JP2023073096A - Optical shaping device and method for manufacturing shaped article - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an optical shaping device and a method for manufacturing a shaped article which can accurately mold a shaped article.SOLUTION: An optical shaping device includes: a shaping tank 11; a light irradiation part 20; a platform 12 which can move up and down with respect to the shaping tank 11, and holds a shaped article 2 formed by stacking a curable layer 2a by irradiation with light; a partition wall 13 which is liftable with respect to the platform 12, is formed in a cylindrical shape and is arranged outside the platform 12 through an airtight member 17, and forms an airtight space 3 by cooperating with the platform 12; an air cylinder 50 for supplying or discharging gas to or from the space 3; an air supply/exhaustion control part 133 which brings a liquid surface of a photocurable resin layer 1a into contact with a lower surface 2A of a shaped article 2 by operation of the air cylinder 50; and an irradiation control part 32 which irradiates the photocurable resin layer 1a with light L corresponding to a cross-sectional shape at a predetermined height of the shaped article 2 from the light irradiation part 20, and forms a curable layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

The present invention relates to a stereolithography apparatus and a method of manufacturing a modeled object.

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a stereolithography technique is known in which a liquid photocurable resin is irradiated with light such as ultraviolet rays to form a three-dimensional modeled object made of the cured resin. In Patent Document 1, as a so-called liquid surface regulation method, a predetermined level of a molded object is directed toward a base arranged opposite to the light transmission window through a light transmission window provided on the bottom surface of a liquid tank in which a photocurable resin is stored. A step of irradiating light corresponding to a cross section (predetermined cross section) at a height position of , forming a hardened resin layer (hardened layer) in the same shape as the predetermined cross section on the lower surface of the base, and placing the base in a liquid tank On the other hand, there is disclosed a stereolithography technique in which a step of lifting up a predetermined height is repeated to stack cured layers to form a desired modeled object.

JP 2020-62841 A

By the way, in the conventional liquid surface regulation method, the modeled object formed by laminating the hardened layers is immersed in the photocurable resin in the liquid tank. For this reason, the irradiated light may cure the excess photocurable resin, and there is room for improvement in terms of molding the modeled object with high accuracy.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a stereolithography apparatus and a method of manufacturing a modeled article, which can form a modeled article with high accuracy.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the stereolithography apparatus according to the present invention includes a modeling tank that stores a photocurable resin and has a light transmitting part provided on the bottom surface, and a photocurable resin through the light transmitting part. a light irradiating unit that irradiates light for curing a hardening resin; a platform that faces the light transmitting unit, is capable of moving up and down with respect to the modeling tank, and holds a modeled object formed by laminating layers cured by light irradiation; A bulkhead that can move up and down with respect to the platform, is formed in a cylindrical shape, is arranged outside the platform via an airtight member, and cooperates with the platform to form an airtight space, and a gas is supplied to the airtight space. Alternatively, an air supply/exhaust unit for discharging, an elevation control unit for respectively raising and lowering the platform and the partition to form a photocurable resin layer having a predetermined thickness between the bottom surface of the partition and the lower surface of the airtight space and the light transmitting portion, The air supply/exhaust control unit causes the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer to come into contact with the bottom surface of the modeled object by the operation of the exhaust unit, and the light irradiation unit emits light corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the modeled object at a predetermined height for photocuring. and an irradiation control unit for forming a cured layer by irradiating the hardening resin layer.

Further, the present invention includes a modeling tank that stores a photocurable resin and has a light transmission part provided on the bottom surface, a light irradiation part that irradiates light for curing the photocurable resin through the light transmission part, and a light transmission part. and a platform that can be raised and lowered with respect to the modeling tank, and a platform that can be raised and lowered with respect to the platform, is formed in a cylindrical shape, is arranged outside the platform via an airtight member, and cooperates with the platform to be airtight A method for manufacturing a modeled object using a stereolithography apparatus having a partition wall forming a space and an air supply/exhaust unit for supplying or discharging gas to or from the airtight space, wherein the platform and the partition wall are respectively raised and lowered, The step of forming a photo-curable resin layer with a predetermined thickness between the bottom surface of the partition wall, the bottom surface of the airtight space, and the light-transmitting section, and the operation of the air supply/exhaust section cause the liquid surface of the photo-curable resin layer to be placed on the bottom surface of the modeled object. a step of forming a cured layer by irradiating the photocurable resin layer with light corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of a predetermined height of the modeled object from a light irradiation unit to form a cured layer; and a step of relatively lowering by the thickness is repeatedly performed.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it is effective in the ability to shape|mold a modeled object with sufficient precision.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of the optical shaping apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the procedure of the method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the procedure of the method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the procedure of the method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the procedure of the method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the procedure of the method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the procedure of the method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of the optical shaping apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of an optical shaping apparatus according to the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the procedure of the method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the procedure of the method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the third embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the procedure of the method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the procedure of the method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the third embodiment. FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the procedure of the method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the third embodiment. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of an optical shaping apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the suction mechanism of the optical forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited by this embodiment, and when there are a plurality of embodiments, a combination of each embodiment is also included. Further, in the following embodiments, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, thereby omitting redundant explanations.

