JP2018153942A - Droplet discharge device, information processor, droplet discharge method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a droplet discharge device, an information processor, a droplet discharge method, and a program capable of preventing deterioration of molding accuracy of a three-dimensional model while preventing occurrence of defects due to insufficient solidification of powder material.SOLUTION: A laminated portion 153 for laminating a formed layer by repeating an operation of forming a layer with a supplied powder material and a discharging unit 155 for forming a three-dimensional model by repeating an operation of discharging a modeling liquid to a layer each time the layer is formed are provided. The discharging unit 155 discharges the modeling liquid with respect to the modeling liquid application area which is an area on a layer to be discharged of the modeling liquid on the basis of a pattern in which a discharged amount of the modeling liquid decreases toward a center with respect to a predetermined area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

  The present invention relates to a droplet discharge device, an information processing device, a droplet discharge method, and a program.

  Binder jet method, laser sintering method (LS), and electron beam sintering method (EBM) are known as three-dimensional modeling methods by powder lamination (hereinafter referred to as “powder additive modeling method”).

  The binder jet method is a technique for solidifying a powder by discharging a binder ink (modeling liquid) from an ink jet head to the powder to form a three-dimensional structure. Examples of the material used for the powder include gypsum, sand, metal, ceramic, and glass.

  In the binder jet method, in order to prevent defects caused by insufficient solidification of the powder from occurring in the three-dimensional structure, usually, the adjacent binder ink droplets (dots) are sufficiently overlapped (the droplets are applied). Binder ink is ejected in such a way as to prevent occurrence of unoccupied areas.

  However, when such a discharge is performed, the amount of the binder ink that is excessively discharged increases as the modeling area increases. Therefore, the rate of penetration of the binder ink into the powder and the drying from the powder surface are reduced, and the binder ink Will remain on the powder surface.

  If recoating (supply of powder for forming the next layer) is performed with the binder ink remaining on the powder surface, the recoater drags the binder ink, which significantly deteriorates the modeling accuracy. In addition, if recoating is performed after waiting for the binder ink to penetrate into the powder, the modeling speed may be reduced, and excess binder ink may ooze out of the modeling range, possibly resulting in deterioration of modeling accuracy. is there.

  Here, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of changing the amount of the binder applied according to the modeling location.

  However, the above-described prior art increases the surface gloss and transparency of the three-dimensional structure, and improves the strength and improves the strength of the binder added to the outermost layer of the three-dimensional structure 1.05-5. Even when such a technique is used, the above-described adverse effects associated with the surplus of modeling liquid cannot be eliminated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a droplet discharge device and information capable of preventing deterioration of modeling accuracy of a three-dimensional structure while preventing generation of defects due to insufficient solidification of the powder material An object is to provide a processing apparatus, a droplet discharge method, and a program.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the droplet discharge device according to one embodiment of the present invention stacks the formed layers by repeating an operation of forming a layer with the supplied powder material. A stacking unit, and a discharge unit that forms a three-dimensional structure by repeating the operation of discharging the modeling liquid to the layer each time the layer is formed, and the discharging unit includes the modeling liquid The modeling liquid is discharged on the modeling liquid application area, which is an area on the layer to be discharged, based on a pattern that decreases as the modeling liquid discharge amount is closer to the center with respect to a predetermined area.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, there exists an effect that the deterioration of the modeling precision of a three-dimensional molded item can be prevented, preventing generation | occurrence | production of the defect accompanying the solidification insufficient of powder material.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a modeling system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an external configuration of the droplet discharge device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a series of flow of the modeling operation by the droplet discharge device of the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a series of flow of the modeling operation by the droplet discharge device of the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a series of flow of the modeling operation by the droplet discharge device of the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a series of flow of the modeling operation by the droplet discharge device of the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a series of flow of the modeling operation by the droplet discharge device of the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a series of flow of the modeling operation by the droplet discharge device of the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the droplet discharge device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example of functional configurations of the droplet discharge device and the information processing device of the present embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a comparative example with the present embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a comparative example with the present embodiment. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a modeling liquid application region of the present embodiment. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a modeling liquid discharge pattern of the present embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of the modeling liquid application region of the present embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of a modeling liquid discharge pattern of the present embodiment. FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example of the modeling liquid application region of the present embodiment. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of a modeling liquid discharge pattern of the present embodiment. FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of a modeling liquid application region of the present embodiment. FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure flow of processing performed by the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing steps performed by the droplet discharge device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing another example of the flow of processing steps performed by the droplet discharge device of this embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a droplet discharge device, an information processing device, a droplet discharge method, and a program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  In the following, as an example of a droplet discharge device, a binder jet type powder additive manufacturing device that forms a three-dimensional structure by discharging binder ink as a modeling liquid from a piezoelectric inkjet head to a powder material will be taken as an example. Although explained, it is not limited to this. Examples of the powder material include, but are not limited to, gypsum, sand, metal, ceramic, and glass.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a modeling system 10 according to the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the modeling system 10 includes a droplet discharge device 100 and an information processing device 200. The connection form between the droplet discharge apparatus 100 and the information processing apparatus 200 may be any form, for example, a connection through a network or a form in which both are directly connected by a communication cable.

