JP5456400B2 - Manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method of three-dimensional shaped object - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method of a three-dimensional shaped object. More specifically, the present invention manufactures a three-dimensional shaped object in which a plurality of solidified layers are laminated and integrated by repeatedly performing formation of a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of the powder layer with a light beam. The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method.

  Conventionally, a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object by irradiating a material powder with a light beam (generally referred to as “powder sintering lamination method”) is known. In such a method, “(i) by irradiating a predetermined portion of the powder layer with a light beam, the powder at the predetermined portion is sintered or melt-solidified to form a solidified layer, and (ii) of the obtained solidified layer A three-dimensional shaped article is manufactured by repeating the process of “laying a new powder layer on the top and irradiating the same with a light beam to form a solidified layer” (see Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2). When inorganic material powder such as metal powder or ceramic powder is used as material powder, the obtained three-dimensional shaped object can be used as a mold, and organic material powder such as resin powder or plastic powder can be used. In such a case, the obtained three-dimensional shaped object can be used as a model. According to such a manufacturing technique, it is possible to manufacture a complicated three-dimensional shaped object in a short time.

  In the powder sintering lamination method, a three-dimensional shaped object is often manufactured in a chamber maintained in an inert atmosphere from the viewpoint of preventing oxidation or the like. Taking a case where a metal powder is used as the material powder and the obtained three-dimensional shaped object is used as a mold, as shown in FIG. 3, first, a powder layer 22 having a predetermined thickness t1 is placed on the modeling plate 21, as shown in FIG. After the formation (see FIG. 3A), a light beam is irradiated onto a predetermined portion of the powder layer 22 to form the solidified layer 24 on the modeling plate 21. Then, a new powder layer 22 is laid on the formed solidified layer 24 and irradiated again with a light beam to form a new solidified layer. When the solidified layer is repeatedly formed in this way, a three-dimensional shaped object in which a plurality of solidified layers 24 are laminated and integrated can be obtained (see FIG. 3B).

JP-T-1-502890 JP 2000-73108 A

  The present inventors have already devised an apparatus 1 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 as an apparatus for performing the powder sintering lamination method. Such an apparatus 1 is capable of performing “optical modeling” and “finishing” in one apparatus, and is referred to as “optical modeling combined processing apparatus”. That is, in the optical modeling composite processing apparatus 1, the “optical modeling part where the three-dimensional shaped object is manufactured”, the light beam irradiation means 3, and the cutting means 4 are integrally provided.

  Since this stereolithography combined processing apparatus 1 performs stereolithography and cutting with one apparatus, it can obtain a desired three-dimensional shaped article by “one process”. However, in the stereolithography combined machining apparatus 1, the metal stereolithography machine and the cutting finishing machine are substantially integrated, so that the modeling and cutting of the three-dimensionally shaped article are not completed. Does not start manufacturing the next three-dimensional shaped object. That is, in the case of manufacturing a plurality of three-dimensional shaped objects, it is not possible to perform a parallel operation or an external setup such as attaching the modeling plate 21 or removing a completed model.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances. That is, the subject of this invention is providing the apparatus suitable for manufacture of a several three-dimensional shape molded article.

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention,
(I) A predetermined portion of the powder layer is irradiated with a light beam to sinter or melt and solidify the powder at the predetermined portion to form a solidified layer, and (ii) a new powder layer is formed on the obtained solidified layer. It is a manufacturing apparatus for a three-dimensional shaped object that is repeatedly formed by irradiating a predetermined portion of the new powder layer with a light beam to form a further solidified layer,
A three-dimensional shaped object comprising a layer forming unit on which a powder layer and a solidified layer are formed, and a laser irradiation device, wherein the layer forming unit is detachable from the laser irradiation device. A manufacturing apparatus is provided.

  One feature of the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is that the “part where the optical modeling is performed” of the optical modeling apparatus is unitized to be removable. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the “lamination forming unit 100 on which a powder layer and a solidified layer are formed” is detachable from the laser irradiation apparatus 200.

  In this specification, the term “unit” as used for the layer forming unit substantially means a unit that is standardized so that it can be used in common for a “laser irradiation apparatus” and a “finishing machine” described later. ing. Therefore, it is natural that the stacking unit can be attached / removed between the “laser irradiation device” and the “finishing machine” in common, between a plurality of laser irradiation devices or between a plurality of finishing machines. But it can be installed and removed in common.

