KR20060034848A - Planarization apparatus for stereo lithography - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a resin layer flattening device for light shaping, comprising: a device for flattening the liquid level of a photocurable liquid resin secured on a work plate by being placed on the water tank side of a light shaping device, the work being moved on top of the water A blade for pushing and flattening the liquid level of the photocurable liquid resin secured on a plate, a movable block body coupled to the blade side and an upper end thereof and being guided along a lower linear guide means; It is provided to penetrate through the formed nut hole and the ball screw to move the moving block body by its rotation, and includes a rotary motor provided on one side for forward and reverse rotation of the ball screw at a constant speed.

Therefore, smooth photoforming is possible even for photocurable resins having high viscosity or high viscosity due to the addition of heterogeneous materials such as metal powders, thereby extending the scope of application of the photoforming technology and improving productivity through rapid forced flattening. It can be effected.

Photo-forming, photo-curable resin, flattening, blade

Description

Resin layer flattening device for light molding {PLANARIZATION APPARATUS FOR STEREO LITHOGRAPHY}

1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a conventional optical molding apparatus.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a resin layer flattening device for light shaping according to the present invention,

Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a resin layer flattening apparatus for light shaping according to the present invention,

Figure 4 is a schematic other side view of the resin layer flattening apparatus for light shaping according to the present invention,

5 is a schematic plan view of a resin layer planarization apparatus for light shaping according to the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

1: photocurable liquid resin 2: water tank

3: working board 4: elevator

5: X-Y scanning part 5a: laser beam

10: water tank 10a: outer collecting container

12: column 20: blade

22: blade holder 22a: connecting portion

24: supplemental resin supply port 30: linear guide means

40: movable block body 40a: upward extension part

42: support rod 44: fixed ring

46a: upper spring 46b: lower spring

50: ball screw 52: fixed base

60: rotary motor 70: coupling

The present invention relates to a resin layer flattening device for light shaping, and more particularly, it has a high viscosity, thereby forcibly flattening the liquid surface of a photocurable liquid resin that does not naturally have a liquid level flattening due to gravity, so that smooth light shaping is possible. It relates to a resin layer flattening device for light shaping.

In general, stereo lithography is a method for rapidly and accurately forming a three-dimensional object designed on a CAD (Computer Aided Design), and irradiating a laser beam having a specific wavelength to form a photocurable liquid resin. By hardening and laminating each layer to form a three-dimensional solid object.

1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a conventional optical molding apparatus.

The photoforming apparatus includes a water tank 2 containing a predetermined amount of the photocurable liquid resin 1 and a photocurable liquid resin 1 located in the water tank 2 and contained in the water tank 2 during the molding operation of the three-dimensional object. The work plate 3 which secures a certain amount of the medium, the elevator 4 which moves the work plate 3 to the up-down direction of Z-axis under control of a control part (not shown), and an XY axis under control of a control part. It consists of an XY scanning part 5 which irradiates the laser beam 5a to the working board 3 side while moving to a direction, and hardens the photocurable liquid resin 1 secured on the working board 3.

Here, the control unit is a part that performs overall control of the optical molding apparatus based on the shape data obtained by dividing the desired three-dimensional object into a thickness layer in the height direction.

Looking at the process of molding a three-dimensional object by using such an optical molding device, according to the control signal of the control unit, the elevator 4 lowers the working plate 3 by a predetermined distance and then raises the first on the working plate 3. The photocurable liquid resin 1 as much as the thickness for forming the layer is ensured.

After that, when a predetermined time passes, the liquid level, which is the upper surface of the photocurable liquid resin 1 secured on the working plate 3, becomes flattened by gravity itself, and then XY according to the control signal of the controller. As the scanning unit 5 moves in the XY axis direction, the first layer is cured and molded by irradiating the laser beam 5a toward the photocurable liquid resin 1 on the work plate 3.

Then, as in the first layer, the elevator 4 lowers the working plate 3 by a predetermined distance and then raises it according to the control signal of the controller, and the photocurable liquid resin having the thickness for forming the second layer on the shape of the first layer. (1) is secured, and after the same time as the above to be flattened, then the XY scanning unit 5 is operated so that the second layer is cured and molded on top of the first layer.

By repeating this operation, the thickness layer is continuously laminated and molded, thereby completing the molding of the three-dimensional object.

