JPH0985838A - Preparation of molding with three-dimensional shape - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To integrally form a hanging part downward of an upper layer and to make formation of a support which is a cause of a trace of removal unnecessary by forming the upper layer of the hanging part in the midway of lamination of a photo-cured layers and irradiating a photo-curable resin below it with a light through this upper layer. SOLUTION: A molding stage 50 is immersed a little in a photo-curable resin soln. 30 and it is irradiated above it with a light beam 60 to form a photo- cured layer which is the first layer of the lower part 11 of the main body of a molding 10 on the molding stage 50. Thereafter, the molding stage 50 is lowered a little and by repeating successive lamination of the next photo-cured layers, the lower part 11 of the main body with a specified hight is formed. Then, furthermore, thereupon, a photo-cured layer which is the first layer 121 of the upper part of the main body is integrally formed. Then, this time, the molding stage 50 is a little elevated and the photo-curable resin 30 below the first layer 121 is irradiated with a light beam 60 through the first layer to form integrally a photo-cured layer which is the first layer 131 of the hanging part below the first layer 121 of the upper part of the main body.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional shaped object, and more specifically, it uses a photocurable resin that is cured by irradiation of light to mold and produce an article having a three-dimensional shape. It is about how to do it.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A method for producing a three-dimensional shaped object using a photocurable resin is to form a complicated three-dimensional shape easily and accurately without using a molding die or a special processing tool. As a method that can be used, it is considered to use it for manufacturing various product models and three-dimensional models. Specifically, for example, JP-A-61-1114817, JP-A-63-141724, and JP-A-60-247515.
There is a method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication. JP 61-11
According to the method described in Japanese Patent No. 4817, a vertically movable molding table submerged in a photocurable resin liquid is arranged immediately below the liquid surface of the resin liquid, and the liquid surface is irradiated with a laser beam, so that the molding table is above the molding table. The resin liquid layer is photo-cured to form a photo-cured layer, and then the molding table is slightly submerged, and then the same steps as above are repeated to stack the photo-cured layers. Other methods also differ in the detailed steps, but are common in that a photocurable resin is photocured to form a photocured layer, and the photocured layers are stacked to obtain a three-dimensional shaped object. There is.

In the method of manufacturing such a three-dimensional shaped object, conventionally, the photo-curing layers are sequentially stacked from bottom to top for modeling. Therefore, for example, in FIG.
As can be seen in the figure, the three-dimensional shaped object 10 is the upper part 1 of the main body.
2 has a hanging portion 13, the hanging portion 13 has a shape that floats in the hollow. Therefore, the support lower portion 1 for supporting the support 20 from below is located on the left and right sides of the main body lower portion 1.
At the same time as 1, the stack was formed from the bottom, and the hanging portion 13 was stacked and formed simultaneously with the lower part 11 of the main body located on the left and right thereof. Hanging part 1
After forming 3, the main body upper part 12 is integrally formed above the main body lower part 11 and the hanging part 13 to complete the desired shaped article 10. FIG. 11 specifically shows each of the above steps.

[0004]

In such a stereolithography method, not only the step of forming the support but also the step of removing the support are required, and the removal mark of the support is formed. There was also the problem of being left behind. Then, the subject of this invention is providing the manufacturing method of a three-dimensional-shaped molded object which does not produce such a problem easily.

[0005]

Among the methods for molding a three-dimensional shaped object according to the present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, the method according to claim 1 is the method of irradiating a photo-curable resin with light to photo-cur it. In the method for producing a three-dimensional shaped object having a hanging portion by forming a layer and superposing the photo-curing layer, a layer above the hanging portion is formed during the superposition of the photo-curing layers. After that, the hanging portion is integrally formed below the upper layer by irradiating the light curable resin thereunder with light through the upper layer.

The method according to claim 2 is the method according to claim 1, wherein the upper layer is provided with a hole for facilitating transmission of a light beam for forming a hanging portion. The method according to claim 3 is the method according to claim 1, wherein the upper layer is provided with a thin portion for facilitating transmission of a light beam for forming a hanging portion.

In the present invention, after the layer above the hanging portion is formed, the hanging portion is integrally formed below the upper layer, so that the conventional support formation can be omitted. .

