WO2008075450A1

WO2008075450A1 - Method of forming three-dimensional printing image

Info

Publication number: WO2008075450A1
Application number: PCT/JP2007/001322
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chizuo Ozawa
Original assignee: Mastermind Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2006-12-18
Filing date: 2007-11-29
Publication date: 2008-06-26
Also published as: JP2008149560A; JP5007113B2

Abstract

A heating lamp unit (40) is installed in a head carriage (10) of a three-dimensional printing image forming device (1) and moves together with an ink jet head (11). When a resin ink droplet expelled from the ink jet head (11) arrives at a printing medium (30), a spot-like irradiating heat by the heating lamp unit (40) scans the ink jet arriving point, which is thermally melted, and the ink droplet is thermally hardened. Since thermal absorption rates are different from ink density and ink colors, thermal melting amounts on the printing medium surface are varied in accordance with the thermal absorption rates. As a result of this, a three-dimensional printing image is formed on the printing medium surface with the depth varied in accordance with printing density or printing colors.

Description

Specification

3D printing image production method

Technical field

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional printed image that can produce a three-dimensional printed image with unevenness using an inkjet head.

Background art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for producing a three-dimensional printed image with unevenness using an ink jet printer. In the method disclosed herein, a print image is formed on the surface of a substrate using an ink jet printer, a base material is attached to the surface of the print image to form a three-dimensional print surface, and the three-dimensional print surface is formed on the surface. Again, the print image is formed by the ink jet printer.

Patent Document 1: WO 2 0 0 3/0 8 0 3 4 4 pamphlet

[0003] Here, in an ink jet printer, ink droplets ejected from an ink jet head land on the surface of a recording medium, and are absorbed and cured there, and are fixed on the surface. In order to fix the ink droplets that have landed efficiently, the surface of the recording medium may be heated. In particular, heating is effective when printing on a recording medium made of a material to which water-based ink or solvent ink is difficult to fix. In addition, when printing is performed using a thermosetting ink such as resin ink, it is necessary to heat and cure the ink droplets that have landed on the recording medium, so heating is essential.

[0004] A general heating method is to heat a platen that defines the printing position of an ink jet head and to heat a portion of a recording medium on which ink droplets have landed. However, this heating method is effective for a thin recording medium such as paper, but in the case of a thick recording medium, the time required to heat the recording medium to a temperature suitable for ink curing becomes longer. Is not an effective method.

[0005] The ink jet head is arranged in a state facing the platen with a slight gap, and performs printing while moving along the platen. did Therefore, in the method of heating the platen, the inkjet head facing here is also heated, and the ink in the ink nozzle thickens and solidifies, causing ink clogging. In some cases, the inkjet head may be thermally destroyed.

[0006] Furthermore, it is difficult to make the portion of the recording medium that passes through the platen into a uniform heated state. For this reason, the print quality may vary and the print quality may deteriorate.

[0007] In addition to this, Nichrome wire or the like is conventionally used as a heating means. Conventional heating means must always be energized, which consumes a lot of power and has a high running cost. is there.

[0008] In view of the above, the applicant of the present application, in Japanese Patent Application No. 2 0 0 6— 1 6 2 3 7 7 (filed on June 12, 2000), a glass plate, a metal plate, We have proposed an inkjet printer that can print on recording media of various materials such as resin boards and wood boards with good fixability.

[0009] This ink jet printer is mounted on an ink jet head, a platen that defines a printing position by the ink jet head, a head carriage that carries the ink jet head, and the head carriage. A heater for heating ink droplets ejected from the ink jet head and landed on a recording medium on the platen, and a cooling for cooling an outer peripheral surface portion of the heater other than the heat radiation opening. The cooling mechanism includes a heat pipe arranged in contact with the components of the heater on the outside and / or inside of the heater.

In the ink jet printer having this configuration, a heater is mounted on the head carriage and moves together with the ink jet head. The heater is positioned in the immediate vicinity of the ink droplet discharged from the inkjet head and landing on the recording medium, and the ink droplet can be directly heated and cured. Therefore, ink droplets can be efficiently fixed on the recording medium.

[001 1] If a heater is placed in the immediate vicinity of the ink jet head, the heater The heat from the nozzle may clog the nozzles of the inkjet head and cause thermal damage to the inkjet head itself. However, in the present invention, since the heater is cooled by the cooling mechanism, heating of the ink jet head can be suppressed or prevented. In particular, in the present invention, a heat pipe having a good heat conduction efficiency is used as the cooling mechanism, so that the heat radiation from the heater can be efficiently released to the outside.

Disclosure of the invention

[0012] The present invention has been conceived in the process of trying to print on various materials using an ink jet printer having such a configuration, and an object of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional image using an ink jet head. The purpose is to propose a method for producing a 3D print image that can easily produce a typical print image.

[0013] A method for producing a three-dimensional printed image of the present invention includes:

The inkjet head is relatively scanned along the surface of the print medium made of a heat-meltable material, and the print medium is moved while being relatively moved in the direction perpendicular to the scan direction of the ink jet head. A printed image is formed on the surface with ink droplets ejected from the inkjet head,

The spot-like irradiation heat is scanned along the surface portion of the print medium on which the print image is formed, and the surface portion is sequentially heated,

By this heating, the ink droplets are heated and dried to fix the print image on the surface portion of the print medium, and the surface portion is heated and melted to respond to the heat absorption rate of the ink forming the print image. It is characterized by the formation of a deep recess.

[0014] When spot-like irradiation heat is scanned along the print image, the heating state of each part of the print image changes according to the difference in the heat absorption rate of the ink constituting the print image. If the amount of heat of irradiation is set appropriately, the part where black ink with high heat absorption rate is used will be heated and melted to a temperature sufficient to melt the print medium, and the black ink will be melted. The used surface part melts and becomes depressed. In contrast, the surface color of the print medium without ink, for example white Since the surface portion where the material remains is low in heat absorption rate, it is not heated to a temperature at which the portion melts. Therefore, the part remains in its original state, for example, a flat surface. As a result, a three-dimensional print image with different depths can be formed on the surface of the print medium according to the constituent color or shading of the print image.

Here, it is desirable to follow the ink jet head and scan the spot-like irradiation heat along the surface of the print medium. When the ink adhered to the surface portion of the print medium is heated and dried and the surface portion is melted, it is possible to prevent or suppress the ink droplets from spreading and the resolution of the printed image to decrease, thereby deteriorating the print quality. .

[001 6] Further, in the method for producing a three-dimensional printed image of the present invention, the printed image is formed on the surface of the printing medium as a printed image with a light and shade having different heat absorption properties, and the printing The surface portion of the medium can be heated and melted to different depths, and a printed image with the depth changing according to the shading can be formed on the surface portion.

[001 7] Similarly, if a color print image is formed by using an inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging different color inks, the surface portion of the print medium is changed to the surface portion. It is possible to form a color print image in which the depth varies according to the adhesion color on the surface portion by heating and melting to different depths according to the heat absorption rate of each color ink adhering to the surface.

Here, prior to scanning of the inkjet head, the surface of the print medium is scanned with spot-like preliminary irradiation heat along the scanning line of the inkjet head to form the printed image. It is desirable to pre-heat each part of the surface part immediately before starting. By preheating the surface of the print medium, it is possible to quickly fix the print image on the surface of the print medium, and it is possible to reliably heat-melt the surface portion of the print medium for providing unevenness.

[001 9] Further, in the method for producing a three-dimensional printed image of the present invention, the depth of the depression formed in the surface portion of the print medium can be increased or decreased by adjusting the amount of irradiation heat. . By reducing the amount of irradiation heat, the surface of the print medium is melted. It is also possible to fix the print image on the surface of the print medium without melting.

Next, in the method for producing a three-dimensional printed image of the present invention, it is desirable to perform printing using a thermosetting ink such as a resin ink.

[0021] Further, as the print medium, a print medium made of a porous material such as a foam made of a thermoplastic resin can be used. The foam is suitable for the production of three-dimensional printed images because the heat-melted part is greatly depressed.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a three-dimensional printed image production apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the three-dimensional printed image production apparatus in FIG.

3 is a schematic perspective view and a schematic cross-sectional view showing the heater and cooling mechanism of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement example of heat pipes.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a heater provided with a heat insulating material.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing an example of a cooling mechanism including a heat pipe and a blower.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing an example of a cooling mechanism for the ink jet head.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a cubic print image production apparatus for producing a three-dimensional print image by the method of the present invention will be described.

[0024] (Configuration of production device)

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a 3D printed image production apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing its control system. 3D printing image production device 1 includes a vertically long rectangular frame 2, a gate-shaped support unit 3 mounted on the frame 2, and a horizontal rectangular medium placed inside the frame 2 Table 5 with plate 4 (platen).

The support unit 3 includes left and right vertical frames 6 and 7 and a horizontal frame 8 bridged between them. The horizontal frame 8 is provided with a carriage guide 9 that extends horizontally between the left and right vertical frames 6, 7. The dot carriage 10 can reciprocate in the printer width direction. The ink carriage head 1 1 is carried downwardly on the head carriage 10. The head carriage 10 is reciprocated in the printer width direction X by a carriage driving mechanism including a carriage motor 14.

A heating lamp unit 40 (heater) including a halogen lamp 41 is attached to one side surface of the head carriage 10 in the moving direction. Light emitted from the heating lamp unit 40 is irradiated downward from the heat radiation opening 42. A heating lamp other than the halogen lamp can also be used. Also, heating means other than the heating lamp can be used. Further, heating lamp units may be attached to both sides of the head carriage 10 as will be described later.

[0027] Resin ink is supplied from an ink tank (not shown) to the inkjet head 11 and printing is performed on the printing surface 30a of the printing medium 30 placed on the medium mounting surface 4 using the resin ink. Is called. Thermosetting inks other than resin inks can also be used.

[0028] Here, the printing medium 30 is a rectangular plate made of a heat-meltable porous material such as expanded polystyrene or expanded polyurethane, and the printed surface 30a is, for example, a white flat surface. As the printing medium 30, any material may be used as long as the portion of the printing surface 30 a has heat melting property and the melted portion is reduced in volume to form a depression.

[0029] Next, the support unit 3 on which the head carriage 10 and the like are mounted is supported so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction Y of the printer along the left and right guide frames 15 and 16 of the gantry 2. ing. The support unit 3 is moved in the longitudinal direction Y of the printer by a feed mechanism including a feed motor 17.

The table 5 includes a heating mechanism 18 for heating the medium placement surface 4. The recording medium 30 placed on the medium placement surface 4 is heated from the back side by the heating mechanism 18. In addition, the heating lamp unit 40 that moves together with the head carriage 10 heats the spot where the ink droplets land from the upper side in a spot manner. In this example, the temperature control function is incorporated in the heating mechanism 18, and the heating lamp unit 40 is connected to the voltage control circuit 19 including a transformer. The drive current is supplied and the heating temperature can be controlled.

[0031] The table 5 is, for example, a hydraulic lifting table, and the height can be adjusted by the hydraulic drive mechanism 21. The control of each part is performed by a printer control panel 22 composed mainly of a microcomputer.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a heating lamp unit 40 mounted on the head carriage 10 and a schematic cross-sectional view thereof. The heating lamp unit 40 includes a halogen lamp 4 1, a reflector 4 3 to which the halogen lamp 4 1 is attached, and a rectangle attached coaxially to the exit opening side of the reflector 4 3. The lower end opening of the lens barrel 44 is a heat radiation opening 42. The lens barrel 44 may have a shape other than a rectangular cross section, for example, a cylindrical shape. The light emitted from the light emitting part of the halogen lamp 41 is reflected by the reflecting mirror 43 to form a light spot 45 having a predetermined diameter on the printing surface 30a of the recording medium 30 on the medium mounting surface 4. And heat the part of the printing surface 30a

[0033] A cooling mechanism 50 comprising a heat pipe is attached to the heating lamp unit 40 having this structure. The cooling mechanism 50 of this example includes four built-in heat pipes 51 extending in the vertical direction at the four corners of the inner peripheral surface of the lens barrel 44. The upper ends of these built-in heat pipes 51 protrude upward from the upper end surface of the lens barrel 44. These upper ends are connected to four external heat pipes 52 arranged along the back surface of the reflecting mirror 43, respectively. The number of heat pipes is not limited to four, but may be one or plural other than four. Further, the heat pipe may be linear, curved, or spirally wound.