In the following description of the embodiments, unless otherwise specified, an uncured liquid photocurable resin is simply referred to as a photocurable resin. A stereolithographic object formed by curing a liquid photocurable resin is called a three-dimensional object or simply a modeled object. This three-dimensional modeled object is not limited to a finished product in which all of the plurality of hardened layers to be molded are laminated, but includes an unfinished product in which even hardened layers in the middle are laminated.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of the optical shaping apparatus according to the first embodiment. The stereolithography apparatus 10 includes a modeling tank 11, a platform 12, a partition wall 13, a light irradiation section 20, and a control section 30, as shown in FIG. Further, in this embodiment, the stereolithography apparatus 10 includes a chamber 40 and a chamber internal pressure adjustment section 41 .

The modeling tank 11 has a dish shape with an open upper surface, and is capable of storing the liquid photocurable resin 1 . The modeling tank 11 has a light transmission plate (light transmission portion) 14 on the bottom surface. The light transmission plate 14 transmits light for curing the photocurable resin 1 .

The photocurable resin 1 is a raw material for the three-dimensional structure 2, and includes polymerizable compounds such as acrylic compounds and vinyl compounds, for example. In addition, the photocurable resin 1 preferably contains a polymerization initiator that generates radical species and the like by light irradiation.

The platform 12 holds the modeled object 2 made of the cured photocurable resin 1 and is arranged above the modeling bath 11 so as to face the light transmission plate 14 . The platform 12 is formed in a polygonal plate shape such as a disk shape or square plate shape, for example, and is arranged so that its lower surface 12A is substantially parallel to the light transmission plate 14 . Also, the platform 12 is connected to a platform lifting mechanism 15 and is provided so as to be able to move up and down with respect to the modeling tank 11 by the operation of the platform lifting mechanism 15 . Specifically, the platform 12 can approach or retreat from the light transmission plate 14 and holds the modeled object 2 formed on the lower surface 12A facing the light transmission plate 14 .

The partition 13 is arranged outside the platform 12 and accommodates the platform 12 and the model 2 inside. The partition wall 13 is formed in a tubular shape corresponding to the shape of the platform 12 (a polygonal tubular shape such as a cylindrical shape or a rectangular tubular shape). Further, the partition wall 13 is connected to a partition lifting mechanism 16 and is provided so as to be able to move up and down with respect to the platform 12 by the operation of the partition lifting mechanism 16 . That is, the partition wall 13 can be raised or lowered relative to the platform 12 .

An airtight member 17 is arranged on the outer peripheral edge of the platform 12 to seal between the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 . The airtight member 17 is an O-ring made of an elastic member such as rubber. The airtight member 17 is biased against the inner surface of the partition wall 13 by a restoring force when elastically deformed, and seals between the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 . The airtightness between the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 is ensured by the airtight member 17 . Therefore, when the platform 12 and the partition 13 are lowered into the photocurable resin 1, a space 3 (airtight space) is formed by the platform 12 and the partition 13 and the photocurable resin 1.

The light irradiation unit 20 is arranged below the modeling tank 11 , that is, on the side opposite to the platform 12 with the light transmitting plate 14 interposed therebetween. The light irradiation unit 20 irradiates the photocurable resin 1 with light L for curing the photocurable resin 1 through the light transmission plate 14 . The light L to be irradiated may be any light that can cure the photocurable resin 1, and for example, ultraviolet light or short-wavelength visible light is used. The light irradiation unit 20 includes a light source 21 such as an ultraviolet lamp, an image forming element 22, a reflecting mirror 23, a projection lens 24, and the like.

The light source 21 emits light to irradiate the image forming element 22, and for example, an ultraviolet lamp or the like is used. The image forming element 22 modulates according to the shape data of each layer of the object 2 to be formed. Alternatively, a liquid crystal device can be used. Reflecting mirror 23 reflects the light modulated by image forming element 22 toward projection lens 24 . A projection lens 24 forms an image of the light reflected by the reflecting mirror 23 . The light irradiation unit 20 is not limited to this, and may be a laser scanning device using a laser light source and a mirror drive, or an optical device using a reflective optical system or a refractive optical system.

The chamber 40 is a container that accommodates at least the modeling tank 11, the platform 12, the partition wall 13, the light irradiation unit 20, the lifting mechanisms 15 and 16, and the like, and seals the internal environment from the outside. The chamber internal pressure adjustment unit 41 adjusts the internal pressure of the chamber 40 by introducing gas (for example, air or nitrogen) into the chamber 40 or discharging the gas to the outside of the chamber 40 through the pipe 42 . By finely adjusting the internal pressure of the chamber 40, the position of the lower surface of the space 3 can be freely adjusted.

The control unit 30 is, for example, an arithmetic processing unit including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), etc., and is connected to each unit of the stereolithography apparatus 10 to control their operations. The control unit 30 stores a program related to a manufacturing method for manufacturing the modeled article 2, loads this program into the memory, and executes instructions included in the program. The control unit 30 includes an internal memory (not shown), which is used for temporary storage of data such as programs in the control unit 30 .

The controller 30 includes an elevation controller 31 , an irradiation controller 32 , and a chamber internal pressure controller 33 . The elevation control unit 31 controls the height positions of the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 by controlling the operations of the platform elevation mechanism 15 and the partition wall elevation mechanism 16 . That is, the elevation control unit 31 can move the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 up and down in conjunction with the modeling tank 11 and can move the platform 12 up and down relative to the partition wall 13 . The lift control unit 31 lifts and lowers the platform 12 and the partition 13 to form a photocurable resin layer having a predetermined thickness between the lower surface of the partition 13 and the lower surface of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14 .

