JP2020157714A - Filament feeding device, 3d printer and filament feeding method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technique for achieving stereo-lithography with filaments made of low-hardness flexible thermoplastic materials.SOLUTION: The invention is a filament feeding device that forms a part of a feed path for making a filament made of low-hardness flexible thermoplastic material reach a printer head in a 3D printer that achieves stereo-lithography by supplying the filament to the printer head and dissolving the filament to be output from the printer head. The filament feeding device has: conveying means that conveys the filament from a position above the printer head to the printer head; and surface treatment means that applies a surface treatment agent to the surface of the filament conveyed along the feed path, in the feed path from the filament conveyed by the conveying means to reach the printer head, the surface treatment agent to reduce one or both of the coefficient of friction and the adhesiveness on the surface of the filament.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a filament supply device that forms part of a supply path for a filament to reach the printer head in a 3D printer that realizes three-dimensional modeling by melting the filament and outputting it from the printer head.

Conventionally, a fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer that realizes three-dimensional modeling by supplying a filament made of a hard thermoplastic material to a printer head and outputting the filament melted by heating in the printer head. In recent years, it has become widely used for home use because it is utilized and has excellent cost performance compared to other types of 3D printers.

In the FDM type 3D printer, it is important to stably supply the filament to the printer head, and various proposals have been made. For example, a proposal to provide a cooling mechanism in the printer head to maintain the required hardness to solve the problem that the heat at the time of melting softens the filament located upstream of the supply path and the stable supply of the filament is hindered. (Refer to Patent Document 1) In order to improve the clogging of the head and the molding quality, dry air is sent in the direction opposite to the filament supply direction (upstream side) through the transfer path toward the head to discharge moisture and moisture. By doing so, the moisture in the air or the moisture contained in the material is reduced in the filament transfer path (see Patent Document 2).

In addition, with the spread of the FDM method in recent years, the demand for modeling with soft materials has increased. As a conventional filament, a hard material such as ABS, PC or PLA is generally used, but as a hardness that can be used by the FDM method, the share A hardness can be up to about 70 (). See Patent Document 3).

JP-A-2018-086814 JP-A-2018-108714 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-203633

However, in an FDM type 3D printer, if a filament formed of a flexible thermoplastic material having a hardness lower than that of the conventional one is to be supplied to the printer head as it is, a problem is likely to occur.

For example, rubber filaments are easily stretched and deformed, and have a large surface frictional resistance when they come into contact with the materials that make up the supply path. Materials such as elastomers are sticky to the surface due to the effects of plasticizers and the like. If you try to supply such a filament to the printer head as it is, the frictional resistance with the supply path will increase or the filament will be deformed due to sticking to the gear of the printer head. Problems such as clogging and pulling back due to unintended expansion and contraction are likely to occur, making it difficult to provide a stable supply to the printer head. Therefore, it has been difficult to stably obtain a flexible model with a flexible 3D printer with good quality only with an expensive 3D printer of another method.

As described above, in the conventional FDM type 3D printer, there is a problem that a flexible thermoplastic material having a low hardness such as an elastomer cannot be used as a filament, and only a hard three-dimensional model can be formed. It was.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for realizing three-dimensional modeling by a filament made of a flexible thermoplastic material having low hardness.

The first aspect for solving the above problems is to supply a filament made of a flexible thermoplastic material having low hardness to the printer head, melt the filament, and output the filament from the printer head to realize 3D modeling. A filament supply device that forms a part of a supply path for the filament to reach the printer head, and is a transport means for transporting the filament from a position above the printer head toward the printer head. In the supply path from the filament transported to the transport means to the printer head, the surface of the filament transported through the supply path is provided with either or both of the friction coefficient and the adhesiveness on the surface. It is a filament supply device including a surface treatment means for applying a surface treatment agent for reducing the amount.