  The droplet discharge device 100 forms a layer with a powder material and repeats the operation of discharging the modeling liquid onto the layer based on the layer information (slice data) generated by the information processing device 200, thereby forming a three-dimensional structure. Is to shape. In the present embodiment, as described above, the case where the droplet discharge device 100 is a binder jet type powder additive manufacturing device will be described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

  The layer information is information indicating how to form a three-dimensional structure by discharging a modeling liquid to a layer formed of a powder material. Specifically, the layer information is information obtained by slicing the model of the three-dimensional structure in the xy plane, and the amount of the modeling liquid to be discharged to which position (coordinates) of the layer is represented by dots. . The layer information is an individual image pattern (dot pattern) for each layer.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an external configuration of the droplet discharge device 100 of the present embodiment, and FIGS. 3 to 8 illustrate a series of flow of a modeling operation by the droplet discharge device 100 of the present embodiment. FIG. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 8, the droplet discharge device 100 includes a recoater 1, a cleaning blade 2, a supply tank 11, a modeling tank 12, a stage 13, a stage 14, a powder material 15, and a powder A material 16 and a head unit 21 are provided.

  The supply tank 11 is a tank for storing the powder material 15 for supply, and the modeling tank 12 is a tank for depositing the powder material 15 supplied from the supply tank 11 as the powder material 16. In the example shown in FIGS. 2 to 8, the size of the supply tank 11 and the size of the modeling tank 12 are the same size, but are not limited to this, and may be different sizes.

  The stage 13 is provided so as to be movable up and down in the supply tank 11, and the supply amount of the powder material 15 supplied to the modeling tank 12 can be controlled by controlling the rising amount of the stage 13. The stage 14 is provided so that it can be moved up and down in the modeling tank 12, and the pitch of the layers formed by the powder material 15 supplied from the supply tank 11 (stacking pitch) is controlled by controlling the amount by which the stage 14 is lowered. It is possible.

  The recoater 1 moves from the supply tank 11 to the modeling tank 12 while rotating, thereby conveying the powder material 15 overflowing from the supply tank 11 to the modeling tank 12 as the stage 13 is raised, and the conveyed powder. The material 15 is leveled on the modeling tank 12 to obtain a powder material 16. In addition, the rotational speed and moving speed of the recoater 1 can be controlled according to the powder characteristics of the powder material. The cleaning blade 2 scrapes off the powder material adhering to the recoater 1 and contributes to ensuring the flatness of the powder material 16 deposited in the modeling tank 12.

  The head unit 21 discharges the modeling liquid to the layer formed of the powder material 16 on the modeling tank 12 based on the layer information (slice data) generated by the information processing apparatus 200. In the present embodiment, the scanning direction of the head unit 21 and the resolution of ejection are not limited.

  Hereinafter, a modeling operation by the droplet discharge device 100 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3, the stage 13 is raised in the supply tank 11 by a predetermined rising amount, and the stage 14 is lowered in the modeling tank 12 by a predetermined lowering amount.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the recoater 1 is moved from the supply tank 11 to the modeling tank 12 while rotating, so that the powder material 15 overflowing from the supply tank 11 as the stage 13 rises is formed. And the powder material 15 thus transported is leveled on the modeling tank 12. Thereby, a layer for one layer is formed by the powder material 16 on the uppermost surface of the modeling tank 12.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 5, when one layer of powder material 16 is formed on the uppermost surface of the modeling tank 12, the head unit 21 is generated by the information processing apparatus 200 while scanning the layer. The modeling liquid 22 is discharged based on the layer information (slice data) of the layer. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 6, the powder material of the location where the modeling liquid 22 was discharged solidifies, and it becomes the modeling object 31 for one layer.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6, the stage 13 is raised in the supply tank 11 by a predetermined rising amount, and the stage 14 is lowered in the modeling tank 12 by a predetermined lowering amount.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7, the recoater 1 is moved from the supply tank 11 to the modeling tank 12 while rotating, so that the powder material 15 overflowing from the supply tank 11 as the stage 13 rises is formed. And the powder material 15 thus transported is leveled on the modeling tank 12. Thereby, a new layer for one layer is formed on the uppermost surface of the modeling tank 12 by the powder material 16 (a new layer is laminated on the layer formed in FIG. 4).

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 8, when a new layer of one layer is formed by the powder material 16 on the uppermost surface of the modeling tank 12, the head unit 21 scans the information processing apparatus 200 while scanning the layer. The modeling liquid 22 is discharged based on the layer information (slice data) of the layer generated by the above. Thereby, the powder material of the location where the modeling liquid 22 was discharged coagulate | solidifies, a new modeled object is formed on the modeled object 31, and it becomes a modeled object for two layers.