For example, based on the three-dimensional shape data, the irradiation control unit 32 calculates a light irradiation pattern that indicates the cross-sectional shape of the modeled object at predetermined height increments, controls the light source 21, the image forming element 22, etc., and performs photocuring. irradiate the resin with light. For this reason, the irradiation control unit 32 irradiates the photocurable resin layer between the lower surface of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14 with light corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the modeled object at a predetermined height position. A hardened layer having a predetermined thickness can be formed. The chamber internal pressure control unit 33 monitors, for example, the position of the lower surface of the space 3 inside the partition wall 13 (liquid surface of the photocurable resin), and adjusts the internal pressure of the chamber 40 according to the result. Therefore, the lower surface of the space 3 can be aligned with the lower surface of the partition wall 13, and the thickness of the photocurable resin layer between the lower surface of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14 can be defined with high accuracy.

Next, a method for manufacturing a model according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7. FIG. These figures schematically show a part of the stereolithography apparatus 10 shown in FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 2, the elevation control unit 31 adjusts the height positions of the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 so that the lower surface 12A of the platform 12 and the lower surface (bottom surface) 13A of the partition wall 13 are flush with each other. . Next, the elevation control unit 31 lowers the platform 12 and the partition wall 13, which are arranged higher than the modeling tank 11 in which the photocurable resin 1 is stored, into the modeling tank 11, and the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13 and the light transmission plate 14 are moved downward. is arranged at a position with a predetermined distance T between Here, the predetermined distance T is set to the thickness of one layer of the cured layer to be molded (for example, about several μm to 100 μm). In this case, between the platform 12 and the light transmitting plate 14, a photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T which is the same as the predetermined distance T is formed.

Next, based on the three-dimensional shape data of the object 2 to be formed, the irradiation control unit 32 calculates an irradiation pattern indicating the cross-sectional shape of the object 2 at a predetermined height, and corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the first layer. The light L is applied through the light transmission plate 14 to the photocurable resin layer 1a. As a result, the photocurable resin layer 1a is cured to have the same cross-sectional shape as the first layer. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 3, the platform 12 holds a hardening layer 2a having a predetermined thickness T, which is the first layer.

Subsequently, the elevation control unit 31 raises the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 to place them at a position higher than the modeling tank 11, as shown in FIG. Next, the elevation control unit 31 lowers the partition wall 13 by a predetermined thickness T relative to the platform 12, as shown in FIG. As a result, the bottom surface 13A of the partition wall 13 is flush with the bottom surface 2aA of the hardening layer 2a, and a space (airtight space) 3 defined by the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 is formed around the hardening layer 2a. .

Subsequently, the elevation control unit 31 vertically lowers the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 into the modeling tank 11 until the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13 and the light transmission plate 14 become a predetermined distance T. In this case, since the space 3 partitioned by the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 is an airtight space, as shown in FIG. A flexible resin layer 1a is formed.

Here, the lower surface 3A of the space 3 coincides with the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer 1a, and the height position of the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer 1a corresponds to the light of the area stored around the partition wall 13. It may vary depending on the depth and surface area of the curable resin 1 . For this reason, in the present embodiment, the chamber internal pressure adjusting section 41 shown in FIG. 1 is used to appropriately adjust the height position of the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer 1a. The chamber internal pressure control unit 33 monitors, for example, the position of the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer 1a inside the partition wall 13, and adjusts the thickness of the photocurable resin layer 1a to a predetermined thickness T according to the result. The internal pressure of the chamber 40 is adjusted to . For example, the chamber internal pressure control section 33 can lower the lower surface 3A of the space 3 and reduce the thickness of the photocurable resin layer 1a by lowering the chamber internal pressure from the initial state. By adjusting the internal pressure of the chamber 40 in this way, the lower surface 3A of the space 3 can be aligned with the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13, and the photocurable resin layer 1a can be brought into contact only with the lower surface 2aA of the cured layer 2a. can be done.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the irradiation control unit 32 irradiates the photocurable resin layer 1a through the light transmission plate 14 with light L corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the second layer. As a result, the photocurable resin layer 1a is cured to have the same cross-sectional shape as the second layer, as shown in FIG. molded. As described above, in this embodiment, the photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T is formed between the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13 and the lower surface 3A of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14, and the photocurable resin layer 1a is formed. is cured into a predetermined shape, the thickness of the cured layer 2a can be accurately molded, and the modeled object 2 can be accurately molded. In addition, in the present embodiment, since the space 3 can be provided around the hardening layer 2a that has been molded in advance, the problem that the light L irradiated through the light transmission plate 14 hardens the excess photocurable resin 1 can be avoided. can be prevented.

In this way, the elevation control unit 31 and the irradiation control unit 32 alternately form the photocurable resin layer 1a and the hardened layer 2a to form the n-th layer (n is a natural number) of the hardened layer 2a. The modeled object 2 can be molded by laminating the (n+1)-th hardening layer 2a on the .

As described above, the stereolithography apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment stores the photocurable resin 1 and hardens the photocurable resin 1 through the modeling tank 11 provided with the light transmission plate 14 on the bottom surface and the light transmission plate 14. A light irradiation unit 20 that irradiates light L that causes the light to be emitted, a platform 12 that faces the light transmission plate 14 and can be raised and lowered with respect to the modeling tank 11, and a platform 12 that can be raised and lowered with respect to the platform 12 and is formed in a cylindrical shape. A partition wall 13 is arranged outside the platform 12 via an airtight member 17 and cooperates with the platform 12 to form an airtight space 3. The platform 12 and the partition wall 13 are respectively raised and lowered to move the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13 and the space 3. A lift control unit 31 that forms a photocurable resin layer 1a with a predetermined thickness T between the lower surface 3A and the light transmission plate 14, and light L that corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the target object 2 at a predetermined height. from the light irradiation unit 20 to the photocurable resin layer 1a to form the cured layer 2a.

