JPH11245306A - Optical molding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To speedily select and switch a resin in response to a material physical property, a molding precision, a molding speed or the like, and a usage of a shape model to be molded, in an optical molding. SOLUTION: Two photo-curing resin containers are provided on the top and the bottom, and at the same time, on the upper resin container, a moving or detaching means such as a sliding mechanism is provided, and in addition, a focal point switching means for an object lens 15, which collects laser light 12 on a resin liquid surface, is provided, and when a model is molded by a first resin 1, the upper resin container is moved by sliding or removed, and at the same time, the focal point of the object lens 15 is set and switched to a first focal point, for the constitution.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical molding apparatus for producing a three-dimensional resin model by curing a photocurable resin by irradiating a laser beam. The present invention relates to an apparatus for providing an optically molded object excellent in molding speed or dimensional accuracy.

2. Description of the Related Art An optical molding technique is known as a technique for creating a shape model from three-dimensional CAD data in a short time. As shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 5-33901 and Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 5-33899, the UV curing resin is irradiated with a UV laser in accordance with the contour data converted by rounding the CAD shape data. The molding is performed by repeating the curing and laminating one layer.

In stereolithography, after converting shape data into contour data, the resin liquid surface of the resin container is scanned with a laser beam in accordance with the contour data to expose and cure the photocurable resin. This operation is performed starting from the lowest layer of the contour line data, and is sequentially cured by exposure and laminated to form a shape model. For this reason, it is necessary to fill the photo-curable resin with a resin container having a size larger than that of the model in which the photo-curable resin is to be formed. For example, approximate dimensions: width 500
The dimensions of the photo-curable resin container for forming a model having a height of 500 mm, a depth of 500 mm, and a height of 500 mm are approximately 600 mm in width, 600 mm in depth, and 600 mm in depth. When the photocurable resin is filled, the total weight becomes as much as 300 kg. Even if the photocurable resin is replaced depending on the use of the model, extremely troublesome work such as extraction and cleaning of the resin is required. Also, even if the entire container is taken out and replaced, it takes a lot of work to draw out a 300 kg heavy object, and to move and replace it. Here, the necessity of replacing the resin will be described below. There are two points that need to be changed.
The first is that it is necessary to switch the resin according to the use of the model to be modeled from the viewpoint of the physical properties of the material, and the second, from the viewpoint of selecting and adjusting the exposure sensitivity. First, in terms of the first physical property, a high-strength resin is required for those requiring high strength according to the use of the model to be molded, and a high heat-resistant resin is required for those requiring high heat resistance.
For those requiring soft characteristics, it is necessary to switch the soft resin to form the object. The second exposure sensitivity is related to the choice between roughing the laminating pitch and increasing the molding speed to form in a short time, or finer laminating pitch and forming with high precision. Even if the resins have the same physical properties, it is necessary to use a resin whose exposure sensitivity is adjusted and switched according to the required dimensional accuracy or molding speed. If the laminating pitch is made fine with a resin for roughly forming the laminating pitch, excessive hardening occurs greatly, and conversely, the dimensional accuracy decreases. On the other hand, even when trying to form a coarse lamination pitch using a fine lamination pitch resin, the resin cannot be cured by exposure due to the thickness of the lamination pitch, and the upper and lower layers cannot be joined, making modeling of the model difficult. There is. As described above, it is necessary to switch the resin according to the use of the modeling model. However, as described above, it takes a great deal of time to switch the resin.
2 to 3 if the resin in the large container is removed and washed
It takes days. Further, even if the entire container is removed and replaced, workability is poor in terms of weight, and there is a problem that it takes half a day to one day. In contrast to the feature of stereolithography that a shape model can be created in a very short time, there is a problem that it takes time to prepare for resin switching and the feature of short-term creation cannot be exhibited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide two photo-curing resin containers vertically and a moving or attaching / detaching means such as a slide mechanism in the upper resin container, and to collect laser light on the resin liquid surface. Means for switching the focal point of the objective lens that emits light, the first focal point is set near the liquid surface of the lower resin container, the second focal point is set near the liquid surface of the upper resin container,
When the first resin is placed in the lower resin container, the second resin is placed in the upper resin container, and the model is formed with the first resin, the upper resin container is slid or removed and the focus of the objective lens is shifted to the first resin. The focus is set to be switched. On the other hand, when the model is formed with the second resin, the upper resin container is slid and arranged above the lower resin container, or is mounted and the focus of the objective lens is switched to the second focus. Achieved.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the configuration of an optical shaping apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. The first photocurable resin 1 is filled in a lower first photocurable resin container 2. Second photocurable resin 3
Is filled in the upper second photocurable resin container 4. Each photocurable resin container is provided with a work table 5 for modeling, and the work table is vertically moved between the liquid surface of each photocurable resin and the bottom of each container by vertical moving means 7, 8. It can be moved. Further, coating means 9 and 10 for coating the photocurable resin on the liquid surface are provided on the liquid surface of each photocurable resin container. The upper resin container 4 is a slide rail mount 11 provided on the upper side of the lower resin container 2.