  Hereinafter, by repeating the series of operations of FIGS. 6 to 8, a three-dimensional structure to be formed is finally formed in the forming tank 12.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the droplet discharge device 100 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the droplet discharge device 100 of this embodiment includes a recoater 1, a stage 13, a stage 14, a head unit 21, and a controller unit 103. The controller unit 103 includes a unit control circuit 131, a memory 132, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 133, and an I / F 134.

  The I / F 134 is an interface for connecting the droplet discharge device 100 to the external information processing device 200.

  The CPU 133 controls the operation of each unit of the droplet discharge device 100 via the unit control circuit 131 using the memory 132 as a work area. Specifically, the CPU 133 controls the operation of each unit based on the layer information received from the information processing apparatus 200 and forms a three-dimensional structure.

  The recoater 1 is controlled to move between the supply tank 11 and the modeling tank 12 based on a drive signal from the CPU 133 (unit control circuit 131). The stage 13 is controlled to move up and down in the supply tank 11 based on a drive signal from the CPU 133 (unit control circuit 131). The stage 14 is controlled to move up and down in the modeling tank 12 based on a drive signal from the CPU 133 (unit control circuit 131).

  The head unit 21 includes a plurality of ejection heads that eject the modeling liquid. Each ejection head is equipped with a piezo, and when a drive signal is applied to the piezo by the CPU 133 (unit control circuit 131), the piezo undergoes a contraction motion and a pressure change due to the contraction motion causes the modeling liquid to be ejected. To do.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the information processing apparatus 200 is one or more computers for generating the above-described layer information (slice data). Note that a printer driver is installed in the information processing apparatus 200, and layer information of each layer is generated from the image data of the model of the three-dimensional structure by the printer driver.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the information processing apparatus 200 includes a control device 201 such as a CPU, a main storage device 203 such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and an SSD. An auxiliary storage device 205 such as (Solid State Drive), a display device 207 such as a display, an input device 209 such as a touch panel and a key switch, and a communication device 211 such as a communication interface. The hardware configuration is used.

  FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example of functional configurations of the droplet discharge device 100 and the information processing device 200 according to the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 11, the droplet discharge device 100 includes a reception unit 151, a stacking unit 153, and a discharge unit 155, and the information processing device 200 includes a layer information generation unit 251, a transmission unit 253, including.

  The receiving unit 151 can be realized by the controller unit 103, for example. The stacking unit 153 can be realized by, for example, the recoater 1, the stage 13, the stage 14, and the controller unit 103. The discharge unit 155 can be realized by the head unit 21 and the controller unit 103, for example.

  The layer information generation unit 251 can be realized by the control device 201 and the main storage device 203, for example. The transmission unit 253 can be realized by, for example, the control device 201, the main storage device 203, the communication device 211, and the like.

  The layer information generation unit 251 indicates layer information (slice data) indicating how to form a three-dimensional structure by discharging a modeling liquid to each of a plurality of layers formed of the powder material 16 in the modeling tank 12. Is generated. As described above, the layer information is information obtained by slicing the model of the three-dimensional structure in the xy plane, and the amount of the forming liquid to be discharged to which position of the layer is represented by dots. In the layer information, the position (coordinate) of the layer at which the modeling liquid is discharged is represented by the dot position, and the amount of the modeling liquid to be ejected (discharge amount) is represented by the dot size. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

  By the way, in the binder jet method, in order to prevent a defect caused by insufficient solidification of the powder from occurring in the three-dimensional structure, the discharged modeling liquid is usually disposed at a location where the modeling liquid is discharged adjacently. The dots are set to be large so that a sufficient amount of the modeling liquid is ejected so as to overlap each other (so that there is no portion where no droplets are applied).

  FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a comparative example with the present embodiment, and shows a discharge amount of the modeling liquid to a region composed of 3 pixels × 3 pixels in the prior art. In the example shown in FIG. 12, each pixel is indicated by a square, and the modeling liquid discharged to each pixel is indicated by a circle.

  In the example shown in FIG. 12, since a sufficient amount of the modeling liquid is discharged to any pixel, an overlapping portion 301 of the modeling liquid is present in the region configured by 3 pixels × 3 pixels on the xy plane. A total of 12 locations have occurred. Note that the number of overlapping portions of the modeling liquid is obtained from the number of pixels constituting the region. For example, in the case of a region configured by m pixels × n pixels, the number of overlapping portions of the modeling liquid is 2 × m × n. It is calculated | required by -mn (refer FIG. 13). From this, it can be seen that the larger the area to which the modeling liquid is to be discharged, the greater the number of overlapping portions of the modeling liquid.