According to this configuration, the photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T is formed between the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13 and the lower surface 3A of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14, and the photocurable resin layer 1a is formed in a predetermined shape. Since the cured layer 2a is hardened to a high degree of accuracy, the thickness of the hardened layer 2a can be accurately molded, and the modeled object 2 can be accurately molded. In addition, according to this configuration, since the space 3 can be provided around the hardened layer 2a formed in advance, the light L emitted through the light transmission plate 14 hardens the excess photocurable resin 1. can be prevented, and the modeled object 2 can be formed with high accuracy.

In addition, the elevation control unit 31 lowers the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 into the modeling tank 11 in order to lower the partition wall 13 by a predetermined thickness T relative to the platform 12 each time the formation of the hardened layer 2a is completed. In this case, a photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T can always be formed between the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13 and the lower surface 3A of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14. FIG. Therefore, the thickness of the hardened layer 2a can be accurately molded, and the modeled object 2 can be accurately molded.

In addition, every time the formation of the hardening layer 2a is completed, the elevation control unit 31 temporarily raises the platform 12 and the partition walls 13 above the photocurable resin 1, so that gas is introduced inside the platform 12 and the partition walls 13. , can form an airtight space. Therefore, the thickness of the hardened layer 2a can be accurately molded, and the modeled object 2 can be accurately molded.

In addition, the elevation control unit 31 and the irradiation control unit 32 alternately form the photocurable resin layer 1a and the hardening layer 2a, stacking a plurality of hardening layers 2a on the platform 12 to form the modeled object 2. is molded, the modeled object 2 can be molded with high accuracy.

The stereolithography apparatus 10 includes a chamber 40 that houses at least the modeling tank 11, the platform 12, the partition wall 13, and the light irradiation unit 20, a chamber internal pressure adjustment unit 41 that adjusts the internal pressure of the chamber 40, and the chamber internal pressure adjustment unit 41 By adjusting the internal pressure of the chamber 40, the position of the lower surface 3A of the space 3 can be aligned with the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13, and the photocurable resin layer 1a can be formed to a predetermined thickness T. can be defined precisely. Therefore, the thickness of the hardened layer 2a can be accurately molded, and the modeled object 2 can be accurately molded.

[Second embodiment]
Next, an optical shaping apparatus according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of the optical shaping apparatus according to the second embodiment. The same reference numerals are assigned to the same configurations as those of the above-described embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

As in the stereolithography apparatus of the first embodiment described above, the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 work together to form the modeled object 2 in which the cured layer 2a is laminated in the modeling tank 11 in which the photocurable resin 1 is stored. In a configuration in which a space (airtight space) 3 is provided for housing, and a photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T corresponding to one layer is formed between the lower surface 3A of this space 3 and the light transmission plate 14, the modeled object 2 However, for example, if there is a difference in height between the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13 forming the space 3 and the lower surface 2A of the cured molded object 2, the cured molded object 2 and the photocurable resin It is assumed that the layer 1a cannot come into contact with the layer 1a, resulting in a molding defect.

For this reason, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. and a control unit 130 . The controller 130 also includes an elevation controller 31 , an irradiation controller 32 , and an air supply/exhaust controller 133 .

The air cylinder 50 communicates with the space 3 partitioned by the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 through the hose 51 . The air cylinder 50 has a piston in, for example, a cylindrical cylinder body. The air supply/exhaust control unit 133 monitors, for example, the position of the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer 1a inside the partition wall 13, and changes the position of the piston in the axial direction according to the result, thereby adjusting the pressure inside the cylinder. A gas is introduced into or discharged from the space 3 . The air supply/exhaust controller 133 operates the air cylinder 50 to bring the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer 1 a into contact with the bottom surface 2 A of the modeled object 2 .

Next, a method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the second embodiment will be described. Here, the operation of the air cylinder 50 is mainly described. As described above, the elevation control unit 31 and the irradiation control unit 32 alternately form the photocurable resin layer 1a and the cured layer 2a to form the n-th layer (n is a natural number) of the cured layer. The modeled object 2 is formed by laminating the (n+1)-th hardened layer 2a on the 2a.

Here, when the photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T is formed between the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13 and the lower surface 3A of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14, as shown in FIG. 133 operates the air cylinder 50 . That is, the supply/exhaust control unit 133 monitors the position of the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer 1a with a sensor or the like, discharges a predetermined amount of gas in the space 3 by the air cylinder 50, and controls the liquid level of the photocurable resin layer 1a. The surface is raised slightly to bring the lower surface 2A of the modeled object 2 already cured and the photocurable resin layer 1a into contact with each other. Subsequently, the air supply/exhaust control unit 133 supplies a predetermined amount of gas to the space 3 using the air cylinder 50 to reduce the thickness of the photocurable resin layer 1a to a predetermined thickness T. FIG. In this case, the photocurable resin layer 1a maintains contact with the bottom surface 2A of the modeled object 2 that has already been cured due to surface tension.

Therefore, even if the irradiation control unit 32 is operated in this state to form a new hardened layer 2a, the hardened layer 2a is laminated to form the modeled object 2, so that molding defects are suppressed. A modeled object 2 with high accuracy can be formed.

