JPH11254544A - Photo-molding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To adjust the level of a photo-curable resin solution placed in a resin tank without waving, to largely curtail a molding time necessary for molding a three dimensional molding of a prescribed shape by photo-molding, to improve molding efficiency, and to reduce costs. SOLUTION: A closed expandable air tank 32 is installed in the bottom part of a resin tank 12 for receiving a photo curable resin solution 14, the tank 32 is expanded/contracted by controlling the amount of air to be supplied to the tank 32 by an air pump to adjust the level of the solution 14. Since the whole surface of the resin solution moves vertically, the waving of the surface is prevented during the adjustment of the level of the solution so that an applied liquid surface can be formed on the surface of an existing cured object 22 by an applicator.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical shaping apparatus, and more particularly to an optical shaping apparatus for molding a three-dimensional object having a predetermined shape using a photocurable resin liquid which is cured by irradiation with a light beam such as a laser beam. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the development process of various products such as electric equipment, a three-dimensional model of the product is prepared and a design and a mechanism are examined in advance. There is a need to make models quickly and inexpensively. Therefore, a light beam is irradiated to the photo-curable resin liquid contained in the resin tank, and the resin liquid is sequentially cured in a laminated state based on slice analysis data of the three-dimensional model, thereby forming a three-dimensional molded object. An optical shaping apparatus has been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-35966 [G06F15 / 60]).

[0003] In this conventional optical shaping apparatus, as shown in FIG. 8, an elevation table 4 driven by an elevation control device 3 is horizontally arranged in a photocurable resin liquid 2 contained in a resin tank 1. And a projector 5 for irradiating a light beam onto the liquid surface of the photo-curable resin liquid 2. The movement of the projector 5 is controlled by a movement control device 6 in a XY direction in a horizontal plane.

[0004] An ultraviolet laser beam from an ultraviolet laser device 8 is supplied to the projector 5 via an optical filter 7. The optical filter 7 adjusts the output of the ultraviolet laser device 8. The elevation control device 3, the movement control device 6, and the optical filter 7 are all controlled by the control computer 9 in relation to each other.

In this stereolithography apparatus, contour data is created by slicing shape data of a three-dimensional object, for example, a model designed by a CAD system, and the contour data is supplied to the control computer 9. Therefore,
The control computer 9 lowers the elevating table 4 in the resin tank 1 at a constant pitch (about 0.1 to 0.3 mm) and scans the ultraviolet laser beam from the projector 5 in the XY direction based on the contour data. .

[0006] By this scanning, the lifting table 3
The resin layers cured in a shape corresponding to the contour data are sequentially laminated, and a three-dimensional structure having a predetermined shape is finally formed. Although not shown in FIG. 5, in this type of stereolithography apparatus, a coating device that moves in a horizontal plane is disposed above the resin tank 1, and the lifting table 4 is moved by the coating device.
A resin liquid is applied to a uniform thickness (about 0.1 to 0.3 mm) on the surface of the cured material which is sequentially laminated and cured, and irradiated with a light beam.

[0007]

In order to form a three-dimensional object having a predetermined shape by such an optical molding, an up-and-down elevating type resin supply mechanism is provided in a resin tank, and an uncured object placed on an elevating table is provided. When the resin supply mechanism is moved up and down in a process before uniformly applying the resin liquid on the surface, the resin liquid surface is wavy due to the influence. The time it takes for this undulation to stabilize
Although it depends on the viscosity of the resin liquid, when the viscosity is high, about 30 seconds are required.

In the case of molding a three-dimensional object, the number of times of applying the resin liquid (corresponding to the number of laminations) is from 500 to 1,000.
0 times, the cumulative waiting time until the waving of the resin liquid level is eliminated is 30 × (500 to 1,000) = 15.0.
It takes 00 to 30,000 seconds (approximately 4 hours to 8 hours). As a result, there is a problem that the time required for optical shaping is increased, the shaping efficiency is deteriorated, and the cost is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide an optical shaping apparatus capable of easily adjusting the level of a resin liquid in a resin tank before a coating step without waving the liquid surface.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a resin tank for containing a photo-curable resin liquid, an elevating table for elevating and lowering the inside of the resin tank in a horizontal state, and placing a cured material, and an elevating table. Lifting and lowering control means to be driven; coating means for applying a uniform thickness of the resin liquid on the surface of the cured product placed on the lifting table; and scanning of the light beam on the resin liquid surface applied by the coating means. An optical shaping apparatus comprising a light beam irradiation means for applying and curing a predetermined portion, wherein expansion and contraction means for adjusting the level of the photocurable resin liquid at the bottom in the resin tank are provided. It is an optical molding device.

[0011]

The expansion and contraction of the expansion and contraction means provided at the bottom of the resin tank containing the photocurable resin liquid causes the entire resin liquid to move up and down. For this reason, the resin liquid surface rises or falls without waving, and the surface of the cured product placed on the elevating table is covered with the resin liquid surface in a calm state, so that the application step by the application means can be promptly performed. it can.

[0012]

According to the present invention, it is possible to adjust the level of the resin liquid without waving the liquid surface, and the light beam is applied to the coating liquid surface of uniform thickness formed on the elevating table. When forming a three-dimensional molded object by performing the above, the molding time is greatly reduced. Therefore, the modeling efficiency is improved and the cost can be reduced.