  Here, if the area of the modeling liquid discharge target is small, the amount of modeling liquid at the overlapping part is also small, so it dries immediately.If the area of the modeling liquid discharge target is large, the amount of modeling liquid at the overlapping part is large. And drying also slows down and remains on the powder surface (the surface of the layer formed by the powder material 16).

  For this reason, if recoating is performed in a state where the modeling liquid remains on the powder surface, the recoater 1 drags the modeling liquid, which significantly deteriorates the modeling accuracy. Further, if recoating is performed after waiting for the penetration of the modeling liquid into the powder material 16, the modeling speed is lowered, and excessive binder ink oozes out of the modeling range, resulting in deterioration of modeling accuracy. There is a fear.

  In addition, since the overlapping part of modeling liquid arises not only in xy plane but in yz plane and xz plane, the latter problem also arises in yz plane and xz plane.

  For this reason, in the present embodiment, the layer information generation unit 251 is configured to apply the modeling liquid, which is an area on the layer to which the modeling liquid is discharged, so as to reduce the excess modeling liquid while ensuring the penetration distance of the modeling liquid. For the attached area, layer information indicating that the modeling liquid is discharged is generated based on a pattern that decreases as the modeling liquid discharge amount is closer to the center with respect to a predetermined area. Specifically, for a given area, the pattern that decreases as the modeling liquid discharge amount is closer to the center is composed of a plurality of dots that represent the modeling liquid discharge amount, and the closer to the center, the more the modeling liquid discharge is performed. A pattern in which the number of dots whose amount is suppressed increases.

  Hereinafter, patterns used in the present embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the pattern to be used is properly used according to the size of the modeling liquid application region. Note that the magnitude relationship between the thresholds A0 to A2 used in the following description is A0 <A1 <A2. In this embodiment, for example, 2 mm can be used as the value of the threshold A0, 4 mm can be used as the value of the threshold A1, and 6 mm can be used as the value of the threshold A2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Should just use an appropriate value according to powder material and modeling liquid.

  First, the pattern used for the modeling liquid application area | region 311 shown in FIG. 14 is demonstrated. As illustrated in FIG. 14, the modeling liquid application region 311 is a region in which at least one of the horizontal length X and the vertical length Y is equal to or less than a threshold value A0. X and Y may be the number of pixels, not the actual length. As described above, the modeling liquid application area 311 is a small area, and the amount of excess modeling liquid, which is the total amount of modeling liquid at overlapping portions, is small, and the modeling precision is less affected.

  For this reason, when the layer information generation part 251 produces | generates the layer information of the layer containing the modeling liquid application area | region 311, about the pattern corresponding to the modeling liquid application area | region 311, as shown in FIG. On the other hand, a dot pattern indicating that the modeling liquid is discharged with a discharge amount similar to the conventional one is used, and the dot size is not corrected.

  Next, the pattern used for the modeling liquid application area | region 321 shown in FIG. 16 is demonstrated. As illustrated in FIG. 16, the modeling liquid application region 321 is a region in which at least one of the horizontal length X and the vertical length Y is greater than the threshold value A0 and equal to or less than the threshold value A1. Thus, the modeling liquid application area | region 321 is a somewhat large area | region, and the quantity of the excess modeling liquid which is the total amount of the modeling liquid of a duplication location is a little large, and the influence on modeling precision is also somewhat large.

  For this reason, about the modeling liquid application area | region 321, in the center part, the pattern by which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid was suppressed is arrange | positioned so that it may not adjoin in the up-down and left-right diagonal directions (a 2nd type pattern). Example).

  Specifically, when the layer information generation unit 251 generates layer information of a layer including the modeling liquid application region 321, a pattern corresponding to the internal region 322 of the modeling liquid application region 321 is illustrated in FIG. 17. In this way, the dots 326 that have been reduced in size so as to suppress the discharge amount of the modeling liquid are arranged so as not to be adjacent in the up / down / left / right oblique directions, and the modeling liquid is discharged between the dots 326 at the same discharge amount as before. The dot size is corrected so that the dot pattern 325 indicating that the dot is to be arranged is formed.

  Here, the discharge amount of the modeling liquid indicated by the dots 326 is smaller than the discharge amount of the modeling liquid indicated by the dots 325, and the volume of the overlapping portion 301 of the modeling liquid described above from the discharge amount of the modeling liquid indicated by the dots 325. It shall be larger than the amount obtained by subtracting the amount of the corresponding modeling liquid. That is, the modeling liquid suppression amount at the dot 326 is set to an amount smaller than the modeling liquid amount corresponding to the volume of the modeling liquid overlapping portion 301 described above. Thereby, since the discharge amount of the modeling liquid which the dot 326 shows becomes sufficient quantity with respect to the space | gap in a layer by combining the excess modeling liquid of the modeling liquid which the surrounding dot 325 shows, the said space | gap It is possible to prevent the portion where the modeling liquid is not applied from being sufficiently filled.

