JPH0493228A - Method for forming three-dimensional matter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily form a three-dimensional matter, which necessitates the lamination of photo-setting resin having the surface area larger than that of the photo-setting resin to be laminated on the surface of set photo-setting resin, by a method wherein the set photo-setting resin is immersed in liquid, the specific gravity of which is larger than that of un-set photo-setting resin, so as to make tire surface of said set photo- setting resin flush with tire surface of said liquid. CONSTITUTION:For example, the surface area of a slice Sn, which is formed on a slice Sn-1 is larger than that of the slice Sn-1. However, since the specific gravity of liquid 20 is larger than that of photo-setting resin 10, the photo-setting resin 10, which is discharged from a resin discharge nozzle 17b and projects beyond the slice Sn-1 over the surface 20a of the liquid 20, is set through the irradiation of laser beams 18a as under the condition being floated on the surface 20a of the liquid in the same layer, which is continuous with the photo-setting resin 10 on the slice Sn-1 or under the condition that the photo-setting resin 20 turning into the slice Sn is discharged on the slice Sn-1 having the area as if larger than the area of the slice Sn. Accordingly, the conventional beam structural body becomes unnecessary and consequently a divergent crosssectional three-dimensional matter can easily be formed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding a method for forming a three-dimensional object by laminating photo-curable resins in layers, a three-dimensional object is formed on the surface of the photo-curable resin with an area larger than the surface. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a three-dimensional object that can easily form a three-dimensional object that requires lamination of photocurable resin, and to Applying an uncured liquid photocurable resin to the protruding area and curing the uncured photocurable resin by irradiating light are repeated alternately, and the photocurable resin is laminated in layers to form a three-dimensional structure. In the method for forming a three-dimensional object, the cured photocurable resin is immersed in a liquid having a specific gravity greater than that of the uncured photocurable resin, and the surface of the cured photocurable resin is immersed in a liquid having a specific gravity greater than that of the uncured photocurable resin. Configure it so that it is level with the liquid level.

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a method for forming a three-dimensional object, particularly a method for forming a three-dimensional object that requires laminating a photocurable resin having a surface area larger than the surface of the photocurable resin. The present invention relates to a method for forming a three-dimensional object that can be formed into a three-dimensional object.

2. Description of the Related Art Due to recent demands for shortening product development periods, diversifying product designs, etc., it has become increasingly important to create a large number of product models in a short period of time at the product development stage.

As a method for forming such a product model, for example, 0.1 to 0.5
Deposition of uncured liquid photocurable resin with a thickness of approximately 1.0 mm, and photocuring of uncured resin using a beam of light, such as a laser beam, with a cross-sectional diameter of approximately 0.1 to 5 mm perpendicular to the optical axis. There is a method of forming a three-dimensional object in which the photo-curing resin is alternately irradiated and cured several times, for example, hundreds of times, and several layers of photo-curable resin are laminated to form a three-dimensional object.

The irradiation area of the laser beam on the uncured photocurable resin is as follows:
3D CA D (con+puter-aided
The product model of the three-dimensional coordinate data obtained by
When sliced to a thickness of approximately m, this corresponds to the contour line of each sliced piece, that is, the solid part of the product model.

[Prior Art] Next, a conventional method for forming a three-dimensional object will be described with reference to FIG.

The second figure is a diagram for explaining the conventional method of forming a three-dimensional object, in which (a) is a side cross-sectional view in the order of steps, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of B.
-B sectional view, the same figure (c) is a schematic side sectional view of a three-dimensional object with a cross-sectional area expanding toward the end, the same figure (cl) is a plan view of a slice piece having a beam structure, the same figure (e) is a It is a side view of a slice piece.

Note that the same symbols are given to the same parts and materials throughout the drawings.

In order to form a three-dimensional object in which photocurable resin is laminated in layers using the conventional method for forming a three-dimensional object, first,
), a plunger 15 of a lifting device (not shown) has a table 13 horizontally fixed at its tip.
a in the Z° force direction, that is, vertically downward, and table 1
Uncured liquid photocurable resin 1 containing 3 in a container 12
Slowly sink into 0.

Then, the distance between the surface of the table 13 and the liquid level 10a of the photocurable resin 10 is ΔZ (ΔZ is usually 0.1 to 0.
5 mm (set to a certain value, for example 0.5 mm), the movement of the plunger 15a is temporarily stopped.

Next, a laser beam generated by a He-Cd laser oscillator (not shown) containing light in the ultraviolet vA8I range that can instantaneously cure the photocurable resin 10, for example, light with a wavelength of 325 nanometers is used. 18a is irradiated all over the area A shown by the dotted line in FIG. A slice piece S having a thickness ΔZ of .degree. is formed.