As described above, the stereolithography apparatus 110 according to the second embodiment stores the photocurable resin 1 and cures the photocurable resin 1 through the modeling tank 11 provided with the light transmission plate 14 on the bottom surface and the light transmission plate 14. A light irradiation unit 20 that irradiates the light L for irradiating light L and a light transmission plate 14, which is capable of moving up and down with respect to the modeling tank 11, and holds a modeled object 2 formed by stacking cured layers 2a formed by irradiation of the light L. a platform 12, and a partition wall which is formed in a cylindrical shape and arranged outside the platform 12 via an airtight member 17 so as to be able to move up and down with respect to the platform 12, and forms an airtight space 3 in cooperation with the platform 12. 13, an air cylinder 50 for supplying or discharging gas to or from the space 3, the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 are lifted and lowered, respectively, between the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13 and the lower surface 3A of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14. A lift control unit 31 for forming the photocurable resin layer 1a with a predetermined thickness T, and an air supply/exhaust control unit 133 for bringing the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer 1a into contact with the lower surface 2A of the object 2 by operating the air cylinder 50. and an irradiation control unit 32 for forming the cured layer 2a by irradiating the photocurable resin layer 1a from the light irradiation unit 20 with the light L corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the modeled object 2 at a predetermined height.

According to this configuration, the photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T is formed between the lower surface 13A of the partition wall 13 and the lower surface 3A of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14, and the photocurable resin layer 1a is formed in a predetermined shape. Since the cured layer 2a is hardened to a high degree of accuracy, the thickness of the hardened layer 2a can be accurately molded, and the modeled object 2 can be accurately molded. In addition, according to this configuration, since the space 3 can be provided around the hardened layer 2a formed in advance, the light L emitted through the light transmission plate 14 hardens the excess photocurable resin 1. can be prevented, and the modeled object 2 can be formed with high accuracy. Further, according to this configuration, since the air cylinder 50 for supplying and exhausting gas to the space 3 partitioned by the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 is provided, the liquid surface height of the photocurable resin layer 1a can be adjusted, The contact state between the curable resin layer 1a and the lower surface 2A of the modeled object 2 that has already been cured is maintained. Therefore, it is possible to mold the model 2 with high accuracy while suppressing molding defects.

In addition, the elevation control unit 31, the air supply/exhaust control unit 133, and the irradiation control unit 32 control the formation of the photocurable resin layer 1a, the contact between the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer 1a and the lower surface 2A of the modeled object 2, By repeatedly performing the formation of the hardened layer 2a, molding defects can be suppressed and the modeled object 2 can be formed with high accuracy.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, an optical shaping apparatus according to the third embodiment will be described. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of an optical shaping apparatus according to the third embodiment. The same reference numerals are assigned to the same configurations as those of the above-described embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

In the optical molding apparatus of the first and second embodiments described above, the platform 12 and the partition wall 13 work together to form the modeled object 2 in which the cured layer 2a is laminated in the modeling tank 11 in which the photocurable resin 1 is stored. An accommodation space (airtight space) 3 is provided, and a photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T corresponding to one layer is formed between the lower surface 3A of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14. As shown in FIG. In such a configuration, it is necessary to lower the partition wall 13 by a predetermined thickness T with respect to the platform 12 each time the hardened layer 2a is formed. In this case, since the predetermined thickness T is set to, for example, about several μm, a problem is assumed in that a precise lifting mechanism is required.

For this reason, in the third embodiment, the stereolithography apparatus 210 includes a modeling tank 11, a platform 12, a light irradiation section 20, and a control section 230, as shown in FIG. The control unit 230 also includes an elevation control unit 231 and an irradiation control unit 232 .

In this third embodiment, the stereolithography apparatus 210 has a configuration in which a cylindrical partition wall 213 is formed around the modeled object 2 on the platform 12 together with the modeled object 2 instead of providing the partition wall as an apparatus configuration. ing. The platform 12 cooperates with the molded partition wall 213 to form the space (airtight space) 3 .

The elevation control unit 231 also controls the height position of the platform 12 by controlling the operation of the platform elevation mechanism 15 . The elevation control unit 231 raises and lowers the platform 12 on which the partition walls 213 are formed to form a photocurable resin layer having a predetermined thickness between the bottom surface of the partition walls 213 and the lower surface of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14 .

For example, based on the three-dimensional shape data, the irradiation control unit 232 calculates a light irradiation pattern indicating the cross-sectional shape of the modeled object 2 and the partition wall 213 at predetermined height increments, and controls the light source 21, the image forming element 22, and the like. Then, the photocurable resin is irradiated with light. The irradiation control unit 232 irradiates the photocurable resin layer between the lower surface of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14 with light corresponding to each cross-sectional shape of the modeled object 2 and the partition wall 213 at a predetermined height position. can form a hardened layer having a predetermined thickness.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14, a method for manufacturing a modeled object according to the third embodiment will be described. These figures schematically show a part of the stereolithography apparatus 10 shown in FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 10, the elevation control unit 231 lowers the platform 12, which is arranged higher than the modeling tank 11 in which the photocurable resin 1 is stored, into the modeling tank 11, and the lower surface 12A of the platform 12 and the light source 12 move downward. It is arranged at a position where a predetermined distance T is provided between it and the transmission plate 14 . In this case, between the platform 12 and the light transmitting plate 14, a photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T which is the same as the predetermined distance T is formed.