In the filament supply device in this aspect, a surface treatment agent is applied to the surface of the filament supply device to supply the filament with reduced friction coefficient and adhesiveness to the printer head from above, so that the frictional force between the filament and the supply path is applied. It is possible to prevent problems such as the filament being deformed and clogged due to the occurrence or sticking of the filament, or being pulled back due to unintended expansion and contraction. This makes it possible to realize three-dimensional modeling using a flexible thermoplastic material having low hardness such as a thermoplastic elastomer as a filament.

In this phase, the second phase shown below may be used.

In the second aspect, the surface treatment is provided with a support portion which is a member arranged above the printer head and has a support region formed to support the filament conveyed to the transfer means over a predetermined length. The means applies a surface treatment agent to the surface of the filament, which is conveyed along the support region of the support portion.

In the filament supply device of this aspect, a surface treatment agent can be applied to the filament supported and conveyed in the support region of the support portion, and this can be supplied to the printer head side.

In each of the above phases, the third phase shown below may be used.

In the third aspect, in the support portion, a groove extending along the supply path of the filament is formed as the support region, and the surface treatment means introduces the surface treatment agent to a position close to the support region. The surface treatment agent is applied to the surface of the filament conveyed along the support region by a tubular introduction path that discharges the surface treatment agent toward the support region.

In the filament supply device of this aspect, in addition to directly applying the surface treatment agent to the filament surface by discharging the surface treatment agent toward the filament conveyed along the groove which is the support region, it remains. The surface treatment agent can be retained in the support region. As a result, the filament is conveyed with the surface treatment agent interposed between the support region and the filament, so that the surface treatment agent can be suitably applied over the entire circumference of the filament.

In this phase, the fourth phase shown below may be used.

In the fourth aspect, the support portion has a concave shape in which a part of the support region is displaced downward, and the surface treatment means is closer to the transport means side than the concave region of the support region. The surface treatment agent is applied to the surface of the filament conveyed along the support region by an introduction path that discharges the surface treatment agent toward the upstream region located in.

In the filament supply device in this aspect, a part of the support region is concave, and the surface treatment agent is discharged toward the upstream region of the concave region. As a result, the surface treatment agent easily falls and stays in the concave region of the support region, so that the surface treatment agent can be more reliably applied to the filament.

In this phase, the fifth phase shown below may be used.

In the fifth aspect, the surface treatment means has an introduction path for discharging the surface treatment agent toward the upstream region located on the transport means side from the concave region of the support region, and the surface treatment means has a concave shape. The surface treatment agent is applied to the surface of the filament conveyed along the support region by each of the introduction paths for discharging the surface treatment agent toward the downstream region located on the printer head side from the region.

In the filament feeder in this aspect, the surface treatment agent is released not only to the upstream region of the concave region of the support region but also to the downstream region, so that the filament is additionally added to the filament in this downstream region as well. A surface treatment agent can be applied.

Further, in the sixth aspect for solving the above problems, three-dimensional modeling is realized by supplying a filament made of a flexible thermoplastic material having low hardness to the printer head, melting the filament, and outputting the filament from the printer head. A transport means for transporting the filament from a position above the printer head toward the printer head, and a supply path for the filament transported to the transport means to reach the printer head. In the transport, the surface of the filament transported through the supply path is provided with a surface treatment means for applying a surface treatment agent for reducing either or both of the friction coefficient and the adhesiveness on the surface. A 3D printer in which the means and the surface treatment means form part of a supply path from the filament source to the printer head.

This phase may be the seventh phase shown below.

The seventh aspect is a member arranged above the printer head in the 3D printer, and includes a support portion formed with a support region for supporting the filament conveyed by the conveying means over a predetermined length. In the support portion, a groove extending along the supply path of the filament is formed as the support region, and the surface treatment means supplies the surface treatment agent to a position close to the support region to perform the surface treatment. The surface treatment agent is applied to the surface of the filament carried along the support region by a tubular introduction path that discharges the agent toward the support region.

A 3D printer in these aspects can obtain the same effects as the filament feeding device.

