JPH06246837A - Optically shaping method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce shaping cost and enhance shaping accuracy by a method wherein use amount of high-cost photosetting resin is reduced, shrinkage and strain of a flowable material caused by setting are restrained, and a layer to be exposed to light is surely supported in a light exposing process. CONSTITUTION:As a flowable material, a mixture material 100 is prepared by mixing an uncured (or semi-cured) photosetting resin with a plurality of globes which are not shrunk under light exposure. An uncured lower mixture material layer 110B is formed by approximating the globes of the mixture material 100 to each other. Thereafter, a lower cured layer 111B is formed by selectively exposing the layer 110B to light. On the mixture material layer 110B including the cured layer 111B, an uncured upper mixture material layer 110A is formed. An upper cured layer 111A is formed by selectively exposing the upper mixture material layer 110A to light in the state that the upper mixture material layer 110A is supported by a plurality of globes of the lower mixture material layer 110B and the cured layer 111B.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereolithography method and a stereolithography apparatus, and more particularly to a stereolithography method and a stereolithography apparatus for selectively solidifying a fluid material by light to produce a three-dimensional object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, an optical modeling method and an optical modeling apparatus for modeling a three-dimensional object have been developed by applying plate making technology. In this stereolithography, an uncured or semi-cured photocurable resin (photocurable resin), which is a fluid material, is exposed to form a cured layer, and the cured layers are sequentially laminated to form a three-dimensional object. This is a molding method, in which data for each layer cross-sectional shape is created using an electronic computer etc., and the photo-curing resin is selectively exposed based on the data, so that it can be used for models and models during product development. It is possible to model complex three-dimensional objects.

An example of this type of stereolithography apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-227222 or in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-212131. In the former case, the liquid surface of the molding tank that stores the uncured resin liquid is scanned with laser light to cure the uncured resin liquid near the liquid surface into a predetermined shape, and the cured layer is submerged in the molding tank. After that, the next cross-section layer is laminated thereon while being adhered thereto.

In the latter case, the gel-like semi-cured resin is rolled into a sheet by a roller member and placed on a light irradiation table (work table). Is selectively exposed to form a hardened layer having a predetermined shape, and an upper hardened layer is sequentially laminated thereon, thereby
A dimensional object is formed.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional stereolithography method and stereolithography apparatus, since the entire object to be sculptured is formed of the same photocurable resin, the amount of photocurable resin consumed is large. However, there is a problem that not only the molding cost increases and the molding cost increases, but also the molding accuracy decreases due to the shrinkage of the resin when it is cured and the resulting distortion. Furthermore, when the hardened layer is overhanging or has so-called flying islands or a portion with a minute width, the hardened layer is likely to be deformed due to incomplete support during hardening, and this also leads to modeling accuracy. Was falling.

In addition, since the cured layer is formed by immersing the cured layer in the uncured resin liquid or curing a part of the semi-cured resin that is stretched in the form of a sheet to form a cured layer. As a result, the photocurable resin that remains on the molding tank or the work table after modeling increases, and the resin material deteriorates or is contaminated, so that the expensive photocurable resin cannot be used efficiently, This also causes a high modeling cost.