  In a preferred aspect, the lamination forming unit includes a “holding frame for holding the powder material” and a “laminate base for laminating the powder layer and the solidified layer”. A laminated base is provided inside the holding frame so that the base is relatively movable. In such a case, it is preferable that means for assisting the relative movement between the holding frame of the stacking unit and the stacking base is provided in the laser irradiation apparatus. Incidentally, a “modeling plate serving as a base of a three-dimensional modeled object” may be disposed on the laminated base.

  In another preferred embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention further includes a finishing machine, and the stacking unit is detachable from the finishing machine. In this case, the finishing machine and the laser irradiation device may be configured integrally with each other. In addition, it is preferable to use a pallet changer to attach / detach the laminate forming unit to / from the laser irradiation apparatus and / or attach / detach the laminate forming unit to / from the finishing machine, thereby realizing automation of the apparatus.

  The means for forming the powder layer with respect to the lamination forming unit may be provided in the laser irradiation apparatus, or may be provided in the lamination forming unit itself. From the viewpoint of simplifying the configuration of the standardized lamination forming unit as much as possible, it is preferable that the laser irradiation apparatus is provided with a powder layer forming means. The powder layer forming means is provided with a “leveling plate” or “material supply frame”. The leveling plate or the material supply frame is configured to be slidable upward with respect to the layer forming unit mounted in the laser irradiation apparatus. In addition, it is preferable that the material supply frame of the powder layer forming means is provided with “a cover portion that can cover the inside (laminate portion) of the holding frame when forming the solidified layer”.

  In particular, when manufacturing a plurality of shaped objects in parallel, it is preferable that the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of lamination forming units, laser irradiation apparatuses, and finishing machines. Also, a pallet changer is preferably provided to automate the attachment / detachment of the stacking unit.

In this invention, the manufacturing method of the molded article performed using the above-mentioned apparatus is also provided. Such a production method of the present invention comprises:
(I) a step of irradiating a predetermined portion of the powder layer with a light beam to sinter or melt and solidify the powder at the predetermined portion to form a solidified layer;
(Ii) forming a new powder layer on the obtained solidified layer and irradiating a predetermined portion of the new powder layer with a light beam to form a further solidified layer; and (iii) forming the solidified layer A manufacturing method of a three-dimensional shaped object that is performed by repeatedly performing a process of cutting (≈finishing)
A plurality of 3D shaped objects are manufactured in parallel, and solidified layer formation of one 3D shaped object and cutting of another 3D shaped object are performed in parallel. Yes. In such a manufacturing method, the part for forming the powder layer and the solidified layer is unitized as a laminate forming unit, and when forming the powder layer and the solidified layer, the laminate forming unit is installed in the laser irradiation apparatus, while in the cutting process Install the stacking unit on the finishing machine.

  In this invention, since the lamination | stacking formation unit can be attached or detached with respect to a laser irradiation apparatus, a parallel operation | work can be performed when manufacturing a some molded article. That is, it is possible to perform “optical modeling” and “finishing” substantially simultaneously when manufacturing a plurality of models, and the apparatus can be fully operated as a whole. Further, if described using another expression, “outside setup” is possible during the production of a certain shaped object, and the manufacturing time of a plurality of shaped objects can be reduced as a whole.

  In particular, in the present invention, since the stacking unit can be attached to and detached from the laser irradiation apparatus and the finishing machine, those individual elements can be made compact and the installation space of the apparatus is limited. But it can respond flexibly.