Further, in the eighth aspect for solving the above problems, three-dimensional modeling is realized by supplying a filament made of a flexible thermoplastic material having low hardness to the printer head, melting the filament, and outputting the filament from the printer head. In a 3D printer, the filament is conveyed to the printer head, and the filament is conveyed from a position above the printer head toward the printer head, and is conveyed by the transfer procedure. In the supply path from the filament to the printer head, a surface treatment agent for reducing one or both of the friction coefficient and the adhesiveness on the surface of the filament conveyed through the supply path. It is a filament supply method having a surface treatment procedure for imparting.

The filament feeding method of this aspect is suitable for supplying a filament made of a flexible thermoplastic material having a low hardness such as a thermoplastic elastomer to the printer head by the filament feeding device or the 3D printer.

This phase may be the ninth phase shown below.

In the ninth aspect, the filament is wound around a cartridge to form the supply path, and in the surface treatment procedure, a surface treatment agent is applied to the filament surface while being wound around the cartridge, and the transfer is performed. The procedure may be a filament supply method in which the filament to which the surface treatment agent has been applied in the surface treatment procedure is conveyed from a position above the printer head toward the printer head.

This aspect may be the tenth aspect shown below.

In the tenth aspect, there is an attachment procedure of attaching the cartridge around which the filament is wound to the 3D printer, and in the surface treatment procedure, a surface treatment agent is applied to the surface of the filament wound around the cartridge. In the mounting procedure, the cartridge is mounted on the 3D printer after the surface treatment procedure.

With the filament supply method in these aspects, the surface treatment agent can be applied to the filament in the state of the cartridge, so that the effects of the filament supply method can be obtained without changing the conventional supply path from the cartridge to the printer head. .. This is suitable for supplying the printer head with a filament made of a flexible thermoplastic material having a low hardness such as a thermoplastic elastomer.

In the above aspect, the surface treatment agent may be applied to the filament wound around the cartridge, and the timing of application may be either before or after the process of winding the filament around the cartridge, or both, or in parallel with this process. It may be the timing of.

Conceptual diagram showing the 3D printer of this embodiment Front view showing the filament supply device of this embodiment Perspective view showing the support portion in this embodiment

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(1) Overall configuration

As shown in FIG. 1, the 3D printer 1 supplies a filament 100 made of a flexible thermoplastic material having a low hardness to the printer head 10, melts the filament 100, and outputs the filament 100 from the printer head 10 to perform three-dimensional modeling. In addition to the printer head 10, the cartridge 20 that is the supply source of the filament 100, the stage 30 that deposits the melted filament 100, and the filament supply that forms part of the supply path that causes the filament 100 to reach the printer head 10 are realized. A device 2 or the like is provided.

The printer head 10 heats a pair of gears 11 that feed the filament 100 toward its tip (lower end in FIG. 1 in this embodiment), a motor 13 that rotationally drives one gear 11, and a filament 100 that is fed by the gear 11. It is provided with a heater 15 for melting by, and a nozzle 17 for delivering the melted filament 100. The printer head 10 is attached so as to be relatively displaceable with respect to the stage 30 by a displacement mechanism (not shown).

The cartridge 20 is a cylindrical member held rotatably, and the filament 100 is wound around the outer circumference of the cylindrical shape. As the filament 100, for example, one made of a thermoplastic elastomer such as an olefin-based, styrene-based, vinyl chloride-based, urethane-based, polyester-based, or polyamide-based material is used, and the hardness is A hardness 80 (JIS K6253) as a guideline. The effect of the present invention is more effective when it is as follows.

In this embodiment, all three types of blocks are styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, amine-modified styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer and styrene-ethylene-ethylene-propylene-styrene block copolymer. As a styrene-based thermoplastic elastoma containing a polymer, one having physical properties such as a hardness of Ascar C (SRIS0101 standard) 40 and a dynamic friction coefficient of 1.46 is adopted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the filament supply device 2 is conveyed to the transfer means 40 and the transfer means 40, which convey the filament 100 supplied from the cartridge 20 from a position above the printer head 10 toward the printer head 10. A support portion 50 for supporting the filament 100 and a surface treatment means 60 for applying a surface treatment agent to the surface of the filament 100 transported to the transport means 40 are provided.