Therefore, the present invention reduces the amount of the photocurable resin in the fluid material, suppresses the shrinkage and distortion due to its solidification, and ensures that the exposed layer is supported during the exposure. The purpose is to improve accuracy and reduce modeling cost.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that a fluid material is selectively exposed to form a hardened layer of the material, and the hardened layers are sequentially laminated. A method of stereolithography for shaping a three-dimensional object by preparing a mixed material in which an uncured or semi-cured photocurable resin and a plurality of non-shrinkable spheres are mixed as the fluid material, After the spheres of the mixed material are brought close to each other to form an uncured or semi-cured mixed material layer, the mixed material layer is selectively exposed to form the cured layer, and then a mixture containing the cured layer is formed. The uncured or semi-cured mixed material layer is formed on the upper layer of the material layer, and the upper mixed material layer is selected with the lower mixed material layer including the cured layer supporting the upper mixed material layer. Specially exposed to form the upper hardened layer. It is an.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a molding tank having an upper opening and a bottom wall portion capable of moving up and down, a molding tank that moves along the upper opening of the molding tank, and an uncured photocurable resin and the resin. A material for forming a mixed material layer in which a mixture of a plurality of non-shrinkable spheres for exposure to light is supplied into the upper opening to bring the spheres close to each other in parallel to the bottom wall of the molding tank. A supply means, an exposure means for selectively exposing the mixed material layer in the upper opening, and a bottom wall portion of the modeling tank are lowered by a predetermined movement unit with respect to the upper opening, and An elevating means for forming a space corresponding to the cured mixed material layer, and an uncured mixed material layer is formed by a material supplying means on an upper layer of the lower mixed material layer including the cured layer formed by the exposing means. And mixing the uncured mixed material layer with the lower mixed material layer. Selectively exposed in a state of being supported on the layer, it is characterized in that so as to form an upper layer of the hardened layer.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is prepared a mixed material in which an uncured or semi-cured photo-curing resin and a non-shrinkable sphere are exposed, and the sphere of the mixed material is kept close to each other. A cured or semi-cured mixed material layer is formed, then the mixed material layer is selectively exposed to form a cured layer, and then the uncured or semi-cured layer is formed on the mixed material layer including the cured layer. A mixed material layer is formed. Therefore, the shrinkage of the mixed material layer at the time of exposure and the strain associated therewith are suppressed, and the upper uncured or semi-cured mixed material layer is the lower mixed material layer including the cured layer (planar arrangement in close proximity thereto). The upper hardened layer is formed with high precision because it is reliably supported by the exposed spheres during exposure. Further, since the mixed material contains a plurality of spheres, the consumption of expensive photocurable resin is reduced.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the material supplying means supplies the mixed material into the upper opening of the molding tank while moving along the upper opening of the molding tank, so that the mixed material is parallel to the bottom wall of the molding tank. A mixed material layer in which the spheres of are brought close to each other is formed,
When the mixed material layer is selectively exposed by the exposure means, a cured layer corresponding to the exposure pattern is formed.
Further, when the bottom wall portion of the modeling tank is lowered relative to the upper opening by the operation of the elevating means, a space corresponding to the thickness of the uncured mixed material layer is formed in the upper opening, and the hardened layer is formed. The next uncured mixed material layer is formed by the material supply means on the upper layer of the lower mixed material layer. Therefore, the mixed material includes spheres that do not contract upon exposure, and the upper uncured or semi-cured mixed material layer upon exposure is a lower mixed material layer including the cured layer (planarly arranged in close proximity thereto). Since it is reliably supported by the spherical bodies, the hardened layers of the respective layers are sequentially formed with high accuracy. Further, since the mixed material contains a plurality of spheres, the consumption of expensive photocurable resin is reduced.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 are views showing an embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the stereolithography method according to the invention described in claim 1, and also showing an embodiment of the stereolithography apparatus according to the invention as claimed in claim 2. It is a figure.

First, the structure will be described. 1 to 4, 10 is a modeling tank having a circular upper opening 11 and a circular bottom wall portion 12 that can be moved up and down, and 20 is a material supply unit (material supplying means) provided above the modeling tank 10. ). The bottom wall 12 of the modeling tank 10 is a flat modeling stage, and is vertically moved by an elevating means (not shown in detail) including an elevating spindle 13, and is lowered by a predetermined movement amount unit during modeling work. However, it is designed to descend relative to the upper opening 11 and to rise by a necessary amount at the end of modeling work. The descending amount of the bottom wall portion 12 corresponds to the thickness of the mixed material layer 110 described later, and by this descending, a concave space for forming the mixed material layer 110 is formed in the upper opening 11. ing.