On it. (The upper resin container 4 is the lower resin container 2
Located above). The laser beam 12 is emitted to a laser oscillator 13, enters an objective lens 15 via an optical switch means 14, and further passes through a galvanomirror 16 for scanning to a first light-curing resin container 2 in a lower first photocurable resin container 2. The light is condensed on the liquid surface 17 of the resin or on the liquid surface 18 of the second resin in the upper second photocurable resin container 2. The objective lens 15 includes two objective lenses 15a and 15b and a slide base 19, and the lens 15a and the lens 16b are mounted on the slide base 19. Optical axis of lens 15a and lens 15b
The optical axes are parallel to the laser light, and one of the optical axes coincides with the laser light beam by sliding. The lens 15b focuses the laser light on the first resin liquid surface, and the lens 15b focuses the laser light on the second resin liquid level.
The focal point was set so that light was condensed on the resin liquid surface. The system control means 20 controls the optical switch means 14 and the carbano mirror 16 so that the laser light is scanned on the liquid surface according to the shape data 21. Light-curing resin application means 9, 10,
The work table moving means is selectively switched by the switching box 22. The operation will be described. First, the operation of stereolithography with the first resin will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper second photocurable resin container 4 located above the lower first photocurable resin container 2 is slid on the slide base 11, and the lower first photocurable resin container 4 is moved. Withdraw from above the resin container 2. The liquid surface 17 of the first photocurable resin 1 of the lower first photocurable resin container 2 is exposed to the laser light 12. Further, the slide base 19 of the objective lens 15 is moved so that the optical axis of the objective lens 15a is set to coincide with the laser light beam 12. The focus of the objective lens 15a is long, and the laser beam can be converged on the second photocurable resin liquid surface 17 in the lower resin container. Thus, the preparation for modeling with the first photocurable resin is completed. The molding procedure will be described. First, after making the height of the work table 5 coincide with the first resin liquid level 17, the slice pitch P of the contour data of the molding model is obtained.
(For example, P = 0.1 mm) is submerged in 1 in the photo-curing resin liquid,
The first photocurable resin is applied to the work table surface with a thickness of the slice pitch P by the resin application means 9. The liquid level of the applied photocurable resin coincides with the liquid level 17 of the first photocurable resin container 2, the liquid level becomes uniform within the container, and the first photocurable resin liquid level is It is kept stable. Next, the optical switch is turned on to set the objective lens 15 (in the case of the first resin, the objective lens 15).
a), the first resin liquid level 17 via the galvanomirror 16
Is converged and irradiated with laser light. At this time, the galvanometer mirror 16 is controlled so that contour data 21 of the shape model is drawn on the photocurable resin liquid surface 17. Photocurable resin on liquid level 1
Is irradiated with the laser beam 12, and the exposed portion is cured. A contour having a thickness P can be obtained on the work table. Next, the worktable 5 is further lowered by the pitch P,
The photocurable resin is applied again, and the galvanomirror 16 and the optical switch 14 are controlled based on the second contour data from the lower part, and the contour of the next layer is drawn on the contour of the lowermost layer and laminated and cured. Thereafter, the entire shape can be formed by sequentially repeating the lamination. Thus, stereolithography can be performed using the first resin. Next, molding with the second photocurable resin will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper second resin container 4, which has been moved and retracted, is placed on the slide gantry 11 and installed at a predetermined position above the lower first resin container 2. The slide base 19 is moved with respect to the objective lens 15, and the movement is set so that the optical axis of the objective lens 15b coincides with the laser beam. Application means 1 by switching BOX
0, select and switch the control of the work table moving means. For the switching, the connectors may be replaced. Thus, the switching selection of the photocurable resin used for the modeling is completed. The molding procedure will be described. First, after making the height of the work table coincide with the second light-curing resin liquid level 18, the slice pitch P (for example, P =
0.1 mm) in the second photocurable resin liquid 3 and the photocurable resin application means 10 applies the second photocurable resin to the work table surface at a thickness of the slice pitch P. The liquid level 18 of the applied photocurable resin coincides with the liquid level of the upper second photocurable resin container 4, and the liquid level becomes uniform in the container,
The photocurable resin liquid surface 18 in the container is stably held. Next, the optical switch 14 is turned on, and the objective lens 15 (second
15b), the laser beam 12 is converged and applied to the second photocurable resin liquid surface 18 via the galvanometer mirror 16. At this time, the galvanomirror 16 is controlled so that contour data 21 of the shape model is drawn on the second photocurable resin liquid surface 18. The second photocurable resin 3 on the liquid surface is irradiated with the laser beam 12, and the exposed portion is cured. A contour having a thickness P can be obtained on the work table.
