JP2004155156A - Three-dimensionally shaping method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a three-dimentionally shaping device capable of shortening a total molding time. <P>SOLUTION: The three-dimentionally shaping device 20 contains a light source 23 and a mirror device 22 to receive light from the light source 23. The mirror device 22 contains a plurality of finely movable mirror groups 22a which are arranged in row and column directions to receive an electric signal to change each reflecting face, and a control unit 22d to optionally control each mirror face of the finely movable mirror groups 22a. The light reflected on the mirror device 22 is directed toward a photosetting material 31. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional printing apparatus and a method thereof, and more particularly to a three-dimensional printing apparatus and a method thereof capable of shortening a printing time.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a molding method called a rapid prototyping machine such as stereolithography, powder molding, sheet lamination, etc., a model is considered to be an aggregate having a small cross-sectional shape, and the entire model is fixed to a certain thickness (approximately in a vertical direction). The model is formed by slicing at 0.1 mm) and superimposing (stacking) the moldings for each one section data.
[0003]
Such a three-dimensional printing apparatus is disclosed in, for example, the following document 1.
[0004]
A conventional three-dimensional printing method will be described with reference to FIG. Referring to FIG. 8, in the conventional three-dimensional modeling method, emission of laser light L from projector 57, which is a laser light source that emits ultraviolet laser light L provided on one side above tank 51, and mirrors The configuration is such that the deflection angle of the deflection mirror 58 controlled by the drive mechanism 59 is synchronously driven by the control circuit 60. Then, a desired portion of the photo-curable resin 52 stored in the tank 51 is cured by the laser beam L by scanning the laser beam L from the projector 57 in a required pattern in a plane two-dimensional direction by the deflection mirror 58. Thus, desired three-dimensional modeling has been performed.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-9-150459 (paragraph numbers 0009 and 0010, FIG. 1)
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional means for drawing a single light beam with a mechanical scanning mechanism as described above, the operation is one-dimensional, and requires a long projection time to draw one plane and performs two-dimensional scanning. Therefore, a complicated mechanical drive mechanism was required.
[0007]
In order to reduce the load on the drive system by reducing the weight and simplifying the optical system, when a laser is used as the light source, there is a problem that stricter safety considerations are required.
[0008]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional molding apparatus and a method thereof capable of reducing the total molding time.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The three-dimensional printing apparatus includes a light source and a mirror device that receives light from the light source, and the mirror device is arranged in a matrix direction, and includes a plurality of fine movable mirrors each receiving an electric signal and changing a reflection surface. Means for arbitrarily controlling the respective reflecting surfaces of the fine movable mirror, and the light reflected by the mirror device is directed to the photocurable material.
[0010]
By applying an electric signal, a mirror device having a plurality of fine movable mirrors that can change the reflection angle is irradiated with light, and each mirror controls the reflection angle, and the light is applied to the photocurable material as a surface light source. Irradiated. The use of a surface light source eliminates the need for two-dimensional scanning of the beam.
[0011]
As a result, it is possible to provide a three-dimensional modeling apparatus capable of performing high-speed modeling by greatly reducing the projection time required for drawing for each plane.
[0012]
Further, since it is not necessary to use a laser as a light source, the structure of the device is simplified and the reliability is improved.
[0013]
Further, since the fine movable mirror can be controlled to an arbitrary angle, the projection image can be adjusted, and a desired image can be projected.
[0014]
Preferably, the control means controls a repetition speed of an operation of changing a reflection angle of each of the fine movable mirrors. By controlling the repetition speed of the operation of changing the reflection angle of each of the micro movable mirrors, the irradiation amount on the photocurable resin is controlled. As a result, a three-dimensional structure having a smooth shape is obtained.
[0015]
It should be noted that the control means may include means for creating three-dimensional printing data in advance, and the control means may control the reflection angles of the plurality of fine movable mirrors based on the created three-dimensional printing data.
[0016]
More preferably, the reflection angle of each of the fine movable mirrors is automatically changed according to the proportion of light to be projected on each mirror.