Of these, the transport means 40 includes a pair of gears 41 that pull out and transport the filament 100 from the cartridge 20 along the supply path of the filament 100, and a motor 43 that rotationally drives one gear 41. In the present embodiment, the support portion 50 is arranged above the printer head 10 and the cartridge 20, and the support portion 50 is provided with the transport means 40 so that the support portion 50 is directed toward the printer head 10 from a position above the printer head 10. The filament 100 is transported.

Further, the support portion 50 is configured as an upright plate-shaped member, and a support region 51 for supporting the filament 100 supplied from the cartridge 20 over a predetermined length is formed on the upper side thereof. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a groove extending along the supply path of the filament 100 is formed as a support region 51.

The support portion 50 has a concave shape in which a part of the support region 51 is displaced downward, and the upstream region 51u located on the transport means 40 side and the printer head sandwiching the concave concave region 51b. It is divided into a downstream region 51d located on the 10 side. Each of these regions 51b, 51u, and 51d has a curved surface, and the concave region 51b has a curved surface with a radius of curvature larger than that of the other regions.

The support portion 50 is fixed to the upper surface of the frame 70 arranged above the printer head 10 and the cartridge 20 in the 3D printer 1 housing. Fixing to the frame 70 is realized by screwing via a fixing piece 53 protruding in a direction intersecting a surface extending from the lower end of the support portion 50 in a plate shape.

A through hole 55 that penetrates the support portion 50 in the vertical direction is formed at the lowest position of the concave region 51b in the support portion 50, and the surface treatment agent released into the concave region 51b is more than necessary. It is configured so that it can be discharged to the outside from here so that it does not stay.

Further, the surface treatment means 60 introduces the surface treatment agent to a position close to the support region 51 (see the arrow in FIG. 2), and discharges the surface treatment agent toward the support region 51 in a tubular introduction path 61, 63. The surface treatment agent is applied to the surface of the filament 100 conveyed along the support region 51. In the present embodiment, the introduction path 61 for discharging the surface treatment agent toward the upstream region 51u of the support region 51 and the introduction path 63 for discharging the surface treatment agent toward the downstream region 51d of the support region 51, respectively. It is configured to release the surface treatment agent into the area. The introduction of the surface treatment agent into the introduction paths 61 and 63 is carried out by the pump 80 connected to these (see FIG. 1).

Further, the amount of the surface treatment agent introduced into each of the introduction paths 61 and 63 is set so that the surface of the filament 100 is entirely coated with the surface treatment agent, and the introduction amount corresponds to the upstream region 51u. The amount introduced into 61 is adjusted to be larger than the amount introduced into the introduction path 73 corresponding to the downstream region 51d.

(2) Filament supply procedure in 3D printer 1

In the 3D printer 1 described above, in the transfer procedure in which the filament 100 is supplied to the printer head from a position above the printer head 10, and in the supply path from the filament conveyed in the transfer procedure to the printer head, the filament It is supplied through a surface treatment procedure for applying a surface treatment agent to the surface, and the filament 100 is melted and output from the printer head 10 to realize three-dimensional modeling. Filament supply at the time of this three-dimensional modeling is performed in the following procedure in more detail.

First, as a transfer procedure, the filament 100 drawn out from the cartridge 20 is brought to the printer head 10 via the filament supply device 2, and is sandwiched by the gear 11 of the printer head 10. When the filament 100 is passed through the filament supply device 2, the filament 100 is sandwiched by the gear 41 of the transport means 40, and reaches the printer head 10 in a state of being supported along the upper surface of the support region 51. At this time, the filament 100 located between the filament supply device 2 and the printer head 10 is loosened to some extent according to the displacement amount of the printer head 10.

In this state, the filament 100 is positioned above the printer head 10 by operating the gear 11 of the printer head 10 and the gear 41 of the filament supply device 2 so as to have the same transfer amount (or transfer speed). Is conveyed toward the printer head 10.