Next, based on the three-dimensional shape data of the object 2 to be molded and the cylindrical partition wall 213 that can accommodate the object 2, the irradiation control unit 232 determines the cross section of the object 2 and the partition wall 213 at a predetermined height. An irradiation pattern indicating the shape is calculated, and light L corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the modeled object 2 and the first layer of the partition wall 213 is applied through the light transmission plate 14 to the photocurable resin layer 1a. As a result, the photocurable resin layer 1a is cured into the same cross-sectional shape as the first layer of the modeled object 2 and the partition walls 213 . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, the platform 12 holds hardened layers 2a and 213a each having a predetermined thickness T, which are the first layers of the modeled object 2 and the partition walls 213, respectively.

Subsequently, the elevation control unit 231 raises the platform 12 to temporarily place it at a position higher than the modeling tank 11, as shown in FIG. Here, the hardened layer 2a of the modeled object 2 and the hardened layer 213a of the partition wall 213 are formed to have a predetermined thickness T and the same height. Therefore, the lower surface 2aA of the hardened layer 2a of the modeled object 2 and the lower surface 213aA of the hardened layer 213a of the partition wall 213 are flush with each other, and the platform 12 and the partition wall 213 ( A space (airtight space) 3 defined by the hardening layer 213a) is formed.

Subsequently, the elevation control unit 231 vertically lowers the platform 12 into the modeling tank 11 until the distance between the lower surface 213A of the partition wall 213 and the light transmission plate 14 becomes a predetermined distance T. In this case, the space 3 partitioned by the platform 12 and the partition wall 213 is an airtight space. Therefore, as shown in FIG. A flexible resin layer 1a is formed.

Next, the irradiation control unit 232 irradiates the photocurable resin layer 1a through the light transmission plate 14 with the light L corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the modeled object 2 and the second layer of the partition wall 213 . As a result, as shown in FIG. 14, the photocurable resin layer 1a is cured into the same cross-sectional shape as the second layer, and the second layer having a predetermined thickness T is laminated on the first layer to form the cured layer 2a, 213a is molded. Thus, in this embodiment, the photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T is formed between the lower surface 213aA of the partition wall 213 and the lower surface 3A of the space 3 molded together with the modeled object 2 and the light transmission plate 14. Then, the photocurable resin layer 1a is cured into a predetermined shape. Therefore, the thicknesses of the hardened layers 2a and 213a of the modeled object 2 and the partition wall 213 can be formed with high precision, and the modeled object 2 can be formed with high precision. In addition, in the present embodiment, since the space 3 can be provided around the hardening layer 2a that has been molded in advance, the problem that the light L irradiated through the light transmission plate 14 hardens the excess photocurable resin 1 can be avoided. can be prevented. Further, in this embodiment, since the partition 213 is molded together with the object 2, there is no need to separately provide a partition around the platform 12, and the configuration of the stereolithography apparatus 210 can be simplified.

In addition, the elevation control unit 231 and the irradiation control unit 232 alternately form the photocurable resin layer 1a and the hardened layers 2a and 213a of the modeled object 2 and the partition wall 213 to form the n-th layer ( The molded object 2 and the partition wall 213 can be formed by laminating the (n+1)-th hardened layer 2a, 213a on the hardened layer 2a, 213a (where n is a natural number).

As described above, the stereolithography apparatus 210 according to the third embodiment stores the photocurable resin 1, and cures the photocurable resin 1 through the modeling tank 11 having the light transmission plate 14 on the bottom surface and the light transmission plate 14. A light irradiation unit 20 that irradiates the light L that causes the light L to oppose the light transmission plate 14 and is capable of moving up and down with respect to the modeling tank 11 . A platform 12 that holds a molded cylindrical partition 213 and cooperates with the partition 213 to form an airtight space 3; A lift controller 231 that forms a photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T between itself and the plate 14, and a light irradiation unit 20 that emits light L corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of a predetermined height in the modeled object 2 and partition walls 213. and an irradiation control unit 232 for forming the respective cured layers 2a and 213a by irradiating the photocurable resin layer 1a.

According to this configuration, the photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T is formed between the lower surface 213aA of the partition wall 213 and the lower surface 3A of the space 3 molded together with the modeled object 2 and the light transmission plate 14. The photocurable resin layer 1a is cured into a predetermined shape. Therefore, the thicknesses of the hardened layers 2a and 213a of the modeled object 2 and the partition wall 213 can be formed with high precision, and the modeled object 2 can be formed with high precision. In addition, in the present embodiment, since the space 3 can be provided around the hardening layer 2a that has been molded in advance, the problem that the light L irradiated through the light transmission plate 14 hardens the excess photocurable resin 1 can be avoided. can be prevented. Further, in this embodiment, since the partition 213 is molded together with the object 2, there is no need to separately provide a partition around the platform 12, and the configuration of the stereolithography apparatus 210 can be simplified.

In addition, every time the formation of the hardened layers 2a and 213a is completed, the elevation control unit 231 temporarily raises the platform 12 to above the photocurable resin 1, so that gas is trapped inside the partition wall 213 formed on the platform 12. can be introduced to form an airtight space. Therefore, the thickness of the hardened layers 2a and 213a can be formed with high accuracy, and the modeled object 2 can be formed with high accuracy.

In addition, the elevation control unit 231 and the irradiation control unit 232 alternately form the photocurable resin layer 1a and the hardened layers 2a and 213a, and laminate the hardened layers 2a and 213a on the platform 12, respectively. Since the modeled object 2 and the partition wall 213 are formed in this manner, the modeled object 2 can be accurately formed while simplifying the device configuration of the stereolithography apparatus 210 .

In addition, since the bottom surface 2A of the modeled object 2 and the bottom surface 213A of the partition wall 213 are always flush with each other, the modeled object 2 can be easily molded with high precision.