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention is applied to a structure having a hanging portion at least in a part thereof as a structure of a modeled object. The basic technique for molding a three-dimensional shaped article, such as a method of supplying a photocurable resin, a method of irradiating light, a method of forming a photocurable layer, etc., is a conventional method or device as conventionally known. It can be applied as it is. However, with respect to the method of superimposing the photo-curable layers, the following changes are made to the procedure for attaching the hanging portions. That is, in the past, since a support for supporting the hanging portion was also formed at the same time, the photo-curing layer for the support was stacked from below.However, in the present invention, this stacking is omitted and the photo-curing layers are stacked in the middle. That is, in the above-mentioned example, after the stacked formation of the lower portion 12 of the main body is completed and the layer above the hanging portion is subsequently formed, the photocurable resin thereunder is irradiated with light through this upper layer. By doing so, the hanging portion is integrally formed below the upper layer.

As the photo-curable resin, various photo-curable resins used in the conventional method for producing a three-dimensional shaped object can be used. Specifically, urethane-based, urethane-
Examples include acrylate-based, epoxy-based, and epoxy-acrylate-based photocurable resins. In order to mold the modeled object, first, the planar shape of each of the plurality of photo-curable layers forming the modeled object is determined. The photo-curable layer is obtained by dividing the entire shape of the modeled object in the vertical direction at regular intervals so that each horizontal section has a planar shape and the vertical interval of the horizontal section has thickness. Such a planar shape of each photo-curable layer is usually produced by converting the entire outer shape of the modeled object into electronic information by a CAD device or the like, and calculating the planar shape data of each photo-curable layer from this electronic information. If the plane shape of each photocurable layer is determined, the light irradiation area for forming each photocurable layer is determined corresponding to this plane shape, and the information of the light irradiation area is used as a laser beam scanning control device. By inputting in, for example, a photo-curable layer having a shape required for a modeled object can be formed.

[0010]

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, taking as an example the case where the molded article 10 of FIG. 10 is obtained. FIG. 2 shows the outline of the process of the present invention. In step A, first, the first layer 121 of the lower portion 11 and the upper portion 12 of the molded article 10 is stacked and formed, and then in step B, the first layer 121 is suspended below the first layer (layer above the suspension portion 13) 121. The part 13 is integrally formed, and finally the step C
Then, the remaining portion of the upper portion 12 of the main body is integrally formed above the first layer 121 by a stacking method.

FIG. 3 shows details of the step A. The photocurable resin liquid 30 is stored in the tank 40.
The molding table 50 is slightly dipped in the photo-curable resin liquid 30, and a light beam 60 is radiated on the molding table 50 to form a photo-curable layer on the molding table 50, which will be the first layer 111 of the lower part 11 of the main body 11 of the molded article 10. Form (A1). After that, the molding table 50 is slightly lowered and the next photo-curing layers are sequentially stacked and formed to form the lower portion 11 of the main body having a predetermined height, and the first upper portion 12 of the main body 12 is further formed thereon. A photo-curable layer to be the layer 121 is integrally formed (A2). This completes step A.

FIG. 1 shows details of the step B. After the first layer 121 of the upper portion of the main body formed as described above is formed, the molding table 50 is slightly raised this time, and the first layer is added to the photocurable resin liquid 30 below the first layer 121. The light beam 60 is radiated through the first layer 121 above the main body.
A photo-curable layer that will become the first layer 131 of the hanging portion 13 is integrally formed below (B1). After that, the molding table 50 is slightly raised to integrally form the next photo-curing layer below the first layer 131 (B2), and by repeating this, the hanging portion 13 having a desired height and shape is formed on the main body. It is integrally formed below the upper portion first layer 121 (B3). In FIG.
(1) to (4) show the details of the flow of steps for forming the hanging portion 13. This completes step B.

FIG. 5 shows the details of the step C. After the hanging portion 13 is integrally formed below the main body upper portion first layer 121, the molding table 50 is placed next time, and the main body upper portion first layer 121 is slightly below the liquid surface of the photocurable resin liquid 30. After being lowered to the position, the photocurable resin liquid 30 on the upper part first layer 121 of the main body is irradiated with a light beam 60 to form a photocurable layer to be the second part of the upper part of the main body (C1), and thereafter, molding. By lowering the table 50 slightly and sequentially stacking and forming the next photo-cured layers, the upper portion 12 of the main body having a predetermined height is completed (C2). And the molding table 50
Is pulled up to obtain the molded article 10 (C3). This is process C
Ends.

