JP2004122490A - Method for manufacturing three-dimensionally shaped article - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to simultaneously perform heat treatment in a process of manufacturing a molded article by an optical molding method.
A light beam (L) is applied to a predetermined portion of a layer (10) of an inorganic or organic powder material to sinter the powder at the corresponding portion to form a sintered layer (11). Is repeated by forming a new sintered layer 11 integrated with the lower sintered layer 11 by irradiating a predetermined portion with a light beam and sintering the powder at the corresponding portion. The required three-dimensional shaped object is formed. At this time, a selective heat treatment of the surface by irradiation with the light beam for heat treatment Lh is performed in the molding apparatus during the molding.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensionally shaped object by manufacturing a three-dimensionally shaped object by sintering and hardening a powder material with a light beam.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There is a method of manufacturing a three-dimensionally shaped object known as an optical molding method. The manufacturing method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2620353 (Patent Document 1) irradiates a predetermined portion of an inorganic or organic powder material layer with a light beam and sinters the powder at the corresponding portion to form a sintered layer. Is formed, a new layer of a powder material is coated on the sintered layer, and a predetermined portion of the powder layer is irradiated with a light beam to sinter the powder at the corresponding portion to form a lower sintered layer. By repeating the process of forming a new integrated sintered layer, a powder sintered component (three-dimensional shaped object) in which multiple sintered layers are laminated and integrated is created. Since a light beam is irradiated based on the cross-sectional shape data of each layer generated by slicing a model, which is design data (CAD data) of a shaped object, to a desired layer thickness, an arbitrary shape can be obtained without a so-called CAM device. It is possible to manufacture three-dimensional shaped objects Ruhoka, compared to the manufacturing method such as by cutting, it is possible to obtain a molded article rapidly desired shape.
[0003]
[Patent Document]
Japanese Patent No. 2620353
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, when the three-dimensional shaped object to be manufactured is required to have a high hardness surface, such as an injection molding die for mass production, the shaped object manufactured by the above manufacturing method is heat-treated in a heat treatment furnace. However, the necessity of such a heat treatment step requires a heat treatment furnace as a manufacturing facility and also increases the delivery time.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a three-dimensionally shaped object capable of simultaneously completing heat treatment in the process of manufacturing a shaped object by stereolithography. To offer.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Thus, the present invention provides a sintered layer by irradiating a light beam to a predetermined portion of a layer of an inorganic or organic powder material to sinter the powder at the corresponding portion, and forming a sintered layer on the sintered layer. The new layer is formed by irradiating a light beam to a predetermined location and sintering the powder at the corresponding location to form a new sintered layer integrated with the lower sintered layer. In performing the shaping of a three-dimensionally shaped object, the first feature is to perform selective heat treatment of the surface by irradiation of a light beam for heat treatment in the apparatus for the shaping during the shaping, and A predetermined portion of the layer of the inorganic or organic powder material is irradiated with a light beam to sinter the powder at the corresponding portion to form a sintered layer, and a new layer of the powder material is coated on the sintered layer. Irradiate a light beam to a predetermined location to sinter the powder at the location. In addition to repeating the formation of a new sintered layer integrated with the lower sintered layer at the same time, the step of removing the surface part and / or unnecessary parts of the model created so far after the formation of the sintered layer In forming the required three-dimensionally shaped object by inserting it during the process of forming the sintered layer a plurality of times, the heat treatment by irradiating a light beam for heat treatment on the surface on which the above-mentioned removal has been performed by the cutting process is performed by the above-described molding. It has a second feature in that it is performed in the above-described device for molding.
[0007]
The heat treatment is performed by irradiating a light beam for heat treatment during molding in an apparatus for molding by an optical molding method.
[0008]
In this case, it is preferable that the heat treatment by light beam irradiation be performed every time the shaping at a depth at which heat treatment by light beam irradiation is possible is completed.
[0009]
Further, this heat treatment is not limited to the one for increasing the hardness, and the heat treatment by light beam irradiation is for lowering the hardness of the surface layer portion of the modeled object, and the surface layer portion of the modeled object is cut and finished after the heat treatment. It may be something.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an example of an embodiment. FIG. 2 shows an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensionally shaped object by an optical molding method, and vertically moves in a space whose outer periphery is surrounded by a molding tank 25. A powder layer forming means 2 for forming a powder layer 10 having a predetermined thickness Δt1 by leveling an inorganic or organic powder material supplied on an elevating table 20 with a squeezing blade 21, and a laser output from a laser oscillator 30; Is applied to the powder layer 10 via a scanning optical system such as a galvanomirror 31 to sinter the powder to form a sintered layer 11, and the powder layer forming means 2 Is provided with a milling head 41 provided with a milling head 41 via an XY drive mechanism (preferably driven by a linear motion linear motor in terms of speeding up).
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 3, the three-dimensionally shaped object is manufactured by supplying an inorganic or organic powder material to the surface of the molding base 22 on the upper surface of the elevating table 20 and leveling the material with the blade 21. The powder layer 10 is formed, and a portion of the powder layer 10 to be cured is irradiated with a light beam (laser) L to sinter the powder to form a sintered layer 11 integrated with the base 22.
[0012]
Thereafter, the lifting table 20 is slightly lowered, and an inorganic or organic powder material is supplied again and leveled by the blade 21 to form the second powder layer 10. The powder (S) is irradiated with a beam (laser) L to sinter the powder to form a sintered layer 11 integrated with the lower sintering layer 11. The elevating table 20 is lowered to form a new powder layer 10. Then, by repeating the process of irradiating a light beam to make a required portion a sintered layer 11, a target three-dimensionally shaped object is manufactured. For example, a spherical iron powder having an average particle diameter of about 20 μm can be used as the powder material, a carbon dioxide laser can be used as the light beam, and a thickness Δt1 of the powder layer 10 can be 0.05 mm, but the conditions are limited. Not something.
[0013]
The irradiation path of the light beam L is created in advance from the three-dimensional CAD data of the three-dimensional object to be obtained. That is, the contour shape data of each section obtained by slicing the STL data generated from the three-dimensional CAD model at an equal pitch (here, 0.05 mm) is used. At this time, it is preferable to perform the light beam irradiation L so that at least the outermost surface of the three-dimensionally shaped object can be sintered so as to have a high density (a porosity of 5% or less).
[0014]
Then, the process of forming the powder layer 10 and irradiating the light beam L to form the sintered layer 11 is repeated. When the required value obtained from the tool length 41 or the like is reached, the cutting and removing means 4 is once operated to cut the surface of the modeled object. For example, if the tool (ball end mill) of the milling head 41 is capable of cutting with a diameter of 1 mm, an effective blade length of 3 mm, and a depth of 3 mm, and the thickness Δt1 of the powder layer 10 is 0.05 mm, the baking of 60 layers is performed. When the tie layer 11 is formed, the cutting and removing means 4 is operated. The low-density surface layer due to the powder adhering to the surface of the modeled object is removed by the cutting process by the cutting and removing unit 4, and at the same time, the high-density portion is entirely exposed on the surface of the modeled object by cutting down to the high-density portion. For this purpose, the sintered layer 11 is made slightly larger than a desired shape. The cutting path by the cutting and removing unit 4 is created in advance from the three-dimensional CAD data, similarly to the irradiation path of the light beam L.
[0015]
Also, in the manufacturing method according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, in the process of repeatedly forming the powder layer 10 and irradiating the light beam L to form the sintered layer 11, After forming the sintered layer 11 and before forming the powder layer 10 thereon, heat treatment is performed by irradiating a light beam (laser) Lh for heat treatment. The light beam Lh for heat treatment to be irradiated here is the light beam Lh for heat treatment when the sintered layer forming means 3 for irradiating the light beam L for sintering can also output a light beam suitable for heat treatment. In this case, the heat treatment light beam Lh may be output. When the light beam Lh for heat treatment is irradiated from a dedicated output unit, the light beam Lh has the same configuration as that of the sintered layer forming unit 3 so that the light beam Lh can be irradiated to a required portion.
[0016]
Here, it is not necessary to irradiate the entire surface of the uppermost sintered layer 11 with the light beam Lh for heat treatment, and it is sufficient to selectively irradiate only necessary portions. H in FIG. The portion hardened by the irradiation of the light beam Lh is shown.
[0017]
The irradiation timing of the heat treatment light beam Lh may be determined by the depth at which the hardness can be increased by irradiation of the heat treatment light beam Lh and the thickness of the single sintered layer 11, and FIG. Since the heat treatment can be performed to a depth comparable to that of the layer 11, a case where the light beam Lh for heat treatment is irradiated every time the two sintered layers 11 are formed is shown.
[0018]
Further, the heat treatment is not limited to the high hardness, and may be a heat treatment for low hardness. In particular, in the case where the cutting and removing means 4 is provided and the upper surface of the shaped object formed so far is subjected to surface finishing by cutting, as shown in FIG. When irradiation with the light beam Lh for the hardening heat treatment is performed on a portion to be cut and removed to form the heat treatment portion L having a low hardness, the cutting and removing (finishing) processing is facilitated. It is a matter of course that the hardness may be increased this time by re-irradiating the heat treatment light beam Lh for increasing the hardness at the time when the cutting removal processing is completed.
[0019]
By the way, when cutting and removing processing is performed during shaping by providing the cutting and removing means 4, as shown in FIG. 6, a groove 19 is formed on the outer periphery of the formed object which has become a path of a cutting and removing tool (milling head 41). . For this reason, when the heat treatment is performed by irradiating the light beam Lh for heat treatment immediately after the cutting and removing processing, as shown in FIG. The light beam Lh can be applied to the outer peripheral surface (or the inner peripheral surface) of the formed object. As compared with the case where the light beam Lh is irradiated from the upper surface of the modeled object, heat treatment can be applied to the outer peripheral surface (or the inner peripheral surface) of many sintered layers 11, and the irradiation of the heat treatment light beam Lh can be performed. The cycle can be lengthened and the number of times can be reduced, and a three-dimensionally shaped object that has been heat-treated in a shorter time can be obtained.
