JP2016068466A - Solid structure production device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a solid structure production facility and method, for producing a solid structure having at least one of irregularities formed on a surface and a cavity formed therein, into a long-sized shape.SOLUTION: A belt 14 is intermittently fed toward a first direction by a feeding mechanism 24. A data creation part 33 divides a film 10 into blocks, and creates layer data of respective layers of the blocks. The film 10 is divided into blocks, in a state that lower layers of the blocks project toward a second direction relative to upper layers of the blocks. A discharge head 15 performs in-plane scanning, and lamination direction movement for every in-plane scanning, and discharges a molding material based on the layer data for single layer during the in-plane scanning for forming a single layer. The layer data for driving the discharge head 15 is changed to the upper layer data for every lamination direction movement, for forming the blocks laminating the layers. For every time the belt 14 is fed toward the first direction, the blocks of the layer data are sequentially changed, for sequentially connecting the blocks in the first direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

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

  There is a film having a honeycomb structure (hereinafter referred to as a honeycomb structure film) because a large number of fine holes are regularly arranged on the film surface. The honeycomb structure film is manufactured, for example, by a method using self-organization called a condensation method. In the condensation method, for example, a solution in which a hydrophobic polymer is dissolved in a solvent is cast on a support to form a cast film, and moisture in the surrounding atmosphere is formed on the cast film. This is a method of causing condensation to evaporate the solvent and the generated water droplets (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this method, the water droplet functions as a template for forming the hole.

  By forming a three-dimensional structure with a complicated three-dimensional structure, such as voids inside and irregularities on the surface, as a manufacturing method, each part of the three-dimensional structure is layered and laminated Techniques for manufacturing are known. Such a method includes a three-dimensional structure using an apparatus or a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional structure using a thermoplastic resin (polymer) (see, for example, Patent Document 2), a material that is cured by ink or specific light. There are an apparatus and a method (see, for example, Patent Documents 3 and 4).

JP 2007-291367 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-158228 Special table 2003-535712 gazette Japanese National Patent Publication No. 10-513130

  The dew condensation method described in Patent Literature 1 and the like is excellent in that a plurality of holes are formed in a uniform size and shape, and that a large number of holes are formed in a very regular state. However, since the template function of water droplets generated by condensation as described above is used, for example, there is a limit to the size of the formed hole. Moreover, according to the dew condensation method, it is difficult to produce a film in which voids are formed inside and the film surface is smooth. Moreover, although the apparatus and method described in patent documents 2-4 have a certain freedom degree in the shape of the solid structure which can be manufactured, they cannot be manufactured long.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus and method for manufacturing a three-dimensional structure having at least one of irregularities formed on the surface and voids formed inside thereof in a long length. Objective.

  The three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus of the present invention includes a support, a feeding mechanism, a data generation unit, a discharge head, a head moving mechanism, a head driving unit, and a control unit, and unevenness formed on the surface. A three-dimensional structure having at least one of voids formed inside is manufactured from a modeling material. The support has a modeling surface on which a three-dimensional structure is formed, and is movable in a first direction parallel to the modeling surface. The feeding mechanism intermittently feeds the support body in the first direction. The data generation unit divides the three-dimensional structure into a plurality of blocks in the first direction, and layer data for forming each of the layers that are stacked in the stacking direction orthogonal to the modeling surface to form the blocks for each block. Generated based on the shape data of the three-dimensional structure. The discharge head is provided with a discharge port for discharging the modeling material facing the modeling surface. The head moving mechanism performs in-plane scanning in which the ejection head is moved in a parallel plane parallel to the modeling surface, and laminating direction movement in which the ejection head is moved in the laminating direction by the thickness of the layer for each in-plane scanning. The head driving unit drives the discharge head based on the layer data to discharge the modeling material. The controller forms one layer by driving the ejection head based on layer data for one layer of the block during in-plane scanning of the ejection head, and drives the ejection head for each movement in the stacking direction. By switching the data to the upper layer data, a block in which layers are stacked on the modeling surface is formed, and each time the support is fed in the first direction, the block of layer data that drives the ejection head is sequentially switched. Thus, a plurality of blocks are sequentially connected in the first direction to be formed on the modeling surface. The data generation unit described above divides the three-dimensional structure into a plurality of blocks in a state in which a lower layer than the upper layer of the block protrudes in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

  The three-dimensional structure manufacturing method of the present invention has a feeding step, a data generation step, and a forming step, and has a three-dimensional structure having at least one of irregularities formed on the surface and voids formed inside. Is manufactured with modeling material. In the feeding step, a support having a modeling surface on which a three-dimensional structure is formed is intermittently sent in a first direction parallel to the modeling surface. The data generation step divides the three-dimensional structure into a plurality of blocks in the first direction, and layer data for forming each of the layers that are stacked in the stacking direction orthogonal to the modeling surface and form the blocks for each block. Generated based on the shape data of the three-dimensional structure. In the forming process, the thickness of the layer for each in-plane scanning and in-plane transfer scanning in which the ejection head provided with the ejection port for ejecting the modeling material is opposed to the modeling surface is moved in a parallel plane parallel to the modeling surface. By moving the ejection head in the laminating direction only and driving the ejection head based on the layer data for one layer of the block during the in-plane scanning of the ejection head to eject the modeling material By forming one layer and switching the layer data for driving the ejection head to the upper layer data for each movement in the stacking direction, a block in which the layers are stacked on the modeling surface is formed, and the support is in the first direction. A plurality of blocks are sequentially connected in the first direction to be formed on the modeling surface by sequentially switching the block of the layer data for driving the ejection head each time it is sent. In the above-described data generation step, the three-dimensional structure is divided into a plurality of blocks in a state where a lower layer than the upper layer of the block protrudes in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the three-dimensional structure which has at least any one of the unevenness | corrugation currently formed in the surface, and the space | gap currently formed in the inside can be manufactured long.

It is a top view of the film manufactured by this embodiment. It is sectional drawing in the thickness direction of the film manufactured by this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing regarding the block and lamination | stacking which divided | segmented the film and the film. It is the schematic of the three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus which implemented this invention. It is a schematic perspective view of a head unit.

  As shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, the film 10 as the three-dimensional structure manufactured by this embodiment has the several hole 11 opened on the surface and a back surface, and an unevenness | corrugation was formed in the surface. ing. Each hole 11 opened to the surface has a so-called honeycomb-like arrangement in which six surrounding holes 11 are arranged at each vertex of a hexagon centering on one arbitrary hole 11. The same applies to the holes 11 opened on the back surface, and the holes 11 are arranged in a honeycomb shape. Each hole 11 opening on the surface and each hole 11 opening on the back surface are independent and are not connected inside the film 10.

  The film 10 is manufactured to have a constant width and extend in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the width direction. In FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 mentioned later, the longitudinal direction of the film 10 is shown by the arrow line X, the width direction is shown by the arrow line Y, and the thickness direction is shown by the arrow line Z. The thickness of the film 10, that is, the length in the thickness direction Z is 150 μm, the diameter of the hole 11 is 140 μm, and the depth of the hole 11 is about 70 μm. In FIG. 1, the size of the hole 11 is greatly exaggerated with respect to the size of the film 10. Further, the shape of the three-dimensional structure to be manufactured is not limited to the above. For example, a film having voids formed therein or a film having a hole penetrating from the surface to the back surface may be used, and the width, length, thickness and the like are not particularly limited.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the film 10 is obtained by laminating a plurality of layers 12 having a surface shape in a cross section perpendicular to the thickness direction in the thickness direction. The number of layers 12 is determined by the thickness of the film 10 and the thickness of the layer 12. The film 10 is manufactured by sequentially connecting a plurality of blocks BL obtained by dividing the film 10 in the longitudinal direction in the longitudinal direction. Each block BL is configured by laminating a plurality of layers 12a. In addition, the layer 12 of the film 10 integrates the layer 12a in the same height of each block BL.

  Each block BL is divided into a state in which the lower layer 12a protrudes in a direction opposite to the running direction of the belt 14 (see FIG. 4) described later than the upper layer 12a. The projecting direction is the direction of another block BL connected from one formed block BL. Further, in this example, the division is performed so that the length of each layer 12a for each block BL becomes a constant division length L. However, the division lengths L may be different from each other. The layer 12 a is a concept including a space portion such as the hole 11 of the film 10.

  The protrusion length ΔL of the arbitrary layer 12a with respect to the upper layer 12a is set so that the ejection head 15 (described later) and the block BL already formed do not interfere with each other when the blocks BL are connected. And the position of the ejection port 15b in the head body 15a. In this example, the protrusion length ΔL is a constant length. However, the protrusion length ΔL may be different from each other.

  In FIG. 4, the three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus 20 manufactures the film 10 described above. The belt 14 as a support is formed in an annular shape and is wound around a driving roller 22 and a driven roller 23. The driving roller 22 is rotated by a feed mechanism 24, and the driven roller 23 is rotated following the traveling of the belt 14. When the driving roller 22 is rotated by the feed mechanism 24, the belt 14 circulates in the clockwise direction in FIG. The feed mechanism 24 intermittently rotates the drive roller 22 by a predetermined angle. Thus, the belt 14 is intermittently fed for each divided length L. The film 10 is elongated and extends in a second direction opposite to the first direction, which is the running direction (feed direction) of the belt 14. The second direction is a backward direction toward the direction in which the belt 14 travels. In the following description, the front direction in the direction in which the belt 14 travels is referred to as the front direction, and the front direction and the rear direction are collectively referred to as the front-rear direction. Since the front-rear direction coincides with the longitudinal direction of the film 10, the arrow X in FIGS. 1 to 3 is commonly used in FIG. 4 and FIG.

  The surface of the belt 14 is a flat modeling surface 14a, and the layer 12a is laminated. In this example, an annular belt 14 is used as a support, and the film 10 longer than the belt 14 is manufactured. When the film 10 shorter than the support is manufactured, for example, a plate-like support is used, and the entire film 10 may be formed on the surface as a modeling surface of the support. Thus, the shape of the support is not limited as long as it can move in a direction parallel to the modeling surface.

  A head unit 26 is arranged in the modeling area with the modeling surface 14a facing upward. In the modeling area, the modeling surface 14a is horizontal. The head unit 26 includes the ejection head 15, a head moving mechanism 27, and a pair of light source units 28.

  The discharge head 15 has a head body 15a (see FIG. 3) and a discharge port 15b (see FIG. 3) provided on the lower surface of the head body 15a and facing the modeling surface 14a. This discharge head 15 discharges the modeling material 29 (refer FIG. 3) for forming the film 10 from the discharge outlet 15b. The ejection head 15 is movable in the front-rear direction (X direction) with respect to the running direction, the width direction (Y direction) of the belt 14 and the film 10, and the up-down direction (Z direction). In this example, in the modeling area, the front-rear direction is the longitudinal direction of the film 10, and the vertical direction is the stacking direction in which the layers 12a orthogonal to the modeling surface 14a are stacked.

  The head moving mechanism 27 performs spatial scanning by moving the ejection head 15 in the front-rear direction, the width direction, and the vertical direction. Spatial scanning is performed by in-plane scanning in which the ejection head 15 is moved in a parallel plane parallel to the modeling surface 14a, and vertical movement (hereinafter referred to as stacking direction movement).

  In-plane scanning is the movement of the ejection head 15 to form the layer 12a. In this in-plane scanning, every time the ejection head 15 moves in the width direction, the operation of moving the ejection head 15 backward by one step (the direction opposite to the traveling direction) is repeated. The movement length of the ejection head 15 in the width direction once is the same length as the width of the film 10. Further, the movement length of one step in the backward direction of the ejection head 15 is the same as the length in the front-rear direction of the layer 12a formed by the ejection head 15 by one movement in the width direction. One layer 12a is formed during one in-plane scanning. The head moving mechanism 27 moves the ejection head 15 upward by the thickness of the layer 12a every time in-plane scanning is performed. Thereby, the layer 12a is laminated. The head moving mechanism 27 performs one spatial scan each time the belt 14 is fed the division length L.

  The pair of light source units 28 are respectively arranged at positions sandwiching the ejection head 15 in the front-rear direction, and move in the front-rear direction together with the ejection head 15. Each light source unit 28 includes an ultraviolet lamp 28a and a reflecting plate 28b extending in the width direction. The light source unit 28 irradiates the modeling material 29 with ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet lamp 28a. Thereby, the modeling material 29 discharged from the discharge head 15 is cured.

  The three-dimensional structure manufacturing storage 20 preferably includes a material supply unit 31 as in the present embodiment, and the material supply unit 31 supplies the modeling material 29 to the ejection head 15. The modeling material 29 uses a photocurable compound that is cured by irradiation with light of a specific wavelength, in this example, ultraviolet rays. A photocurable compound is a compound that undergoes a polymerization reaction upon irradiation with light to produce a photocurable resin (polymer).

  Examples of the photocurable resin include urethane acrylate-based, epoxy-based, epoxy acrylate-based, ester acrylate-based, and acrylate-based resins (polymers). The photocurable compound may be any of a monomer, an oligomer, and a polymer as long as it has a polymerizable group that undergoes a polymerization reaction upon irradiation with light. The viscosity of the photocurable compound is preferably lower.

  Shape data representing the three-dimensional shape of the film 10 is created by a computer or the like and written into the data storage unit 32. By rewriting the shape data stored in the data storage unit 32, a three-dimensional structure having another three-dimensional structure can be created. The three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus 20 includes a data generation unit 33, and the shape data is read from the data storage unit 32 and sent to the data generation unit 33. When the film 10 has a repeating unit structure as in this example, the unit structure is stored in the data storage unit 32 as shape data, and the stored shape data is repeatedly read out to generate the data generation unit 33. May be sent to When creating a three-dimensional structure having another three-dimensional structure, if the three-dimensional structure is a repetition of a plurality of different structural units, the plurality of unit structures are stored in the data storage unit 32 as shape data. The stored shape data may be repeatedly read and sent to the data generation unit 33.

  The data generation unit 33 generates layer data for forming the layer 12a based on the shape data. The data generation unit 33 divides the film 10 into a plurality of blocks BL sequentially from one end side in the traveling direction of the belt 14, that is, from the front end toward the rear, and each layer constituting the block BL for each block BL. Layer data for forming each of 12a is generated. When dividing the data into the blocks BL, the data generation unit 33 causes each of the blocks BL to be in a state in which the lower layer 12a protrudes backward from the upper layer 12a. This prevents the ejection head 15 from interfering with the already formed block BL when the next block BL is formed following one block BL. Further, the data generation unit 33 divides the layers 12a so that the length of each layer 12a becomes a constant division length L as described above. Note that, at both ends in the front-rear direction of the film 10, the length of some of the layers 12a is shorter than the division length L.

  The head driving unit 34 drives the ejection head 15 based on the layer data in synchronization with the in-plane scanning of the ejection head 15 by the head moving mechanism 27. As a result, the ejection head 15 is driven so that the modeling material 29 is ejected at a portion other than the portion that becomes the hole 11.

  The control unit 35 controls each unit of the three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus 20. The ejection head 15 is driven based on each layer data of one block BL in one space scan. Thereby, the block BL is formed. The controller 35 drives the ejection head 15 with one layer data via the head driver 34 during one in-plane scan to form one layer 12a. In addition, the control unit 35 forms the block BL in which the layers 12a are stacked by switching the layer data for driving the ejection head 15 to the layer data of the upper layer 12a every movement in the stacking direction.

  Each time the belt 14 is fed in the traveling direction, that is, each time the formation of one block BL is completed, the control unit 35 sequentially starts from the block BL on one end side on the first formation side of the film 10. The layer data of each block BL is sent from the data generation unit 33 to the head driving unit 34. For example, when the formation of the Nth block BL is completed and the belt 14 is sent in the running direction, each layer data of the (N + 1) th block BL is sent to the head driving unit 34. As described above, the control unit 35 sequentially switches the layer data input from the data generation unit 33 to the head drive unit 34. As a result, a plurality of blocks BL are sequentially connected in the backward direction on the modeling surface 14a.

  A guide roller 36 is disposed downstream of the modeling area (left side in FIG. 1). The film 10 on the belt 14 is hung on the guide roller 36, and the downstream side thereof is conveyed upward in synchronization with the running of the belt 14. Thereby, the film 10 is peeled from the belt 14. However, the guide roller 36 is not necessarily provided, and the film 10 may be peeled off from the belt 14 by other stripping methods.

  In FIG. 5, the head unit 26 includes a pair of first guide rails 43, a carriage 44, and a motor unit 45. Each of the first guide rails 43 extends in the front-rear direction, and the pair of first guide rails 43 are spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the belt 14. The carriage 44 includes a pair of movable parts 46, a second guide rail 47, a third guide rail 48, the above-described ejection head 15 and the light source part 28.

  The pair of movable portions 46 are attached to the inside of the first guide rail 43 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. A second guide rail 47 is provided between the pair of movable parts 46. The second guide rail 47 is arranged along the width direction. The third guide rail 48 is attached to the second guide rail 47 so as to be movable in the width direction, and supports the ejection head 15 so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

  The motor unit 45 includes a motor (not shown), a gear train (not shown), and the like, and transmits the driving force of the motor to the carriage 44. With this driving force, the carriage 44 moves in the front-rear direction along the first guide rail 43, the third guide rail 48 moves in the width direction along the second guide rail 47, and the discharge head 15 moves in the third direction. It moves up and down along the guide rail 48. Spatial scanning is performed by movement in these three directions.

  The movable length of the ejection head 15 may be not less than the maximum length in the front-rear direction of the layer 12a to be formed in the front-rear direction, in this example, not less than the division length L. Further, in the width direction, it is sufficient that the length is not less than the maximum length in the width direction of the layer 12a to be formed. Furthermore, in the vertical direction, it is only necessary that the discharge port 15b can move from the height of the modeling surface 14a to the thickness of the film 10 or more.

  Each light source unit 28 is fixed to a pair of movable units 46 and moves in the front-rear direction together with the ejection head 15. Thereby, the modeling material 29 discharged from the discharge head 15 is hardened sequentially.

  Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. First, the shape data of the film 10 is created by a computer or the like and written into the data storage unit 32. Thereafter, the shape data is read from the data storage unit 32 and sent to the data generation unit 33. In addition, the modeling material 29 is supplied from the material supply unit 31 to the discharge head 15, and the light source units 28 are turned on. The control unit 35 moves the ejection head 15 via the head moving mechanism 27 to the initial position for in-plane scanning and to the height at which the lowermost layer 12a is formed. Note that the initial position of the ejection head 15 is, for example, one of four corners of a rectangular in-plane scanning range.

  When the shape data is input, the data generation unit 33 divides the film 10 into a plurality of blocks BL in order from the front end of the belt 14 to the rear based on the shape data, and each layer 12a is divided into each block BL. Corresponding layer data is sequentially generated (data generation step). When generating the layer data, the block BL is divided so that the layer 12a below the upper layer 12a protrudes backward by the protrusion length ΔL for each layer 12a in the block BL. Thereafter, the generated layer data is sequentially sent to the head driving unit 34 for each block BL under the control of the control unit 35.

  When each layer data of the first block BL is input to the head driving unit 34, in-plane scanning by the head moving mechanism 27 is started. Further, the ejection head 15 is driven by the head driving unit 34 based on the layer data of the first layer (lowermost layer) of the first block BL in synchronization with the in-plane scanning. Thereby, discharge of the modeling material 29 by the discharge head 15 is controlled, and the layer 12a of the first modeling material 29 is formed on the modeling surface 14a. The modeling material 29 discharged from the discharge head 15 is cured by being irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the light source unit 28.

  When the formation of the first layer 12 a is completed, the ejection head 15 is raised to the retracted position by the head moving mechanism 27. For example, the retreat position is higher than the position where the uppermost layer 12a is formed. After moving to the retracted position, the ejection head 15 is returned to the initial position.

  Next, the ejection head 15 is lowered to a height for forming a second layer higher than the height at which the first layer is formed from the initial position by the thickness of the layer 12a. Then, the in-plane scanning is started at the height for forming the second layer, and the ejection head 15 is driven based on the layer data of the second layer during the in-plane scanning. Thereby, the second layer 12a is formed on the first layer 12a by the modeling material 29 discharged from the discharge head 15. Also for the modeling material 29 of the second layer 12a, ultraviolet rays from the light source unit 28 are cured by irradiation.

  When the formation of the second layer 12a is completed, the ejection head 15 is again raised to the retracted position and then returned to the initial position. Thereafter, the ejection head 15 is lowered to a height for forming the third layer. During the third in-plane scanning, the ejection head 15 is driven based on the layer data of the third layer to form the third layer 12a on the second layer, and the ultraviolet ray is cured by irradiation.

  In the same manner, the layers up to the uppermost layer 12a are formed. Thereby, the 1st block BL with which the layer 12a was laminated | stacked is formed on the modeling surface 14a.

  As described above, when the formation of the first block BL is completed, the ejection head 15 is moved to the retracted position. Thereafter, the belt 14 is fed in the traveling direction by the divided length L by the feeding mechanism 24. When the feeding of the belt 14 is completed, the ejection head 15 is moved to an initial position for in-plane scanning and then lowered to a height at which the first layer 12a is formed.

  After completion of the lowering of the ejection head 15, each layer data of the second block BL is input from the data generation unit 33 to the head driving unit 34 under the control of the control unit 35. After this input, in-plane scanning by the head moving mechanism 27 is started. Further, the ejection head 15 is driven based on the first layer data of the second block BL in synchronization with the in-plane scanning by the head driving unit 34. Thereby, the first layer 12a of the second block BL is formed on the modeling surface 14a. The first layer 12a of the second block BL is formed to be connected to the rear end of the first layer 12a of the first block BL.

  When the formation of the first layer 12a is completed, the ejection head 15 is raised to the retracted position, then returned to the initial position, and lowered to the height for forming the second layer. Thereafter, in-plane scanning is started, and the ejection head 15 is driven based on the layer data of the second layer during this in-plane scanning. Thereby, the second layer 12 a is formed by the modeling material 29. The second layer 12a of the second block BL has its front end portion formed on the first layer of the first block BL and the other portion on the first layer of the second block BL. It is formed. The second layer 12a of the second block BL is formed so as to be connected to the second layer 12a of the first block BL.

  After the formation of the second layer 12a is completed, the ejection head 15 is raised to the retracted position, then returned to the initial position, and lowered to the height for forming the third layer. Thereafter, the ejection head 15 is driven with the layer data of the third layer while performing in-plane scanning to form the third layer 12a. In this case, the third layer 12a of the second block BL has its front end portion formed on the second layer of the first block BL, and the other portion being the second layer of the second block BL. Formed on the eyes. The third layer 12a of the second block BL is formed so as to be connected to the third layer 12a of the first block BL. Thereafter, the layers up to the uppermost layer 12a are similarly formed. As a result, the second block BL is formed in a state where it is connected to the rear end of the first block BL. Each layer 12a of the second block BL is also cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays when discharged from the discharge head 15.

  When the formation of the second block BL is completed, the ejection head 15 is moved to the retracted position. Next, the belt 14 is fed in the traveling direction by the divided length L. Thereafter, the ejection head 15 is lowered to a height at which the first layer 12a is formed. Thereafter, the third and subsequent blocks BL are sequentially formed by driving the ejection head 15 with the respective layer data in the same procedure.

  As described above, while the belt 14 is intermittently fed for each divided length L (feeding process), the plurality of blocks BL are sequentially formed in the direction opposite to the traveling direction by sequentially forming the plurality of blocks BL. A long film 10 connected to is formed (forming step).

  By the way, when N and M are natural numbers, and the Mth layer 12a of the (N + 1) th block BL is formed, the ejection head 15 is disposed after the Mth layer 12a of the Nth block BL. The discharge port 15b moves to a position where the end of the Mth layer 12a of the (N + 1) th block BL is connected to the end. For this purpose, the head main body 15a is placed at a position higher than the M-th layer 12a. Moreover, since the head main body 15a is larger than the discharge port 15b, the head main body 15a enters the Nth block BL side from the discharge port 15b in the forward direction.

  However, the Mth layer 12a of the Nth block BL is formed in a state of projecting by a projecting length ΔL in the direction opposite to the traveling direction from the M + 1th layer 12a above it. For this reason, the ejection head 15 is shifted by a protrusion length ΔL in a direction away from the rear end of the (M + 1) th layer 12a of the Nth block BL with respect to the state where the layer 12a is not protruded backward. Accordingly, even if the ejection port 15b moves to a position where the tip of the Mth layer 12a of the (N + 1) th block BL is connected to the rear end of the Mth layer 12a of the Nth block BL, the head body 15a. Is not in contact with the M + 1 layer 12a of the Nth block BL.

  Further, the layer 12a above the M + 1th layer of the Nth block BL has a rear end that is farther from the head main body 15a than the rear end of the M + 1th layer 12a, and therefore does not interfere with the head main body 15a. Absent. Therefore, the ejection head 15 and the formed blocks BL are formed in a state where a plurality of blocks BL are connected without interference.

  As described above, the film 10 is formed by connecting the plurality of blocks BL on the modeling surface 14a, and the length of the film 10 is sequentially increased. The portion conveyed to the guide roller 36 by the feeding of the belt 14 is conveyed upward while being hung on the guide roller 36, so that it is peeled off from the modeling surface 14 a and sent to the subsequent process.

  The modeling material 29 is not limited to a photocurable compound. Examples of other modeling materials include thermoplastic polymers. A thermoplastic polymer is not specifically limited, What is necessary is just to select according to the three-dimensional structure to manufacture. For example, when the film 10 is used as a culture carrier (culture substrate) for culturing cells or when used in vivo, polylactic acid (PLA) is preferable. From the viewpoint of easy availability, ease of handling, ease of surface treatment such as coating, and the like, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) is preferred.

  When a thermoplastic polymer is used as a modeling material, a discharge head (not shown) that discharges from the discharge port in a molten state of the thermoplastic polymer and a heating mechanism that melts the thermoplastic polymer by heating and supplies it to the discharge head (Not shown) may be used instead of the ejection head 15, and the light source unit 28 may not be used. When the solidification speed of the thermoplastic polymer discharged from the discharge head in the molten state is stopped, a cooling unit for cooling and solidifying the molten thermoplastic polymer in the carriage 44 is, for example, the light source unit 28. It may replace with and may provide. As a cooling part, there exists a ventilation part which sends out the cooled gas (for example, air).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Film 11 Hole 12 Layer 12a Layer 14 Belt 20 Three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus 24 Feed mechanism 26 Head unit 27 Head moving mechanism 29 Modeling material 33 Data generation part

Claims (2)

In the three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a three-dimensional structure having at least one of the irregularities formed on the surface and the voids formed inside with a modeling material,
A support having a modeling surface on which the three-dimensional structure is formed, and movable in a first direction parallel to the modeling surface;
A feed mechanism for intermittently feeding the support in the first direction;
The three-dimensional structure is divided into a plurality of blocks in the first direction, and layer data for forming each of the layers that are stacked in the stacking direction orthogonal to the modeling surface and form the blocks is formed for each block. A data generation unit that generates data based on the shape data of the three-dimensional structure;
A discharge head provided with a discharge port for discharging the modeling material facing the modeling surface;
A head moving mechanism that performs in-plane scanning for moving the ejection head in a parallel plane parallel to the modeling surface and laminating direction movement for moving the ejection head in the laminating direction by the thickness of the layer for each in-plane scanning. When,
A head drive unit that drives the ejection head based on the layer data to eject the modeling material;
During the in-plane scanning of the ejection head, the ejection head is driven based on the layer data of one layer of the block to form one layer, and the ejection head is moved for each movement in the stacking direction. By switching the layer data to be driven to the layer data on the upper side, the block in which the layers are stacked is formed on the modeling surface, and each time the support is sent in the first direction, A controller that sequentially connects the plurality of blocks on the modeling surface in the first direction by sequentially switching the blocks of the layer data to be driven; and
With
The data generation unit may divide the three-dimensional structure into a plurality of blocks in a state where the layer below the upper layer of the block protrudes in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus. In the three-dimensional structure manufacturing method for manufacturing a three-dimensional structure having at least one of the irregularities formed on the surface and the voids formed inside with a modeling material,
A feeding step of intermittently sending a support having a modeling surface on which the three-dimensional structure is formed, in a first direction parallel to the modeling surface;
The three-dimensional structure is divided into a plurality of blocks in the first direction, and layer data for forming each of the layers that are stacked in the stacking direction orthogonal to the modeling surface and form the blocks is formed for each block. A data generation step for generating based on the shape data of the three-dimensional structure;
An in-plane scan in which a discharge head for discharging the modeling material is provided in opposition to the modeling surface in a parallel plane parallel to the modeling surface, and only the thickness of the layer for each in-plane scanning. The ejection head is moved in the laminating direction to move in the laminating direction, and during the in-plane scanning of the ejection head, the ejection head is driven based on the layer data for one layer of the block to form the modeling The layer is formed on the modeling surface by forming one layer by discharging a material and switching the layer data for driving the discharge head to the upper layer data for each movement in the stacking direction. Each time the support is fed in the first direction, the block of the layer data for driving the ejection head is sequentially switched, so that a plurality of blocks are formed on the modeling surface. A formation step of forming by sequentially connecting the click in the first direction,
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In the data generation step, the three-dimensional structure is divided into a plurality of blocks in a state where the layer below the upper layer of the block protrudes in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A three-dimensional structure manufacturing method.

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