After this, the plunger 15a is further moved vertically downward by ΔZ again, and the laser beam 18a is
is irradiated onto the photocurable resin 10 to cure it, and a slice piece S2 having a thickness ΔZ is laminated on the slice piece Sl.

By alternating the vertical downward movement of the plunger 15a by Δ2 units and the irradiation of the laser beam 18a onto the photocurable resin 10, the result shown in FIG. Slice pieces S of photocurable resin lO° shown in (b), S2. A three-dimensional object 11 consisting of +Sq is formed.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in some three-dimensional objects, the surface area of the slice piece S9 formed on the slice piece 511-1 is larger than that of the slice piece S It is often larger than the area.

When forming such a slice piece S7 on the slice piece S7, as shown in FIG.
A beam-like beam structure H extending laterally from the end face is formed when forming the slice pieces S, , -+, and the slice piece Sr+
The portion of the slice S1 protruding from -1 was supported by a beam-like beam structure H.

For this reason, after the three-dimensional object 11 is completed, the beam structure H protruding from its outer periphery is broken off and removed.

However, when the shape of the three-dimensional object 11 becomes complicated, it is extremely difficult to remove the beam structure H from the three-dimensional object 11.

The present invention was made to solve this problem, and its purpose is to simplify the production of three-dimensional objects that require lamination of a photocurable resin with a surface area larger than that on the surface of the photocurable resin. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a three-dimensional object that can be formed into a three-dimensional object.

[Means to solve the problem]

The purpose is to deposit an uncured liquid photocurable resin on the surface of the cured photocurable resin and the protruding area adjacent to the surface, and to cure the resin by irradiation with light as shown in FIG. In a method for forming a three-dimensional object, in which curing and curing of the uncured photo-curable resin are alternately repeated and the photo-curable resin is laminated in layers to form a three-dimensional object, the cured photo-curable resin is This is achieved by a method for forming a three-dimensional object, characterized in that the object is immersed in a liquid having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of the uncured photocurable resin, and the surface thereof is made horizontal with the liquid level of the liquid. .

[For production]

In the method for forming a three-dimensional object of the present invention, the portion of the uncured photocurable resin in the form of a slice that is next formed from the surface of the cured photocurable resin floats on the surface of the liquid. hardened in the state.

Therefore, in the method for forming a three-dimensional object of the present invention, the beam structure H, which is essential in the conventional method for forming a three-dimensional object explained with reference to FIG. 2, becomes unnecessary.

In this way, it is possible to create a three-dimensional object that requires laminating a photo-curable resin with a surface area larger than the surface on the surface of the photo-curable resin, that is, a three-dimensional object whose cross-sectional area perpendicular to the height direction widens toward the end. , can be easily formed by the method for forming a three-dimensional object of the present invention.

(Example) Hereinafter, an apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object according to an example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of an apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a liquid having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of an uncured photocurable resin such as an epoxy photocurable resin 10, such as a fluorocarbon-based liquid 20; A container 1 containing a table 13 that serves as a base for a three-dimensional object 11 formed by curing a photocurable resin 10
2 and 3D (Computer Aided D)
Three-dimensional object 11 to be formed obtained from esign) etc.
3D coordinate data, 3D shape! In the height direction of IyJII, that is, in the Z-axis (direction perpendicular to the XY plane, which is the surface of the table 13), n slices (from the lowest slice to SI+ S2+, etc.) are formed at a constant interval ΔZ. When cutting, three-dimensional coordinate data, which is the coordinate value of the contour line of each slice, is divided into slices S, S2
In addition to making it correspond to S, the slice pieces Sl, S2・
・The control device 14 stored in the order of So, and the control device 14
The inverted U-shaped plunger 15a is expanded and contracted in the vertical direction, that is, in the z-z' direction, and the table 13, which is horizontally fixed at one end, is moved in the z-z' direction within the container 12.
an elevating device 15 that moves with precision in the z'direction; an XY child table moving device (not shown) that moves the XY child table 6 with precision within the XY plane under the control of the control device 14; and an XY child table 6 that moves with precision in the XY plane. The resin discharging nozzle 17b, which is connected to the tip of the resin supplying vibrator 17a that penetrates the XY child table 6 and is defined in the XY child table 6, is installed in the XY child table 6 and is controlled by the control device 14. A resin supply device 17 that discharges resin IO diagonally downward, and a He-Cd laser oscillator 18 that generates a laser beam 18a containing ultraviolet light, for example, light with a wavelength of 325 nanometers, that exposes and hardens the photocurable resin 10. , the wavelength of the laser beam 18a generated by the He-Cd laser oscillator 18 is 32
Filter 1 that selectively transmits light around 5 nanometers
9a, a shutter 19b that is controlled by the control device 14 and alternately passes and blocks the laser beam 18a that has been selectively transmitted through the filter 19a; a condensing lens 19c that enters one end of an optical fiber 19cl having a magnetic field;
8a, and an irradiation lens 19e that irradiates the photocurable resin 0 being discharged from the resin discharge nozzle 17b and continuously cures the photocurable resin 10 immediately after being discharged. be.