Sectional drawing which represented the concept of the manufacturing apparatus of this invention typically The perspective view which represented the concept of the manufacturing apparatus of this invention typically Sectional view schematically showing the operation of the powder sintering lamination method The perspective view which showed typically the aspect by which the powder sintering lamination method is performed in an optical shaping composite processing apparatus The perspective view which showed typically the structure of the optical modeling composite processing apparatus by which a powder sintering lamination method is implemented Flow chart of operation of stereolithography combined processing device Schematic representation of the optical modeling complex processing process over time Sectional drawing which showed the aspect which the lamination | stacking formation unit became removable with respect to the laser irradiation apparatus and the finishing machine typically Sectional drawing which showed the aspect using a pallet changer typically Sectional drawing which showed typically the aspect by which a finishing machine and the laser irradiation apparatus were comprised integrally mutually Sectional drawing which showed typically the aspect by which the cover part was previously installed in the laser irradiation apparatus (lamination | stacking part) The figure which expressed notionally a plurality of modeling objects using a plurality of laser irradiation devices, a plurality of finishing machines, and a plurality of lamination formation units Sectional drawing which showed the aspect which provides the removal means of unsintered powder typically

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the production apparatus and production method of the present invention are based on the technical matters described in the following [Powder Sintering Laminating Method] unless otherwise specified.

[Powder sintering lamination method]
First, the powder sintering lamination method as a premise of the production method of the present invention will be described. For convenience of explanation, the powder sintering lamination method will be described in detail using an optical modeling combined processing apparatus in which “optical modeling” and “finishing” are integrated. Metal powder and resin powder can be used as powder used in the powder sintering lamination method. The metal powder is a powder containing iron-based powder as a main component, and optionally at least one selected from the group consisting of nickel powder, nickel-based alloy powder, copper powder, copper-based alloy powder, and graphite powder. (For example, the amount of iron-based powder having an average particle size of about 20 μm is 60 to 90% by weight, and the amount of nickel powder and / or nickel-based alloy powder is 5 to 5%. 35% by weight, copper powder and / or copper-based alloy powder, or 5 to 15% by weight, and graphite powder to be 0.2 to 0.8% by weight A powder). The resin powder may be, for example, a powder of nylon, polypropylene, ABS or the like having an average particle size of about 30 μm to 100 μm.

  3, 4, and 5 show the function and configuration of an optical modeling composite processing apparatus that can implement the powder sintering lamination method. The optical modeling composite processing apparatus 1 includes a “powder layer forming means 2 for forming a powder layer by spreading a powder such as a metal powder and a resin powder with a predetermined thickness” and “inside a modeling tank 29 surrounded by a wall 27”. In FIG. 2, “a modeling table 20 that moves up and down”, “a modeling plate 21 that is arranged on the modeling table 20 and serves as a foundation of the modeling object”, “a light beam irradiation means 3 that irradiates a light beam L to an arbitrary position”, and “a modeling object Cutting means 4 ”for cutting the periphery of the main body. As shown in FIG. 3, the powder layer forming means 2 includes “a powder table 25 that moves up and down in a material powder tank 28 whose outer periphery is surrounded by a wall 26” and “to form a powder layer 22 on a modeling plate”. And the leveling plate 23 ". As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the light beam irradiation means 3 includes a “light beam oscillator 30 that emits a light beam L” and a “galvanomirror 31 that scans (scans) the light beam L onto the powder layer 22 (scanning). Optical system) ”. If necessary, the light beam irradiation means 3 has beam shape correction means (for example, a pair of cylindrical lenses and a rotation drive mechanism for rotating the lenses around the axis of the light beam) for correcting the shape of the light beam spot. And an fθ lens. The cutting means 4 mainly includes “a milling head 40 that cuts the periphery of a modeled object” and “an XY drive mechanism 41 (41a, 41b) that moves the milling head 40 to a cutting location” (FIGS. 4 and 4). 5).

  The operation of the stereolithography combined machining apparatus 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3, 6 and 7. FIG. 6 shows a general operation flow of the stereolithography combined processing apparatus, and FIG. 7 schematically shows the stereolithography combined processing process schematically.

  The operation of the optical modeling combined processing apparatus includes a powder layer forming step (S1) for forming the powder layer 22, a solidified layer forming step (S2) for forming the solidified layer 24 by irradiating the powder layer 22 with the light beam L, It is mainly composed of a cutting step (S3) for cutting the surface of the modeled object. In the powder layer forming step (S1), the modeling table 20 is first lowered by Δt1 (S11). Next, after raising the powder table 25 by Δt1, as shown in FIG. 3A, the leveling plate 23 is moved in the direction of arrow A, and the powder disposed on the powder table 25 is moved onto the modeling plate 21. While being transferred (S12), the powder layer 22 is formed to be equal to the predetermined thickness Δt1 (S13). Next, the process proceeds to the solidified layer forming step (S2), and the light beam L (for example, carbon dioxide laser (about 500 W), Nd: YAG laser (about 500 W), fiber laser (about 500 W), ultraviolet light, etc.) from the light beam oscillator 30) (S21), the light beam L is scanned to an arbitrary position on the powder layer 22 by the galvanometer mirror 31 (S22), and the powder is melted and solidified to form the solidified layer 24 integrated with the modeling plate 21. (S23).