[0017]
In another aspect of the present invention, a digital mirror element device having a plurality of fine movable mirrors arranged in a matrix direction, each of which receives an electric signal and changes a reflection surface is used, and the reflected light is applied to a photocurable material. This is a three-dimensional forming method of forming a three-dimensional object by irradiation. The three-dimensional printing method includes: (a) controlling each of the micro movable mirrors to an arbitrary angle; (b) irradiating light from a light source to the digital mirror element device; and (c) irradiating with the mirror device. Forming a new layer of the photocurable material on the photocurable material obtained, and forming a three-dimensional object by repeating (a) to (c).
[0018]
By applying an electric signal, the mirror device having a plurality of fine movable mirrors capable of changing the reflection angle is irradiated with light, and the reflection angle is controlled so that each mirror corresponds to a point pixel for drawing. Light is irradiated to the photocurable material as a surface light source. The use of a surface light source eliminates the need for two-dimensional scanning of the beam.
[0019]
As a result, it is possible to provide a three-dimensional printing method capable of performing high-speed printing by greatly reducing the projection time required for drawing for each plane.
[0020]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an overall configuration of a three-dimensional printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021]
Referring to FIG. 1, a three-dimensional printing apparatus 20 includes a drawing data input unit 21 for inputting drawing data created in advance, a digital mirror element (micro movable mirror) 22, and a digital mirror (hereinafter abbreviated as “DM”). A) a light source 23 for irradiating the element 22 with light; a lens 24 for converting the light from the light source 23 into parallel light to irradiate the digital mirror element; a lens 26 for converging the reflected light 25 from the digital mirror element 22; And a photo-curable resin container 30 that holds the conductive resin 31. The drawing data input to the drawing data input unit 21 is stored in a memory (not shown).
[0022]
The digital mirror element 22 includes a movable mirror group 22a arranged in a matrix, a row control unit 22b for controlling the movable mirror group 22a in the row direction, a column control unit 22c for controlling the movable mirror group 22a in the column direction, And a control unit 22d that controls the control unit 22b and the column control unit 22c.
[0023]
Each of the movable mirrors of the movable mirror group 22a constituting the DM element 22 can freely set the angle of the reflection surface thereof, and reflects the reflected light 25 from the light source 23 in the photocurable resin container 30 in the photocurable resin container 30. The angle can be changed from the angle at which the resin 31 is totally reflected to the angle at which the photocurable resin is not irradiated.
[0024]
Here, the reflection angle of each movable mirror is controlled so as to correspond to a point pixel for drawing. The reflection angle of each movable mirror at the corresponding pixel position is arbitrarily controlled based on the brightness information of the image data.
[0025]
In addition, image data for drawing is input to the drawing data input unit 21 from the separately provided image data creating device 10.
[0026]
Next, the operation of the image data creating apparatus 10 for supplying image data to the three-dimensional printing apparatus 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation content of the image data creating apparatus 10, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the specific content of the operation. With reference to FIG. 2, first, three-dimensional data is created (step S11, steps are omitted hereafter).
[0027]
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3A, drawing data for the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis is prepared. Here, for example, an H-shaped columnar shape is created. The three-dimensional data is created using, for example, CAD. Next, the created three-dimensional data is developed into two-dimensional data having a continuous projected cross section from one direction (S12). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3B, the H-shaped columnar shape is developed into a plurality of “H” -shaped two-dimensional image data continuous in the Z-axis direction. Then, the image data is input to the drawing data input unit 21 of the three-dimensional printing apparatus 20 (S13). Specifically, the image data is sent to the three-dimensional printing apparatus 20 as continuous image (bitmap) data.
[0028]
Next, the operation of the three-dimensional printing apparatus 20 will be described with reference to FIG. First, drawing data is input from the drawing data input unit 21 (S21). Next, the DM element 22 is controlled (S22), and the level of the photocurable resin 31 is controlled (S23).
[0029]
Next, control contents of the DM element 22 shown in S22 of FIG. 4 will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control contents of the DM element 22. Referring to FIG. 5, first, each of the DM elements in a matrix is initialized (S31). Next, the control unit 22d reads data for each point (i, j) of the matrix DM element from a memory (not shown) in accordance with the data input in S21 (S32), and in accordance with the data, a row control unit. The mirror angle at the point (i, j) is determined via the column controller 22b and the column controller 22c (S33). Then, light is emitted from the light source 23, and the light is reflected on the liquid surface 33 (S34).