These external heat pipes 52 are bundled together and extend upward, and are attached to the lower surface of a heat radiating plate 53 that extends horizontally at the upper end of these heat pipes 52. The heat radiating plate 53 is supported so as to be movable in the printer width direction along a guide (not shown) formed inside the support unit 3. Move to the surface of the heat sink 5 3 A plurality of radiating fins 53a extending in the direction are formed. If the heating lamp unit 40 does not generate a large amount of heat, that is, the heating lamp unit 40 can be sufficiently cooled only by the heat radiation action of the heat pipes 51 and 52, the intake head 11 If there is no harmful effect due to heating, the heat sink can be omitted.

[0035] (Operation of production device)

The operation of the three-dimensional printed image production apparatus 1 having this configuration will be described. The print medium 30 is placed on the medium placement surface 4 of the table 5, and the gap between the print surface 30 a of the print medium 30 and the inkjet head 11 is adjusted by the hydraulic drive mechanism 21. Prior to this, or after this gap adjustment, the heating mechanism 18 is driven to heat the medium mounting surface 4.

Thereafter, the carriage motor 14 and the feed motor 17 are driven to move the support unit 3 from the illustrated home position in the front-rear direction Y of the printer, and the head carriage 1 mounted thereon Move 0 in the printer width direction X. In synchronism with this, the inkjet head 11 is driven via the head driver 23 to perform desired printing while discharging resin ink droplets onto the printing surface 30a of the printing medium 30. .

Here, the heating lamp unit 40 is turned on prior to the printing operation of the ink jet head 11. Therefore, the resin ink droplet 3 1 ejected from the ink jet head 1 1 to the printing surface 3 0 a of the printing medium 30 and adhered thereto is immediately scanned and heated by the spot-like irradiation heat, Start curing. In this example, since the medium mounting surface 4 is also heated, the printing surface 30 a of the printing medium 30 can be maintained in an optimal heating state suitable for the resin sink to be thermally cured. Therefore, the resin ink droplets are fixed on the printing surface 30 a simultaneously with the printing operation. In this way, a printing image is formed on the printing surface 30 a of the printing medium 30 while printing and thermosetting are simultaneously performed.

[0038] Further, in the portion of the printed image on the printing surface 30 0a that has been irradiated with the spot-like irradiation heat, the heating state differs depending on the constituent ink of the printed image. Black ink adheres The area with the highest heat absorption rate is the white area, and the part with the printed surface 30 0a remaining on the white background has the lowest heat absorption rate. For example, when the spot-like irradiation heat hits the black ink adhering portion, the amount of irradiation heat is set so that the portion instantaneously becomes higher than the heat melting temperature of the print medium 30. In this way, at the black ink adhering portion, at the same time as the black ink is thermally cured, the adhering portion is thermally melted to form a depression of a predetermined depth, and the black surface is formed on the surface of the formed depression. The ink is fixed and a black depression is obtained.

[0039] In the portion of the printed image where color inks other than black ink are attached, the heating temperature is lower than the portion where black ink is attached, so the amount of heat melting is small, and therefore the portion where black ink is attached. A shallow depression is formed. On the other hand, the portion where the printing surface 30 a remains on a white background remains flat.

[0040] In this way, the portion of the print surface 30a of the print medium 30 on which the print image is formed depends on the density of the print image or the heat absorption rate of the color ink constituting the print image. An unevenness of a certain depth is formed. Therefore, by using the production apparatus 1 of this example, it is possible to easily form a three-dimensional printed image whose depth changes according to the density of printing or the printing color on the surface of the printing medium. In addition, by adjusting the intensity of the spot-like irradiation heat, the depth of the unevenness of the three-dimensional printed image can be changed, and by setting the minimum intensity required for the thermal curing of the resin ink, the unevenness of the unevenness You can also get a print screen without. Furthermore, by changing the intensity of irradiation heat during printing, it is also possible to produce a three-dimensional printed image with a partially deep depression.

[0041] Here, the heating lamp unit 40 of the present example is cooled by a cooling mechanism 50 arranged therein. That is, the heat generated in the heating lamp unit 40 is released to the heat radiating plate 53 through the four built-in heat pipes 51 and the external heat pipe 52. Since the heat sink 53 moves together with the head carriage 10 in the printer width direction X, the heat collected here is efficiently released from the heat sink fins 53 of the heat sink 53 to the outside. When the printing operation is completed, the support unit 3 returns to the home position shown in the figure again. [0042] As described above, in the three-dimensional printed image production apparatus 1 of this example, printing is performed on the printing surface 30a of the printing medium 30 using a resin ink. Therefore, it is possible to perform printing without previously performing a background process for forming an ink image receiving surface on a printing medium made of various materials.