  The powder layer forming step (S1) and the solidified layer forming step (S2) are repeated until the thickness of the solidified layer 24 reaches a predetermined thickness obtained from the tool length of the milling head 40, and the solidified layer 24 is laminated (FIG. 1). (See (b)). In addition, the solidified layer newly laminated | stacked will be integrated with the solidified layer which comprises the already formed lower layer in the case of sintering or melt-solidification.

  When the thickness of the laminated solidified layer 24 reaches a predetermined thickness, the process proceeds to the cutting step (S3). In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the cutting step is started by driving the milling head 40 (S31). For example, when the tool (ball end mill) of the milling head 40 has a diameter of 1 mm and an effective blade length of 3 mm, a cutting process with a depth of 3 mm can be performed. Therefore, if Δt1 is 0.05 mm, 60 solidified layers are formed. At that time, the milling head 40 is driven. The milling head 40 is moved in the directions of the arrow X and the arrow Y by the XY drive mechanism 41 (41a, 41b), and the surface of the shaped object composed of the laminated solidified layer 24 is cut (S32). And when manufacture of a three-dimensional shape molded article has not ended yet, it will return to a powder layer formation step (S1). Thereafter, the three-dimensional shaped object is manufactured by repeating S1 to S3 and laminating a further solidified layer 24 (see FIG. 7).

  The irradiation path of the light beam L in the solidified layer forming step (S2) and the cutting path in the cutting step (S3) are previously created from three-dimensional CAD data. At this time, a machining path is determined by applying contour line machining. For example, in the solidified layer forming step (S2), contour shape data of each cross section obtained by slicing STL data generated from a three-dimensional CAD model at an equal pitch (for example, 0.05 mm pitch when Δt1 is 0.05 mm) is used. .

[Production apparatus of the present invention]
The present invention particularly considers the efficiency of the manufacturing apparatus among the powder sintering lamination methods described above. In particular, the entire apparatus has been improved so that it can be efficiently manufactured as a whole when a plurality of shaped objects are manufactured. Specifically, in the above-described stereolithography combined processing apparatus, “stereolithography” and “cutting” are realized by one apparatus, whereas the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention performs “stereolithography”. It is characterized in that the “part” is unitized and removable.

  As shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, the apparatus 1000 of the present invention includes a “lamination forming unit 100 on which a powder layer and a solidified layer are formed” and a “laser irradiation apparatus 200”. It can be attached to and detached from the laser irradiation apparatus 200.

  The layer forming unit 100 is a portion where stereolithography is performed. That is, the lamination forming unit 100 is a portion where the powder layer and the solidified layer are laminated. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stack forming unit 100 mainly includes a “holding frame 101 for holding a powder material” and a “stack base 102 for serving as a table on which a powder layer and a solidified layer are stacked”. It consists of A stacking base 102 is provided inside the holding frame 101, and the holding frame 101 and the stacking base 102 are provided so as to be relatively movable. Specifically, as shown in a dotted line in FIG. 1B, the lower end portion 101a of the holding frame 101 and the base bottom plate 102a of the laminated base 102 are connected via a spring 103, and are in a compressed state. The relative movement between the holding frame 101 and the laminated base 102 is realized by releasing the spring 103 in stages. When the holding frame and the stacking base can be moved relative to each other in this way, the internal depth of the holding frame 101 can be adjusted, and stacking of the powder layer and thus stacking of the solidified layer can be realized. It should be noted that a “modeling plate 104 serving as a base of a modeled object” may be provided on the stacking base 102 of the stacking unit 100.