[0020]
In addition, irradiating the light beam Lh immediately after the cutting and removing processing allows the light beam Lh to perform the function of removing cutting burrs generated on the molded article during the cutting and removing processing. Manufacturing becomes possible.
[0021]
In addition, although the thing which made cutting removal processing possible in the apparatus for stereolithography was shown here, of course, the present invention can also be applied to the thing which does not perform cutting removal processing in the apparatus. .
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the present invention, a predetermined portion of the inorganic or organic powder material layer is irradiated with a light beam to sinter the powder at the corresponding portion to form a sintered layer, and a sintered layer is formed on the sintered layer. It repeats forming a new sintered layer integrated with the lower layer by coating a new layer of powder material and irradiating the light beam to the predetermined location and sintering the powder at the corresponding location In forming the required three-dimensionally shaped object, the selective heat treatment of the surface by irradiating the light beam for heat treatment is performed in the apparatus for the shaping during the shaping, and the shaping by the optical shaping method is performed. Heat treatment is also performed by irradiating a light beam for heat treatment during molding in the apparatus for forming, so that when the molding is completed, it is possible to obtain a heat-treated molded object, and equipment for heat treatment or additional equipment No need for heat treatment process, quickly and It is possible to produce a heat-treated three-dimensionally shaped object in cost.
[0023]
Also, the present invention provides a method for irradiating a predetermined portion of a layer of an inorganic or organic powder material with a light beam to sinter the powder at the corresponding portion to form a sintered layer, and forming a new powder material on the sintered layer. Irradiating a light beam to a predetermined location and sintering the powder at the corresponding location to form a new sintering layer integrated with the lower sintering layer. In order to form the required three-dimensionally shaped object by inserting the process of removing the surface part and / or unnecessary part of the modeled object created so far after forming the layer into the process of creating the sintered layer multiple times In order to perform the heat treatment by irradiating the light beam for heat treatment on the surface on which the removal has been performed by the cutting process in the apparatus for the shaping during the shaping, not only the shaping, but also the surface portion of the shaped object and Or removal (finishing) of unnecessary parts and heat treatment The are those that can be gone at the same time, it is possible to produce a three-dimensionally shaped object as a final product of the heat-treated quickly and at low cost.
[0024]
In any case, the heat treatment by the light beam irradiation is performed every time the shaping at a depth at which the heat treatment by the light beam irradiation is possible is completed, so that a continuous heat treatment part can be formed on the modeled object.
[0025]
Further, the heat treatment by irradiation with the light beam may reduce the hardness of the surface layer portion of the modeled object, and may perform the cutting finish of the surface layer portion of the modeled object subsequent to the heat treatment. Cutting finish becomes easy.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIGS. 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams of an example of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram of the above.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of another operation of the above.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of another operation of the above.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of still another operation of the above.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of another operation of the above.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 Powder layer 11 Sintered layer L Light beam for sintering Lh Light beam for heat treatment

Claims (4)

A predetermined portion of the layer of the inorganic or organic powder material is irradiated with a light beam to sinter the powder at the corresponding portion to form a sintered layer, and a new layer of the powder material is coated on the sintered layer. By irradiating a light beam to a predetermined location and sintering the powder at the corresponding location, a new sintered layer integrated with the lower sintered layer is repeatedly formed to form the required three-dimensional shaped object. A method for producing a three-dimensionally shaped object, comprising: performing a selective heat treatment of a surface by irradiating a light beam for heat treatment during the shaping in the shaping apparatus. A predetermined portion of the layer of the inorganic or organic powder material is irradiated with a light beam to sinter the powder at the corresponding portion to form a sintered layer, and a new layer of the powder material is coated on the sintered layer. Irradiating a light beam at a predetermined location to sinter the powder at the corresponding location to form a new sintered layer integrated with the lower sintered layer, and after forming the sintered layer, In order to form the required three-dimensional shaped object by inserting the process of removing the surface part and / or unnecessary part of the shaped object created up to A method for producing a three-dimensionally shaped object, wherein the heat treatment by irradiating the light beam for heat treatment on the surface from which the removal has been performed is performed in the apparatus for the shaping during the shaping. 3. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensionally shaped object according to claim 1, wherein the heat treatment by light beam irradiation is performed every time the shaping at a depth at which heat treatment by light beam irradiation is possible is completed. The tertiary product according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat treatment by light beam irradiation is for lowering the hardness of the surface layer of the modeled object, and cutting and finishing the surface layer portion of the modeled object after the heat treatment. Manufacturing method of original shaped object.

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