The material supply unit 20 is made of a predetermined fluid material.
A hopper portion 21 that stores 100, a slide plate portion 22 that can slide (move) in the left-right direction on the modeling tank 10 along the upper opening 11 and a slide plate portion (not shown) that slides the slide plate portion 22. And a moving mechanism. As shown in FIG. 4, the fluid material 100 stored in the hopper portion 21 is, for example, an uncured resin liquid 101 of a known photocurable resin and a non-shrinkable material for exposure to cure the uncured resin liquid 101. A mixed material in which a plurality of glass beads 102 (spheres) having characteristics are mixed, and the photo-curable resin is cured by, for example, light in the ultraviolet region (or light in the infrared region, visible light, etc.). It is of a nature and has a very low fluidity. Further, the glass beads 102 have a diameter of, for example, about 30 μm (those having a different diameter can be selected depending on the required modeling accuracy).

A gear pump is provided in the lower portion of the material hopper portion 21.
23 is provided, and the gear pump 23 has a pair of rotors 231 and 232 having trochoidal tooth profiles formed on the outer circumference.
Both rotors 231 and 232 rotate in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 while maintaining the rotational phase in which the trochoidal tooth shapes are meshed with each other, and while aligning the glass beads 102 between the trochoidal tooth shapes and the inner wall surface of the hopper portion 21. The mixed material 100 is supplied into the upper opening 11 so that the glass beads 102 are close to each other (closely arranged) in a direction parallel to the bottom wall portion 12 of the molding tank 10, and a predetermined thickness is provided in the upper opening 11 of the molding tank 10. An uncured mixed material layer 110 is formed. The lower surface of the slide plate portion 22 is coated with Teflon coating or the like (not shown), so that the slide plate portion 22 can close the upper opening 11 of the modeling tank 10 at its central portion supporting the hopper portion 21. It has become. Further, the excess amount of the mixed material 100 that is excessively supplied to the concave space in the upper opening 11 is discharged through the gap between the rotors 231 and 232 in the arrow direction (upward) of FIG.

On the other hand, two circular exposure windows 22a and 22b sandwiching the hopper portion 21 are provided at both ends of the slide plate portion 22, and the exposure windows 22a and 22b are provided at the upper opening 11 of the molding tank 10.
It has a circular hole with the same diameter as. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, when one of the exposure windows 22a and 22b of the slide plate portion 22 is located on the upper opening 11, the inside of the upper opening 11 is exposed by the light emitted from the exposing means (not shown). The mixed material layer 110 is selectively exposed to light to form a cured layer 111 corresponding to the exposure pattern.

Specifically, the exposure means is, for example, a laser scanning device, and includes a laser light source, an optical system for shaping the laser light emitted from the light source, and a deflector for deflecting the laser light.
And a reflection optical system for scanning, and while converging the laser light (projecting toward the modeling tank 10) onto the surface portion of the uncured mixed material layer 110, the light is scanned in the first scanning direction. Scanning is performed in the (left-right direction in FIG. 2) and the second scanning direction (up-down direction in FIG. 2) orthogonal thereto. The laser light emitted from the laser light source is light that matches the properties of the photocurable resin 101, for example, light in the ultraviolet region (may be light in the infrared region or visible light). Further, the drawing pattern by optical scanning may have a plurality of hardened layers 111 (the shape of each layer pattern may be the same or different from each other. In addition, in FIG. , B are added so that they can be distinguished from each other.) When the three-dimensional object is a laminated body, it corresponds to each shape of the hardened layer 111, and is an uncured mixed material in the modeling tank 10. The layer 110 (for example, 110A) is selectively exposed and cured corresponding to this drawing pattern, whereby the cured layer 111 having a required shape is sequentially formed. Further, the hardened layer 111 is formed on the bottom wall portion 12 when the lowermost layer is formed.
The upper hardened layer 111 is bonded to the lower hardened layer 1
11 are sequentially stacked.