  As the name suggests, the laser irradiation device 200 is a device that can irradiate a laser. In the present invention, the laminate forming unit 100 can be attached to the laser irradiation apparatus 200 and the attached laminate forming unit 100 can be irradiated with laser. Therefore, the laser irradiation apparatus 200 has a laser head 201 at an upper portion thereof. The laser head 201 includes a light beam oscillator, a galvanometer mirror, various lenses (such as a cylindrical lens and an fθ lens), and the like. A modeling table 202 and a Z positioning table 203 are provided below the laser head 201 as shown in the figure. The modeling table 202 is a table on which a powder material is provided when the powder layer is formed, and a leveling plate and a material supply frame for leveling the powder material are arranged. In addition, the modeling table 202 is provided with an opening 202a, and the mounted stacking unit 100 is positioned inside the opening 202a. On the other hand, the Z positioning table 203 is a table on which the layer forming unit 100 is arranged at the time of optical modeling, that is, at the time of laser irradiation, and can be raised and lowered.

  When the stack forming unit 100 is attached to the laser irradiation apparatus 200, the stack forming unit 100 is disposed on the Z positioning table 203 of the laser irradiation apparatus 200. In this case, first, the holding frame 101 of the stacking unit 100 is arranged so as to be positioned in the opening 202 a of the modeling table 202 of the laser irradiation apparatus 200. When the Z positioning table 203 is raised in this state, the flange portion 101b of the stacking unit 100 and the edge portion of the opening 202a of the modeling table 202 come into contact with each other, and then the Z positioning table 203 is further raised. Thus, the spring 103 of the stacking unit 100 is compressed (see FIG. 1B for the contact state between the “flange portion 101b” and the “edge portion of the opening 202a”). As the spring 103 is compressed, the inner depth of the holding frame 101 becomes shallower. However, the Z positioning table 203 is raised until the depth suitable for forming the first powder layer is finally obtained, and the spring is 103 is compressed. Powder layer formation and solidified layer formation are started from such a state, but after the start of stereolithography, the Z positioning table 203 is lowered to release the compressed state of the spring 103 stepwise, contrary to the time of attachment. The inner depth of the holding frame 101 is increased so that the powder layer and the solidified layer can be stacked.

  As described above, the relative movement between the holding frame 101 and the stacking base 102 is realized by driving the Z positioning table 203 provided in the laser irradiation apparatus 200. Therefore, the stack forming unit itself has a power source. Not done. That is, the lamination unit does not have a power cable or the like and has a relatively simple structure.

Illustrating the operating procedure of the device of the invention:
(1) The modeling plate 104 is fixed on the laminated base 102 with a bolt or the like (outside setup).
(2) The stacking unit 100 is set in the laser irradiation apparatus 200.
(3) The height is matched between the upper surface of the modeling plate 104 and the upper surface of the holding frame 101.
(4) The laminated base 102 is moved downward relative to the holding frame 101 by one layer thickness (for example, 0.1 mm).
(5) A material supply frame 501 (described later) is moved in parallel to the upper surface of the modeling plate 104 to form a powder layer.
(6) Cover the modeling area with a cover 502 (described later).
(7) Laser modeling is performed by laser irradiation.
(8) The solidified layer is laminated by repeating the above (4) to (7).
(9) When the modeling is completed, the stack forming unit 100 is removed from the laser irradiation apparatus 200, and the modeled object is taken out (outside setup).
In this way, the modeling plate can be fixed and the modeled object can be taken out of the laser irradiation apparatus. Therefore, when the modeling is completed, the next layer forming unit prepared in advance can be set in the laser irradiation apparatus, which is efficient. It will be appreciated that simple manufacturing can be achieved.

  As shown in FIG. 8, in the manufacturing apparatus 1000 of the present invention, it is preferable that the stacking unit 100 is detachable not only for the laser irradiation apparatus 200 but also for the finishing machine 300 (for example, a machining center). Thereby, a parallel operation | work can be performed at the time of manufacture of a some molded article. That is, “optical modeling” and “finishing (≈surface cutting)” can be performed substantially simultaneously, and the apparatus can be fully operated as a whole. In other words, conventionally, the laser irradiation process could not be performed on the next modeled object while finishing the modeled object, but the apparatus 1000 of the present invention performs the finishing process on the modeled object. Even while it is in progress, the laser irradiation process can be performed for another shaped object, and the apparatus can be used efficiently as a whole. In order to increase efficiency, the entire apparatus may be automated. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, by using the pallet changer 400, the stacking unit 100 is automatically attached to and detached from the laser irradiation apparatus 200 and / or the stacking unit 100 is attached to and detached from the finishing machine 300. You may go to The “pallet changer” referred to in the present invention substantially means a device having a function of gripping and moving the stacking unit and placing it in a predetermined place. Incidentally, the timing at which the stacking unit is removed from the laser irradiation device and sent to the finishing machine is when the stacking is completed within the reach of the cutting tool. For example, as described above, when the tool (ball end mill) of the milling head 40 has a diameter of 1 mm and an effective blade length of 3 mm, a cutting process with a depth of 3 mm can be performed. When the 60 solidified layers are formed, it is preferable to remove the lamination unit 100 from the laser irradiation apparatus 200 and send it to the finishing machine 300.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the finishing machine 300 and the laser irradiation apparatus 200 may be configured integrally with each other. In such a case, the “outside setup” can be performed for the next another modeled object while the laser irradiation process and the finishing process of the modeled object are continuously performed.

  The powder layer forming means will be described. The powder layer forming means may be provided for the laser irradiation apparatus, or may be incorporated in the layer forming unit itself. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the powder layer forming means 500 is provided for the laser irradiation apparatus 200, and the powder layer is formed by leveling the material powder supplied to the modeling table 202. It is formed. Specifically, in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cylindrical material supply frame 501 is provided for the laser irradiation apparatus 200 as the powder layer forming unit 500. In this case, the material powder is leveled by supplying the material powder into the material supply frame 501 and sliding the material supply frame 501 (see FIG. 2B). When the material supply frame 501 is used, the material powder is supplied only to a limited area surrounded by the material supply frame 501, so that the material powder does not scatter on the upper surface of the modeling table 202, and the material powder is efficiently supplied to the layer forming unit. In addition to being able to supply, the material powder can be leveled by sliding movement of the material supply frame 501. The powder layer forming means 500 is not limited to the form of the material supply frame, and may have the form of the leveling plate 23 shown in FIGS.

  The laser irradiation apparatus 200 is preferably provided with a “cover that allows laser light to pass but can suppress contact between the powder layer and the outside air”. By providing the cover portion in the laminated portion (≈above the holding frame) at the time of the optical modeling, it is possible to prevent a problem of solidified layer formation due to oxidation of the powder material. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is preferable that a cover 502 is provided in a form associated with the material supply frame 501. In this case, when the leveling of the material powder is completed by the sliding movement of the material supply frame 501, the cover portion 502 is in an arrangement state in which the stacked portion can be covered from above. At the time of stereolithography, it is preferable to irradiate the light beam in a state where the space surrounded by the cover portion 502 is filled with an inert atmosphere gas (for example, nitrogen or argon). The cover 502 may be provided with an oxygen concentration meter (not shown) for measuring the oxygen concentration in the internal space, whereby the oxygen concentration in the cover 502 is higher than the predetermined oxygen concentration. The atmospheric gas may be supplied to the internal space only when it becomes. As shown in FIG. 11, the cover 502 ′ may be preinstalled on the laminated portion of the laser irradiation apparatus 300 (in the illustrated embodiment, the laser is placed on the fixed cover 502 ′. Head is attached). Furthermore, the form in which the cover part is provided with respect to the lamination | stacking formation unit may be sufficient.

  As described above, in the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention described above, the stack forming unit 100 can be attached to and detached from the laser irradiation apparatus 200 and the finishing machine 300. In particular, the stack forming unit 100, the laser irradiation apparatus 200, and the finishing process. A mode in which a plurality of machines 300 are provided is preferable. In this case, for example, by combining a plurality of laser irradiation devices 200 and a finishing machine 300 via a pallet changer, a plurality of operations (“optical modeling” and “finishing”) can be performed substantially simultaneously, A plurality of shaped objects (for example, a plurality of molds for a molded product including a plurality of parts) can be efficiently manufactured in a shorter time.

[Production apparatus of the present invention]
Next, the manufacturing method of this invention is demonstrated. The production method of the present invention comprises:
(I) a step of irradiating a predetermined portion of the powder layer with a light beam to sinter or melt and solidify the powder at the predetermined portion to form a solidified layer;
(Ii) forming a new powder layer on the obtained solidified layer and irradiating a predetermined portion of the new powder layer with a light beam to form a further solidified layer; and (iii) forming the solidified layer It is a manufacturing method of a three-dimensional shaped object that is performed by repeatedly performing a process for cutting,
A plurality of three-dimensional shaped objects are manufactured in parallel, and solidified layer formation of a certain shaped object and cutting of a different shaped object are performed in parallel. In order to carry out in parallel in this way, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the part for forming the powder layer and the solidified layer is unitized as a layered unit, and the layered unit is used for forming the powder layer and the solidified layer. Is installed in the laser irradiation apparatus, and the laminating unit is installed in the finishing machine during the cutting process.

  In the manufacturing method of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), a plurality of operations ("optical shaping" and "finishing") can be performed at the same time, thereby reducing the time loss of the manufacturing process as much as possible. Can do. More preferably, as shown in FIG. 12 (b), more efficient manufacturing can be performed by controlling a plurality of operations (“optical modeling” and “finishing”) via the control device. Specifically, all of the laser irradiation apparatus 200 and the finishing machine 300 are controlled by a computer, and the optimum apparatus in which the stacking unit is to be installed is sequentially determined. That is, the laser irradiation apparatus and the finishing machine are detected in real time to determine the laser irradiation apparatus or the finishing machine suitable for the target laminate forming unit. This not only automates the production of a plurality of shaped objects, but also allows a plurality of productions to be carried out in a more optimal state, thereby increasing the effect of shortening the production time.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention has been described, it has only illustrated the typical example of the application scope of this invention. Therefore, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the present invention is not limited thereto and various modifications can be made.

  For example, when a green product is cut using the finishing machine 300, if unsintered powder (≈powder that has not formed a solidified layer) is present, scratches remain on the surface of the product due to the influence of the powder. There is concern. Therefore, it is preferable to remove the unsintered powder before cutting. Since the removal of the unsintered powder may be performed at any time after the solidified layer is formed and before the cutting process, the unsintered powder removing means 600 may be provided in the laser irradiation apparatus 200 (FIG. 13). (See (a)), or may be provided on the pallet changer 400 (see FIG. 13 (b)), and may further be provided on the finishing machine 300 (see FIG. 13 (c)).

  In the above description (particularly the drawing), as shown in FIG. 1B, the lower end portion 101a of the holding frame 101 and the base bottom plate 102a of the laminated base 102 are connected via a spring 103. Although the relative movement of the holding frame 101 and the laminated base 102 has been realized, it is not necessarily limited to such a mode. For example, a cam mechanism may be employed in place of the spring mechanism in the stacked unit.

  Furthermore, since the repeatability is generally required for attaching and detaching the stacking unit, the laser irradiation device and / or the finishing machine may be provided with a positioning mechanism such as a pin. Alternatively, if necessary, the laser irradiation position may be corrected using an image processing apparatus or the like.

  With the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method for a three-dimensional shaped object of the present invention, various articles can be manufactured. For example, in “when the powder layer is an inorganic metal powder layer and the solidified layer is a sintered layer”, the resulting three-dimensional shaped article is a plastic injection mold, a press mold, a die-cast mold, It can be used as a mold such as a casting mold or a forging mold. In addition, in “when the powder layer is an organic resin powder layer and the solidified layer is a cured layer”, the obtained three-dimensional shaped article can be used as a resin molded product.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Stereolithography composite processing apparatus 2 Powder layer formation means 3 Light beam irradiation means 4 Cutting means 19 Powder / powder layer (For example, metal powder / metal powder layer or resin powder / resin powder layer)
20 modeling table 21 modeling plate 22 powder layer (for example, metal powder layer or resin powder layer)
23 Leveling board (blading blade)
24 Solidified layer (for example, sintered layer or hardened layer) or three-dimensional shaped object 25 obtained therefrom Powder table 26 Material powder tank wall part 27 Modeling tank wall part 28 Material powder tank 29 Modeling tank 30 Light beam oscillator 31 Galvano Mirror 32 Reflecting mirror 33 Condensing lens 40 Milling head 41 XY drive mechanism 41a X-axis drive unit 41b Y-axis drive unit 42 Tool magazine 50 Chamber 52 Light transmission window 60 Table frame 70 Material supply frame 70a Frame portion L of material supply frame Light beam 100 Laminating unit 101 Holding frame 101a Lower end portion 101b of holding frame Flange 102 Laminating base 102a Base bottom plate 103 Spring 104 Modeling plate 200 Laser irradiation device 201 Laser head 202 Modeling table 202a Modeling table opening 203 Z position Decision Table 300 Finishing machine 301 Cutting machine (spindle)
400 Pallet changer 500 Powder layer forming means 501 Material supply frame 502, 502 'Covering part 600 Unsintered powder removing means 1000 Manufacturing apparatus of the present invention

Claims (12)

(I) irradiating a predetermined portion of the powder layer with a light beam to sinter or melt and solidify the powder at the predetermined portion to form a solidified layer; (ii) forming a new powder layer on the obtained solidified layer And forming a further solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of the new powder layer with a light beam , and (iii) repetitively cutting the solidified layer. Manufacturing equipment,
Powder layer and the solidified layer is formed laminated unit solidified layer Ru are cut,
A laser irradiation apparatus for irradiating a predetermined portion of the powder layer with a light beam , and
A finishing machine for cutting the solidified layer ;
It is configured to produce a plurality of three-dimensional shaped objects in parallel, to form a solidified layer of a certain shaped object, and to cut another shaped object in parallel,
The three-dimensional shaped article manufacturing apparatus, wherein the stacking unit is detachable from the laser irradiation apparatus and is also detachable from the finishing machine . The lamination forming unit has a holding frame for holding the powder material, and a lamination base that becomes a table on which the powder layer and the solidified layer are laminated.
The three-dimensional shaped article according to claim 1, wherein a laminated base is provided inside the holding frame so that the holding frame and the laminated base are relatively movable. apparatus.   The apparatus for producing a three-dimensional shaped article according to claim 2, wherein the lamination unit further comprises a shaping plate disposed on the lamination base. The three-dimensional shaped article manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the finishing machine and the laser irradiation apparatus are integrally formed with each other. The apparatus for producing a three-dimensional shaped article according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the laser irradiation device comprises a powder layer forming means. The three-dimensional structure according to claim 5 , wherein the powder layer forming means includes a leveling plate or a material supply frame capable of slidingly moving above the layer forming unit mounted on the laser irradiation apparatus. Manufacturing equipment for shaped objects. The apparatus for producing a three-dimensional shaped article according to claim 6 , wherein the material supply frame has a cover part capable of covering the laminated part when the solidified layer is formed. The laser irradiation apparatus comprises means for assisting relative movement between the holding frame of the stacking unit and the stacking base, according to any one of claims 3 to 7 dependent on claim 2. The manufacturing apparatus of the three-dimensional shape molded article described in 1. The apparatus for producing a three-dimensional shaped object according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , further comprising a pallet changer for automatically attaching and detaching the layer forming unit. The three-dimensional shaped article manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , comprising a plurality of lamination forming units, laser irradiation apparatuses, and finishing machines. (I) irradiating a predetermined portion of the powder layer with a light beam to sinter or melt and solidify the powder at the predetermined portion to form a solidified layer;
(Ii) forming a new powder layer on the obtained solidified layer and irradiating a predetermined portion of the new powder layer with a light beam to form a further solidified layer; and (iii) forming the solidified layer It is a manufacturing method of a three-dimensional shaped object that is performed by repeatedly performing a process for cutting,
A plurality of 3D shaped objects are manufactured in parallel, and a solidified layer formation of a certain shaped object and cutting of a different shaped object are performed in parallel. Production method. The part that forms the powder layer and the solidified layer is unitized as a layered unit,
The three-dimensional structure according to claim 11 , wherein the layer forming unit is installed in a laser irradiation apparatus when forming the powder layer and the solidified layer, and the layer forming unit is installed in a finishing machine during cutting. A method of manufacturing a shaped object.

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