[0030]
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a change state of the liquid level of the photocurable resin container 30. First, as shown in FIG. 6A, a first image is formed by exposing the shape image formed by the reflected light from the DM element to the liquid surface 33 of the photo-curable material by using the reflected light from the DM element 22. Next, the movable table 32 is lowered one step by a driving device (not shown), and a photocurable resin is penetrated into the surface of the cured first layer to prepare for curing of the second layer (FIG. 6B). Thereafter, a desired three-dimensional shape is formed by repeating the above steps.
[0031]
Next, a specific control method of the DM element 22 will be described. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the input data 41 in which the control state of the DM element is created and the position 42 of each movable mirror corresponding thereto. FIG. 7A shows a state in which H-shaped data is input. Here, the input data 41 indicates H-shaped data, and in this case, since the input data can be represented by a rectangle, the ON / OFF of each movable mirror can be controlled by the input data. Therefore, it is sufficient to control such that the movable mirror indicated by oblique lines is turned on, that is, totally reflected.
[0032]
FIG. 7B illustrates a case where a circular shape is created. Although depending on the resolution, in this case, if the input drawing data 43 input to the drawing data input unit 21 and the corresponding movable mirrors correspond to each other on a 1: 1 basis, a desired image may not be projected. Therefore, in such a case, the control is separately performed for each of the movable mirrors, that is, one that totally reflects (shown by oblique lines) and one that reflects at a desired angle (shown by X). By performing such control, fine adjustment is possible, and a shape close to a desired shape can be created even when the resolution is large.
[0033]
The reflection angle may be automatically changed according to the ratio of light to be projected on one movable mirror.
[0034]
Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, the resolution is changed by controlling the on / off ratio of the operation for changing the irradiation angle of each movable mirror and controlling the irradiation amount on the photocurable resin. In other words, increasing the ON ratio increases the amount of curing per unit time, and increasing the OFF ratio decreases the amount of curing per unit time, making it possible to finely adjust the amount of curing compared to a simple ON / OFF.
[0035]
By controlling in this manner, the shaped object that is finished in a concave and convex shape with a coarse resolution can change the amount of light according to the on / off repetition ratio of the movable mirror, and thus has a smooth shape.
[0036]
In the above embodiment, the image data creating apparatus and the three-dimensional modeling apparatus are described as separate apparatuses. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be integrated as an apparatus.
[0037]
One embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. It is not limited to the same range as the present invention or to an equivalent form. Various changes can be made to the illustrated embodiment within the same or equivalent scope as the present invention.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a three-dimensional printing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an image data creation procedure.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a specific procedure for creating image data.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the three-dimensional printing apparatus.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing control contents of a digital mirror element.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a molding operation of a photocurable resin.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between input data in which a control state of a digital mirror element is created and positions of individual mirrors corresponding to the input data.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a conventional three-dimensional printing method.
[Description of Signs] 10 image data creation device, 20 three-dimensional modeling device, 21 drawing data input unit, 22 digital mirror (DM) element, 23 light source, 24 lens, 25 reflected light, 26 lens, 30 photo-curable resin container , 31 light curable resin, 32 tables

Claims (3)

A light source,
A mirror device that receives light from the light source, wherein the mirror device is arranged in a matrix direction, each of which comprises a plurality of fine movable mirrors that receive an electric signal and change the reflection surface,
Control means for controlling each reflection surface of the fine movable mirror to an arbitrary angle,
A three-dimensional modeling device, wherein the light reflected by the mirror device is directed to a photocurable material. The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls a repetition speed of an operation of changing a reflection angle of each of the fine movable mirrors. A three-dimensionally shaped object is formed by irradiating the photo-curable material with the reflected light, using a mirror device having a plurality of fine movable mirrors each arranged in a matrix direction and changing a reflection surface by receiving an electric signal. A three-dimensional modeling method,
(A) controlling each of the fine movable mirrors to an arbitrary angle;
(B) irradiating the mirror device with light from a light source;
(C) forming a new layer of a photocurable material on the photocurable material irradiated by the mirror device, and repeating the steps (a) to (c) to form a three-dimensional shape. A three-dimensional modeling method for modeling objects.

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