In addition, in recent years, the micro-optical molding apparatus has been developed to further develop the above-described optical molding apparatuses and to form micrometer-based fine products, and in the micro-optical molding apparatus, the micro-positioning apparatus is capable of fine positioning adjustment in the XY scanning unit 5. An XY precision stage is applied, a Z-axis precision stage is applied to the elevator 4 side, and is configured to enable fine focus control of the laser beam 5a.

On the other hand, in recent years, attempts have been made to target photocurable resins to which metal powders have been added in order to mold products having mechanical properties such as strength and durability, and conductivity using photoforming technology.

However, as the dissimilar material of the metal powder is contained, the viscosity of the photocurable resin is increased by several thousand times as compared to the original. Therefore, even after a certain time, the natural flatness is not achieved, and part of the liquid surface is convex. As a result, the surface irregularities are generated, resulting in a problem that the laminated molding is impossible.

In addition, in the conventional optical molding apparatus, since a predetermined time is elapsed for the natural planarization, there is a problem of a decrease in productivity due to the required time.

The present invention was devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and can forcibly flatten the liquid level of the photocurable liquid resin, so that it is possible to make the optical molding at a fast molding speed even for a photocurable resin having high viscosity. It is an object of the present invention to provide a resin layer flattening device for light molding.

The present invention for achieving the above object is an apparatus for flattening the liquid level of the photocurable liquid resin which is attached to the tank side of the optical molding apparatus to be secured on the working plate, which is secured on the working plate while being moved from the top of the tank. A blade for pushing and leveling the liquid level of the photocurable liquid resin, a moving block body coupled to the blade side and an upper end thereof and guided along a lower linear guide means, and a nut hole formed in the moving block body; It is provided to penetrate and provides a resin layer flattening device for light shaping comprising a ball screw for moving the moving block body by its rotation, and a rotating motor provided on one side for forward and reverse rotation of the ball screw at a constant speed. .

The above objects and various advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the preferred embodiments of the invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings by those skilled in the art.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the present invention, a resin layer flattening device which is attached to a photoforming apparatus and which can forcibly flatten the liquid level of the photocurable liquid resin secured on the working plate inside the water tank 10 is provided.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a resin layer flattening device for light shaping according to the present invention, Figure 3 is one side view thereof, Figure 4 is the other side view, Figure 5 is a plan view thereof.

The resin layer flattening apparatus according to the present invention is provided on the water tank 10 side of the photoforming apparatus, and the water tank 10 is a photocurable liquid resin completely filled therein, and an outer collecting of a larger size on the outside thereof. After the container 10a is integrally provided and filled in the water tank 10, the excess photocurable liquid resin is collected and collected therein, and the water tank 10 including the outer collection container 10a is placed in a lower column. It is supported by the columns 12 so as to be positioned at a predetermined height.

The water tank 10 may have a slightly higher upper end than the outer collecting container 10a, but the water tank 10 is not shown in the prior art work plate, elevator, XY scanning as essential components of the optical molding apparatus A part etc. are provided suitably.

An upper portion of the water tank 10 is provided with an appropriate length horizontally moving a blade 20 for pushing and leveling the liquid level of the photocurable liquid resin completely filled in the water tank 10 while moving from one side to the other side. 20 may be moved while maintaining close contact with the top surface of the water tank (10).

Blade 20 is made of a thin steel plate, can be provided standing in the vertical direction, the material may be made of stainless (sus) that can exhibit excellent corrosion resistance against the photocurable liquid resin in contact.

Furthermore, such a blade 20 is detachably mounted on the upper blade holder 22 so as to be replaceable, and the blade holder 22 integrally forms a connecting ring portion 22a at both ends thereof. have.

Meanwhile, a linear guide means 30 such as a guide block is provided at the bottom of the water tank 10 supported by the columns 12 and positioned on the upper space, and the linear guide means 30 is provided. The movable block body 40 is also provided to slide on the upper portion of the.

That is, the movable block body 40 is provided to be coupled to be slidably movable with respect to the linear guide means 30 through the lower surface side.

The movable block body 40 may be formed in a "c" shape in which the opened portion faces upwards, and an upper extension part 40a extending at a predetermined length toward both sides is formed at both sides according to the shape thereof.