That is, in the present embodiment, the mixed material layer which is uncured by the material supply unit 20 is provided on the lower mixed material layer including the hardened layer 111 formed by the exposure means, for example, the upper layer of the mixed material layer 110B shown in FIG. Forming layer 110A,
The uncured mixed material layer 110A is selectively exposed while being supported by the plurality of glass beads 102 and the cured layer 111B of the lower mixed material layer 110B, and the upper cured layer 111A is exposed.
Are formed.

Although not shown in detail, in this embodiment, a control device for controlling the elevating means, the exposing means and the material supply unit 20 is provided, and this control device has a known three-dimensional CAD ( computer aided design)
The system is connected. This three-dimensional CAD system can create data of a plurality of cross-sectional shapes of a designed three-dimensional object with a minute interval, and each cross-sectional shape data is used as drawing pattern data of the hardened layer 111, and the cross section Is transmitted to the control device as layer thickness data of the mixed material layer 110 (cured layer 111). The control device draws (exposure) by the exposure means, operates the material supply unit 20 (operates the slide and gear pump 23), and the bottom wall 12 based on the cross-sectional shape data transmitted from the three-dimensional CAD system. The data for driving the ascending / descending drive is created and controlled, and at the time of this control, a scanning drive signal for driving the exposure unit in the two orthogonal scanning directions (hereinafter, referred to as X and Y directions), The drive signal of the laser light source, the drive signal of the elevating means corresponding to the layer thickness data, the drive signal of the sliding mechanism of the material supply means 20, the drive signal of the gear pump 23, etc. are generated and output at predetermined timings. Has become.

Next, an operation of the stereolithography method according to the second aspect of the present invention will be described together with an embodiment thereof. First, when a three-dimensional object is designed in advance by the three-dimensional CAD system, a plurality of cross-sectional shape data at minute intervals are created for the object to be modeled by this three-dimensional CAD system. Multiple hardened layers 111
Is sent to the control device as data of the drawing pattern and layer thickness.

On the other hand, the control device responds to the scanning drive signal for driving the exposure means in the X and Y directions, the drive signal of the laser light source, and the layer thickness data based on the sent drawing pattern data and layer thickness data. Drive signal of the lifting means, drive signal of the sliding mechanism of the material supply means 20, and the gear pump 23.
Drive signals and the like are generated, and these signals are output at predetermined timings.

In this state, first, the material supply unit 20 is positioned so that one of the exposure windows 22a and 22b is positioned above the upper opening 11 of the modeling tank 10, and the bottom wall portion 12 is predetermined. Driven to the position, a concave space having a thickness of one layer of the mixed material layer 110 is formed in the upper opening 11 of the modeling layer 10. Next, the material supply unit 20 slides in one direction and the gear pump 23 operates, so that the gear pump 23
By rotating the two rotors 231 and 232 of FIG. 1 in the directions of the arrows in FIG. 1, the glass beads 102 are aligned between the trochoidal tooth profile and the inner wall surface of the hopper portion 21, and the bottom wall portion 12 of the modeling tank 10 is aligned. The fluid material (mixed material) 100 is supplied into the upper opening 11 so that the glass beads 102 come into contact (close proximity) with each other in a direction parallel to, and uncured to a predetermined thickness in the upper opening 11 of the modeling tank 10. Mixed material layer 110 is formed. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4A, the uncured mixed material layer 110 becomes a layer having a constant layer thickness in which the uncured resin liquid 101 of the photocurable resin is adhered between the plurality of glass beads 102. And is flat along the bottom wall 12.

Next, when laser light is emitted from the laser light source of the exposure means continuously or intermittently in response to the drive signal, the laser light is deflected by the exposure means and projected onto the modeling tank 10. The light is focused on the surface of the uncured mixed material layer 110 and further scanned in the X and Y directions. Therefore, the optical scanning of the exposing means selectively exposes the surface of the uncured mixed material layer 110 in a predetermined drawing pattern, and the uncured mixed material layer 110 in the upper opening 11 becomes a cured layer 111 having a required shape. Harden. At this time, since the mixed material 100 is arranged in a plane so that the plurality of glass beads 102 are in contact with each other, even if there is shrinkage due to curing of the photocurable resin 101, shrinkage of the cured layer 111 as a whole (layer thickness Change and distortion of the printing pattern) are suppressed. Therefore, the hardened layer 111 having a preferable shape corresponding to the drawing pattern is formed.
Is formed.

When the hardened layer 111 is the lowermost layer, the hardened layer 111 is bonded to the bottom wall portion 12 simultaneously with hardening. When such a single exposure operation is completed and the hardened layer 111 having a predetermined shape is formed on the bottom wall portion 12, the bottom wall portion 12 is lowered by the thickness of the hardened layer 111 by the operation of the elevating means. Then, similarly to the above, a concave space having the layer thickness of the mixed material layer 110 is formed in the upper opening 11 of the modeling tank 10, and the work of forming the upper mixed hardened layer 111 is started.

After that, the same operation is repeated up to the uppermost hardened layer 111, and the upper hardened layer 111 is sequentially laminated on the lower hardened layer 111, whereby a plurality of hardened layers 111 are formed.
A three-dimensional object consisting of is formed. In the step of stacking the mixed material layer 110, the material supply unit 20 slides in the one direction or the opposite direction (the other direction) and the gear pump 23 operates, so that the two rotors 23 of the gear pump 23 are rotated.
By rotating 1 and 232 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, the glass beads 102 are formed between the trochoidal tooth profile and the inner wall surface of the hopper portion 21.
Are aligned, and the fluid material (mixed material) 100 is supplied into the upper opening 11 so that the glass beads 102 come into contact with each other in a direction parallel to the bottom wall portion 12 of the modeling tank 10, and the upper portion of the modeling tank 10 An uncured mixed material layer having a predetermined thickness in the opening 11
110 is formed.

At this time, for example, as shown in FIG. 4B, each of the glass beads 102 forming the upper uncured mixed material layer 110A is replaced with some of the glass beads 102 of the lower mixed material layer 110B. At the same time, the uncured resin liquid 101 of the photo-curing resin forming the upper uncured mixed material layer 110A is brought into contact with and supported by these, and the uncured resin liquid 101 adheres to the plurality of glass beads, and the upper mixed material layer. The glass beads 102 of 110A are not projected above. Therefore, the upper uncured mixed material layer 110A is formed as a flat constant-thickness layer reliably supported by the lower mixed material layer 110B.

Therefore, the surface of the uncured mixed material layer 110A is selectively exposed in a predetermined drawing pattern by the optical scanning of the exposure means, and the upper mixed material layer in the upper opening 11 is exposed.
When 110A is cured into the required shape of the hardened layer 111A, the mixed material layer 110A brings the glass beads 102 into contact with each other, and the entire layer is securely supported by the lower mixed material layer 110B. Therefore, the photocurable resin 10
Even if there is shrinkage due to hardening of 1, hardening of the hardened layer 111A as a whole is suppressed, deformation of the hardened layer 111A due to incomplete support is prevented, and the lower mixed material layer 110B.
The hardened layer 111A having a preferable shape corresponding to the drawing pattern is obtained in the same manner as in the formation of. As a result, a three-dimensional object to be molded can be manufactured into a designed desired shape.