[Fourth Embodiment]
Next, an optical shaping apparatus according to the fourth embodiment will be described. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of an optical shaping apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the suction mechanism of the optical forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment; The same reference numerals are assigned to the same configurations as those of the above-described embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

Like the stereolithography apparatus of the first and second embodiments, a modeled object in which a hardening layer 2a is laminated in a modeling tank 11 in which a photocurable resin 1 is stored by cooperation of a platform 12 and a partition wall 13. 2 is provided, and a photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T corresponding to one layer is formed between the lower surface 3A of this space 3 and the light transmission plate 14. Although the object 2 can be molded with high precision, for example, if uncured or semi-cured photo-curing resin remains in the modeled object 2 that has been previously cured, the remaining uncured resin will be difficult to cure when the next cured layer is cured. A problem is assumed in which the photo-curing resin itself hardens together, making it impossible to perform modeling with high accuracy.

Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, the stereolithography apparatus 310 includes a modeling tank 11, a platform 12, a light irradiation section 20, a suction mechanism 60, and a control section 330, as shown in FIG. The controller 330 also includes an elevation controller 231 , an irradiation controller 232 , and a suction controller 333 .

The suction mechanism 60 sucks and removes uncured photocurable resin adhering to the modeled object 2 by generating a negative pressure. As shown in FIG. 15, the suction mechanism 60 includes a dish portion 61 with an open upper surface, a suction portion 62 connected to the dish portion 61 via a hose 63 to generate a negative pressure in the dish portion 61, and a and a moving mechanism 64 for moving the portion 61, for example, in the horizontal direction.

In the fourth embodiment, similar to the third embodiment, the stereolithography apparatus 310 has a cylindrical structure around the object 2 on the platform 12 instead of providing a partition as an apparatus configuration. It is configured to mold the partition wall 313 . The platform 12 cooperates with the molded partition wall 313 to form the space (airtight space) 3 . The partition wall 313 is formed integrally with the modeled object 2 . The procedures for molding these modeled objects 2 and partition walls 313 are the same as those described in the third embodiment. Since the partition wall 313 is integrated with the target object 2, it is necessary to separate the partition wall 313 from the object 2 at the end.

On the other hand, the plate portion 61 of the suction mechanism 60 is formed to have the same size as the partition wall 313. As shown in FIG. , the partition wall 313 is sandwiched between the platform 12 and the plate portion 61 . As described above, the partition 313 is formed integrally with the modeled object 2 , so the modeled object 2 is supported by the platform 12 and the plate portion 61 via the partition 313 . Therefore, the partition wall 313 also functions as a support that supports the modeled object 2 .

Further, in this configuration, when the partition 313 is sandwiched between the platform 12 and the plate portion 61, the edge of the plate portion 61 contacts the lower surface (bottom surface) 313A of the partition 313 to form a closed space. Therefore, when the suction unit 62 is operated, the inside of the closed space can be made negative pressure, and the uncured photocurable resin 70 adhering to the modeled object 2 can be easily sucked and removed.

As described above, the stereolithography apparatus 310 according to the fourth embodiment stores the photocurable resin 1 and hardens the photocurable resin 1 through the modeling tank 11 having the light transmission plate 14 on the bottom surface and the light transmission plate 14. A light irradiation unit 20 that irradiates the light L that causes the light L to oppose the light transmission plate 14 and is capable of moving up and down with respect to the modeling tank 11 . The platform 12 that holds the cylindrical partition wall 313 to be molded and cooperates with the partition wall 313 to form the airtight space 3, and the uncured photocurable resin 70 adhering to the modeled object 2 are removed by suction. a suction mechanism 60, an elevation controller 231 for raising and lowering the platform 12 to form a photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T between the bottom surface 313A of the partition wall 313 and the lower surface 3A of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14; an irradiation control unit 232 that irradiates the photocurable resin layer 1a from the light irradiation unit 20 with light L corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of a predetermined height in the modeled object 2 and the partition wall 313 to form an integral cured layer; and a suction control unit 333 that is arranged below the platform 12 and operates the suction mechanism 60 when the platform 12 is positioned above the photocurable resin 1 .

According to this configuration, the photocurable resin layer 1a having a predetermined thickness T is formed between the lower surface 313A of the partition wall 313 and the lower surface 3A of the space 3 and the light transmission plate 14, and the photocurable resin layer 1a is formed in a predetermined shape. Therefore, the thickness of each cured layer of the modeled object 2 and the partition walls 313 can be accurately formed, and the modeled object 2 can be formed with high accuracy. In addition, according to this configuration, since the space 3 can be provided around the cured layer of the molded object 2 that has been previously molded, the light L emitted through the light transmission plate 14 removes the excess photocurable resin 1. It is possible to prevent the problem of hardening, and it is possible to form the modeled object 2 with high accuracy. Furthermore, when the platform 12 is positioned above the photo-curing resin 1, a suction mechanism 60 is arranged below the platform 12 to suck and remove the uncured photo-curing resin 70 adhering to the modeled object 2. Since it is activated, the uncured photocurable resin 70 adhering to the modeled object 2 is prevented from being separately cured, and the modeled object 2 can be molded with high accuracy.

The partition wall 313 is molded integrally with the modeled object 2 , sandwiched between the plate portion 61 of the suction mechanism 60 and the platform 12 during operation of the suction mechanism 60 , and functions as a support for supporting the modeled object 2 . Therefore, it is possible to easily prevent the object 2 from detaching from the platform 12 at least during the suction operation.