In addition, support rods 42 having a predetermined length may be respectively provided on both upper extension portions 40a, and the support rods 42 may be integrally formed at both ends of the blade holder 22 described above. ) Will be inserted and combined to allow movement.

Here, the springs (46a, 46b) are inserted into the support rod 42 at the upper and lower portions of the connecting ring portion 22a of the blade holder 22, whereby the blade holder 22 is upper and At the same time, the lower springs 46a and 46b are elastically supported.

That is, the lower spring 46b is provided in a partially compressed state so that the upper and lower end sides thereof are respectively supported on the lower surface of the connecting ring portion 22a of the blade holder 22 and the upper surface of the upper extension portion 40a of the movable block body 40. The upper spring 46a is supported by the upper and lower ends of the blade ring 22 on the upper surface of the coupling ring 22a and the lower surface of the fixing ring 44 which is fixedly attached to the upper end of the support rod 42. It is to be provided in a partially compressed state if possible.

Here, the upper spring 46a is mounted in a state of being compressed a little stronger than the lower spring 46b, so that the blade holder 22 receives the force downward so that the blade 20 provided in the blade holder 22 is Always keep in close contact with the top surface of the tank (10).

Furthermore, a nut ball (not shown) through which a ball screw 50 provided at an upper portion thereof is parallel to the linear guide means 30 so as to be engaged therein. Is formed, the moving block body 40 is to be slidably moved while being guided to the linear guide means 30 in accordance with the rotation of the ball screw (50).

Then, one end of the ball screw 50 is connected to the output shaft and the coupling (coupling) 70 of the rotary motor 60 provided on one side, so that it can be rotated by the rotational driving force of the rotary motor 60. have.

Of course, the ball screw 50 is rotatably installed through one or more holder 52, the holder 52 also serves to reduce some of the vibration transmitted from the rotation motor 60 side.

Thus, the ball screw 50 is rotated in accordance with the rotational drive of the rotary motor 60, the moving block body 40 from one side to the other along the linear guide means 30 in accordance with the rotation of the ball screw 50. By being moved, the blade 20 coupled to the movable block body 40 is horizontally moved with respect to the water tank 10 to perform the flattening operation.

Of course, it is possible to adjust the moving speed of the blade 20 by controlling the rotational speed of the rotary motor 60, while controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the rotary motor 60 to enable the reciprocating movement of the blade 20 while the movement direction Can be controlled.

In addition, according to the present invention, a resin supply tank (not shown) may be provided at an upper position than the water tank 10, and the resin supply tank stores a large amount of photocurable liquid resin and supplies the water to the lower tank 10 side. The supply is made in a natural dropping manner through a connected supply pipe, and on the supply pipe may be appropriately provided with an on-off valve that can be controlled by the controller.

In addition, according to the present invention, both sides of the blade 20 or the blade holder 22 may be provided with a supplemental resin supply port 24 that can supply the supplementary photocurable liquid resin into the water tank 10, The resin supply port 24 is connected to the above-described resin supply tank through a supply pipe, but the opening and closing valves are appropriately provided on the supply pipe, so that the supplementary sight from the supplemental resin supply port 24 on the front side in the moving direction when the blade 20 moves. It can be configured to be supplied with the chemical liquid resin.

The operation of the resin layer flattening apparatus according to the present invention having the above configuration will be described below.

First, the photocurable liquid resin is fully supplied to the tank 10 so that the photocurable liquid resin is completely filled, and the excess photocurable liquid resin overflowing from the tank 10 is collected in the outer collecting container 10a outside the tank 10. do.

That is, by opening the on-off valve provided on the supply pipe connecting the upper resin supply tank and the lower water tank 10 for a predetermined time, the photocurable liquid resin stored in the resin supply tank is naturally dropped through the supply pipe to the water tank 10. After filling, the shutoff valve on the supply line is shut off.

Then, according to the control signal of the control unit, the elevator lowers the working plate in the water tank 10 by a predetermined distance and then raises it so that the photocurable liquid resin having the thickness for forming the first layer on the working plate is secured. The thickness of the photocurable liquid resin for forming the layer will be the distance between the lower surface of the working plate and the upper surface of the water tank 10.