In addition, simultaneously with the printing operation, the resin ink is scanned by spot-like irradiation heat from the heating lamp unit 40. Accordingly, the resin ink lands on the printing surface 30 a and at the same time is thermally cured, and at the same time, the scanning portion of the irradiation heat is melted and a depression is formed. Therefore, the resin ink is thermally cured and fixed on the surface of the depression. A three-dimensional printed image is formed on the printing surface 30 a with the density of the printed image or a depth corresponding to the constituent ink.

Furthermore, a cooling mechanism 50 is attached to the heating lamp unit 40, and heat generated in the heating lamp unit 40 is efficiently released from the radiator plate 53 to the outside. Therefore, the inkjet heads 11 arranged at the adjacent positions are not heated by the heat from the heating lamp unit 40, and the nozzles are not clogged and the ink jet head itself is not destroyed.

In addition to this, in this example, the platen gap can be adjusted by moving the table 5 up and down, so that a three-dimensional printed image can be formed on the surface of the print medium of various thicknesses.

[Other Embodiments]

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement example of the heat pipes in the cooling mechanism 50. In the example of FIG. 4 (a), one heat pipe 55 is attached spirally along the inner peripheral surface of the lens barrel 44 of the heating lamp unit 40. In the example of FIG. 4 (b), one heat pipe 56 is attached so as to spirally surround the outer peripheral surface of the lens barrel 44. In the example of FIG. 4 (c), one heat pipe 5 7 is attached in a truncated cone shape along the back surface of the reflector 4 3 (lamp cover) of the heating lamp unit 40.

[0047] Next, the ink jet head 11 can be prevented from being heated by combining the cooling mechanism 50 and a heat insulating material. For example, as shown in Figure 5, heating For example, four heat pipes 58 are arranged at equal angular intervals on the inner peripheral surface of the lens barrel 40 4 A of the lamp unit 40 in the lens barrel axis direction. Inside these heat pipes 58, a cylindrical heat insulating material 59 is arranged so as to cover the inner peripheral surface of the lens barrel and the heat pipe 58. In this way, it is possible to prevent the ink jet head 11 from being heated by utilizing heat radiation and heat insulation.

[0048] On the other hand, as the cooling mechanism 50, an air cooling mechanism can be used together with the heat pipe. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when heating lamps 40 are attached to both sides of the head carriage 10, a plurality of heat pipes 60 arranged on these are pulled together and drawn upward, Connect the part to the heat sink 61. The heat radiating plate 61 has a large number of heat radiating fins 61 on the surface. The heat radiating plate 61 is supported so as to be movable in the printer width direction within a duct 62 formed in the support unit 3 in FIG. 1 and extending in the printer width direction. An air cooling fan 63 is attached to one end of the duct 62, and cooling air can be blown toward the heat radiating plate 61 in the width direction of the printer.

[0049] According to this configuration, since the heat radiating plate 61 is air-cooled, the cooling effect can be enhanced. In addition, since air is introduced from the outside by the blower 63, there is an advantage that the cooling effect is enhanced.

[0050] Next, the cooling mechanism 50 can be attached to the heating lamp unit 40, and the cooling mechanism can be attached to the ink jet head 11 or the head carriage 10 to cool them directly. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the heat pipe 71 is disposed so as to surround the outer periphery of the ink jet head 11 mounted on the head carriage 10, and the tip is pulled out of the head carriage 10. Then, it is connected to a heat radiating plate 7 2 that moves in the printer width direction integrally with the head carriage 10. According to this configuration, the ink jet head 11 can be reliably prevented from falling into a heated state.

[0051] Instead of this, or together with this, the head carriage 10 and / or the ink jet head 11 may be air-cooled. [0052] (Control method of heater)

In addition, when the material of the print medium is different, the specific heat varies depending on the material of each print medium, and the irradiation temperature suitable for curing the ink droplets landed there, or the ink droplets landed The irradiation temperature suitable for heat melting the surface of the print medium is also different. As a method of changing the irradiation temperature, the heating means, for example, the driving voltage and driving current of the heating lamp may be controlled. In addition, it is possible to change the irradiation temperature by increasing or decreasing the amount of irradiation light by putting a light shielding filter in and out of the irradiation path of the irradiation light.