The suction mechanism 60 has a plate portion 61 with an open upper surface, and the plate portion 61 contacts the lower surface 313A of the partition wall 313 to form a closed space. A negative pressure can be applied, and the uncured photocurable resin 70 adhering to the modeled object 2 can be easily sucked and removed.

In addition, the elevation control unit 231, the irradiation control unit 232, and the suction control unit 333 repeatedly perform the formation of the photocurable resin layer 1a, the formation of the cured layer, and the suction of the uncured photocurable resin 70, Since the modeled object 2 and the partition walls 313 are formed by laminating a plurality of hardened layers on the platform 12, the modeled object 2 can be accurately formed while simplifying the device configuration of the stereolithography apparatus 310. FIG.

Although the stereolithography apparatus and the method of manufacturing a modeled object according to the present invention have been described so far, they may be implemented in various different forms other than the embodiments described above. Also, the configurations of these embodiments may be combined as appropriate. For example, the chamber 40, the chamber internal pressure adjustment unit 41, and the chamber internal pressure control unit 33 in the first embodiment may be combined with the stereolithography apparatus according to the second to fourth embodiments, or the air cylinder in the second embodiment. 50 and the air supply/exhaust control unit 133 may be combined with the optical shaping apparatus according to the first, third, and fourth embodiments. Further, the suction mechanism 60 and the suction control unit 333 in the fourth embodiment may be combined with the stereolithography apparatuses according to the first to third embodiments.

Also, each component of the illustrated stereolithography apparatus is functionally conceptual, and does not necessarily have to be physically configured as illustrated. In other words, the specific form of each device is not limited to the illustrated one, and all or part of it may be functionally or physically distributed or integrated in arbitrary units according to the processing load and usage conditions of each device. may

The configuration of the control unit of the stereolithography apparatus is realized by, for example, a program loaded in the memory as software. In the above embodiments, functional blocks realized by cooperation of these hardware or software have been described. That is, these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by hardware only, software only, or a combination thereof.

1 photocurable resin 1a photocurable resin layer 2 three-dimensional structure (modeled object)
2a hardened layer 3 space (airtight space)
3A lower surface 10, 110, 210, 310 stereolithography device 11 modeling tank 12 platform 13, 213, 313 partition wall 13A, 213A, 313A lower surface (bottom surface)
14 light transmission plate (light transmission part)
Reference Signs List 15 platform lifting mechanism 16 partition lifting mechanism 17 airtight member 20 light irradiation unit 21 light source 22 image forming element 23 reflection mirror 24 projection lens 30, 130, 230, 330 control unit 31, 231 lifting control unit 32, 232 irradiation control unit 33 chamber Internal pressure control unit 40 Chamber 41 Chamber internal pressure adjustment unit 50 Air cylinder (air supply/exhaust unit)
60 Suction Mechanism 61 Dish Part 62 Suction Part 63 Hose 64 Moving Mechanism 70 Uncured Photocurable Resin 133 Supply/Exhaust Control Part 333 Suction Control Part

Claims (5)

a modeling tank that stores a photocurable resin and has a light transmitting part on the bottom;
a light irradiation unit that irradiates light for curing the photocurable resin through the light transmission unit;
a platform that faces the light transmission part, is capable of moving up and down with respect to the modeling tank, and holds a modeled object formed by laminating the cured layers by the irradiation of the light;
a partition wall that can be raised and lowered with respect to the platform, is formed in a cylindrical shape, is arranged outside the platform via an airtight member, and cooperates with the platform to form an airtight space;
an air supply/exhaust unit for supplying or discharging gas to or from the airtight space;
an elevation control unit for respectively raising and lowering the platform and the partition wall to form a photocurable resin layer having a predetermined thickness between the bottom surface of the partition wall and the lower surface of the airtight space and the light transmitting portion;
an air supply/exhaust control unit that causes the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer to come into contact with the lower surface of the modeled object by the operation of the air supply/exhaust unit;
an irradiation control unit for forming the cured layer by irradiating the photocurable resin layer with the light corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the modeled object at a predetermined height from the light irradiation unit;
A stereolithography device. Each time the formation of the hardened layer is completed, the elevation control unit
2. The stereolithography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said partition is relatively lowered by said predetermined thickness with respect to said platform. 3. The stereolithography apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the elevation control unit temporarily raises the platform and the partition to above the photocurable resin. The elevation control unit, the air supply/exhaust control unit, and the irradiation control unit control the formation of the photocurable resin layer, the contact between the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer and the bottom surface of the modeled object, and the hardening layer. 4. The stereolithography apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the formation of and the formation of are repeatedly performed. A modeling tank that stores a photocurable resin and has a light transmission part provided on the bottom surface; a light irradiation part that irradiates light for curing the photocurable resin through the light transmission part; a platform that can be raised and lowered with respect to the modeling tank; A method for manufacturing a modeled object using a stereolithography apparatus comprising a partition wall forming an airtight space and an air supply/exhaust unit for supplying or discharging gas to or from the airtight space,
forming a photocurable resin layer having a predetermined thickness between the bottom surface of the partition wall and the lower surface of the airtight space and the light transmission part by respectively raising and lowering the platform and the partition wall;
bringing the liquid surface of the photocurable resin layer into contact with the lower surface of the modeled object by the operation of the air supply/exhaust unit;
a step of irradiating the photocurable resin layer with the light corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the modeled object at a predetermined height from the light irradiation unit to form a cured layer;
and a step of relatively lowering the partition wall by the predetermined thickness with respect to the platform.

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