In the hanging portion forming step of the present invention described above
In addition, irradiate the light beam on the already formed photo-curing layer.
If the light irradiation energy exceeds a certain amount,
The light penetrates through this photo-curable layer and the photo-curable resin below
Light cure. The hanging part 13 uses this phenomenon
Then, it is formed. And for example, the energy density
E₁The thickness of the photo-cured layer obtained by irradiating
₁, Energy density E ₂Obtained by irradiating a light beam of
The thickness of the photocurable layer is t₂, Energy density E_ThreeLight beam of
The thickness of the photocured layer obtained by irradiating_ThreeThen,
Energy density E ₁, E₂, E_ThreeThe size relationship of E₁<E₂
<E_ThreeWhen, the thickness of the photo-cured layer obtained from each
Relationship is t₁<T₂<T_ThreeSo the light you are trying to get
The thickness of the hardened layer can adjust the energy density of the light beam.
It can be decided with. The energy density E₁
Energy density in the photo-cured layer obtained by irradiating
Degree E₁Even if the light beam of
No, but energy density E₂The light beam of
And Δt₂(<T₂), A photo-curable layer having a thickness of
Energy density E_ThreeWhen the light beam of_Three(<T
_Three) Can be formed into a photocurable layer. Where Δt₂
<Δt_ThreeIt is.

FIG. 6 shows a state in which a large number of holes 121a are formed in the suspended portion 13 of the first layer 121 in the upper part of the main body so that the light beam can easily pass through the first layer 121. . In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, assuming that the magnitude relationship between the normal and strong energy densities e and E of the light beam is e <E, the light beam is irradiated with the energy density e at the portion where the hole 121a exists, and By irradiating the non-existing portion with the energy density E, the thickness of the photo-cured layer is made uniform. Upper part of the body, first layer 12
Before forming the next photo-curable layer on No. 1, as shown in FIG. 8, the molding table 50 is lowered a little and the hole 121a is filled with the photo-curable resin liquid and filled with the normal energy density e. After the photo-curable resin is cured, the next photo-curable layer may be formed thereon.

FIG. 9 shows a state in which the light beam can be easily transmitted through the first layer 121 by forming the hanging portion 13 of the first layer 121 on the upper part of the main body as the thin portion 121b. . Normal thickness D of the first layer 121
_{When 1} is 0.2 mm, the thickness D ₂ of the thin portion 121b is, for example, about 0.1 mm. If necessary, the thickness of the thin portion 121b may be returned before forming the second layer.

[0017]

According to the present invention, after the layer above the hanging portion is formed, the hanging portion is integrally formed below the upper layer, so that the conventional support can be formed. Since it can be omitted, not only the step of forming the support becomes unnecessary, but also the step of removing the support becomes unnecessary, and moreover, there is an advantage that the removal mark of the support does not remain on the molded article.

According to the present invention, since a hole or a thin portion can be provided in the layer above the suspended portion, the irradiation energy of the light beam can be saved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a second step of an embodiment for obtaining a three-dimensional shaped object having a hanging portion by the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing each step of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a first step of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing details of a second step of the example of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a third step of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a state in which holes are formed in the first layer in the upper portion of the main body in the second step of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a light beam irradiation method in the case where a hole is provided in the first layer.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a method of closing the hole of the first layer.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a state where a thin portion is partially formed in the first layer of the upper portion of the main body in the second step of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional molded article.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a method for manufacturing the modeled object of FIG. 10.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Modeled article 11 Lower part of main body 12 Upper part of main body 121 First layer of upper part of main body 13 Suspended part 20 Support 30 Photocurable resin liquid 50 Molding table 60 Light beam

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for producing a three-dimensional shaped article having a hanging portion by irradiating a photocurable resin with light to form a photocurable layer, and stacking the photocurable layers, the method comprising: After the layer above the hanging portion is formed during the superposition of the cured layers, the light-curing resin thereunder is irradiated with light through this upper layer to irradiate the lower portion of the upper layer with the light. A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object, which comprises integrally forming. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the upper layer is provided with a hole for facilitating transmission of a light beam for forming a hanging portion. Method. 3. The three-dimensional shaped article according to claim 1, wherein the upper layer is provided with a thin portion for facilitating transmission of a light beam for forming a hanging portion. Production method.