As described above, in this embodiment, the fluid material 10
As 0, a mixed material prepared by mixing an uncured photo-curable resin 101 and a plurality of glass beads 102 (spheres) that do not contract with respect to the exposure is prepared, and a material supply unit 20 is provided along the upper opening 11 of the modeling tank 10. Mixed material in its upper opening 11 while moving
Glass beads of 100 mixed materials by feeding 100
After forming the uncured mixed material layer 110 in which 102 are brought close to each other in parallel with the bottom wall portion 12, the uncured mixed material layer 110 is selectively exposed by an exposure means to form a cured layer corresponding to the exposure pattern. 111, and then the bottom wall part 1
2 is lowered to form a space corresponding to the thickness of the upper mixed material layer 110 in the upper opening 11, and the mixed material 100 is mixed by the material supply unit 20 on the upper layer of the lower mixed material layer 110B including the hardening layer 111. By supplying the lower mixed material layer 1
The next uncured mixed material layer 110A is formed on the upper layer of 10B, and the upper uncured mixed material layer 110A is surely supported by the lower mixed material layer 110B including the cured layer 111B. The material layer 110A is selectively exposed by an exposing means to form an upper hardened layer 111A.

Therefore, a plurality of non-shrink glass beads
The mixed material layer 110 (mixed material) in which 102 are arranged in a plane has extremely little distortion due to exposure, and moreover, the uncured mixed material layer 110A in the upper layer has a plurality of glass beads 102 even in the portion where the hardened layer 111B does not exist in the lower layer. Since it is surely supported by the lower mixed material layer 110B closely arranged, even if the hardened layer forming region is overhung or has a so-called flying island or a portion of a minute width, the uncured mixed The material layer 110A is reliably supported, and the upper hardened layer 111A is hardly deformed. As a result, the hardened layers 111 are accurately formed, and the modeling accuracy of the three-dimensional object to be modeled can be dramatically improved.

Further, since each mixed material layer 110 (mixed material 100) contains a large number of glass beads 102, the hardened layer 111.
The consumption amount of the photo-curable resin 101 consumed in the above is reduced, and the consumption amount of the photo-curable resin 101 which is expensive for the entire modeling object can be significantly reduced. As a result, the modeling cost can be reduced. Furthermore, since a large number of glass beads 102 are included in the mixed material 100 that is not directly consumed as a shaped object, even in a shaping operation in which the shaped object is large or the area of the hardened layer 111 is smaller than the area of the mixed material layer 110, the shaping is performed. A very small amount of the photo-curable resin 101 used for the work is sufficient. Therefore, photocurable resin
Material loss due to deterioration and contamination of 101 can be significantly reduced, and in combination with the above-described reduction in the consumption of the modeling object, the modeling cost can be significantly reduced.

In this embodiment, the fluid material 10
0 is an uncured resin liquid 101 of a photocurable resin and a plurality of glass beads
Although the mixed material with 102 is used, the glass beads 102 may be replaced with steel balls or spheres made of other hard material.
The point is that the sphere should have a property of being substantially non-contracting upon exposure. Further, in the stereolithography method according to the invention of claim 1, instead of the uncured photocurable resin liquid, for example, a fluid material obtained by mixing a photocurable resin semi-cured in a gel state and the above-mentioned spheres is used. It is also possible to form a three-dimensional object by preparing and forming a mixed material layer in which the spheres are in contact with each other on the same plane and arranged in close contact, and sequentially laminating the mixed material layers while sequentially exposing them. Even in this case, the consumption of the photo-curable resin can be significantly reduced, and the modeling cost can be reduced. Further, in that case, it goes without saying that handling can be facilitated by setting each mixed material layer in a semi-cured state in which it can be held on the carrier sheet.

[0032]