[0053] Irradiation temperature switching control can be performed in multiple stages by, for example, arranging a manual selection switch and operating it. Also, an irradiation temperature control program may be installed in the printer driver so that the irradiation temperature is automatically controlled according to the ambient temperature, the type of material of the selected recording medium, and the like.

[0054] Further, it is desirable to control so that heating by the heater is performed only when necessary. That is, only when printing is actually performed by the inkjet head 11 1, if the heater is turned on to heat the surface of the recording medium, the ink jet head 11 1 can be suppressed from being heated, and the heater Can also reduce power consumption.

[0055] Here, when a discharge lamp such as a halogen lamp is used as the lamp of the heating lamp unit, it is desirable to drive and control the halogen lamp as follows. First, when the halogen lamp switch is turned on, the lamp is turned on instantaneously and raised to the target temperature. In addition, in order to increase the rising speed of temperature, it is possible to form a semi-lighted state by controlling the driving voltage of the halogen lamp.

[0056] Then, only when the ink-jet head performs printing, it is switched to the fully lit state, and otherwise it is kept off or semi-lit. For example, when the ink jet head is waiting at its home position, or when cleaning the ink jet head, such a state is maintained. further The lamp drive control circuit uses a thermistor and thermocouple so as not to cause an extreme temperature rise. In case of emergency, an emergency stop circuit will be provided to force the lamp to turn off.

As described above, in the method for producing a three-dimensional printed image according to the present invention, the spot-like irradiation heat is scanned along the surface of the print medium along the scanning line of the inkjet head, and the surface of the print medium is obtained. Using the difference in the heat absorption rate of each ink constituting the print image formed on the surface, the surface portion of the print medium on which the print image is selectively formed is thermally melted to form a depression of a predetermined depth. Is forming. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily produce a three-dimensional print image with irregularities according to the surface color of the print medium, the density configuration of the print image, the configuration color of the print image, and the like.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] The ink jet head is relatively scanned along the surface of the print medium made of a heat-meltable material, and the print medium is relatively moved in a direction perpendicular to the ink jet head scan direction. A print image is formed on the surface of the print medium with ink droplets ejected from the inkjet head.

By this heating, the ink droplets are heated and dried to fix the print image on the surface portion of the print medium, and the surface portion is heated and melted to respond to the heat absorption rate of the ink forming the print image. A method for producing a three-dimensional printed image characterized by forming a dent of a deep depth.

[2] In the method for producing a three-dimensional printed image according to claim 1,

A method for producing a three-dimensional print image, characterized by scanning spot-like irradiation heat along the surface of the print medium following an ink jet head.

[3] In the method for producing a three-dimensional printed image according to claim 1,

As the print image on the surface of the print medium, forming an image having a light and shade with different heat absorption,

According to the density of the print image, the surface portion of the print medium is heated and melted to different depths, and a print image with the depth changing according to the density is formed on the surface portion. To create a 3D printed image.

[4] In the method for producing a three-dimensional printed image according to claim 1,

As the ink jet head, an ink jet head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging different color inks is used,

The surface portion of the printing medium is heated and melted to a different depth according to the heat absorption rate of each color ink attached to the surface portion, and the depth changes according to the attached color on the surface portion. A method for producing a three-dimensional printed image, comprising forming a color printed image.

[5] In the method for producing a three-dimensional printed image according to claim 1, Prior to scanning the ink jet head, along the scanning line of the ink jet head, the surface of the print medium is scanned with spot-like pre-irradiation heat, and the print image is formed immediately before the print image is formed. A method for producing a three-dimensional printed image, characterized by preheating each part of the surface portion.

[6] In the method for producing a three-dimensional printed image according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

A method for producing a three-dimensional printed image, wherein the depth of the depression formed in the surface portion of the print medium is increased or decreased by adjusting the amount of heat of the irradiation heat

[7] In the method for producing a three-dimensional printed image according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

A method for producing a three-dimensional printed image, wherein printing is performed using a thermosetting ink such as a resin ink.

[8] In the method for producing a three-dimensional printed image according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

A method for producing a three-dimensional print image, wherein a print medium made of a porous material such as a foam made of a thermoplastic resin is used as the print medium.