  In addition, when the layer information generation part 251 produces | generates the layer information of the layer adjacent to the layer containing the modeling liquid application area | region 321, about the pattern corresponding to the internal area | region 322 of the modeling liquid application area | region 321, an interlayer (z (Direction), the arrangement is made different so that the dots 326 in which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed are not adjacent to each other.

  In the case of the example shown in FIG. 17, for the n−1 layer located below the n layer, the arrangement of the n layer dots 326 is shifted by one in the x direction, and For the n-2 layer positioned, the arrangement of the dots 326 of the n-1 layer is shifted one by one in the y direction and the x direction, and for the n-3 layer positioned below the n-2 layer, n -The arrangement of the two layers of dots 326 is shifted by one in the x direction.

  Thereby, between the n-3 layer to the n layer, the dots 326 in which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed are not adjacent to each other, and the uneven penetration of the modeling liquid can be prevented, and the structure of the three-dimensional structure is homogenized. Can be.

  In addition, when the layer information generation part 251 produces | generates the layer information of the layer containing the modeling liquid application area | region 321, about the pattern corresponding to the external area | region 323 of the modeling liquid application area | region 321, it is the same dot pattern as FIG. The dot size is not corrected.

  In the present embodiment, for the modeling liquid application region 321, the modeling liquid is discharged in a pattern in which the discharge amount is adjusted in advance so that the amount of the excessive modeling liquid generated in the central portion is reduced in advance. Even if the external modeling liquid permeates into the central portion, it is possible to prevent the excessive modeling liquid from oozing out of the modeling range while preventing the modeling liquid from penetrating and drying speed delay. In addition, if the coating amount of the modeling liquid is reduced uniformly in the entire region, the penetration distance of the modeling liquid becomes shallow, and the front layer does not sufficiently penetrate, but as in this embodiment, By reducing the amount of the modeling liquid toward the center, the penetration distance of most modeling liquids is the same as before, but the excess modeling liquid remaining on the powder surface can be reduced.

  Next, the pattern used for the modeling liquid application area | region 331 shown in FIG. 18 is demonstrated. As illustrated in FIG. 18, the modeling liquid application region 331 is a region in which at least one of the horizontal length X and the vertical length Y is larger than the threshold value A1 and equal to or smaller than the threshold value A2. Thus, the modeling liquid application area | region 331 is a large area | region, and there are also many amounts of the excess modeling liquid which is the total amount of the modeling liquid of an overlapping location, and the influence on modeling precision is also large.

  For this reason, about the modeling liquid application area | region 331, in the center part, the dot by which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid was suppressed is arrange | positioned so that it may not adjoin in an up-down and left-right direction, and may adjoin a diagonal direction, A pattern (an example of a first type of pattern) is used in which the dots whose ejection amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed are not adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal diagonal directions at the peripheral edge.

  Specifically, when the layer information generation unit 251 generates layer information of a layer including the modeling liquid application region 331, the pattern corresponding to the internal region 332 of the modeling liquid application region 331 is illustrated in FIG. In this way, the dots 336 that are reduced in size so as to suppress the discharge amount of the modeling liquid are arranged so as not to be adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions and to be adjacent to each other in the oblique direction, and the same discharge as before is performed between the dots 336. The size of the dots is corrected so that a dot pattern in which the dots 335 indicating that the modeling liquid is discharged in an amount is arranged.

  The discharge amount of the modeling liquid indicated by the dots 336 is the same as the discharge amount of the modeling liquid indicated by the dots 326, and the discharge amount of the modeling liquid indicated by the dots 335 is the same as the discharge amount of the modeling liquid indicated by the dots 325. It shall be. Thereby, since the discharge amount of the modeling liquid which the dot 336 shows becomes sufficient quantity with respect to the space | gap in a layer by combining the excess modeling liquid of the modeling liquid which the surrounding dot 335 shows, the said space | gap It is possible to prevent the portion where the modeling liquid is not applied from being sufficiently filled.

  In addition, when the layer information generation unit 251 generates layer information of a layer adjacent to the layer including the modeling liquid application region 331, the layer information generation unit 251 generates a layer corresponding to the inner region 332 of the modeling liquid application region 331 with an interlayer (z (Direction), the arrangement is varied so that the dots 336 in which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed are not adjacent to each other.

  In the case of the example shown in FIG. 19, for the n−1 layer positioned below the n layer, the arrangement of the n-layer dots 336 is shifted one by one in the y direction and the x direction. Thereby, the dot 336 in which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed is not adjacent between the n−1 layer to the n layer, and the uneven penetration of the modeling liquid can be prevented.

  In addition, when the layer information generation part 251 produces | generates the layer information of the layer containing the modeling liquid application area | region 331, about the pattern corresponding to the peripheral area | region 333 of the internal area | region 332 of the modeling liquid application area | region 331, FIG. The same dot pattern is used, and the pattern corresponding to the external region 334 of the modeling liquid application region 331 is the same as the dot pattern shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, for the modeling liquid application region 331, the modeling liquid is discharged in a pattern in which the discharge amount is adjusted in advance so as to reduce the amount of excessive modeling liquid generated as the distance from the center increases. Therefore, even if an external modeling liquid permeates into the central portion, it is possible to prevent the excessive modeling liquid from seeping out from the modeling range while preventing the penetration of the modeling liquid and the drying speed delay. In addition, if the coating amount of the modeling liquid is reduced uniformly in the entire region, the penetration distance of the modeling liquid becomes shallow, and the front layer does not sufficiently penetrate, but as in this embodiment, By reducing the amount of the modeling liquid toward the center, the penetration distance of most modeling liquids is the same as before, but the excess modeling liquid remaining on the powder surface can be reduced.

  Next, the pattern used for the modeling liquid application area | region 341 shown in FIG. 20 is demonstrated. As illustrated in FIG. 20, the modeling liquid application region 341 is a region in which at least one of the horizontal length X and the vertical length Y is larger than the threshold value A2. Thus, the modeling liquid application area | region 341 is an extremely large area | region, the quantity of the excess modeling liquid which is the total amount of the modeling liquid of an overlapping location is also very large, and the influence on modeling precision is also very large.

  For this reason, about the modeling liquid application area | region 341, the pattern used in the modeling liquid application area | region 311 shown in FIG. 14 mentioned above, the pattern used in the modeling liquid application area | region 321 shown in FIG. 16, and the modeling shown in FIG. A combination of patterns used in the liquid application region 331 is used.

  Specifically, when the layer information generation unit 251 generates layer information of a layer including the modeling liquid application region 341, the modeling illustrated in FIG. 18 from the center of the modeling liquid application region 341 toward the outer periphery. The pattern used in the liquid coating region 331 is arranged, and the portion used in the modeling liquid coating region 331 cannot be arranged because of space, and is used in the modeling liquid coating region 321 shown in FIG. A pattern used in the modeling liquid application area 311 shown in FIG. 14 is arranged for a portion where the pattern used and the pattern used in the modeling liquid application area 321 cannot be arranged due to space. In the example shown in FIG. 20, since the pattern used in the modeling liquid application area 331 can be arranged in the modeling liquid application area 341 without any gap, the pattern used in the modeling liquid application area 321 or the modeling liquid application The pattern used in the region 311 is not arranged.

  The transmission unit 253 transmits the layer information of each layer generated by the layer information generation unit 251 to the droplet discharge device 100.

  The receiving unit 151 receives layer information of each layer from the information processing apparatus 200.

  Each time the powder material 15 is supplied, the stacking unit 153 repeats the operation of forming a layer using the supplied powder material 15 as the powder material 16, thereby stacking the formed layers.

  Each time the layer is formed by the stacking unit 153, the discharge unit 155 repeats the operation of discharging the modeling liquid onto the layer to form a three-dimensional structure. Specifically, the discharge unit 155 discharges the modeling liquid to the layer based on the layer information of the corresponding layer among the layer information of each layer received by the reception unit 151. Thereby, the discharge part 155 discharges a modeling liquid based on the pattern with which the discharge amount of a modeling liquid becomes small, so that it is near the center with respect to a modeling liquid application area | region.

  For this reason, the discharge part 155 discharges a modeling liquid so that it may become a dot pattern shown in FIG. 15 with respect to the modeling liquid application area | region 311 demonstrated in FIG. Further, the discharge unit 155 discharges the modeling liquid so as to form the dot pattern shown in FIG. 17 in the internal region 322 with respect to the modeling liquid application region 321 described in FIG. 16, and in the external region 323. The modeling liquid is discharged so as to obtain the dot pattern shown in FIG. In addition, the discharge unit 155 discharges the modeling liquid so as to form the dot pattern shown in FIG. 19 in the internal region 332 with respect to the modeling liquid application region 331 described in FIG. 18, and in the peripheral region 333. The modeling liquid is discharged so as to be the dot pattern shown in FIG. 17, and in the external region 334, the modeling liquid is discharged so as to be the dot pattern shown in FIG. Moreover, the discharge part 155 is the modeling liquid application area | region 331 shown in FIG. 18 toward the outer peripheral part from the center part of the modeling liquid application area | region 341 with respect to the modeling liquid application area | region 341 demonstrated in FIG. The modeling liquid was discharged so as to be the used dot pattern, and in terms of space, the portion that could not be discharged with the dot pattern used in the modeling liquid application area 331 was used in the modeling liquid application area 321 shown in FIG. The dot pattern used in the modeling liquid application area 311 shown in FIG. 14 is used for the portions that cannot be discharged with the dot pattern used in the modeling liquid application area 321 because of the space. The modeling liquid is discharged so that

  In this embodiment, when discharging the modeling liquid to the modeling liquid application region, the discharge unit 155 discharges the modeling liquid after discharging the modeling liquid based on the dots in which the modeling liquid discharge amount is suppressed. To the dots whose ejection volume of the modeling liquid is suppressed after discharging the modeling liquid based on the dots whose volume is not suppressed, or after discharging the modeling liquid based on the dots whose ejection volume of the modeling liquid is not suppressed The modeling liquid based on this shall be discharged. If it does in this way, since the modeling liquid applied later penetrates the modeling liquid applied previously, it can not only reduce the total amount of the modeling liquid applied, but also suppress the formation of voids. However, the method of discharging the modeling liquid is not limited to this, the discharging of the modeling liquid based on the dots in which the discharging amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed, and the modeling liquid based on the dots in which the discharging amount of the modeling liquid is not suppressed. You may make it perform discharge in parallel.

  FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure flow of processing performed by the information processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment.

  First, the layer information generation unit 251 reads model data indicating a 3D model of a three-dimensional structure to be modeled (Step S101), and converts it into slice data (layer information) along the stacking pitch (Step S103).

  Subsequently, the layer information generation unit 251 acquires slice data of an unprocessed layer, and an area in which at least one of the horizontal length X and the vertical length Y is greater than the threshold A0 is included in the acquired slice data. It is confirmed whether there is at least one or more (step S105). In the present embodiment, the order of obtaining slice data in order from the first layer is assumed as the order of obtaining slice data of unprocessed layers. However, the order is not limited to this.

  When there is an area where at least one of the horizontal length X and the vertical length Y is larger than the threshold value A0 (Yes in step S105), the layer information generation unit 251 determines the dot pattern of the area as the size of the area. The slice data is corrected so that the pattern is in accordance with the pattern, and the pattern is not adjacent to the dots where the modeling liquid discharge amount decreases as it is closer to the center and the modeling liquid discharge amount decreases in the z direction ( Step S107).

  On the other hand, when there is no region where at least one of the horizontal length X and the vertical length Y is larger than the threshold value A0 (No in step S105), the layer information generation unit 251 does not correct the slice data (step S109). .

  Then, the layer information generation unit 251 repeats the processing from step S105 to S109 until the slice data of all layers is processed (No in step S111), and processes the slice data of all layers (Yes in step S111). The slice data of all layers are reintegrated (step S113).

  Subsequently, the transmission unit 253 transfers the slice data reintegrated by the layer information generation unit 251 to the droplet discharge device 100 (step S115).

  FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of a process performed by the droplet discharge device 100 according to the present embodiment.

  First, the droplet discharge device 100 reads the slice data after reintegration transferred from the information processing device 200, and starts modeling a three-dimensional structure (step S201).

  Subsequently, each time the powder material 15 is supplied, the stacking unit 153 uses the supplied powder material 15 as the powder material 16 to form a layer to be processed on the processed layer and stack the layers (Step S203). ).

  Subsequently, the ejection unit 155 determines whether or not the slice data of the processing target layer formed by the stacking unit 153 is corrected (whether or not the dot pattern includes dots that reduce the ejection amount of the modeling liquid). Is confirmed (step S205).

  When the slice data of the layer to be processed has been corrected (Yes in step S205), the discharge unit 155 first has at least 1 based on only the corrected dots (dots that reduce the discharge amount of the modeling liquid). The modeling liquid is discharged from one or more discharge heads (step S207), and then the modeling liquid is discharged from at least one or more discharge heads based on the remaining uncorrected dots (step S209).

  On the other hand, when the slice data of the layer to be processed is not corrected (No in step S205), the ejection unit 155 ejects the modeling liquid from at least one ejection head based on all the dots (step S211). ).

  If the next layer slice data exists (Yes in step S213), the droplet discharge device 100 performs modeling of the next layer in steps S203 to S211. If the next layer slice data does not exist (step S213). No) Since the modeling of the three-dimensional structure is completed, the modeling is finished (step S215).

  FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the flow of the process performed by the droplet discharge device 100 of the present embodiment.

  First, the processing from step S301 to S305 is the same as the processing from step S201 to S205 in the flowchart shown in FIG.

  Subsequently, when the slice data of the layer to be processed has been corrected (Yes in step S305), the ejection unit 155 first forms a model from at least one ejection head based on only the unmodified dots. The liquid is discharged (step S307), and thereafter, the modeling liquid is discharged from at least one or more discharge heads based on the remaining dots that have been corrected (dots that reduce the discharge amount of the modeling liquid) (step S309). .

  The subsequent processing from step S311 to S315 is the same as the processing from step S211 to S215 in the flowchart shown in FIG.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the generation accuracy of the three-dimensional structure from being deteriorated while preventing generation of defects due to insufficient solidification of the powder material.

(program)
The program executed by the droplet discharge device 100 and the information processing device 200 of the above embodiment is a file in an installable format or an executable format, and is a CD-ROM, CD-R, memory card, DVD (Digital Versatile Disk). The program is stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as a flexible disk (FD).

  Further, the program executed by the droplet discharge device 100 and the information processing device 200 of the above embodiment may be provided by storing it on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and downloading it via the network. Good. Further, the program executed by the droplet discharge device 100 and the information processing device 200 of the above embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet. Further, the program executed by the droplet discharge device 100 and the information processing device 200 of the above embodiment may be provided by being incorporated in advance in a ROM or the like.

  The program executed by the droplet discharge device 100 and the information processing device 200 of the above embodiment has a module configuration for realizing the above-described units on a computer. As actual hardware, for example, the CPU reads out a program from the ROM to the RAM and executes the program, so that each functional unit is realized on the computer.

  The above embodiment is presented as an example, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above-described novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Modeling system 100 Droplet discharge device 151 Receiving part 153 Stacking part 155 Discharge part 200 Information processing apparatus 251 Layer information generation part 253 Transmission part

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-088432

Claims (12)

By repeating the operation of forming a layer with the supplied powder material, a laminating unit for laminating the formed layer,
Each time the layer is formed, by repeating the operation of discharging the modeling liquid to the layer, a discharge unit that forms a three-dimensional structure, and
The discharge unit is based on a pattern that decreases as the modeling liquid discharge amount is closer to the center with respect to a predetermined area with respect to a modeling liquid application area that is an area on the layer that is a discharge target of the modeling liquid. A droplet discharge device for discharging the modeling liquid.   The droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the pattern includes a plurality of dots representing the discharge amount of the modeling liquid, and the number of dots in which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed increases toward the center.   In the first type of pattern, in the center portion, the dots in which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed are arranged so as not to be adjacent in the vertical and horizontal directions and in the oblique direction, and the peripheral edge of the central portion 3. The droplet discharge device according to claim 2, wherein in the section, the dots in which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed are arranged so as not to be adjacent in an oblique direction.   4. The droplet discharge according to claim 2, wherein, in the second type of pattern, the dots in which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed are arranged so as not to be adjacent in an oblique direction in the vertical and horizontal directions in the central portion. apparatus. The second type pattern is a smaller pattern than the first type pattern,
The said discharge part discharges the said modeling liquid with respect to the said modeling liquid application area | region based on the combination of the said 1st type pattern and the said 2nd type pattern with respect to the shape of the said modeling liquid application area | region. The droplet discharge device according to claim 4.   The droplet discharge device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein in the pattern, the dots in which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed are not adjacent to each other between the layers.   The said discharge part discharges the said modeling liquid based on the said pattern with respect to the said modeling liquid application area | region when the length of the width | variety of the said modeling liquid application area | region exceeds a threshold value. The droplet discharge device according to any one of the above.   The amount of suppression of the modeling liquid in the dots in which the discharge amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed is smaller than the amount of the modeling liquid that overlaps with adjacent dots in the vertical and horizontal directions when the discharge amount of the modeling liquid is not suppressed. The liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 1.   In the case of discharging the modeling liquid to the modeling liquid application region, the discharging unit discharges the modeling liquid after discharging the modeling liquid based on dots in which the discharging amount of the modeling liquid is suppressed. The modeling liquid is discharged after the modeling liquid is discharged based on the dots that are not suppressed or the modeling liquid is discharged based on the dots that are not suppressed in the discharging amount of the modeling liquid. The liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the modeling liquid is ejected based on an existing dot. For each of a plurality of layers formed of a powder material, a layer information generation unit that generates layer information indicating how to form a three-dimensional structure by discharging a modeling liquid,
The layer information is based on a pattern that decreases as the modeling liquid discharge amount is closer to the center with respect to a predetermined area with respect to a modeling liquid application area that is an area on the layer that is a target for discharging the modeling liquid. An information processing apparatus indicating that the modeling liquid is discharged. A stacking step of stacking the formed layers by repeating the operation of forming a layer with the supplied powder material;
Each time the layer is formed, by repeating the operation of discharging the modeling liquid to the layer, including a discharge step of modeling a three-dimensional structure,
In the discharge step, based on a pattern that decreases as the modeling liquid discharge amount is closer to the center with respect to a predetermined area with respect to a modeling liquid application area that is an area on the layer to which the modeling liquid is to be discharged. A droplet discharge method for discharging the modeling liquid. A stacking step of stacking the formed layers by repeating the operation of forming a layer with the supplied powder material;
Each time the layer is formed, by repeating the operation of discharging the modeling liquid to the layer, the computer executes the discharging step of modeling the three-dimensional structure,
In the discharge step, based on a pattern that decreases as the modeling liquid discharge amount is closer to the center with respect to a predetermined area with respect to a modeling liquid application area that is an area on the layer to which the modeling liquid is to be discharged. And a program for discharging the modeling liquid.

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