Subsequently, the rotating motor 60 is driven to rotate at a constant speed according to the control signal of the control unit so that the ball screw 50 connected thereto is rotated in association with the moving block body 40 coupled to the ball screw 50. Is guided on the lower linear guide means (30) and is moved to one side, so that the blade 20 coupled to the moving block body 40 is simultaneously moved to one side of the photocurable liquid resin secured on the working plate The liquid level is pushed and flattened.

In this process, at the same time as the driving time of the rotary motor 60 is provided in the moving direction of the blade 20 of the supplementary resin supply port 24 provided on both sides of the blade 20 or blade holder 22. From the supplementary photocurable liquid resin is discharged, the discharged photocurable liquid resin is flattened while filling the unfilled liquid surface portion while pushing the blade 20.

Of course, as the blade 20 pushes the photocurable liquid resin, the extra photocurable liquid resin that flows out of the water tank 10 is contained in the outer collecting container 10a, and the blade 20 is disposed at one side. You can repeat the process of moving to the other side and coming back.

Thus, when the planarization work for the first layer is completed, the driving of the rotary motor 60 is stopped, the blade 20 is located on one side end side of the water tank (10).

Thereafter, the X-Y scanning unit is moved in the X-Y axis direction according to the control signal of the controller to irradiate a laser beam to the first flattened layer so that the first layer is cured and shaped.

Then, as in the first layer, according to the control signal of the control unit, the elevator lowers the working plate by a predetermined distance and then raises the photocurable liquid resin to secure the thickness of the second layer on the shape of the first layer. In the same manner as the blade 20 is reciprocated to perform the flattening operation, the XY scanning unit is operated so that the second layer is cured and molded on top of the first layer.

By repeating this operation, the thickness layer is continuously laminated and molded, thereby completing the molding of the three-dimensional object.

Of course, when the molding of the three-dimensional object is completed, the working plate is finally raised to the upper part to take out the three-dimensional object that has been completed.

In addition, while the X-Y scanning unit is moved according to the desired shape, the molding is performed. Alternatively, the scanning unit may be fixed, and instead, the working plate may be moved according to the desired shape and configured to be changed while changing relative positions.

As a result, according to the present invention, the resin layer is forcibly flattened, and thus, it is possible to smoothly perform photoforming even on a highly viscous photocurable liquid resin that is not naturally flattened. Therefore, the addition of heterogeneous materials such as metal powder It is possible to mold products with improved mechanical properties and conductivity using photocurable resins having high viscosity.

In the foregoing description, it should be understood that those skilled in the art can make modifications and changes to the present invention without changing the gist of the present invention as merely illustrative of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

According to the present invention, smooth photoforming can be performed even for photocurable resins having high viscosity due to the addition of heterogeneous materials such as high viscosity or metal powder, thereby expanding the scope of application of the photoforming technology and promptly forced flattening. The effect of improving the productivity can be achieved.

Claims (5)

An apparatus for flattening the liquid level of a photocurable liquid resin, which is attached to a tank side of an optical molding apparatus and secured on a work plate, A blade which is moved from the top of the water tank and pushes and flattens the liquid level of the photocurable liquid resin secured on the work plate; A moving block body coupled to the blade side and an upper end thereof and moved while being guided along a lower linear guide means; A ball screw provided to penetrate the nut hole formed in the movable block body to move the movable block body by rotation thereof; Resin layer flattening device for light shaping comprising a rotating motor provided on one side for forward and reverse rotation of the ball screw at a constant speed. The method of claim 1, Both sides of the blade side is selectively operated in accordance with the movement direction of the blade is provided with a supplementary resin supply port for supplying the supplementary photocurable liquid resin to the lower tank of the resin layer for light molding Device. The method of claim 1, The blade is detachably coupled to the upper blade holder, The movable block body is provided with supporting rods which are placed on both sides to face upwards, Connection rings formed at both ends of the blade holder are inserted into the support rods, respectively, and coupled to be movable. The connecting part is a resin layer flattening device for light shaping, characterized in that it is provided so as to be elastically supported by the upper and lower springs inserted in a partially compressed state to the support rod. The method of claim 1, Resin layer flattening apparatus for the photo-forming, characterized in that the outer side of the tank is provided with an outer collecting vessel which is collected by collecting the extra photocurable liquid resin flowing out of the tank. The method of claim 2, And a resin supply tank provided at an upper position of the water tank to store the photocurable liquid resin and to be supplied to the water tank and the supplemental resin supply port through a supply pipe.

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