When the transfer of the filament 100 is started in this way, as a surface treatment procedure, the introduction of the surface treatment agent by the pump 80 is also started, so that the surface treatment agent is introduced and released by the surface treatment means 60. In this way, in the supply path leading to the printer head 10 (support region 51 in this embodiment), the surface treatment agent is applied to the surface of the filament 100 conveyed through this supply path.

The above-mentioned surface treatment agent is applied to the surface of the filament 100 in order to reduce the adhesiveness and friction coefficient of the surface, and has good wettability in relation to the thermoplastic elastomer which is the material of the filament 100. It is preferable that the conditions are such that it is difficult to be absorbed by the printer, even if it is absorbed, the effect on the physical properties of the modeled object is small, and it is easily volatilized when it is melted by the printer head 10. Specifically, a powder material can be used as long as it is composed of not only a liquid material such as a fluorine-based / silicone-based surface treatment agent or oil, but also a material that can be applied to the surface of the filament 100.

Liquid material oils that can be used as surface treatment agents include, for example, mineral oil (paraffin, vaseline, mineral oil, etc.), animal and vegetable oil (rapeseed oil, castor oil, salad oil, whale fat, etc.), synthetic oil (silicone oil, etc.). Etc.) and so on. Further, as the powder material, acrylic resin (PMMA) particles, zeolite particles, spherical / needle-shaped silica particles, talc (talc) particles and the like can be considered. In the present embodiment, a silicone-based surface treatment agent is used from the viewpoint of the above conditions.

(3) Reduction of friction coefficient and adhesiveness by surface treatment agent

The applicant of the present application has tested the degree of reduction of the friction coefficient when a silicone-based surface treatment agent is applied to the filament 100 made of the above-mentioned styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer (test speed 100 mm / min, load 50 g, friction element). According to the JIS K7125 compliant friction and wear test with a marble ball φ7 mm), it has been confirmed that the coefficient of dynamic friction has been improved to 0.025.

Further, in the test of the degree of reduction of the adhesiveness of the surface (tilting ball tack test at an oblique angle of 20 deg and an environmental temperature of 23 ° C: JISZ0237), by applying a surface treatment agent, the ball No. 4 is changed to the ball No. 4 state. .. It has been confirmed that it is reduced to 1 or less.

(4) Modification example

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it goes without saying that various embodiments can be taken as long as they belong to the technical scope of the present invention. ..

For example, in the above embodiment, the configuration in which the transport means 40 is provided on the support portion 50 is illustrated, but the transport means 40 may be provided at a position separated from the support portion 50 as a member independent of the support portion 50. Good.

Further, in the above embodiment, the configuration in which the groove extending along the supply path of the filament 100 is formed as the support region 51 is illustrated, but the support region 51 is formed on the upper portion of the support portion 50 as a surface extending along the supply path. It may be a formed configuration.

Further, in the above embodiment, the configuration in which the support region 51 of the support portion 50 is a groove formed on the upper side of the plate-shaped member is illustrated, but the support region 51 is a groove formed on the side surface of the plate-shaped member. Alternatively, the support portion 50 may be configured as a hole penetrating along the supply path.

In the above embodiment, a configuration in which a silicone-based surface treatment agent is used in relation to the material of the filament 100 (styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer) has been illustrated, but the surface treatment agent satisfies the above-mentioned conditions. Needless to say, a surface treatment agent other than the silicone type can be adopted depending on the material of the filament 100.

Further, in the above embodiment, the surface treatment agent is applied by a dropping method, but it may be applied by brush coating, roll coater coating, spray coating, or the like, or dipping (immersion) in which the surface treatment agent is passed through a container filled with the surface treatment agent. It may be a method.

Further, in the above embodiment, the surface treatment agent is applied in the process of pulling out and transporting the filament 100, but the filament 100 is pulled out from the cartridge 20 with the cartridge 20 around which the filament 100 is wound as a supply path. The surface treatment agent may be applied in the state before the treatment.

