the light-cured resin. Because of that, it takes time to flow enough,
Stereolithography was taking a long time.

The present invention has been devised in order to solve the above-mentioned defects, and the squeegee forms the uncured resin on the already-cured layer with a certain thickness, so that there is a defective portion where the uncured resin does not spread. The squeegee device can improve the accuracy of a three-dimensional model, can quickly form a photocurable resin film even with a high-viscosity photocurable resin, and can improve the molding efficiency of an optical molding device. To provide

[0009]

A squeegee apparatus for an optical molding apparatus according to the present invention is a method for exposing and curing a liquid surface of a photocurable resin housed in a molding tank of an optical molding apparatus with a laser beam in accordance with shape data. Fill the layer with uncured resin, then
By moving the squeegee, the uncured resin is applied to the unfilled portions, an uncured resin film having a predetermined uniform thickness is formed, and the uncured resin film is cured by exposing to a laser beam to cure the thin film. In the optical shaping apparatus for shaping a layered model by sequentially forming layers, the optical shaping apparatus is located facing the liquid surface of the photocurable resin, substantially toward the center of the shaping tank or the hardened resin layer, or toward the other end, It is characterized in that two squeegees are provided which move while uniformly scraping excess uncured resin on the cured resin layer.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an optical shaping apparatus using a squeegee apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the configuration of the optical shaping apparatus (100).

In FIG. 1, (1) is a three-dimensional CAD system which, as is well known, retrieves design information inputted and stored in a computer with a graphic display device (2) and designs a product while looking at a screen. And
Creation of shape data of a product, creation of cross-sectional shape data on a horizontal section at minute intervals, and the like are performed.

[0013] (3) is a modeling tank containing a photo-curable resin (4), (5) is an elevator provided in the modeling tank (3) so as to be able to move up and down, and is operated by an elevator driving device (6). Is done. The elevator (5) is moved up and down by the elevator driving device (6) in the modeling tank (3) in parallel with the liquid level (12) of the photocurable resin (4). (1
Reference numeral 8) denotes a squeegee (18) having left and right squeegees (18L, 18R), which slidably moves on the liquid surface of the optical molding resin (4).

The laser light (9) is emitted from a laser light excitation device (8), and is irradiated on a modeling liquid surface (12) through a laser light scanning device (7). The portion of the photocurable resin (4) irradiated with the laser beam (10) is immediately cured. When the curing for one layer is completed, the CAD data processing device (13) reads the data of the next layer, and the elevator driving device (6) moves the elevator (5) further deeper by the lamination pitch (about 3 mm) to the photocurable resin. From the liquid surface, and the uncured resin is newly filled on the already-cured resin layer.

As described above, the squeegee (18)
It has squeegees (18L, 18R) and slidably moves on the liquid surface of the optical molding resin. (7) is a laser beam scanning device, which scans the laser beam (9) excited by the laser beam excitation device (8) according to the scanning data and guides the laser beam onto the modeling tank. The laser beam (9) guided to the modeling tank (3) is constantly focused (10) on the modeling liquid level (12) by the focusing lens (11).

(13) is a CAD data processing device,
Laser beam scanning data (15), elevator drive data (16), and squeegee drive data (not shown) are created from the sectional shape data (14) of the product sent from the three-dimensional CAD system (1). Input to each drive.

2 and 3, an outline of a squeegee device (200) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The squeegee device (200) has two types of squeegees, a first squeegee (18L) and a second squeegee (18R). The first squeegee (18L) has a doctor blade (21L) and a tip end. Cutting angle of contact piece (22L)
Is fixed in a direction opposite to the traveling direction. Further, a doctor blade (21R) is fixed to the second squeegee (18R) such that the cutting angle (22R) of the contact piece at the tip is opposite to the traveling direction. And
For both squeegees, an uncured resin stretched on the cured resin layer is formed on a resin film (4F) having a predetermined thickness. The first squeegee (18L) has a doctor blade (21L) parallel to the liquid surface of the photocurable resin from an end (A) of the cured resin layer to a substantially center (C) of the cured resin layer (17). The process proceeds while scraping the uncured resin on the cured resin layer (17) and applying it uniformly. On the other hand, the second squeegee (18R) moves the doctor blade (21) from the other end (B) toward the other end (A) of the cured resin layer (17) in parallel to the liquid surface of the photocurable resin.
R) scrapes off the uncured resin on the cured resin layer (17) and proceeds while applying it uniformly.

The first squeegee (18L) is slidably mounted on the first slide mechanism (19L), and moves on the slide mechanism in contact with the liquid surface (12) of the photo-curable resin. it can. In addition, the squeegee can be moved vertically by the squeegee vertical moving means (20).
The contact piece (22L) of the doctor blade (21L) can be moved so as to avoid the liquid surface.

Similarly, the second squeegee (18R) is
It is slidably attached to the slide mechanism (19R), and can move on the slide mechanism in contact with the liquid surface of the photocurable resin. In addition, the squeegee vertical movement means (20) can be moved in the vertical direction, and the contact piece (22L) of the doctor blade (21R) can be moved away from the liquid surface.

A series of operations of the embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. When manufacturing a molded product, first, the shape of the product is formed by a three-dimensional CAD system (1). Data is created, and from this shape data, a cross-sectional shape of a horizontal cross section at each minute interval is created, and CA
The data is passed to the D data processing device (13).

Next, the elevator (5) sinks from the liquid surface by the amount of the resin film, and the elevator (5) is filled with the uncured resin.

Next, the first squeegee (18L) and the second squeegee (18R) are pulled up, and their initial positions (the first squeegee (18L) is at one end (A) of the cured resin layer (17), The second squeegee (18R) has a hardened resin layer (1
7) Return to one end (B)). (A in FIG. 4) (A in FIG. 5)
The first squeegee (18L) is an elevator (5)
From one end (A) of the top (from the second time, on the cured resin layer (17)) to approximately the center (C) of the elevator (5) (from the second time, on the cured resin layer (17)). , Moving while scraping the uncured resin, (b) in FIG.
Then, the squeegee is moved upward by the squeegee vertical movement means (20) and slightly separated from the liquid level (12) of the photocurable resin. (C in FIG. 4) Then, the first slide mechanism (1)
9L) Return to the initial position, one end (A). (D in FIG. 4) Next, when the movement of the first squeegee (18L) is completed, the second squeegee (18R) is placed on the elevator (5) (from the second time on the cured resin layer (17)). It moves from one end (B) to the other end (A) of the elevator (5) (from the second time, on the cured resin layer (17)) while scraping the uncured resin (b in FIG. 5). At the other end (A), the squeegee is moved upward by the squeegee vertical moving means (20) and slightly separated from the liquid level (12) of the photocurable resin. (C in FIG. 5) And the second slide mechanism (19R)
As a result, it returns to the initial position, one end (B). (D in FIG. 5) Next, the laser beam scanning device (7) scans the laser beam (9) according to the scanning data, that is, according to the cross-sectional shape of the product. Therefore, as a result of scanning the laser beam (10) focused on the liquid surface (12) of the modeling liquid (4) according to the product cross-sectional shape, the uncured resin film (4F) conforms to the product cross-sectional shape. It is cured and is supported by an elevator (5) located slightly below the uncured resin liquid level (12). When the resin curing for one cross-sectional shape is completed, the elevator (5) is lowered by a small amount by the elevator driving device (6), whereby the uncured resin flows onto the cured resin layer cured in the previous process, The first squeegee (18L) and the second squeegee (18R) move to form a uniform uncured resin film (4F).

Thereafter, the CAD data processing device (13) outputs scanning data on the next cross-sectional shape data, scans the laser beam (9) on the cured resin layer (17), and uses the laser beam (10) to scan the laser beam (9). Is cured according to the following cross-sectional shape, and is laminated on the previous cured resin layer.

In this way, the resin is cured by scanning the laser beam (10) in accordance with the cross-sectional shape at minute intervals, the elevator (5) is lowered, and the uncured resin film (4F) is moved by the squeegee (18). By repeating the formation, a real model of a product is manufactured as a laminate of a cured resin cured according to each cross-sectional shape.

Comparing the squeegee device of the present invention with the conventional squeegee device, conventionally, one squeegee scrapes from one end to the other end of the modeling tank. In that case, if the cross-sectional shape of the product is large, there is not enough coating amount to scrape from one end to the other end, the uncured resin breaks in the middle of the squeegee,
A defective portion of the resin film was formed. As a result, the finished model has a poor quality with unstable lamination pitch.

When an uncured resin liquid having a relatively high viscosity is used, the uncured resin liquid has a high viscosity, so that a single squeegee cannot quickly scrape off the uncured fat layer. . As a result, as described above, the uncured resin is interrupted in the middle of the squeegee, resulting in a defective portion of the resin film.

According to the present invention, the uncured resin is scraped from one end of the shaping tank to the approximate center or the other end of the hardened resin layer alternately by two squeegees. Further, even with a photocurable resin having a relatively high viscosity, an uncured resin film can be uniformly formed, and a thin portion of the resin film and a defective portion of the resin film cannot be formed.

In the case of a molded article having a small lamination cross-sectional area, it can be scraped off by one of the squeegees, and the efficiency of the squeegee operation can be increased.

[0030]

According to the present invention, a uniform uncured resin film can be formed irrespective of the size of the molded article and regardless of the viscosity of the photocurable resin, and a defective portion where the uncured resin does not spread is obtained. Therefore, the accuracy of the three-dimensional model can be improved. In addition, the efficiency of the squeegee operation can be increased by properly using the number of squeegees depending on the size of the modeled object.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which an optical shaping apparatus (10
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating the configuration of (0).

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which an optical shaping device (10
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration perspective view illustrating the configuration of a squeegee device (200) of FIG.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which an optical shaping apparatus (10
It is a schematic structure sectional view explaining the composition of squeegee device (200) of 0).

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which an optical shaping apparatus (10
It is principal part sectional drawing which illustrated sequentially operation | movement of the squeegee (18L) of a left part in the squeegee apparatus (200) of (0).

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the optical shaping apparatus (10
It is principal part sectional drawing which illustrated sequentially operation | movement of the squeegee (18R) of a right part in the squeegee apparatus (200) of (0).

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Stereolithography apparatus 3 Modeling tank 4 Photocurable resin 12 Liquid surface 17 Uncured resin layer 4 Uncured resin 18 Squeegee 4F Uncured resin film 10 Laser beam 17 Stacked model A, B Edge C Near center 18L, 18R Two squeegees

Claims (1)

[Claims] A liquid surface of a photo-curable resin housed in a molding tank of an optical shaping apparatus is cured by exposing a laser beam to light according to shape data to fill a layer of uncured resin on an already-cured resin layer. The uncured resin liquid is applied to the unfilled portion by moving the uncured resin film, an uncured resin film having a predetermined uniform thickness is formed, and the uncured resin film is exposed to laser light and cured to cure the thin film. In an optical shaping apparatus for forming a layered model by sequentially forming layers, on the liquid surface of the photocurable resin, positioned facing each other, and substantially toward the center or the other end of the shaping tank or the cured resin layer. A squeegee device for an optical molding device, comprising: two squeegees that move while uniformly scraping excess uncured resin on the cured resin layer.