The above objects, other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An optical shaping apparatus 1 according to this embodiment shown in FIGS.
0 includes a rectangular parallelepiped resin tank 12.
Contains a photocurable resin liquid 14. An elevating table 20 which is horizontally supported by L-shaped support arms 18 and 18 of a pair of elevating controllers 16 and 16 provided on the left and right is disposed in the resin tank 12. The cured product 22 formed in a stacked state is placed.

On the upper part of the resin tank 12, the surface of the cured material 22 placed on the elevating table 20 has a thickness of 0.1 m.
A coating device 24 for forming a coating liquid surface of a resin liquid of about m to 0.3 mm is provided, and a light beam for scanning the coating liquid surface of the cured material 22 with a light beam above the resin tank 12. An irradiation device 26 is provided. The light beam irradiation device 26 includes a light source unit 28 that generates an ultraviolet laser beam, and a moving mirror 30 that changes the direction of the light beam and irradiates the light at right angles to the coating liquid surface.

At the bottom of the resin tank 12, there is disposed a sealed and expandable air tank 32 which performs an expansion and contraction action. This air tank 32 is made of, for example, a rubber having heat resistance and chemical resistance. And the like. The air tank 32 is provided with an air supply port 34 protruding outside from the bottom surface of the resin tank 12, and an air pump 36 is connected to the air supply port 34. The pump 36 controls the amount of air supplied to the air tank 32 by a liquid level detection sensor 38 provided in the resin tank 12, and
The level of the liquid level of the photo-curable resin liquid 14 stored in 2 is adjusted.

In the stereolithography apparatus of this embodiment, when performing stereolithography, first, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, in the initial state before the start of the modeling, the photocurable resin housed in the resin tank 12 is first set. The liquid level of the resin liquid 14 and the height of the lifting table 20 are at the same position. Next, the elevating table 20 is lowered by the same amount as the thickness of one lamination (about 0.1 to 0.3 mm). In this state, air is supplied from the pump 36 to the air tank 32 to expand the air tank 32 and raise the resin liquid level from the upper surface of the lifting table 20. When the liquid level of the resin tank 12 rises to a predetermined position, the liquid level position detection sensor 38
To stop the air supply to the air tank 32. Thereafter, when the air in the air tank 32 is partially discharged and the air tank 32 is contracted, the liquid surface position in the resin tank 12 falls and returns to the substantially original position.

In this state, a knife as the coating device 24 is horizontally moved from right to left to remove excess resin liquid on the lifting table 20. This operation corresponds to the thickness of one stack on the lifting table 20 (0.1 to 0.3).
mm) and a uniform and stable coating liquid surface is formed.
Next, based on the slice data of the three-dimensional object, the light beam irradiation device 26 scans the coating liquid surface on the elevating table 20 with laser light, and the portion irradiated with the laser light is immediately cured. On the elevating table 20, one layer of the cured product 22 is formed.

When the scanning of the light beam is completed, the elevating table 20 is lowered by one stack, and the above-described operation steps are repeated to further place the second and third layers on the hardened material 22 of one stack. Layers... Nth layer are sequentially laminated, and a three-dimensional structure 40 having a predetermined shape is formed on the elevating table 18. After the lamination is completed, the elevating table 20 is raised from the photocurable resin liquid level of the resin tank 12, and the laminated optical structure 40 is removed from the elevating table 20, thereby obtaining a completed model. Note that the position of the knife as the coating device 24 moves to the left and right opposite sides for each layer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part at the time of light beam irradiation and a main part cross-sectional view of an air tank.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part after irradiating a light beam and a main part of an air tank.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a flow of stereolithography.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a flow of stereolithography.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a flow of stereolithography.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a flow of stereolithography.

FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory view of a conventional stereolithography apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Stereolithography device 12 ... Resin tank 14 ... Photocurable resin liquid 16 ... Elevation control device 20 ... Elevation table 22 ... Pre-cured material 24 ... Coating device (knife) 26 ... Light beam irradiation device 32 ... Air tank 36 ... Air Pump 38: Liquid level detection sensor

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A resin tank containing a photocurable resin liquid, an elevating table for elevating and lowering the inside of the resin tank in a horizontal state, and mounting a cured product, and elevating control means for driving the elevating table, Coating means for applying the resin liquid to a uniform thickness on the surface of the cured product placed on the elevating table, and scanning the light surface of the resin liquid applied by the coating means with a light beam to form a predetermined portion. An optical shaping apparatus comprising: a light beam irradiating means for curing; and an expanding / shrinking means for adjusting a level of a photocurable resin liquid at a bottom portion in the resin tank. 2. The expansion / contraction means includes a sealed telescopic air tank, and a pump means for sucking air from the air tank or supplying air to the air tank.
The stereolithography device according to claim 1. 3. The stereolithography apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said air tank is formed of rubber having heat resistance and chemical resistance. 4. The air tank includes an air supply port protruding from the resin tank and connected to the pump means.
The stereolithography apparatus according to claim 2. 5. The air pump according to claim 2, wherein said pump means is controlled by a liquid level detection sensor provided in said resin tank to adjust the amount of air supplied to said air tank. Stereolithography equipment.