Further, the surface treatment agent may be applied to the filament 100 before the cartridge 20 is attached to the 3D printer 1, and either before or after the process of winding the filament 100 around the cartridge 20, or both timings, or after the winding process. The surface treatment agent may be applied with the timing of. If the cartridge 20 having the filament 100 to which the surface treatment agent is applied is incorporated into the 3D printer 1, the same operation as the above-mentioned transfer method of the filament 100 is performed without changing the conventional supply path from the cartridge 20 to the printer head 10. The effect is obtained.

At this time, as an attachment procedure, the cartridge 20 around which the filament 100 is wound may be attached to the 3D printer 1 after the surface treatment procedure.

(5) Action, effect

The applicant of the present application has stated that in order to realize three-dimensional modeling using a filament formed of a flexible thermoplastic material having a low hardness, conventional 3D printers require a certain hardness of the filament for stable supply. I paid attention to it.

Even if the filament is formed of a flexible thermoplastic material with low hardness such as elastomer, this type of filament is easy to stretch, and the surface friction resistance when it comes into contact with the material constituting the supply path is large, and the plasticizer As the adhesiveness of the surface increases due to such effects, problems such as deformation and clogging due to friction and sticking with the supply path during the supply process to the printer head, and pulling back due to unintended expansion and contraction occur. Because.

That is, in the conventional 3D printer, since a flexible thermoplastic material having a low hardness such as an elastomer cannot be used as a filament, the FDM method can only form a hard three-dimensional model. The applicant of the present application has come up with the above-mentioned structure as a result of ingenuity and ingenuity for solving such a problem.

In the above-described configuration, the filament 100 having a reduced friction coefficient by applying a surface treatment agent to the surface thereof is supplied to the printer head 10 from above, and is deformed by friction or sticking between the filament 100 and the supply path. It is possible to prevent problems such as clogging or pulling back due to unintended expansion and contraction. This makes it possible to realize three-dimensional modeling using a flexible thermoplastic material with low hardness such as a thermoplastic elastomer as a filament, and it is flexible with an FDM 3D printer without using an expensive 3D printer of another method. It is possible to obtain a three-dimensional model.

Further, in the above configuration, a surface treatment agent can be applied to the filament 100 that is supported and conveyed in the support region 51 of the support portion 50, and this can be supplied to the printer head 10 side.

Further, in the above configuration, in addition to directly applying the surface treatment agent to the surface of the filament 100 by discharging the surface treatment agent toward the filament 100 conveyed along the groove which is the support region 51, in addition to applying the surface treatment agent directly to the surface of the filament 100. The remaining surface treatment agent can be retained in the support region 51. As a result, the filament 100 is conveyed with the surface treatment agent interposed between the support region 51 and the filament 100, so that the surface treatment agent can be suitably applied over the entire circumference of the filament 100. ..

Further, in the above configuration, a part of the support region 51 is concave, and the surface treatment agent is discharged toward the region 51u on the upstream side of the concave region 51b. As a result, the surface treatment agent easily falls and stays in the concave region 51b of the support region 51, so that the surface treatment agent can be more reliably applied to the filament 100.

Further, in the above configuration, the surface treatment agent is released not only to the region 51u on the upstream side of the concave region 51b of the support region 51 but also to the region 51d on the downstream side. A surface treatment agent can be additionally applied to the filament 100 also in the region 51d.

1 ... 3D printer, 2 ... filament feeder, 10 ... printer head, 11 ... gear, 13 ... motor, 15 ... heater, 17 ... nozzle, 20 ... cartridge, 30 ... stage, 40 ... transport means, 41 ... gear, 43 ... Motor, 50 ... Support, 51 ... Support area, 51b ... Concave area, 51d ... Downstream area, 51u ... Upstream area, 53 ... Fixed piece, 55 ... Through hole, 60 ... Surface treatment means, 61 ... Introduction path, 63 ... introduction path, 70 ... frame, 80 ... pump, 100 ... filament.

Claims (10)

Among 3D printers that realize three-dimensional modeling by supplying a filament made of a flexible thermoplastic material having low hardness to a printer head, melting the filament, and outputting the filament from the printer head, the filament reaches the printer head. A filament feeder that forms part of the supply path
A transporting means for transporting the filament from a position above the printer head toward the printer head, and
In the supply path from the filament transported to the transport means to the printer head, one or both of the friction coefficient and the adhesiveness on the surface of the filament transported through the supply path are reduced. Provided with a surface treatment means for imparting a surface treatment agent for causing the reaction.
Filament feeder. It is a member arranged above the printer head, and includes a support portion having a support region formed to support the filament conveyed to the transfer means over a predetermined length.
The surface treatment means applies a surface treatment agent to the surface of the filament conveyed along the support region of the support portion.
The filament feeder according to claim 1. In the support portion, a groove extending along the supply path of the filament is formed as the support region.
The surface treatment means is conveyed along the support region by a tubular introduction path that introduces the surface treatment agent to a position close to the support region and discharges the surface treatment agent toward the support region. Applying a surface treatment agent to the surface of the filament,
The filament feeder according to claim 2. The support portion has a concave shape in which a part of the support region is displaced downward.
The surface treatment means is conveyed along the support region by an introduction path that discharges the surface treatment agent toward the upstream region located on the transport means side from the concave region of the support region. Applying a surface treatment agent to the surface of the filament,
The filament feeder according to claim 3. The surface treatment means is said from the introduction path for discharging the surface treatment agent toward the upstream region located on the transport means side from the concave region of the support region, and the concave region. The surface treatment agent is applied to the surface of the filament conveyed along the support region by each of the introduction paths for discharging the surface treatment agent toward the downstream region located on the printer head side.
The filament feeder according to claim 3 or 4. A 3D printer that realizes three-dimensional modeling by supplying a filament made of a flexible thermoplastic material with low hardness to a printer head, melting the filament, and outputting the filament from the printer head.
A transport means for transporting the filament from a position above the printer head toward the printer head, and
In the supply path from the filament transported to the transport means to the printer head, one or both of the friction coefficient and the adhesiveness on the surface of the filament transported through the supply path are reduced. Provided with a surface treatment means for applying a surface treatment agent for causing
The transport means and the surface treatment means form a part of a supply path from the filament supply source to the printer head.
3D printer. The 3D printer includes a support portion which is a member arranged above the printer head and has a support region formed to support the filament conveyed by the transfer means over a predetermined length.
In the support portion, a groove extending along the supply path of the filament is formed as the support region.
The surface treatment means is conveyed along the support region by a tubular introduction path that supplies the surface treatment agent to a position close to the support region and discharges the surface treatment agent toward the support region. Applying a surface treatment agent to the surface of the filament,
The 3D printer according to claim 6. In a 3D printer that realizes three-dimensional modeling by supplying a filament made of a flexible thermoplastic material having low hardness to a printer head, melting the filament, and outputting the filament from the printer head, the filament is made to reach the printer head. It's a method
A transport procedure for transporting the filament from a position above the printer head toward the printer head, and a transport procedure.
In the supply path from the filament transported in the transport procedure to the printer head, one or both of the friction coefficient and the adhesiveness on the surface of the filament transported through the supply path are provided. Has a surface treatment procedure, which provides a surface treatment agent to reduce.
Filament supply method. The filament is wound around a cartridge to form the supply path.
In the surface treatment procedure, a surface treatment agent is applied to the filament surface while being wound around the cartridge.
In the transfer procedure, the filament to which the surface treatment agent has been applied in the surface treatment procedure is conveyed toward the printer head from a position above the printer head.
The filament supply method according to claim 8. It has a mounting procedure for attaching the cartridge around which the filament is wound to the 3D printer.
In the surface treatment procedure, a surface treatment agent is applied to the surface of the filament wound around the cartridge.
In the mounting procedure, the cartridge is mounted on the 3D printer after the surface treatment procedure.
The filament supply method according to claim 9.