Next, a procedure for forming the three-dimensional object 11 on the table 13 in the container 12 using the three-dimensional object forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention having such a configuration will be explained.

When the device for forming a three-dimensional object is started, the lifting device 15 controlled by the control device 14 temporarily stops the movement of the plunger 15a after making the surface of the table 13 match the liquid level 20a of the liquid 20o in the container 12. do.

After that, the control device 14 controls the XY child table 6, the resin supply device 17, and the shutter 19b, moves the XY child table 6 at the same time as the discharge nozzle 17b discharges the photocurable resin 10, and discharges the resin. The photocurable resin 10 discharged from the nozzle 17b forms a slice S of the three-dimensional object 11.
After filling out the area on the XY child table 6 corresponding to the solid portion of the photocurable resin 10, the discharge of the photocurable resin 10 and the movement of the XY child table 6 are stopped at the same time.

When the photocurable resin 10 is discharged and the XY child table 6 is moved, the laser beam 18a focused by the irradiation lens 19e is applied to the photocurable resin 10 immediately after being discharged.
is irradiated.

Therefore, at the time when the discharge of the photocurable resin 10 and the movement of the XY child table 6 are stopped, the photocurable resin IO has a thickness ΔZ of the cured photocurable resin 10°, for example, 0.
A slice piece SI of 5 mm will be formed on the table 13.

After forming this slice S1, the lifting device 15 controlled by the control device 14 pulls in the plunger 15a by ΔZ to make the surface of the slice S1 coincide with the liquid level 20a of the liquid 20.

After this, according to the procedure for forming the slice piece SI,
The slice piece S is formed by laminating the slice piece S2 having a thickness ΔZ on top of the slice piece S.

By repeating this method 0 times, n slices 5llS2 made of photocurable resin 10' are obtained.
1..., a three-dimensional object 11 formed by laminating Sn is completed.

By the way, for example, the surface area of the slice piece Sn formed on the slice piece Sn is larger than the surface area of the slice piece Sn, . However, the specific gravity of the liquid is 20%, and the photocurable resin has a specific gravity of 10%.
The photocurable resin 10 discharged from the resin discharge nozzle 17b and protruding from the slice piece Sn- onto the liquid surface 2Oa is in the same continuous layer as the photocurable resin 10 on the slice piece Sn1. The photocurable resin 1 becomes a floating state on the liquid surface 2Oa, that is, becomes a slice piece Sn.
0 is a slice piece (S) with a wider area than the slice piece Sn.
n-+), the laser beam 18 is emitted as it is.
It will be cured by the irradiation of a.

In this way, if a three-dimensional object is formed using the "three-dimensional object forming apparatus" according to an embodiment of the present invention, the beam structure H explained with reference to FIG. can be easily formed.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, a beam-like beam structure becomes unnecessary, and a three-dimensional object with a widening cross-sectional area can be easily formed.

Therefore, by using the method for forming three-dimensional objects of the present invention, it is possible to develop new products in a short period of time each time a three-dimensional object forming apparatus is introduced, and this will give us an advantage in the competition in the development of new products that will become increasingly fierce in the future. This means that we can proceed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of an apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a conventional method for forming a three-dimensional object. In the figure, 10 is an uncured photocurable resin, 10' is a cured photocurable resin, 11 is a three-dimensional object, 12 is a container, 13 is a table, 14 is a control device, 15 is a lifting device, and 15a is a Plunger 16, XY child table 17, resin supply device, 17a, resin supply vibrator, 17b, resin discharge nozzle, 18, He-Cd laser oscillator, 18a, laser beam, 19a, filter 19b, shutter 19c, condenser lens, Reference numeral 19d indicates an optical fiber 19e, an irradiation lens, 20 a liquid (for example, a fluorocarbon-based liquid), and 20a the liquid level of the liquid. /19c'1%jL-less (b) s-s tank d-cho σ-17'

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] Adhering an uncured liquid photocurable resin to the surface of the cured photocurable resin and a protruding area adjacent to the surface, and applying the uncured photocurable resin by irradiation with light. In a method for forming a three-dimensional object in which a three-dimensional object is formed by laminating the photo-curable resin in layers by repeating the curing of the curable resin alternately, the cured photo-curable resin is exposed to the uncured light. A method for forming a three-dimensional object, characterized in that the object is immersed in a liquid having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of a curable resin, and the surface of the object is made horizontal with the surface of the liquid.