According to the invention of claim 1, a mixed material is prepared in which an uncured or semi-cured photo-curing resin and a non-shrinking sphere are exposed, and the spheres of the mixed material are mutually An uncured or semi-cured mixed material layer is formed in close proximity, and then the mixed material layer is selectively exposed to form a cured layer, and then the uncured mixed material layer including the cured layer is formed on the mixed material layer. Since a hardened or semi-hardened mixed material layer is formed to ensure that the upper mixed material layer is supported by the lower mixed material layer, a fluid material containing only a small amount of expensive photocurable resin is used. At the same time, the shrinkage and distortion of the mixed material at the time of exposure are reduced, and moreover, the uncured mixed material layer having no cured layer as the lower layer is reliably supported by the plurality of spheres and the cured layer in the lower mixed material layer. be able to. As a result, the modeling cost can be significantly reduced, and the modeling accuracy can be significantly improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, while the material supplying means is moved along the upper opening of the modeling tank, the mixed material is supplied into the upper opening and mixed in parallel with the bottom wall of the modeling tank. A mixed material layer in which spheres of the material are brought close to each other is formed, and the mixed material layer is selectively exposed by the exposure means to form a cured layer corresponding to the exposure pattern, and the bottom wall of the modeling tank is also moved by the elevating means. And a space corresponding to the thickness of the uncured mixed material layer of the upper layer is formed in the upper opening, and the uncured upper layer is uncured by the material supply means on the upper layer of the lower mixed material layer including the cured layer. Since the mixed material layer is formed, the flowable material containing only a small amount of expensive photo-curable resin is used, and the shrinkage and distortion during exposure of the mixed material are reduced, and the existence of the hardened layer in the lower layer. Uncured mixed material It can be reliably supported by a plurality of spheres and cured layer of the composite material layer thereunder. As a result, the modeling cost can be significantly reduced, and the modeling accuracy can be significantly improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of an embodiment of a stereolithography apparatus according to a second aspect of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment.

4A and 4B are explanatory views of a part of a molding process in the one embodiment, FIG. 4A shows a step of forming a lowermost mixed material layer, and FIG. 4B shows a step of laminating the mixed material layer. Is shown.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 modeling tank 11 upper opening 12 bottom wall 20 material supply unit (material supply means) 100 mixed material (fluid material) 110 multiple mixed material layers 110A upper mixed material layer (uncured mixed material layer) 110B lower layer Mixed material layer (mixed material layer including hardened layer) 111 Hardened layer 111A Upper hardened layer 111B Lower hardened layer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A stereolithography method for selectively exposing a fluid material to form a hardened layer of the material, and sequentially stacking the hardened layers to model a three-dimensional object. As a mixed material (100) prepared by mixing an uncured or semi-cured photo-curable resin and a plurality of spheres that do not shrink for the exposure, the spheres of the mixed material (100) are brought close to each other and uncured. Alternatively, after the semi-cured lower mixed material layer (110B) is formed, the mixed material layer (110B) is selectively exposed to form the lower cured layer (111B), and then the cured layer (111B) is formed. ) Containing a mixed material layer (110
In the upper layer of B), an uncured or semi-cured upper mixed material layer (110A) in which spheres of the mixed material (100) are close to each other is formed, and a lower mixed material layer including the hardened layer (111B) is formed. The upper mixed material layer (110A) is selectively exposed while the upper mixed material layer (110A) is supported by (110B).
A stereolithography method characterized in that (111A) is formed. 2. An upper opening (11) and a bottom wall (12) capable of moving up and down.
A molding tank (10) having an uncured photocurable resin and a plurality of spheres that do not shrink when exposed to the resin while moving along the upper opening (11) of the molding tank (10). The mixed material (100) mixed is supplied into the upper opening (11) to form a mixed material layer (110A, 110B) in which the spheres are brought close to each other in parallel with the bottom wall of the modeling tank (10). A material supply means (20), an exposure means for selectively exposing the mixed material layer (110A, 110B) in the upper opening (11), and a bottom wall portion (12) of the modeling tank (10) are opened through the upper opening. Elevating means for lowering a predetermined movement amount unit with respect to (11) to form a space corresponding to the mixed material layer (110A, 110B) in the upper opening (11), formed by the exposing means. The uncured mixed material layer (110A) is formed by the material supplying means (20) on the lower mixed material layer (110B) including the cured layer (111B), and the uncured mixed material layer (110A) is formed. Mixed material layer of the lower layer selectively exposed in a state of being supported on (110B), the upper layer of the hardened layer (111A)
A stereolithography apparatus, which is characterized in that it is formed.