Next, the work table is further sunk by the pitch P, the photocuring resin is applied again, and the galvanometer mirror 16 and the optical switch 14 are controlled based on the second contour data from the lower part. Draw the shape and laminate harden. Thereafter, the entire shape can be formed by sequentially repeating the lamination. As described above, stereolithography can be performed using the second resin.

According to the present invention, it is possible to quickly switch the photo-curing resin and form a photo-curing resin having a material characteristic suitable for the application in a short period of time. Furthermore, when modeling is performed with the upper resin container, high-precision modeling of a small-sized model is possible, and when modeling is performed with the lower resin container, modeling of a large-sized model is possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical shaping apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration when a first photocurable resin of FIG. 1 is selected.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration when a second photocurable resin in FIG. 1 is selected.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... 1st photocurable resin, 2 ... 1st photocurable resin squeegee, 3 ... 2nd photocurable resin squeegee, 4 ... 5th photocurable resin container, 5, 6 ... Work table, 7, 8 ... Table moving means, 9, 10 Resin coating means, 11 Slide base, 12 Laser light, 13 Laser oscillator, 14 Optical switch, 15 Objective lens, 16 Galvano mirror, 17 First light curable resin liquid Surface: 18: second light-curing resin liquid surface, 19: slide base, 20: stereolithography control system circuit, 21: shape data, 22: switching BOX.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kiyoshi Wada 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside the Multimedia Systems Development Headquarters, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshiro Endo Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 292 Hitachi, Ltd. Multimedia System Development Headquarters (72) Inventor Masayuki Muranaka 4-6, Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Stock Company Hitachi, Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A laser light oscillating means, comprising:
OFF switch means, converging means for the laser light, planar scanning means for the laser light, a photocurable resin container, a work table provided to sink in the photocurable resin container, and the photocurable resin container A coating means for applying a photo-curable resin on the liquid surface of the photo-curable resin, and a control means for controlling the photo-curable resin. Irradiation and scanning on the liquid surface, the photocurable resin is exposed and cured on a work table, an uncured photocurable resin is applied on the cured layer in a layered manner by the coating means, and the uncured layer is In an optical molding apparatus for forming a shape model by repeating exposure and curing to form a shape model sequentially, a second work table, a photo-curable resin coating unit, and a second removable photo-curable resin container.
A light-curing resin container, a work table, and a light-curing resin application unit, and a laser convergence unit with a variable convergence position capable of switching between a first laser convergence position and a second laser convergence position in convergence of laser light. Have, second
When the light-curing resin container is removed, the convergence position of the laser beam converging means is switched to a first convergence position corresponding to the resin liquid surface position of the first light-curing resin container. A second photo-curing resin container configured to scan the liquid surface of the photo-curing resin on the work table of the resin container with the laser beam, to cure and stack the first photo-curing resin to form a model;
When the work table, the photo-curing resin applying means and the photo-curing resin applying means are mounted, the convergence position of the laser beam converging means is switched to a second convergence position corresponding to the resin liquid level position of the second photo-curing resin container. 2. A light characterized in that the photocurable resin liquid surface on the work table of the photocurable resin container 2 is scanned with the laser light, and the second photocurable resin is cured and laminated to form a model. Modeling equipment. 2. A laser beam converging means having a variable converging position.
A sliding means or a turret means for sliding movement is provided, and two optical lens systems having different optical axes are provided on the sliding means or the turret means so that the convergence positions of the laser beams of the two optical lens systems are different. And a convergence position variable laser beam convergence means for switching the convergence position of the laser beam between the first convergence position and the second convergence position by sliding the slide means or rotating the turret means. The stereolithography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: